Majors, Minors, and Areas of Study Archives for Minor

Minor

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Majors, Minors & Areas of Study

African American Studies

Explore African American heritage and experiences.

African American Studies affords students the opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary study of African American roles and contributions to such varied aspects of American life as history, literature, music, religion, and society. Students who complete the minor will acquire knowledge about the African American experience in the Americas, apply a variety of methods to understand historical and current topics, and think critically and prepare themselves to address existing and future challenges in American culture and society, all of which will prove useful in professional life after Mary Washington.

The African American Studies minor requires 18 credits including Introduction to American Studies, four approved electives, and a capstone course.

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Majors, Minors & Areas of Study

Financial and Quantitative Analysis

The smart money’s on you.

Financial decision making is critically important in the business world. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, work in the corporate world, or design and implement governmental economic policy, the minor in financial and quantitative analysis from Mary Washington will give you the savvy skills you need to succeed in your field.

Areas of Study

UMW’s minor in financial and quantitative analysis is designed to provide you with the core fundamental coursework in mathematics, economics, and business to succeed in these areas. The minor will teach you principles and build the skills you will need for the field of finance, and it will build your credentials in a many other of disciplines.

Career Opportunities

Quantitative analysts may work at universities, in consulting firms, or at financial institutions. Economists use quantitative approaches to look at many factors in the economy, like its growth rate, changes in employment, productivity, money supply, and interest rates. Skills in financial and quantitative analysis are needed in the asset management industry, which look at trends and patterns to develop sales forecasts and investment strategies. The skills are also used in optimization and computer simulations.

Internships

At UMW, you’ll find internship opportunities close to campus and in nearby Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia. Intern positions include real estate social media, advertising, marketing research and brand development, Chamber of Commerce communications, financial planning, and automotive business operations.

To earn a minor in financial and quantitative analysis, you’ll earn 18 credits from disciplines within the College of Business, including accounting, decision sciences, economics, finance, marketing, and mathematics. College of Business students may not earn double-count for electives toward both their major and minor.

Many scholarships are available for business majors, including financial and quantitative analysis students.

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Majors, Minors & Areas of Study

Cybersecurity

Cybercriminals are smart. You’re smarter.

For every advance in technology there’s a cybercriminal trying to manipulate it. Major in cybersecurity at the University of Mary Washington and you’ll harness the knowledge and skills to face down those shadowy threats, whether you’re defending government systems from intrusion, managing corporate network security, or analyzing and blocking malware. Here you’ll learn to shield the systems of today and develop the analytical skills to outfox malicious actors of the future.

Degree Awarded

Students majoring in cybersecurity who complete all requirements earn the degree of Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Computer Science.

Areas of Study

The bachelor’s degree program in cybersecurity offers an array of courses, including computer security, system administration, ethics, software security, penetration testing, networking, and more.

Career Opportunities

You can position yourself for a particular area of the cybersecurity job market, from managerial to software development. The major and minor include in-depth and hands-on exposure to several key areas of information/cybersecurity such as system/OS security, penetration testing, and software security, so you will obtain hands-on practical experience in these areas.

See Career Paths

Internships

Internships allow qualified students to earn academic credit, gain real-world experience, and boost their resumes by working at technical firms, government offices, or security firms. At UMW, you’ll find internship opportunities convenient to campus and in nearby Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia. Our partnership with the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative provides students with access to exclusive internships and CCI’s Clearance Preparedness Program.

To earn honors in cybersecurity, students who meet GPA and course prerequisites may pursue individual study under the direction of an affiliated faculty member.

Major Requirements

UMW’s major in cybersecurity requires 44 credits, including a core program of cybersecurity coursework and courses in computer coding, cryptography, networks, and business law.

Minor Requirements

The cybersecurity minor requires 17 credits that include classes from computer science and the College of Business. You will take such courses as programming and problem solving, software development, ethics, network principles and applications, computer and information security, ethical hacking.

Cybersecurity majors can apply for several scholarships and awards.

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Majors, Minors & Areas of Study

Contemplative Studies

Learn contemplatively to live mindfully.

When you minor in contemplative studies at the University of Mary Washington, you and your professors not only study contemplation from many disciplines and traditions but develop skill in mindfulness meditation practice itself. You’ll study its theory, science, and history and also practice self-reflection in a peer-supported, non-religious environment.

Areas of Study

This minor offers students a foundation in:

  1. the theory of contemplation across traditions and history
  2. the application of contemplation in human life, including philosophy, religion, art, and performance
  3. the scientific study of meditation, its cutting-edge technologies, and the data gathered to document its effects on the brain and well-being
  4. significant practical training and experience in secular meditative techniques to develop skills such as concentration and empathy and reduce qualities such as stress and self-critique.

Career Opportunities

Mindfulness training is currently being employed to enhance wellness and productivity in most industries: finance, tech, K-12 education, clinical psychology, medicine, and others. There is high demand for workers with specialized mindfulness training, especially those who are trained to teach it.

The Contemplative Studies Minor requires 18 credits. They will come from a choice of classes in contemplative practice, psychology, philosophy, religion, art history, biology, classics, geography, and anthropology.

There are no scholarships specifically for contemplative studies. Here is a link to all scholarships in Classics, Philosophy, & Religion.

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Majors, Minors & Areas of Study

Climate Science

Understanding climate – the extremes and the in-between.

Earth’s climate is constantly changing. If you are curious about how extreme those changes have been, how we know what the climate was like millions of years ago, and how we understand the atmospheric processes that cause weather and climate, the climate science minor is a good place to start.

Areas of Study

The UMW climate science minor is interdisciplinary, including courses from the departments of biology, chemistry, earth and environmental science, geography, and physics. It is also flexible – you can combine classes to fit your interests, skills, and goals. This minor is housed in the Department of Geography.

Career Opportunities

An undergraduate minor in climate science prepares you for graduate study in a variety of disciplines. It is also suitable for careers in planning and environmental consulting. For students interested in how the past has influenced modern landscapes and organisms, and for those who want to be more involved in conversations about climate change, this minor is for you.

Internships

University of Mary Washington’s proximity to Washington, D.C., gives students access to internships with federal agencies, local governments, private industry, and nonprofit organizations.

The climate science minor requires 16 to 18 credits from among geography, environmental science, biology, and physics classes. Required courses include the subjects of weather and climate, dynamic climatology, and climate change.