Bachelor of Arts in Communication

at Shorelight Group - The University of Utah USA

Technology is vital to the success of every business, and companies need professionals who can use technology to meet strategic business objectives. With a degree in Information Systems, you will create efficient information management within organizations, establishing processes that are most helpful to users. As technology continues to evolve, it remains an essential component of business, and professionals in Information Systems are needed to support it. The University of Utah’s degree in Information Systems will give students the tools to manage the technical direction of business, solve technological issues, and implement new technological advances to enrich business operations. Program coursework focuses on the intersection of business and technology: students take classes in not only business concepts but also information systems concepts, such as databases, programming, networking, and web development.

Do you have a passion for numbers, analysis, and theory? Consider majoring in mathematics. This degree provides students with excellent quantitative and analytical skills, and a math degree is the perfect stepping stone for a countless number of careers. Mathematics, with its origins in algebra and geometry, has continued to grow in numerous directions including probability, statistics, numerical analysis, decision making, cryptography, finance, and more. It is the foundation for much of science, engineering, and computing.

The Asian Studies program is an interdisciplinary course of study that will both deepen and broaden your understanding of this crucial region of the world. As an Asian Studies student, you will learn the languages and countries of the core regions of East, South, Southeast, and Central Asia as well as Russia, the Pacific, and West Asia. Broaden your horizons and gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the fascinating people and cultures of this region: in addition to language courses, the Asian Studies program offers exploratory and history courses about the area. Cross-cultural understanding and language skills are increasingly important as we become a truly global economy, making the Asian Studies program a valuable experience.

The Family, Community and Human Development (FCHD) Major is housed in the Department of Family and Consumer Studies (FCS). The objective of the FCHD major is to provide students with a broad and detailed understanding of the processes of personal development in the context of the family, and as impacted by community and societal forces beyond the family. More specifically, students with a FCHD major will acquire an understanding of:

• The key features of development through each stage of life (infants, children, adolescents and adults);
• How these key features of development are impacted by experience to account for the ways that each of us is unique;
• How family members develop and maintain relationships within and across generations;
• The decisions people make about managing resources such as time, money, and material assets;
• The ways that individual and family well-being are impacted by community and societal forces;
• The impact of local, national, and international policies and laws on individual, family and community well-being;
• How research in these areas is conducted and evaluated, and how the findings from these works may be applied to enhance the well-being of individuals (at every age) and families

In addition to the breadth and depth of our FCHD major as summarized above, our department offers students three opportunities for diving more deeply into specific areas of focus that are both relevant to the broader goals of our major and oriented toward specific career opportunities.

Mechanical engineers play a significant role in designing and manufacturing all of the products and systems essential to everyday modern life: home appliances, bikes, recreational equipment, automobiles, satellites, wheelchairs, airplanes, robots, industrial equipment, and environmental control systems. The field of mechanical engineering (ME) is concerned with the mechanical, thermal, and fluid-flow aspects of all of these systems, including computer and feedback control of complex systems. As a mechanical engineering student at the University of Utah, you will learn the professional, technical, critical thinking, and communication skills you need to be successful and make meaningful contributions to this exciting field.

Recreational therapy (RT) is a form of therapy that uses physical recreation and activities to help people with illnesses or disabling conditions achieve mental and physical health. This therapy might include dancing, playing a sport, hiking, cooking, or even playing a video game. If you like being active and want to help others at the same time, consider majoring in Recreational Therapy. This program will give you the counseling techniques and knowledge you need to help rehabilitate individuals and educate them on the support systems and skills needed to maintain their health and happiness. The RT curriculum covers topics in recreational therapy foundations and treatment methods: through a combination of coursework, community programs, and treatment services, students learn how to conduct treatment planning and provide therapy. The culminating experience of the program is a recreational therapy internship through a local agency, preparing you for work in a professional environment. Students of this program graduate well-prepared to apply for licensure to practice as therapists or to find jobs in allied fields.

If you want to explore all theatre has to offer and even develop your own new works for the stage, consider the Theatre BA through the University of Utah. Through coursework in the fundamentals of theatre—acting, design, stage management, and other topics—and play development, students will graduate prepared to pursue careers in the theatre. The curriculum core offers classes in production, scenography, script analysis, the history of theatre, stage directing, playwriting, stage management, dramaturgy (the theory and practice of dramatic composition), readings in dramatic literature, and additional electives in theatre topics. The critical thinking skills, human understanding, and confidence that students receive from the Theatre program can also be applied to a wide number of other fields.

Satisfy your curiosity and learn how art and culture intersect through the University of Utah’s Art History program. Art history is the study of the artistic endeavors of peoples around the globe, and professional art historians seek to understand the context of art: why art and architecture are made and how they relate to historical and cultural circumstances. In recent years, the discipline of art history has expanded from a narrow study of the fine arts to the wider and more inclusive fields of visual and material culture. The Art History curriculum introduces students to these topics through lectures and seminars. Your coursework will cover topics such as visual analysis and critical thinking, as well as the art and history of specific cultures and geographic locations. The culminating capstone experience is a seminar class that allows you to apply your analytical and research skills to a select art history theme or area. Art history is an exciting field, especially in recent years: feminist, postmodern, postcolonial, and contemporary perspectives are all reinvigorating art historical writing today.

Psychologists study human and animal behavior, seeking to understand how people and nonhuman animals function in their environments: through this, a psychologist ultimately wants to understand, predict, and resolve behavioral and psychological problems. If you are interested in how the mind works and functions in an effort to help people achieve and maintain mental health, consider studying psychology at the University of Utah. The Psychology curriculum includes coursework in the following topics: psychology as a science and profession, cognition and behavior neuroscience, intergroup relations, development in infancy, emotions, human performance, personality, sexuality, health, among others. Through coursework, and hands-on experience through research, internships, peer advising, and/or teaching assisting, you will gain the knowledge base and critical thinking skills you need for success in post-college careers or graduate school.

Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Oprah, Ariana Huffington—all are famous for their business skill and acumen. If you want to put your business abilities to the test and join the ranks of these innovators, considering studying entrepreneurship. The undergraduate Entrepreneurship program at the University of Utah prepares students to pursue and create business opportunities of all kinds. Students learn to follow trends, identify emerging opportunities, and pursue those possibilities through the creation of new products, services, and companies. Core entrepreneurship courses in the program include application and theory of leadership, discovery of market opportunities, creation of new business opportunities, testing and validation of business models and venture concepts, intrapreneurship, and marketing.