Bachelor of Arts in American Studies

at Shorelight Group - University of Massachusetts - Boston USA

The Economics department has approximately 400 declared undergraduate economics majors and serves students from many other departments and programs in the College of Liberal Arts, as well as students from other colleges of the university.  Currently 8% of declared undergraduate majors in the College of Liberal Arts have chosen Economics as their major. Their interests include Economic Development, Economic History, Environmental Issues, Health Economics, Industrial Organization, Immigration, International Economics, Labor Economics, Macroeconomics, Marxism, Monetary Theory, Political Economy of Race and Gender, Public Policy, Public Sector Economics, Social Welfare, Statistics and Econometrics, and Urban Economics. In addition to teaching, faculty members are engaged in research, writing, consulting, and other professional activities in their areas of interest.

The psychology major is a 12-course major. The requirements of these 12 courses provide students with a foundation in each of five core areas of the discipline of psychology, upper-level coursework in one or more areas, and basic information about the research practices used in the field. The Psychology Department offers students the opportunity to earn either a BA or a BS for their undergraduate degree. While the basic structure of the major remains the same for either degree, earning a BS requires that students complete more science courses outside of the major and specifies two of the course choices within the 12 required courses for the major.

The Computer Science Department offers a BA degree in Computer Science. It provides a similar education in the theory and practice of computer science with more of an emphasis on outside humanities. Either degree can be used as a basis for many jobs in industry or for graduate work in computer science and other fields. 

The standard major in philosophy provides a general and comprehensive knowledge of the basic historical and systematic themes in philosophy. It will give a sound training both for those who anticipate going to graduate school or those who simply wish to acquire the broadly applicable skills of critical thinking and academic writing.

The majors in ethics, social, and political philosophy and in philosophy and public policy are intended for students who have a specific concern with questions of value as they apply to individuals, society, and public policy. These majors, in different ways, provide a broad outlook on these problems and attempted solutions to them, but should not in general be considered the best preparation for graduate work in philosophy. These majors, will, however, serve as a good liberal arts base for careers in government, the law, or social service.

The biochemistry major at the University of Massachusetts Boston is jointly administered by the departments of biology and chemistry.

The curriculum generally follows the recommendations of the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). This is a rigorous and well-rounded program of study designed to accommodate the needs of a broad spectrum of students seeking a terminal or non-terminal bachelor of science degree in biochemistry.

Students completing a degree in biochemistry will:

• Learn the fundamentals of chemistry and biology with emphasis on organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, genetics and cell and molecular biology.
• Gain a deep appreciation of the theory and laboratory practices in modern biochemistry and a solid understanding of the interaction among metabolic pathways from a systems biology perspective.
• Learn and apply the principles of scientific ethics with regard to use of sources, generating and reporting of data, and collaboration with colleagues.
• Develop an understanding of environmental responsibility.
• Upon graduation, be prepared to practice as a professional biochemist, whether in further study or in the workforce.

Management major prepares students for specific management responsibilities and results in a bachelor of science degree from the College of Management (CM) at UMass Boston. The program is built on a solid foundation in the arts and humanities achieved by completing CM's general education requirements while also being immersed in business theory and practice.

The learning goals for the bachelor of science in management (BSM) program are for students to:

• Demonstrate proficiency in oral and written communication skills.
• Develop critical thinking and quantitative reasoning skills.
• Demonstrate sound ethical reasoning skills.
• Integrate understanding of issues concerning diversity and globalization in business.

The international management concentration seeks to broaden students’ horizons and prepare them for the increasingly global business world. This concentration will help students understand both the economic and political forces shaping the world economy and the implications for management practices. Students will gain an appreciation of the diverse economies and cultures of different countries.

The goal of the Criminology and Criminal Justice major is to provide social scientific grounding to issues of crime and criminal justice. Through classes, internships and projects, students explore the nature of criminal behavior, its causes, the role of punishment, and prison as a social institution. Students learn about the criminal justice system, including law enforcement, corrections, and the law. Classes focus on issues central to criminal justice policies and practices, including mental illness, substance use and abuse, racial and ethnic inequality, gender and immigration. Differences among societies and historical trends are also addressed.

A major focus of the criminal justice faculty is to help students connect theory and research with policy and practice in the “real world.” Using current events, their own research and observations, and critical study of criminal justice systems, students better understand broader trends and future options. For example, during classroom discussion and debate, students may consider the rapidly increasing prison population and high cost of incarceration and ask: Who is being incarcerated and why? Do prison alternatives work? How do incarceration policies affect families and communities?

A degree in physics will prepare you for demanding scientific research in any of the following areas of inquiry: non-linear optics and photonics, which can relate to laser eye protection; biomedical imaging; quantum dynamics; semiconductors; and even biological applications such as the acoustics of whale sonar.

The Psychology major is a 12-course major.  The requirements of these 12 courses provide students with a foundation in each of five core areas of the discipline of psychology, upper-level coursework in one or more areas and basic information about the research practices used in the field.  The basic structure of the major is represented by four parts.

The description below provides an outline of the major.  The phrase “major requirements” refers to the minimum number and distribution of psychology courses a student must complete successfully in order to graduate as a psychology major. We encourage students to take more than the minimum number of courses in psychology and allied disciplines. Only one of the 12 required classes may be taken pass/fail; the other 11 classes must be taken for a grade.  Eight of the 12 courses for the major must be taken in residence at UMass Boston.

The Bachelor of Science in Chemistry is an ACS-approved degree. The American Chemical Society (ACS) is the largest scientific society in the world. The American Chemical Society (ACS) organizes national and regional chemistry conferences, publishes a variety of chemical journals and other publications and offers a variety of additional services to its members. The American Chemical Society also promotes quality in chemistry education by approving undergraduate programs. The American Chemical Society recognizes ACS-approved programs as providing a high-quality undergraduate chemistry program.

Students completing a degree in chemistry will:

• Learn the basic canon of chemistry, covering the five fundamental sub-fields as recommended by the American Chemical Society: inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, biochemistry.
• Conduct original chemical research and report their results orally and in writing to scientific audiences.
• Learn and apply the principles of scientific ethics with regard to use of sources, generating and reporting of data, and collaboration with colleagues.
• Develop an understanding of green chemistry and environmental responsibility.
• Upon graduation, be prepared to practice as a professional chemist, whether in further study or in the workforce.