Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

at State University of New York College at Geneseo USA

The mission of the Biology program at Geneseo is to provide students with a broad background in biology, which can be used as a solid foundation for various careers in the biological sciences and medicine. Students in the program gain an understanding of the basic principles of genetics, ecology, evolution, cell biology, anatomy and physiology. Students also gain skills in scientific decision-making, and in presenting scientific research in oral and written formats. We also want students to appreciate and value biological diversity and to leave the program with an increased sense of stewardship for the earth.

Welcome to the home page of the Sociology Department at SUNY Geneseo. Please use this page to learn more about our major and related minors, meet our faculty, review our classes and internship and study abroad programs, and consider graduate study and careers related to Sociology. We emphasize scientific and humanistic approaches to exploring economic and political institutions, culture, media, family, urban life, families, crime, and other aspects of social life. Our graduates pursue graduate study in law, social work, sociology, criminology, community planning, and other fields or move directly into careers including social and human services, criminal justice, and business.

Comparative Literature situates literary and cultural production in an international perspective.  As a scholarly discipline and an undergraduate major, its focus is both particular works of literature, broadly defined, and literary history and theory.   The ComLit major offers a transnational model of comparison that takes as its point of departure the commitment to a relational, polyphonic, and contrapuntal—rather than merely binary and oppositional—understanding of literatures, cultures, and identities.

The Economics major combines the breadth, analytical development, and flexibility of a liberal arts degree with the theoretical, quantitative, and empirical foundation of economics. Emphasis is placed on developing critical thinking as well as analytical and communication skills. Geneseo economics graduates enter a wide array of positions in both the public and private sectors, or alternatively, gain admission to graduate programs in a variety of fields. Students frequently combine the economics major with internships, study abroad, independent research, and related study in fields such as mathematics or other social sciences.

The Department of Music believes strongly in the public value of an education in the arts, its vital contributions to the public good, and its capacity to contribute to the quality of life of each individual. The formal study of music helps students develop the tools, discipline, and foundations necessary for a life in the arts whether as music professionals or as highly-skilled lifelong practitioners, while also promoting the value of technique, collaboration, and inherited practice to all forms of creative expression.

Ways to participate include:

• Joining one of our many instrumental or choral ensembles
• Auditioning for one of our musical theatre productions
• Taking lessons on your instrument or voice (we offer private instrumental lessons and group voice classes for non-majors)
• Audition for the Music major (we offer majors and minors in all instruments, including piano, classical guitar, classical voice, and musical theatre, plus concentrations in theory, history, ethnomusicology, composition and conducting)
• Consider Music Education (we have an exciting partnership with the Eastman School of Music which prepares our graduates for the Master of Arts with professional certification at the Eastman School of Music)

Some recent graduates are employed in corporate communication, the media industries, public relations, sales, marketing and financial services. Others have chosen to further their education in the fields of healthcare communication, counseling, conflict resolution, law and business administration.

The basis for their success is a comprehensive liberal arts communication program that combines conceptual and critical understanding with hands on application of skills. All majors take coursework in public speaking, interpersonal communication and mass communication. They also select a track of study in Personal and Professional Communication, Journalism and Media Studies, or Intercultural and Critical Studies.

The degree is interdepartmental, stressing basic sciences and analytical skills. Extensive laboratory experience is acquired, making use of advanced instrumentation and techniques. Many students do research projects, either over the summer or in directed studies throughout the school year. Students are also given the opportunity to be tutors or teaching assistants in the chemistry or biology departments, thereby gaining additional useful experience. Graduates are well prepared for employment or further study in the fields of Biochemistry, Medicine, Pharmacy, Biotechnology, Cell Biology, Genetics, and Molecular Biology. Alumni have also entered fields of Bioinformatics, Immunology, Bioorganic Chemistry, Bioinorganic Chemistry, Pharmacology, Education, and Biochemical Engineering. The program is designed to give students the flexibility to choose electives that most closely mirror their interests.

We believe that the Biochemistry program at Geneseo is truly special.  On national assessment exams, our graduates perform well and several students have scored in the 90th percentile or above.  Our graduates routinely sought-after by graduate schools and employers. We believe that Geneseo students do well partly because of the interaction Geneseo students have with professors and with each other. Participants take many classes together and study together in the Biology and Chemistry buildings, so a great deal of camaraderie develops among the biochemistry majors. The atmosphere is very supportive. Another plus is that the students work with faculty on their own research projects. Students obtain hands-on experience with sophisticated equipment, much of which is usually found only in graduate school, and they are encouraged to present their work at local or national meetings/symposia.

The Women's and Gender Studies major at SUNY Geneseo is a multi-disciplinary and interdisciplinary program designed to be flexible to accommodate multiple focuses. It includes feminist analyses of the construction and enforcement of gender differences and gender inequalities in various contexts, with an emphasis on the intersection of gender with race, class, sexuality, and nationality in the lives of women. Students are encouraged to apply what they learn in Women's Studies classrooms to other areas of their lives. All students take a core set of Women's Studies courses plus at least one course in five content areas in which the study of women and gender provide significant insights, using feminist methodologies and pedagogy. Additionally, each student completes a three-course sequence in one of the clusters and completes a capstone experience designed to apply concepts from the Women's Studies Program toward their future career goals.

Geneseo’s Department of Geological Sciences (GSCI) is a highly student-centered department that houses the programs for the B.A. in Geological Sciences, the B.A. in Geochemistry, the B.A. in Geophysics, an Earth Science Adolescent Certification Program and the GSCI minor.  Each of these programs provides Geneseo students with a strong foundation in the geosciences.  Our graduates are highly successful in finding positions in teaching, industry, and graduate programs.

Students graduating from Geneseo with one of our degrees are invaluable to New York State since we are educating geoscientists who will be future teachers, professional geologists and environmental scientists.  The B.A. in Geological Sciences is a certified state-licensure qualifying program for Professional Geologists in NYS.  Students who earn this degree are highly competitive in the job market and they are able to pursue professional licensure sooner than students from institutions that are not certified.

The respected and active GSCI faculty and staff are invested in providing all Geneseo students with a broad interdisciplinary approach to studying geology and our environment.  We aim to foster a curiosity of how the Earth works and an appreciation how geology and society are interconnected.

Broaden your cultural and professional horizons with a major in Spanish! Bring your communication skills to a higher level with our courses designed to expand your proficiency in the language. Also, you will increase exponentially your cultural basis for livelier interactions with native and heritage speakers of Spanish. Our exciting civilization, literature, and linguistics courses focus on our remarkably diverse societies, highlighting their history, traditions, and challenges. As a career in itself or an invaluable asset to any professional field, pursuing a major in Spanish will provide you with an enriching intellectual experience.