Bachelor of Arts, Major in Political Science with Concentration in International Politics

at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth USA

The Computer & Information Science Department offers a bachelor's degree in computer science with a concentration in cybersecurity. The cybersecurity concentration within the computer science program prepares students with essential skills and in-depth knowledge for cyber defense and secure software development, as well as advanced techniques such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. With the cybersecurity concentration, students will gain a critical understanding of threats, attacks and vulnerabilities in computer and information systems, and develop the skills needed for cyber defense and operations.

Explore the lives, voices, histories, roles, and ideas of women. Learn how the social construction of gender affects women’s and men’s lives. When you major in Women's and Gender Studies, you'll place women's and men's experiences at the center of inquiry—as subjects rather than objects.

Your studies will be interdisciplinary, with classes in crime and justice studies, history, literature, philosophy, political science, psychology, and sociology/anthropology. These classes are taught by WGS faculty or faculty affiliated with WGS. You'll consider the influences of gender in contemporary society, discover the historical factors that have shaped the current status of women, and explore paths to achieve equality for all people.

With a degree in Women's and Gender Studies, you can pursue careers in advocacy, business, communications, education, family services, human resources, journalism, law, marketing and sales, nonprofit organizations, politics, and publishing. You'll also be well prepared for graduate study in a variety of disciplines.

Centered on studio practice, UMass Dartmouth's BFA in Art Education is a professional degree that will prepare you for elementary or secondary school teaching and for careers in other learning environments.

The BFA is a professional degree with concentrated areas of specialization, so you will take more art courses than you would in a BA program. At UMass Dartmouth, you also have the advantages of a university education where you can diversify your studies and expand your career opportunities.

The BFA is a professional degree that prepares students for licensure in elementary or secondary school teaching or for work in other learning environments and it is founded on studio practice.  Students must complete a concentration in one of the studio areas in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Teaching licensure students become Art Education Teacher Candidates after passing the Communication and Literacy Skills portion of the Massachusetts Test of Educator Licensure (MTEL). Teaching licensure students become Art Education Pre-Service Candidates only after passing the entire MTEL, which includes the Visual Arts portion, before the first semester of their senior year, a prerequisite for entrance to the student teaching practicum. Depending upon the level of licensure sought, in consultation with the Art Education faculty advisor, and prior to class registration each semester, the appropriate Art Education courses must be selected and passed.  Students must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.75 and obtain a positive recommendation from the chairperson before permission is granted to the student for entrance in his/her student teaching (Practicum). Student teaching requires a commitment of 400 total hours, earning full-time (12 credits) status. During the pre-practicum field experience, UMD pre-service teachers observe and assist in teaching students at their selected grade level (PreK-8 or 5-12) in public schools. Students must acquire a total of seventy-five hours outside of class during their pre-practicum field work, plus 20 hours observations in Sheltered English Immersion (SEI).

English is an exciting discipline that challenges you to explore both literature and writing. We offer two options for English majors—creative and professional writing or literature and criticism.

With either option, you'll learn how to:

• Read and think critically
• Write to move audiences
• Engage with literature—and the world—thoughtfully and analytically

The skills you'll develop are essential in today's competitive job market and can lead to rewarding careers in communications, editing, grants writing, journalism, public relations, social media, technical writing, web publishing, teaching middle or high school English, writing for general and specialized audiences, and many other fields. You'll also be prepared for graduate study across many disciplines, such as creative and professional writing, education, law, and library/information science.

English is an exciting discipline that challenges you to explore both literature and writing. Pursue your interest in literature by choosing the literature and criticism option. You'll learn how to:

• Read and think critically
• Engage with literature—and the world—thoughtfully and analytically
• Identify and analyze formal literary genres and schools of literary criticism
• Communicate effectively through literary analysis, persuasive argument, critical exposition, and presentation

Our award-winning faculty members specialize in a wide and diverse range of fields such as creative nonfiction, drama, fiction, poetry, world and British literature, and many more.

The skills you'll develop as an English major are essential in today's competitive job market and can lead to rewarding careers in communications, editing, freelance writing, grants writing, journalism, public relations, publishing, teaching, technical writing, screenwriting, and many other fields. You'll also be prepared for graduate study across many disciplines, such as creative and professional writing, education, law, and library/information science.

The On-campus B.S. in General Business Administration (GBA) is designed for mid-career students returning to college to complete their undergraduate degree. We generally encourage such students to complete a degree in a specific discipline, but recognize that this doesn't suit some mature students. To enroll in the On-campus GBA program, application must meet the following requirements.

• Must be applying for admission to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and bringing in a minimum of 45 transfer credits completed elsewhere. Must possess significant full-time professional work experience away from college.
• Must meet the minimum transfer credit requirement and/or be a returning student who has been away from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for five years or more. Those who lack the minimum 45 hours of transfer credit are encouraged to take courses at a Community College (though with no guarantee of admission to the GBA program).
• Submit a short essay explaining why you seek the GBA instead of a degree in a specific discipline. The essay should also describe the kinds of upper-level business courses you intend to take.

The Physics department offers a bachelor's of science degree in physics with a concentration in astronomy and astrophysics.

Explore your interests in the universe, and uncover the mysteries of nature. Probe the far reaches of space and the depths of the ocean, and meet our planet's environmental challenges. You'll learn the observational and analytical methods astronomers use to study the cosmos, as well as the physics behind celestial phenomena.

The powerful array of technical skills you'll acquire as a physics major will prepare you for a career in many areas of theoretical and applied science. You'll be ready to assume leadership roles in industry, business, and government or explore the fields of materials science, biophysics, geophysics, oceanography, and medical physics.

As a physicist, you can investigate the structure of the atom, design and program computers, solve environmental problems, and develop new manufacturing materials. Physicists lead some of the world's major technology companies and research institutes, paving the way for technological innovations such as lasers, solar cells, electric cars, medical diagnostics, and computers.

The BFA in Art + Design: Integrated Studio Arts is designed for art and design students interested in developing and combining skills across the visual arts.

A panel of advisors guides students as they choose classes that are most appropriate for their personal vision. Active artist-faculty across all Art + Design concentrations offer individualized instruction emphasizing the development of each student’s visual voice.

You will be able to mix-and-match studio courses from our other programs to build your own path of study:

• Animation & game arts
• Ceramics
• Drawing
• Graphic design
• Illustration
• Jewelry/metals
• Painting
• Photography
• Printmaking
• Sculpture
• Textiles

The BFA is a professional degree with concentrated areas of specialization, so you will take more art courses than you would in a BA program. At UMass Dartmouth, you also have the advantages of a university education where you can diversify your studies and expand your career opportunities.

You'll develop cross-disciplinary sensitivity—with the possibility of combining painting with printmaking, photography, digital media, textiles, and other disciplines in contemporary art making. You'll also be able to explore fields across the university, such as business, engineering, and science.

Fine artists are inherent problem-solvers, negotiators, collaborators, and team-players; they have excellent hand/eye coordination and can illustrate their ideas—often quickly—so that others can understand a concept beyond the written or spoken word. The skills of a fine artist can be applied in education, business, advertising, set design, and arts management (gallery directors, administrators), to name a few.

Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, uniting a fascinating diversity of societies and cultures. When you major in Spanish, you'll gain proficiency in oral and written language skills while enhancing your awareness of the social and cultural influences that shape knowledge in the Spanish-speaking world.

As a Spanish major at UMass Dartmouth, you'll study Spanish, Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino language, literature, and culture. You'll explore topics in linguistics, civilization, business, art and music—and learn about new ideas and developments within the Hispanic world.

A degree in Spanish will prepare you for careers in business, communication, education, hospitality, government, law, international business, journalism, linguistics, social service, and translation. We also offer teacher preparation for students who are interested in teaching Spanish at the middle or high school level. Learn more about teacher preparation

Students majoring in Spanish may go on to graduate study in areas such as Spanish, Latin American, Caribbean or Latino literature; cultural studies; comparative literature, Hispanic linguistics, applied linguistics or international studies.

As a political science major, you will receive a BA in Political Science. You'll develop an understanding of political institutions and processes in the local, state, national, and global community. You'll be prepared to think critically and act effectively as an engaged citizen.

UMass Dartmouth's political science program examines the impact of government upon the life of the individual—and of individual citizens upon government. We use scientific, philosophical, and applied perspectives to examine politics in the U.S. and around the world.

We also give you the opportunity to concentrate in one of three particular areas of political science:

• International Politics
• International Security Studies
• Pre-Law

We want to ensure that you acquire proficiency in writing, communication, advocacy, and comparative analysis: all vital skills in today's workplace, which is why we require students to complete an internship. You'll be prepared for a career in local, state, and federal government—as well as in administration, business, corporate management, diplomatic service, public law, social work, urban planning, and many other fields. A major in political science can also be the stepping-stone to law school and graduate study in diverse academic and professional disciplines.