College of Arts & Sciences Launches New Majors

Several new majors and minors in multiple disciplines in the College of Arts & Sciences will begin this academic year.

“These new majors and minors are examples of the forward-looking thinking of our academic departments who want to ensure that our students are prepared for some of the latest, in-demand fields,” says Deb Sullivan-Trainor, vice president and dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. “Combined with our strong general education curriculum and emphasis on the integration of faith and learning, our graduates will have the skills and Christian foundation to work and serve in a variety of fields throughout their lifetime."

After hearing from recent alumni and employers, the Department of Math and Computer Science has developed a new major called Computer Science: Software Project Management. Outstanding developers are promoted to project management within their first five years. This major will develop students in all of the necessary skills to become a software developer along with the specific skills needed to effectively manage teams and technical projects.

The Department of Business and Economics has developed an additional emphasis within the business major called Business Analytics and Analysis. This emphasis will teach students to use quantitative business study to inform decision-making and forecasting. In addition, the Entrepreneurship emphasis has been renamed to Innovation and Entrepreneurship to underscore how an entrepreneurial spirit can be utilized in existing company contexts, not just in starting a business.

Many elementary schools are working to increase the integration and study of science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, into their curriculum. In response, the undergraduate education program has developed a STEM minor available to elementary education majors to develop skills in teaching these disciplines to young students.

Several new majors and minors debuted last year to a great response. The Department of Communication Studies reformatted the media production major based on feedback from students and expanded their degree offerings to include a major in Independent Filmmaking. This major develops students passionate about visual storytelling to manage limited budgets and understand the entire production and filming process. The department also established a new Organizational Communication major, which has three emphasis options: employee communication, strategic communication, and event management. Another significant addition includes both a major and minor in Graphic Design through the Department of Art and Design and a multidisciplinary minor in Gender Studies.