Majors, Minors, and Areas of Study Separator A slash icon used to separate content Archives for Minor

Minor

by

Majors, Minors & Areas of Study

Practical Ethics

Who decides what’s right or wrong?

Ethics are key to understanding some of the most challenging and controversial social problems of the 21st century. In UMW’s minor program in practical ethics, you’ll explore the fundamental theories, concepts, and methodologies of ethics; ways of identifying and analyzing contemporary moral issues; and how theory and practice inform one another. How do you feel about reproductive technologies, euthanasia, the treatment of animals, sustainability? Question your own beliefs, and learn how reason and argument affect everyday ethical decision-making.

Areas of Study

UMW’s practical ethics minor is wrapped around a core of philosophy courses, including practical, medical, and environmental ethics; social and political philosophy; and introduction to feminism. Participants must also choose classes from a variety of disciplines, including education, geography, and sociology. Courses include business and computer ethics, global environmental problems, medical sociology, and many more.

Career Opportunities

Able to identify ethical issues and evaluate ethical arguments, practical ethics minors catch the attention of employers and grad schools. A background in practical ethics can be useful in any field, particularly law, business, medicine, ecological and resource science, and government or community work.

Internships

Undergraduates have opportunities to complete research and present at conferences, making valuable contacts for the professional world.

Students with an overall GPA of at least 3.2, and at least 3.5 in philosophy, are eligible for Honors. To achieve the distinction, a student must take Research in Philosophy (PHIL 485) during their senior year, producing and defending a substantial written thesis.

UMW’s practical ethics minor requires at least 18 credit hours, including at least three philosophical ethics courses and at least three additional courses in a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, education, geography, religion, and sociology. At least three courses must be at the 300 or 400 level.

The Department of Classics, Philosophy, and Religion, which hosts the practical ethics minor, offers several scholarship opportunities. In addition, the Office of Financial Aid maintains a complete list of all scholarship opportunities available to UMW students.

by

Majors, Minors & Areas of Study

Neuroscience

Do you think about how people think?

UMW’s interdisciplinary minor in neuroscience deepens your understanding of the brain and nervous system. Learn how nerves form networks and how these connections control behavior. Explore stress, memory, psychiatric disorders, and all the varied mysteries surrounding the human mind. The neuroscience minor is particularly useful to psychology and biology majors, helping them stay aware of scientific progress and prepare for emerging career opportunities and graduate programs in neuroscience or psychobiology.

Areas of Study

UMW’s minor program in neuroscience, pairing the studies of biology and psychology, explores the intricacies of the brain and nervous system and how they work together to control behavior. The program consists for course in cellular biology, neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience, biological psychology, and psychopharmacology.

Career Opportunities

The neuroscience minor is a good fit for those interested in a psychiatric healthcare career, especially psychiatry, pharmacology, psychiatric mental health nursing, clinical psychology, or cognitive rehabilitation. Advances in neural imaging technology, molecular genetics, and bioinformatics – along with growing interest in psychiatric disorders, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, and Alzheimer’s – are growing demand for professionals trained in neuroscience. The study of neuroscience, even without an advanced degree, can lead to a career in pharmaceuticals, health education, forensic science, residential counseling, and many other exciting fields.

Internships

The Department of Psychological Science, which hosts UMW’s neuroscience minor, offers internships at such area organizations as Autism Outreach Inc., Empowerhouse, Fredericksburg Counseling Services, Mental Health America of Fredericksburg, the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board, and many others. A complete list can be found through the Department of Psychological Science.

Psi Chi is the International Honor Society in psychology, the department that hosts UMW’s minor in neuroscience. Membership is open to graduate and undergraduate men and women. A member of the Association of College Honor Societies and an affiliate of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society, Psi Chi provides academic recognition of its inductees through membership, fosters creative development, augments and enhances the regular curriculum, provides practical experience and fellowship, and offers regional conventions, research award competitions, and certificate recognition programs. For details, visit Psi Chi’s website, or contact a Psi Chi officer.

The neuroscience minor at UMW requires 17 credits, including four credits each of cellular biology and neurobiology, and three credits each of cognitive neuroscience, biological psychology, and psychopharmacology.

The Department of Psychological Science, which hosts UMW’s neuroscience minor program, offers scholarships to qualified students. The Office of Financial Aid also keeps a complete list of all scholarships available to UMW students.

by

Majors, Minors & Areas of Study

Sports Management

Explore the business behind the game.

In North America alone, the sports industry weighs in at more then $60 billion, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. If you love all things athletic, why not get in on the action? UMW’s interdisciplinary minor program in sports management is designed for students from all majors who want to understand management as it impacts sports. You’ll discover the challenges and opportunities of the sports industry; explore basic principles of management, marketing, law, finance, and ethics in sports; and have a ball while you’re doing it!

Areas of Study

While you complete a coordinating major – or whatever major you choose – UMW’s sports management minor will expose you to courses in sports management, sports law, and sports psychology, while also bringing you into the business world with marketing and management classes.

Career Opportunities

Those who study sports management pursue opportunities in profession, semi-pro, and college sports. They become health club managers, sportscasters, fitness instructors, sports agents, athletic directors, sports event coordinators, media relations specialists, sports information directors, YMCA youth leaders, sports marketing specialists, community center directors, and athletic contract managers.

Internships

All sports management minors must complete a sports management internship for hands-on supervised experience in the field. Manage a public facility, including UMW’s Anderson Center, Battleground Complex, and special events held by the Department of Athletics. Students will be able to apply knowledge, skills, and abilities relating to the basic principles of event booking, finance, marketing, operations, scheduling, staffing, and ticketing in sports.

Sports management is an interdisciplinary minor. Requirements for departmental honors depend on which of UMW’s major programs you choose. Check the appropriate department for details.

UMW’s minor program in sports management requires 18 credits, including Introduction to Sports Management, Principles of Marketing, Events and Facility Management, Sports Law, Sports Management Internship, and either Sport Psychology or Principles of Management.

UMW’s sports management minor is an interdisciplinary program. Depending on which major you choose, scholarships are available through the appropriate department. For information on all scholarships available at the University of Mary Washington, visit the Office of Financial Aid.

by

Majors, Minors & Areas of Study

Middle Eastern Studies

Cut through the noise and discover truths.

The Arab World, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, and Israel, better known as the Middle East, increasingly influences life in the United States. If you’re interested in exploring this area of the world, UMW’s interdisciplinary Middle Eastern studies minor might be for you. Delve into the histories, geographies, cultures, arts, languages, and politics of this important area of the globe and gain a valuable understanding of its relationship with the Western World.

Areas of Study

In UMW’s minor program in Middle Eastern studies, managed by the Department of Geography, you’ll learn about the Arab World, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, and Israel through courses not only in geography but also history, foreign language, political science, and religion.

Career Opportunities

Career options open to students who minor in Middle Eastern studies and gain insight into this part of the world include translation, interpreting, journalism, non-profits and NGOs, international business, government, foreign service, social work, education, and more.

Internships

UMW’s proximity to Washington, D.C., gives students access to the greatest concentration of geography-related worksites in the United States. Over the past few years, students in the UMW Geography Department have interned with the federal government, private industry, local governments, and non-profit organizations.

Geography majors who have at least a 3.5 GPS in the major and a 3.0 overall at the beginning of the second semester of senior year are eligible for departmental honors. To earn honors, students must register for an independent study session in which to complete an approved thesis. A complete list of requirements can be found through the Department of Geography.

UMW’s minor program in Middle Eastern studies requires 21 credits, including two sequential semesters of instruction in any Middle Eastern language (or, if placed out of an approved language, six additional credits from the elective list), four non-language courses in Middle Eastern Studies, chosen at the 300 or 400 level, or Islam (from at least three different departments), and a capstone experience, including a semester-long individual study project, a study abroad program, or an internship.

The Department of Geography offers several scholarships each year. The Office of Financial Aid also keeps a complete list of all scholarships and grants available to UMW students.

by

Majors, Minors & Areas of Study

Latin American Studies

Complex and colorful

Latin America, and its more than 20 nations, is one of the world’s most culturally diverse areas. UMW’s interdisciplinary Latin American studies minor explores the history, geography, politics, languages, and traditions of Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean, as well as Latinas and Latinos in the U.S. From the temple-topped ziggurats to spicy salsa music, the program fosters understanding of and engagement with a complicated group of cultures long connected to the United States through migration, trade, and more.

Areas of Study

UMW’s interdisciplinary Latin American studies minor draws from anthropology, geography, history, political science, and Spanish with the goal of providing several approaches to the study of this complex region. Course titles include Culture and Literature of the Caribbean, Latin American Politics, Amazonian Societies, and more.

Career Opportunities

Latin American studies minors often find work in government, business, and international organizations, both in the U.S. and abroad. Potential employers include research centers, human rights and environmental organizations, the Peace Corps, the United States Foreign Service, international aid programs, and the United Nations. UMW offers service learning, plus research and study-abroad opportunities designed to put you at the head of the pack.

Internships

Internships are available in the Fredericksburg area at such organizations as Rappahannock Area Regional Adult Education, Bragg Hill Family Life Center, LUCHA Ministries, and Students Helping Honduras. Entities offering internships in the Washington, D.C., area include the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress Hispanic Division. A complete list of internships available through the University of Mary Washington can be found through the Office of Academic and Career Services.

UMW’s Latin American studies minor requires 18 credits, including an upper-level history course in either Colonial Latin America or Modern Latin America, plus an upper-level Spanish course, and 12 elective credits in at least two disciplines, including anthropology, geography, and political science.

The Office of Financial Aid the the University of Mary Washington coordinates more than 300 different scholarship and grant programs that include general scholarships and scholarships for specific majors.