Bachelor of Arts in Ethnic Studies

at Shorelight Group - The University of Utah USA

Rhetoric is the study of effective speaking and writing: it is the art of argument and persuasion. Through the Writing and Rhetoric Studies program, you will become a strong analytical thinker and proficient writer. Students of this program learn rhetorical analysis and the ways that culture and society shape what we define as “literacy,” giving you critical thinking skills and social awareness that can be applied to a number of pursuits. Students in the program choose courses from topics such as under-represented rhetorics, rhetorics of gender, writing poplular non-fiction, professional discourse, grammar and stylistics, digital storytelling, writing as a social practice, and others. The culminating experience of the program is a senior seminar, synthesizing all of the student's undergraduate work into a portfolio piece. Employers consistently rank written communication skills as among the most-desired abilities in job candidates, and strong writing and argumentation abilities are excellent assets for graduate-level coursework.

Conflict exists both within ourselves and in our interpersonal relations: with friends, families, or our community, locally and globally. If you want to be able to recognize and peacefully resolve conflict, consider the Peace & Conflict Studies program at the University of Utah. Offered collaboratively by the College of Humanities, Department of Communication, and College of Social and Behavioral Science, Peace & Conflict Studies will give you the knowledge, skills, and values you need to be a peacemaker in the world. Students in this program choose one of three themes for their studies: Conflict Resolution, Social Justice, or Global Perspectives. Regardless of emphasis area, students take courses in topics like negotiation, poverty and inequality, international affairs and human rights, world religions and politics, and the economics of race and gender. The culminating experiences of the program include a capstone course, seminar, and required internship. Through your studies, you will develop your communication, social awareness, and critical thinking skills, enabling you to pursue careers in a number of fields.

Anthropology is the study of human beings; their cultures, biology, behaviors, and their changes through time (evolution). Because we study all aspects of humans, anthropology is said to be holistic and inter-disciplinary, that is anthropologists work hand-in-hand with other sciences such as biology, physiology, sociology and psychology—just to name a few.

At the University of Utah, the Anthropology Department is divided into four main divisions: Cultural, Biological, Evolutionary Ecology, and Archaeology. Cultural anthropology focuses on human cultures and how they vary through time and space—around the world and back through pre-history. Biological anthropology focuses on ancient and modern human anatomical, physiological, and biological variability. Biological anthropology also concerns itself with non-human primates like chimpanzees and gorillas—by studying them, we hope to learn more about ourselves. Archaeology is the excavation and interpretation of what humans leave behind in order to infer how and why humans have evolved. Evolutionary ecology (sometimes known as behavioral ecology) examines human (and non-human primate) behavior and life-history—why did human beings evolve the way they did?

Ultimately, anthropologists use all four sub-disciplines to describe and explain past and present human diversity. The Department takes a theoretically-driven, empirically-informed perspective focusing on the following specific areas of expertise: archaeology, genetics, behavioral ecology, paleoanthropology, hunter-gatherer behavior, and human and non-human primate behavior.

The Business Administration degree provides students with a strong knowledge base across the fundamental disciplines of business: accounting, finance, management, marketing, opersations and supply chain, and information systems. At the David Eccles School of Business, students learn to manage technology and identify entrepreneurial opportunities, learning the social implications of doing global business and developing the values and ethics to succeed and prosper. The Business Administration curriculum consists of classes in accounting, finance, management, marketing, operations and supply chain,  and information systems. Graduates of this program possess a mix of business, technical, and essential communication skills required of management and leadership roles, preparing them for a wide range of business careers.

The Latin American Studies program provides students with the opportunity to explore interdisciplinary approaches to Latin America. Students will not only have the chance to become literate in one of four Latin American languages— Spanish, Portuguese, Nahuatl, or Quechua—but they will also be able to explore the people, culture, and history of the region. The remainder of the curriculum is comprised of core courses in Latin American civilizations and cultures, with students choosing electives from the Latin American Studies department and other allied fields (such as humanities, anthropology, and linguistics). The culminating experience of the program is a study abroad, internship, independent study, or research course, allowing students to synthesize their knowledge and skills. Cross-cultural understanding and foreign language proficiency are valuable skills for students to have as we move toward an increasingly global economy. Students may use the language and critical thinking skills the Latin American Studies program will give them to pursue a number of diverse career options or as a springboard to attending graduate school.

If you want to explore all theatre has to offer and even develop your own new works for the stage, consider the Theatre BA through the University of Utah. Through coursework in the fundamentals of theatre—acting, design, stage management, and other topics—and play development, students will graduate prepared to pursue careers in the theatre. The curriculum core offers classes in production, scenography, script analysis, the history of theatre, stage directing, playwriting, stage management, dramaturgy (the theory and practice of dramatic composition), readings in dramatic literature, and additional electives in theatre topics. The critical thinking skills, human understanding, and confidence that students receive from the Theatre program can also be applied to a wide number of other fields.

History students at the University of Utah explore the cultures, events, and peoples of the past. In doing so, students better understand the present and can plan for the future.  The History major helps students to develop the ability to write clearly and interpret complex information, ensuring that they are able to offer creative solutions to challenging problems, handle ambiguity, and work across cultures.  Courses cover the world from ancient Europe and Africa to modern Asia and the Pacific, and from colonial Latin America to the American West.  Students are encouraged to follow their passions by selecting courses to create an area of concentration: the history of politics, science, gender, environment, science, religion and more.  Regardless of their focus of study, students will ultimately develop a capacity for careful and rigorous thought and cultural competence, abilities that promote success in careers at home or around the world.

The French program at the University of Utah is intended for students wishing to gain a deeper understanding of French and Francophone (French-speaking) cultures through the study of French language, literature, and society.  The program, housed within the Department of World Languages & Cultures, caters to individual student needs and fosters forward thinking and intellectual freedom. This freedom is reflected in program coursework: the program curriculum begins with intensive grammar and progresses through the cultural history of France and the more than 50 French-speaking nations in the world, covering topics such as French film, fashion, romance, art, nationhood, otherness, and identity. The U’s French program provides excellent preparation for pursuing graduate work and entering a variety of professions where critical reading, writing, and thinking skills are paramount.

Satisfy your curiosity and learn how art and culture intersect through the University of Utah’s Art History program. Art history is the study of the artistic endeavors of peoples around the globe, and professional art historians seek to understand the context of art: why art and architecture are made and how they relate to historical and cultural circumstances. In recent years, the discipline of art history has expanded from a narrow study of the fine arts to the wider and more inclusive fields of visual and material culture. The Art History curriculum introduces students to these topics through lectures and seminars. Your coursework will cover topics such as visual analysis and critical thinking, as well as the art and history of specific cultures and geographic locations. The culminating capstone experience is a seminar class that allows you to apply your analytical and research skills to a select art history theme or area. Art history is an exciting field, especially in recent years: feminist, postmodern, postcolonial, and contemporary perspectives are all reinvigorating art historical writing today.

Biology is the study of life: the cells, physiology, and behavior of all living things. The biological sciences impact almost every aspect of modern life and interface with a multitude of fields and disciplines, including the basic sciences and medicine, social sciences, law, and engineering. This makes studying biology an ideal preparation for a wide range of careers. The Department of Biology at the University of Utah offers a wide range of courses involving field, laboratory, lecture, and library experience. Students pursuing a degree in Biology may complete one of the following emphases:

• Anatomy & Physiology
• Biochemistry
• Cell & Molecular Biology
• Ecology, Evolution and Environment
• Genetics and Genomics
• Microbiology
• Neurobiology
• Plant Biology