UMBC Announces New Undergraduate and Graduate Programs
UMBC has recently added several new degree and program track opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. With these programs recently approved by the Board of Regents and the Maryland Higher Education Commission, the university continues to provide students with the knowledge and skills to be successful in their careers and employers with talented graduates in a variety of fields.
UNDERGRADUATE
Bachelor’s Degree in Media and Communication Studies
As communication becomes increasingly digital, interactive and pervasive, knowledge of new media technology is essential. The B.A. in Media and Communications Studies is an interdisciplinary program that combines a liberal arts education with an understanding of the dynamic and complex changes in communication, culture and knowledge. Students will gain critical media literacy while learning to use relevant new technologies to communicate effectively. Internships and capstone projects will introduce students to the worlds of radio, television, print and web journalism; public relations and advertising; non-profit policy work and advocacy; as well as careers in education, health and administration. Students in the program must complete an additional major, minor or certificate. Visit the Media and Communications Studies web site at www.umbc.edu/mcs or contact program director Jason Loviglio loviglio@umbc.edu) in the Department of American Studies for more information.
Bachelor’s Degree in Gender and Women’s Studies
Gender and Women’s Studies is an interdisciplinary field of inquiry that seeks to understand and articulate how gender makes a difference – in the lives and experiences of women, as well as men; in the practices and institutions of human societies; and in the cultural products of societies, such as art and literature. Emphasizing the importance of historical, cross-cultural, and international perspectives, Gender and Women’s Studies critically examines the intersections of gender, class, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age and ability to make visible structures of power that otherwise remain hidden. Graduates with a degree in Gender and Women’s Studies enter careers in business, education, public service, healthcare, social services, law, politics and news media. Contact program director Anne Brodsky (brodsky@umbc.edu) in the Gender and Women’s Studies Program (www.umbc.edu/wmstudies/) for more information.
Bachelor of Arts in Physics Education
There is a chronic shortage of secondary school science teachers, especially physics-trained teachers, in Maryland and throughout the U.S. In response, UMBC has created a Bachelor of Arts in Physics Education that will graduate fully trained physicists who are able to teach physics at the secondary level. The program is offered in collaboration with UMBC’s Department of Education. Contact program director Philip Rous (rous@umbc.edu) for more information.
Program Track in Computer Science: Game Development
Program Track in Visual Arts: Animation and Interactive Media The Baltimore/Washington region is ranked third in the number of computer game companies nationally. Employers are looking for talented programmers and artists to meet increasing demands in the gaming field. Based on employer feedback, UMBC has created a game development track for students pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science, and an animation and interactive media track for students pursuing a B.A. in Visual Arts. Visit http://gaim.umbc.edu/ for more information, or contact program directors Marc Olano (olano@umbc.edu) in the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering or Eric Dyer (dyer@umbc.edu) in the Department of Visual Arts.
Program Track in Health Administration and Policy: Public Health
The Health Administration and Policy Program (HAPP) is designed for career-oriented students who recognize that health and health care in the U.S. are major public concerns and plan to seek employment in one of a variety of administrative, supportive, planning, research or policy positions. The new track in Public Health provides students the opportunity to add courses in the natural sciences as part of their program requirements. Visit www.umbc.edu/happ or contact associate program director Joyce Riley (riley@umbc.edu) in the Department of Sociology for more information.
GRADUATE
Master’s Degree in Professional Studies: Biotechnology
Designed for current and aspiring biotech professionals, the M.P.S. in Biotechnology program incorporates advanced life science courses with regulatory and management courses. In addition to providing advanced instruction in the life sciences, the program provides practical instruction on how to successfully bring new products to market. The program also includes coursework in leadership, management and financial management to a life science-oriented business. Visit the M.P.S. Biotechnology program web site (www.umbc.edu/biotech) or contact program director Rick Wolf (biotechinfo@umbc.edu) for more information.
Master’s Degree and Ph.D. Degree in Geography and Environmental Systems
The environment is an emerging focus on the UMBC campus, and the graduate programs in Geography and Environmental Systems (GES) will emphasize the kinds of interdisciplinary collaboration needed to address critical problems affecting the natural environment and human society. Students will have the opportunity to earn an M.S. or Ph.D. degree in three areas: Environmental Systems, including water resources and earth-surface processes, ecosystem science and atmospheric processes; Human Geography, with an emphasis on coupled human-natural systems including impacts of human activities on the environment, the socioeconomic consequences of environmental degradation and environmental policy; and Geographic Information Science and Remote Sensing. Visit the GES graduate program web site (www.umbc.edu/ges/GES_graduate_program) or contact program director Andrew Miller (miller@umbc.edu) in the Department of Geography and Environmental Systems for more information.
Master’s Degree in Professional Studies: Industrial and Organizational Psychology (Pending Approval by the Maryland Higher Education Commission)
UMBC’s Master’s in Professional Studies: Industrial and Organizational (I/O) Psychology program will be offered at the Universities at Shady Grove campus in Rockville. The program will offer an applied curriculum for early and mid-career students planning to enter or advance in the I/O workforce. It explores and integrates such topics as organizational behavioral management, human factors, and professional human resources practice, and culminates with a professional capstone experience. The program enables students to develop a portfolio while building strong relationships with faculty and industry professionals. Upon completing the M.P.S., students will possess advanced knowledge of organizational behavior management, ethical issues in organizational psychology, the dynamics of interpersonal relationships, the dynamics of teamwork, and employee motivation. Evening, weekend and select online courses will be available for busy professionals. For more information, contact Diane Alonso at 301-738-6318 or dalonso@umbc.edu or visit www.umbc.edu/shadygrove/iop.
Master’s Degree in Management of Aging Services
The newly formed Erickson School is offering an applied professional M.A. degree program focused on preparing leaders in practice and scholarship who will improve society by enhancing the lives of older adults. The unique program is designed for professionals working in the growing array of aging-related services, including in government, business and non-profit sectors. It will provide a solid interdisciplinary foundation in human aging, management and policy. Graduates will leave the program with the skills and knowledge to make a unique contribution to organizations addressing the needs of an aging society. Contact program director Leslie A. Morgan (lmorgan@umbc.edu) in the Erickson School (www.umbc.edu/Erickson) for more information.
Master’s Degree in Systems Engineering (Pending Approval by the Maryland Higher Education Commission)
The Master’s of Science in Systems Engineering will provide the technical background required for successful systems engineers in the 21st century. The program is designed for engineering professionals who want practical experience that can be immediately applied on the job. Students will learn from industry experts how to develop complex systems that meet customer requirements. The core curriculum will consist of five courses developed and taught by senior systems engineers to equip students with the processes, techniques and tools required to practice systems engineering. These courses will address the entire systems engineering life cycle, including requirements analysis, systems architecture and design, modeling, simulation and analysis, and system implementation and testing. The elective portion of the program consists of courses that provide an overview of technical disciplines that lie at the heart of today’s systems and courses in a related technical discipline chosen to meet the specific career needs of each student. Contact program director Ted Foster (tfoster@umbc.edu) for more information.
(7/23/07)
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