Master of Arts in Professional Writing and Communication

at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth USA

Chemists conduct research and experiments to discover new concepts about the universe. They try to solve society's problems, whether by developing a cure for cancer, monitoring the earth's ozone layer, creating new materials to heat our homes, or pursuing countless other challenges.

The knowledge you'll gain through the study of chemistry at UMass Dartmouth will open the door to many different career opportunities within the five divisions of chemistry: analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, or physical. You'll be prepared for chemistry careers in education, forensics, government, law, industry, medicine, or research.

The BFA in Art + Design: Painting offers professional, studio-based training in the visual arts with all the advantages of a university education.

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.

As a painting student, you'll learn fundamental skills and contemporary practices through a wide spectrum of course offerings such as:

• Form
• Color & space
• The human figure
• Concept-development
• Mixed media
• Abstraction
• Time-based media
• Installation

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.

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.

The Interior Architecture + Design program prepares students for professional-level entrance into the design field. You will learn contemporary design techniques, have access to state-of-the art design technology, build a personal portfolio, and gain workplace experience through internships.

You will pursue a well-rounded interior architecture and design degree that integrates technical know-how and artistic vision, develops your creative potential, and helps you launch your career.

Accredited by the Council for Interior Architecture and Design Accreditation (CIDA), CVPA's Interior Architecture + Design program is the only public option in New England.

Interior architects work for a wide range of clients. They work in hospitality, healthcare, commercial, corporate, residential, retail and institutional design. Many interior architecture and design professionals work in niches such as environmental design, historic preservation, furniture design, ergonomics, and health and safety.

The program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture + Design is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, www.accredit-id.org, 206 Grandville Avenue, Suite 350, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. The CIDA-accredited program prepares students for entry-level interior design practice, for advanced study, and to apply for membership in professional interior design organizations. The Interior Architecture + Design granted by University of Massachusetts Dartmouth meets the educational requirement for eligibility to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Examination (NCIDQ Exam).

Do you dream of exploring the ocean environment, conserving species, and understanding the complexity of marine organisms? UMass Dartmouth's Biology department offers a bachelor's degree in biology with an option in marine biology.

When you study marine biology at UMass Dartmouth, you begin with a solid foundation in fundamental biological principles and practices. Then you'll focus on your specific interests, from the biology of sharks and fishes to marine ecology.

Our faculty's research interests in marine and coastal biology place them at the forefront of their fields, from molecular and cellular biology to marine and terrestrial ecology.

We emphasize field and laboratory opportunities, so you will learn marine biology while studying living organisms. Our nearby coastal environments will be your living laboratories.

You'll be prepared for employment in biological oceanography, ecology, education, fisheries biology, industry, marine biology, project management, and research fields. With a strong background in fundamental biological principles and practices, you'll be prepared for graduate study in marine biology and related disciplines.

The Sociology and Anthropology Department offers a BA degree in Sociology and Anthropology with a concentration in Anthropology: the study of the role culture and power play in the world around us.

Anthropology emphasizes a comparative, cross cultural approach to the study of humankind, and the need to analyze culture and power in a global as well as local context. This program emphasizes  the development of a holistic perspective and offers the possibility of studying communities and cultures in the US as well as in other societies around the world. The faculty has expertise in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, indigenous cultures throughout the Americas, as well as in the US. Students graduating with the anthropology concentration may pursue advanced degrees in a wide range of fields, such as women’s studies, anthropology, social work and education. They will also be prepared for jobs in fields that require understanding of cultural difference and social inequality, such as teaching and educational policy, social services, museum and historical preservation, government and public service, environmental assessment, urban planning and development, medical and public health, and business.

The emphasis of computer and information science is on software, the methodologies of computing, and the study of powerful programming.

The computer science curriculum is programming intensive, supported by substantial laboratory components, and directed toward modern software development. Your studies are supplemented by work in specialized labs and a network of state-of-the-art workstations.

You will be prepared to work in the computer industry and in business, in careers that have high growth and earning potential. You may work as a computer scientist, software engineer, software developer, database administrator, computer support specialist, or system administrator. You'll also be well-prepared to continue your studies at the graduate level.

The Computer & Information Science Department also offers a bachelor's degree in computer science with an option in software engineering: the systematic approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software systems used in business, medicine, science, engineering, entertainment, and other fields.

French is a language rich in literary and cultural traditions. An official language in 29 countries, for all United Nations agencies, and for the European Union, French remains one of the top three most useful languages for business.

As a French major at UMass Dartmouth, you'll study the culture, language, and literature of the French-speaking world. You'll develop proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and cross-cultural communication as you explore topics in areas such as linguistics, civilization, film, cultural diversity, equality, political rights, social justice, and the entertainment industry.

A degree in French will prepare you for careers, including digital media, entertainment, business, law, justice, communications, education, hospitality, travel, government service, international development and aid, journalism, publishing, linguistics, social services, translation and interpreting. We also offer teacher preparation for students who are interested in teaching French at the middle or high school level. Learn more about teacher preparation.

Students are strongly encouraged to consider combining the French major with another minor, double majoring, combining a French minor with another major, or choosing the French concentration as part of the Liberal Arts major.

Our program is based on the belief that photography has a unique ability to merge new technologies as well as cultural and historical influences with artistic production.

Placing our degree within the Design context allows the MFA Photo candidate to gain access to a broader array of faculty conversant with new technologies and design theory which in turn enables candidates to acquire and utilize a more professionally oriented degree and skill set.

MFA candidates develop a thesis project based on their own unique research. The thesis requires both visual and written components which are intellectually, formally, and technically rigorous. Students form a committee based on their thesis topic, choosing from faculty who provide a wide variety of viewpoints and expertise.

In addition to access to the photographic facilities on the main campus—which include a state of the art media lab with 48” Epson color printer, black and white darkrooms and professional lighting studio—MFA students are supplied with graduate studios at our Star Store campus in New Bedford. This downtown arts campus houses all disciplines in graduate study, fostering a communal artistic environment in which multi-discipline projects and collaborations are possible.

Opportunities both to exhibit and curate exhibitions are available at the Star Store's 244 Gallery for graduate students.

Psychology is the scientific exploration of human behavior. Our curriculum offers a broad introduction to this dynamic and diverse field, with an emphasis on the understanding and design of research. The study of human behavior can prepare you for many different careers, from business to education and the social sciences.

You'll also investigate psychology's subfields through courses that consider:

• Our biological heritage: physiological psychology, perception
• Basic human functioning: cognition, learning, personality, social
• Applied fields: counseling, behavior modification, organizational psychology, community psychology

You'll work with faculty who:

• Study the theoretical, such as hemispheric specialization within the brain, and semantic processing of memory
• Conduct applied research, such as the control of obesity, chronic pain, and stress
• Are leaders in the mental health community and bring their expertise to the classroom

Psychology graduates work in fields such as human resources, software and product development, and communications. Further education will open paths toward research and clinical practice.