Bachelor of Arts in Music Electronic Music, Composition, and Technology

at Roger Williams University - Bristol Campus USA

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.

When you study Economics, you’ll learn the essential economic theories, systems and models that build critical and analytical thinking skills you can apply to any field -- including business, government, law, healthcare and social and community service. At RWU, you can pursue either a B.A. (liberal arts track) or a B.S. (business track), which both offer opportunities for student-faculty research and publishing that can pave the way to graduate studies.

Embark on a successful global business career with a degree in International Business from RWU. Our program combines a solid business core with studies in international finance, management, marketing, economics, foreign language and trade with the European Union. Through internships, study abroad experiences and exchange programs, you’ll gain hands-on experience as you learn how to think globally about business.

The interdisciplinary Performing Arts program is designed for multi-talented students who do not want to confine themselves to studying only dance, music or theatre. With opportunities to customize your studies, join on-campus performances and study abroad through the RWU London Theatre Program, you’ll develop your skills for a variety of arts careers including performance, education and management.

The Performing Arts major involves an interdisciplinary study of dance, music and theatre leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Performing Arts. While each of the Performing Arts is a distinct discipline, they have historically drawn from each other in both theory and practice. Designed for students who do not want to confine themselves to one discipline, the Performing Arts major encourages students to broaden their perspectives and the range of their skills. Practical applications of this major include careers in arts management, education, or as a foundation in such fields as musical theatre performance, which synthesize all the arts.

The major seeks to acquaint students with the commonalities shared by all three fields and to provide specialized understanding and mastery of two. This program also provides a solid understanding of the history and theory in the Performing Arts with experience in the practical application of the discipline through studio courses and through the department’s performance programs. Students are encouraged to participate in the London Study Abroad program, which focuses on exposure to the Performing Arts.

At RWU, Web Development majors don’t just design, develop and deploy state-of-the-art websites. They work on multi-disciplinary teams to solve problems for real-world clients. In the Web Development Center, you'll meet your first three clients in your sophomore year. As you begin to work with real clients, you'll quickly discover that web development isn't just about technology. On the Web, "content is king." So we encourage you to reinforce your web development education by picking up a second major or a couple of minors in fields like Marketing, Graphic Design, User Experience (UX), Journalism, Communication, Public Relations, Writing, Visual Arts, Cybersecurity and Business. In four short years, you'll graduate ready to meet the growing demand for web developers.

Learning Outcomes

• You will be able to effectively apply the technologies used to create 80% of professional websites.
• You will be able to work with a client to help clarify the goal and objectives for their digital presence.
• You will be able to create and select content and design-elements that deliver a clear message that reflects the client’s goal.
• You will be able to identify and apply technology that will effectively convey the client’s message on a spectrum of digital devices, while ensuring that it facilitates the client's ability to update the site and keep it “fresh.”
• You will be able to employ and interpret analytics to determine where your audience is engaging, and where they aren’t.
• You will be able to create websites and other digital products in an ethically responsible manner that does not disadvantage those with disabilities, those with older or inexpensive technology, or those with slower networks.
•  You will be able to function effectively as a member or leader of a multidisciplinary team.

At RWU, our interdisciplinary International Relations major celebrates human endeavor, diversity and opportunity by drawing upon subjects like history, sociology, economics, modern language and political science. Through internships, study abroad and specialization in either globalization, culture or area studies, you’ll learn the practical diplomacy, communication and critical thinking skills needed to help make a difference in the world in careers such as government, consulting and intelligence.

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.

At RWU, our Philosophy students learn to think critically and build logical arguments: about our assumptions and values as a society, about the positions of history’s major philosophers and about the nature of knowledge itself. The writing, reading and problem-solving skills you develop through discussions, debates and your senior thesis will lay a foundation for success in fields like law and academia.

Student Learning Outcomes

All Students completing the Philosophy program will demonstrate the following:

• Read with comprehension philosophical texts relevant to the specific courses;
• Define key terms of the philosophical vocabulary relevant to the particular course;
• Analyze texts, draw inferences, and support claims using internal evidence;
• Practice critical reading and thinking;
• Distinguish different areas of philosophy and philosophical methodology;
• Understand some of the diverse assumptions and values that shape our experiences and/or attitudes of the world;
• Write cogent analytical and critical essays tied to textual evidence, explaining a philosopher’s position, presenting the philosopher’s arguments, exposing weaknesses in the arguments; five pages for lower level and intermediate courses; ten pages for advanced courses.
• Use secondary sources appropriately in reinforcing and extending arguments.

The Custom Specialization is only for students majoring in Computer Science. This specialization is well suited to those computer science majors who wish as broad an educational experience as possible. It is also well suited to those who may wish to focus their electives to pursue a minor in the network security field.

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.