Undergraduate Extended Accelerator Pathway (3-Term) - Bachelor of Arts in Chinese

at Shorelight Group - The University of Utah USA

Sociology investigates the relationships between social order and social change in three interconnected areas along the scale of individual to global; our personal lives, the communities we live in, and the world as a whole. When examining personal lives, sociologists study deviant behavior, family dynamics, and individuals’ racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual identities. At the community level, sociologists study poverty, prejudice and discrimination, education, corporate and business behavior, the criminal justice system, housing and homelessness, the health care system, and social movements. Finally, at the global level, they review human population dynamics, societal conflict, cultural diversity, socially-induced environmental change, globalization, and modernization.

 The Sociology program consists of five core courses that serve as an introduction to sociological theory and application, research methods, and social statistics. The remainder of the curriculum is comprised of courses from four areas of sociology: Diversity, Globalization, Criminology, and Population and Health, as well as a selection of electives. By the program’s end, graduates have invaluable critical thinking skills and awareness of social issues that affect all areas of modern life. This set of knowledge and skills is necessary to find work in a variety of fields, and invaluable in our increasingly globalized and culturally diverse society.

The worlds of science, engineering, and business are now reliant on data-driven analysis and decision making.  Data Science is the 21st century discipline formalizing this process, and making enormous impacts in new scientific discoveries, engineering how the world works, and driving business decisions which power much of our economic growth.  A data scientist is one who can weave a complete story with data, from its humble and messy beginnings, through its maturation via sophisticated analysis, and concluding with an explanation of its real-world impact.  This program teaches both technical data processing (programming, data wrangling, data management) and data analysis (machine learning, data mining, visual analytics) skills, and also guides students through the complicated explainability, ethical, and domain integration challenges. 

Geoscience applies the principles of chemistry, physics, mathematics, and biology to understand the composition, structure, and history of the Earth and the processes that govern it. Geoscientists then use this knowledge to address societal needs and problems, such as locating and characterizing mineral, energy, and groundwater resources, assessing seismic and other geologic hazards, and evaluating and remediating environmental contamination. The University of Utah’s Geoscience program will provide you with a broad foundation in fundamental science concepts, and you can then individualize your degree by pursuing one of three emphasis areas in the geoscience field: Geology (which focuses on geologic materials, Earth systems, and fossils); Environmental Geoscience (which focuses on the layers of the atmosphere and their interactions); and Geophysics (which focuses on using physical methods to image and understand the Earth). Regardless of emphasis area, all program graduates will be prepared and qualified to pass the professional geologist licensure examination. After graduation, students are prepared for post-graduate work in the earth sciences, or professional jobs requiring earth science knowledge (such as environmental law and earth resource management).

Rhetoric is the study of effective speaking and writing: it is the art of argument and persuasion. Through the Writing and Rhetoric Studies program, you will become a strong analytical thinker and proficient writer. Students of this program learn rhetorical analysis and the ways that culture and society shape what we define as “literacy,” giving you critical thinking skills and social awareness that can be applied to a number of pursuits. Students in the program choose courses from topics such as under-represented rhetorics, rhetorics of gender, writing poplular non-fiction, professional discourse, grammar and stylistics, digital storytelling, writing as a social practice, and others. The culminating experience of the program is a senior seminar, synthesizing all of the student's undergraduate work into a portfolio piece. Employers consistently rank written communication skills as among the most-desired abilities in job candidates, and strong writing and argumentation abilities are excellent assets for graduate-level coursework.

Classics program at the University of Utah includes the study of all facets of the ancient civilizations of Greece and Rome: their history, philosophy, drama, history of science, textual criticism, religion, archeology, and art history. In addition to comparative genre courses and film courses, Classics studies also include reception theory, Western traditions, and the vast influence of Greek and Roman myths, literature, and culture on contemporary and later literature and theory. Students majoring in Classics choose to specialize in either ancient Greek or Latin language and literature. The program consists of four years of language acquisition with a focus on the phonology (the study and classification of speech sounds), morphology (the study of word forms), grammar, and syntax (how words and phrases are arranged) of Greek and Latin, as well as the literature and poetry of each language. The culminating capstone experience allows the student to choose a specific area and topic for a project which demonstrates their skills in language, theory, and writing. Graduates of the program will leave the university with thorough training in the ancient languages of Greek and Latin and their literatures, preparing students for work in government or private fields, as well as additional schooling at the graduate level.

The Business Administration degree provides students with a strong knowledge base across the fundamental disciplines of business: accounting, finance, management, marketing, opersations and supply chain, and information systems. At the David Eccles School of Business, students learn to manage technology and identify entrepreneurial opportunities, learning the social implications of doing global business and developing the values and ethics to succeed and prosper. The Business Administration curriculum consists of classes in accounting, finance, management, marketing, operations and supply chain,  and information systems. Graduates of this program possess a mix of business, technical, and essential communication skills required of management and leadership roles, preparing them for a wide range of business careers.

Materials science and engineering (MSE) combines numerous disciplines, including chemistry, physics and engineering. Scientists in this field apply the principles of physics and chemistry to engineering problems in order to design and develop new materials. Without materials science and engineering, things like computer chips and solar cells would not exist. In the College of Engineering at the University of Utah, this degree offers students the unique opportunity to study science as well as engineering. Accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, the MSE program teaches fundamental science and engineering principles that apply to all types of materials in addition to in depth study of polymers and ceramics. Students then select upon technical electives that suit their particular interests, which can include courses in nanostructured materials, metallurgy, photovoltaic materials, single crystal growth, composites, microsystems design, biomaterials, nuclear materials, and many others. Students are also trained in and gain hands on experience with experimental techniques to analyze structure and composition of materials—including X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, thermal analysis, and spectroscopy. All students complete a capstone design project, preparing them for real-world engineering design and applications. You will leave the University of Utah with the technical skills and theoretical knowledge you need to succeed in a variety of science and engineering fields.

Geography is a unique field that bridges the physical and social sciences: geographers study not just natural Earth systems but also human societies, examining the interaction between the two. Geographers work with powerful technologies such as geographic information systems (GIS), digital Earth imagery (remote sensing), and spatial modeling. Geography also has a long-standing field tradition, often involving travel to spectacular locations. The University of Utah’s Geography program will provide you with a collaborative, integrated approach to understanding complex geographical challenges, such as climate change, globalization, sustainability, urbanization, and living with hazards. The program curriculum includes courses in environments, human geography, geographical analysis, cartography, and GIS; students then choose courses from the broader areas of physical and human geography, as well as electives from allied fields (such as atmospheric sciences or geology). Geography has a “No Student Left Inside” Initiative that encourages field work and labs in their courses to get technical, real world experiences. If you want to focus your studies on a particular area,

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.

Communication is much more than just the written word. Communication is also verbal or non-verbal, and it takes place at both an interpersonal and mass scale. With the University of Utah’s Communication program, students learn how to be effective communicators for all different types of audiences. Communication is a diverse discipline and offers a variety of skills to prepare students for their careers. Through a combination of theoretical and technical training, the Communication program allows students to develop a comprehensive portfolio to market themselves to the industry. If you want to focus your studies on a particular area, you can pursue an emphasis in one of the following emphases:

• Communication Studies
• Journalism
• Science, Health, Environmental, and Risk Communication
• Strategic Communication