Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Sociology

at Roger Williams University - Bristol Campus USA

Political Science examines the institutions that govern our societies and the policy decisions that affect every part of our lives. At RWU, you’ll sharpen your thinking, writing and debate skills in classes such as American politics, international relations, comparative politics, political theory and public administration. Combined with real-world internship experience -- locally and in Washington, D.C. -- you’ll be prepared for a career in law, business, public policy or education.

The Intelligent and Autonomous Systems Specialization is only for students majoring in Computer Science (BS). This specialization is well suited to those Computer Science majors who want to focus on the increased role computer systems have in making decisions and behaving autonomously.

At RWU, our rigorous interdisciplinary Forensic Science program pairs legal courses with a strong scientific background in either biology or chemistry to teach you about the crucial role forensic science plays in criminal justice. You’ll learn how to examine, analyze and testify about physical evidence, which will prepare you for a career as a forensic science technician in a laboratory, hospital, university, medical examiner’s office or police department.

Dive headfirst into the study of oceanography, marine ecology, fisheries biology and more with a degree in Marine Biology. Situated on Mount Hope Bay in RWU’s state-of-the-art Marine and Natural Sciences Building -- home to an aquatic animal diagnostic lab and the state’s only shellfish hatchery -- the Marine Biology program teaches students to discover the aquatic world through lectures, labs, fieldwork and independent research in preparation for careers as scientists and educators.

Research Opportunities

Marine Biology majors explore the unique challenges faced by organisms living in the marine environment and the methods by which they meet these challenges. Students begin the programs by obtaining a broad understanding of oceanographic principles, and through subsequent lectures, laboratories and field work, build on this knowledge for a more complete appreciation of the aquatic world. Undergraduate research is integrated into the Marine Biology curriculum, with opportunities for students to earn academic credit for doing research, to develop proposals and compete for small grants to fund their projects, and to present their findings at regional, national and international conferences.

Use your creativity, imagination and interest in computers to solve real-world problems and investigate the subjects that interest you most through modeling and simulation. This program prepares you to participate actively in a variety of employment or research endeavors in medicine, transportation, and other industries, the public sector or academia.

Applied mathematical models running on computers are used to simulate a wide range of physical, chemical, and biological conditions, including weather forecasting, climate change, biological populations, epidemiology, ecosystem processes, and pollution. In this program, you will learn to design and implement models to simulate various situations and gain in-demand skills that are applicable to a wide range of fields both in and outside of STEM.

This interdisciplinary program connects concepts and applications of modeling and simulation with various focused disciplines, such as Environmental Science, Biology, and Economics. Graduates of the major are expected to be highly sought by employers and graduate programs.

Graduates of the program will go on to careers in technical fields, including programming, applied mathematics, modeling, environmental regulation or consulting, mathematical biology, or mathematical economics, or move into graduate study either in computational science or other disciplines such as biology, environmental science, economics, and more.

Critical thinking, openness to new worldviews and an appreciation for diversity -- these are the values that a degree in Psychology provides. At RWU, you’ll learn how to apply these skills to research that helps solve problems in our community and society. Our Psychology students are prepared for graduate school as well as a wide range of careers, including human resources, management, marketing and education.

Students in the Psychology program will learn the methods and skills that enable them to evaluate published research and think critically about their own ideas and those of others. They are prepared to apply these methods to the problems of community and of the larger society. They are capable of tolerance for the views of others and able to appreciate the value of diversity.

With skilled mental health professionals in increasing demand as practitioners, the Psychology program at RWU prepares students to pursue graduate study in Psychology and other fields, or to enter any number of careers where these skillsets are applicable, including human resources, management, marketing, education and the mental health professions.

Our student learning outcomes center on encouraging the development in our students of a deep and broad knowledge base in the discipline of Psychology. We also provide a foundation to develop skills needed to design and evaluate research, we foster critical thinking in our students, enhance students' appreciation of diversity, promote students' awareness of ethical issues in Psychology, and prepare them for success in a wide range of careers, including graduate study.

The Data Science Specialization is only for students majoring in Computer Science. This specialization is well suited to those Computer Science majors who enjoy working with data-oriented systems or the exploration of ‘big data’.

he Mathematics Specialization is only for students majoring in Computer Science, B.S. This specialization is well suited to those computer science majors who are interested in pursuing advanced studies or careers in the analytical aspects of computing. Students interested in a dual major with Mathematics should select this specialization.

The Visual Arts department at Roger Williams University prepares students for future careers in the arts with an interdisciplinary spirit and a global perspective. The Visual Arts faculty consists of active artists who share their experience with students through lively and challenging discussions and critiques. Media exploration is encouraged throughout the program and culminates in the creation of a cohesive body of work that reflects the individual student’s interests.

The major brings together students of diverse backgrounds who explore their creative interests through a range of media experiences. Emphasis of study is placed on historical as well as contemporary theories in the arts so that students may better place their own artwork within a larger context. Students in the program balance craft and conceptual agility and new and traditional media to engage in an increasingly interdisciplinary world. The interdisciplinary nature of the program allows students to explore multiple areas of interest that informs their creative work and gives students a broader skill-set than most arts programs. Our strength is the amount of attention given to each individual student-artist as they develop in the program preparing them for a future career in the arts.

Housed in RWU’s Marine and Natural Sciences Building, the interdisciplinary Environmental Science program integrates biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics into an understanding of the natural world. Through research and an array of electives in fields like earth sciences, resource management and law, you’ll discover how humans affect nature and learn how to protect the environment in your career as a scientist, policymaker or educator.

Research Opportunities

The Environmental Science major at Roger Williams is an interdisciplinary program designed to provide students with an understanding of environmental processes and issues and an awareness of our role as humans within the environment. Undergraduate research is integrated into the Environmental Science curriculum, with opportunities for students to earn academic credit for doing research, to develop proposals and compete for small grants to fund their projects, and to present their findings at regional, national and international conferences.