Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Literary and Cultural Studies

at Shorelight Group - The University of Utah USA

If you have a passion for numbers and problem-solving, consider majoring in applied mathematics. Unlike “pure” mathematics, where math is a theoretical pursuit, the field of applied mathematics uses math to solve real-world problems. These problems can be as simple as allocating an investment and calculating returns, or as dramatic as using mathematical algorithms to crack and decrypt intelligence codes. 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.

That catchy jingle, that distinctive symbol or image, and all the other cues we associate with a specific product become embedded in our brains thanks to marketing. Marketing is an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating, and delivering value to customers. Through strategic thinking, business acumen, and carefully-designed communications, marketing specialists ultimately help organizations identify and satisfy customer needs. As a marketing major at the University of Utah, you will study diverse topics such as market research, consumer behavior, advertising, sales and business development, and international marketing, with one goal in mind: learning how to build brands that people want.

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.

Environmental and Sustainability Studies (ENVST) is a STEM interdisciplinary program that offers a major with several emphases to focus your study, as well as a minor. The curriculum explores ecological systems and the impact of human-environment interactions from the perspectives of the natural sciences, the social and health sciences, and the humanities. The U’s program strives to foster an understanding the multi-faceted issues of the environment and sustainability and finding solutions through systemic analysis, peer learning, and community engagement, social responsibility, leadership, and having a science-based focus on solutions and integrated problem solving.

A degree in accounting offers students the chance to move beyond merely tracking a company’s income and assets. With this program, you can learn how to budget and manage money for a business, ensure that a firm is spending money wisely by making sound investments, file taxes for a corporation, and ultimately understand how a business operates and sustains itself financially. In addition to core business courses, accounting majors take classes in financial and managerial accounting, tax accounting, and accounting information systems.

Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on interactions of gender with race, class, sexual orientation, and nationality. In addition to its focus on the history and achievements of women, gender scholarship has inspired research and curricula that address men’s lives, masculinity, and the lives of people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. The University of Utah Gender Studies Division offers a space for the study of a wide range of feminist thought and practices: theory and community-engaged learning; activism and professional development; lively debate and professional skill building. Pursue your passions!

Biomedical engineers combine engineering principles with medical and biological sciences, with the goal of designing and creating equipment, devices, computer systems, and software to be used in healthcare. At the University of Utah, the Department of Bioengineering’s mission is to advance human understanding, health, and the quality of life through research and education in this field. The department is internationally recognized for its research, discovery, and invention in the area of biomedical engineering, with research strengths in biomaterials, biomedical devices, neural engineering, and cardiovascular engineering; the Bioengineering program is additionally accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. It prepares its graduates for success and leadership in industry, as well as future study in medicine, science, and engineering. In addition to education in biology concepts, bioengineering students will receive training through the College of Engineering to deliver biobased solutions to traditional engineering problems. Regardless of your specific interest area, bioengineering is an exciting field that will allow you to combine your passions for biology and engineering while helping to improve people’s lives.

Students of English enter a world rich with intellectual possibilities. As an English major at the University of Utah, you will study literature, creative writing, and literary discourse and theories. The U’s English curriculum covers the vast range of literature written in English, from the 8th century AD until the present day. Students will explore theory, film, graphic novels, video games, digital humanities, popular culture, and have the chance to develop their skills as critical and creative writers. However, the skills you gain from an English degree are not limited to just studying literature—written and verbal communication skills are central to any career or subsequent degree that demands the ability to think, argue, write, and speak about complicated issues. In addition to expanding your intellect, your English degree ultimately provides an essential foundation for careers in law, business, government, education, finance, and media.

Philosophy is the study of knowledge, reality, and existence. If you want to better understand yourself and the important issues surrounding life, knowledge, and values, consider studying philosophy. This program will provide a broad understanding of the central problems and positions in philosophy, through coursework from the four central areas of philosophy: ethics and value theory, metaphysics and epistemology, the history of philosophy, and logic and formal methods. A major in philosophy offers a wide range of opportunities for intellectual growth and self-development to students who have a variety of interests, preparing you for a number of careers that require critical thinking and decision-making.

Anthropology is the study of human beings; their cultures, biology, behaviors, and their changes through time (evolution). Because we study all aspects of humans, anthropology is said to be holistic and inter-disciplinary, that is anthropologists work hand-in-hand with other sciences such as biology, physiology, sociology and psychology—just to name a few.

At the University of Utah, the Anthropology Department is divided into four main divisions: Cultural, Biological, Evolutionary Ecology, and Archaeology. Cultural anthropology focuses on human cultures and how they vary through time and space—around the world and back through pre-history. Biological anthropology focuses on ancient and modern human anatomical, physiological, and biological variability. Biological anthropology also concerns itself with non-human primates like chimpanzees and gorillas—by studying them, we hope to learn more about ourselves. Archaeology is the excavation and interpretation of what humans leave behind in order to infer how and why humans have evolved. Evolutionary ecology (sometimes known as behavioral ecology) examines human (and non-human primate) behavior and life-history—why did human beings evolve the way they did?

Ultimately, anthropologists use all four sub-disciplines to describe and explain past and present human diversity. The Department takes a theoretically-driven, empirically-informed perspective focusing on the following specific areas of expertise: archaeology, genetics, behavioral ecology, paleoanthropology, hunter-gatherer behavior, and human and non-human primate behavior.