Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with Concentration in Urban Politics

at Shorelight Group - University of Illinois at Chicago USA

Philosophy (from the Greek “love of wisdom”) originated as the search for understanding concerning the most basic features of reality, the natural world, and human life. The discipline prizes and develops the skill of engaging effectively with arguments on a tremendous range of subjects. In ancient times, philosophers pioneered the study of topics from the physical cosmos to the gods to human conduct. They debated not only the character of fundamental reality but also questions of how we can attain knowledge of it. To this day, philosophy engages with questions drawn from every part of our life and experience. For example: Is there such a thing as a purely objective observation? Am I identical with my brain? Is it ever permissible to break the law? Why is there evil in the world? Is death to be feared, and why?

Job candidates and applicants to professional schools can only be helped by being able to examine both sides of a question, think critically, write cogently, and solve very general abstract problems. Moreover, the powers of reflection, imagination, self-expression, and engagement with the ideas of others that philosophy cultivates are in themselves of fundamental value for human life.

The Human Development and Learning (HDL) major in UIC's Department of Educational Psychology helps students to become experts in how humans grow and improve their own well-being, with opportunities to study how people learn at many different age levels and in diverse environments.

Whether you are interested in working with young children, adolescents, or adults, the BA in Human Development and Learning will prepare you to guide and nurture people's growth and education.

Sociology is the study of social life, including individuals, groups, organizations, institutions, and societies. Sociologists investigate the social causes and consequences of human behavior and interaction, such as inequality, poverty, discrimination, and urbanization. While offering a general sociology curriculum, the program particularly focuses on how social inequalities are structured and legislated, how they are supported by cultural representations and hegemonic ideologies, and how people navigate and push back against them in their everyday lives. The program specializes in the study of race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, organizations and the economy, global and transnational sociology, political sociology and social movements, and children and youth. Students learn multiple methodological approaches for the study of social life, such as ethnography, in-depth interviews, survey research, focus groups, statistical analysis of secondary data, and the use of comparative historical methods. Sociology majors in the program also explore how to actively use research-based evidence to increase the quality of life for the residents of Chicago, the state, the nation, and the world.

Sociology develops skills in analyzing, synthesizing, generalizing, and communicating information and knowledge. Courses stress both logical and data analysis as well as careful and thoughtful reading, discussion, and writing. Sociology’s subject matter includes relationships among economic, political, cultural, and social factors and explores the impact of such forces on individuals and society. This inclusive framework and general training lies at the heart of a liberal education for lifetime learning.

A major in sociology will prepare students to undertake graduate studies in sociology, and admission to other professional and graduate programs in medicine, health, law, urban planning, social work, education, and business. It is also an excellent preparation for a wide variety of occupations in business and industry, the justice system, community and social services, government, education, social justice, and research.

The Bachelor of Science in Disability and Human Development uniquely explores disability as a complex biological, social, cultural, political, historical, and economic experience. This approach to disability, in itself, constitutes a unique curriculum that asks students to see disability as a contextual and changing phenomena. Further, the Department of Disability and Human Development mobilizes its relationships with community partners and disability organizations as well as its leadership within the fields of disability and human development and disability studies to provide students with a broad, interdisciplinary degree that blends theory, research, and practice.

The School of Architecture offers a three-year, NAAB-accredited* first professional Master of Architecture (MArch) degree to students with either an undergraduate degree in architectural studies or an undergraduate degree in any other field of study. The studio-centered curriculum is supported by required and elective coursework in architectural technology and theory. The typical three-year course of study proceeds roughly through the following stages:

1. Incorporate the knowledge, techniques, methods and manners of the discipline;
2. Apply disciplinary means to frame and respond to the given problems and requests of external situations;
3. Expand the discipline by conducting advanced design research that identifies and addresses concerns that have yet to be recognized.

The UIC Business MBA provides students with a solid foundation in core business disciplines, while allowing for specialization in one or more areas based upon a student’s professional interests and career goals. The UIC Business Liautaud Graduate School ranks in the top 25 percent of business schools nationwide.

Students majoring in finance will have access to faculty that brings both extensive real-world experience and an active research agenda on a variety of subjects into the classroom. They acquire both theoretical knowledge and practical skills in an atmosphere of intellectual stimulation and active learning.

Our curriculum is built to help students focus on their dream careers within finance. The rich list of elective courses introduces students to various fields including corporate financial analysis, business valuation, investments and portfolio management, banking, international finance, trading, and risk management. Through close ties with finance professionals, we supplement the course materials with guest speakers from across the financial sectors. Our research faculty provides students with innovative educational programs that help students apply new insights to critical business problems.

The Department of Economics offers a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Economics. The program provides instruction on economic institutions and a rigorous foundation in the analytical tools and applied areas of economics, relying on mathematical and statistical techniques. Students learn how the price system operates; how consumers, firms, and government institutions allocate scarce resources; and the determinants of national output, inflation, unemployment, economic growth, and international trade. Laws, regulations, and institutions that influence economic activity are also studied. After learning the basic tools of microeconomics and macroeconomics in the introductory courses, students go on to study various applied areas of economics in the more advanced courses.

The program provides a strong grounding for many careers in banking, data science, insurance, service and manufacturing firms, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations. It also gives an excellent background to students who intend to continue their education. In particular, it provides a solid preparation for law school, an MBA program, and graduate studies in economics, business, public administration, and public policy.

Students are encouraged to contact the director of undergraduate studies of the economics department for further information on the field of economics and career options for economics majors.

The Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management will equip students with the necessary skills to successfully manage human capital within organizations. A focused curriculum will cover topics that include building effective teams, compensation, global human resources, personal leadership skills, diversity and inclusion, recruitment, training and development, labor laws, and consulting.

The Department of Communication highlights the role of communication, media, and technology in creating relationships within human societies. Courses range from the personal through the international level and build responsible citizenship.

A degree in communication focuses on social science research, leading to several career paths, including market research, corporate relations, human resources, event planning, advertising, media writing, teaching, and government.

The core courses introduce fundamental concepts, theories, issues, and statistical methods in a variety of settings and build skills in reasoned argument, research, and critical thinking.

Subsequent courses integrate analysis and research, emphasizing observation, production, and consumption as critical processes in which students continually engage, while also emphasizing systematic inquiry that involves students in research activities. The courses foster critical understanding of the ways that individuals, groups, and societies create meanings about their worlds through communication.