Bachelor of Arts, Major in Political Science

at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth USA

The Crime & Justice Studies (CJS) program brings together the fields of criminology, criminal justice, and justice studies. Bridging the social sciences and humanities, CJS specializes in the study of the criminal justice system's history, policies, politics, and procedures.

Our multidisciplinary program meets the needs of undergraduate students interested in entering the fields of law enforcement, the courts, corrections, probation, parole, social services, youth services, public policy, research, non-profit, and non-governmental or community organizations.

All students are required to complete a senior year internship to explore career options, gain real-world experience, network, and develop professional skills.

Students pursuing the BA in Crime & Justice Studies:

• Develop comprehensive perspectives on the various and, at times, conflicting expectations that exist within the institutions and agencies that comprise and work with the criminal justice system
• Engage in cross-agency dialogues within the classroom before they enter the workforce
• Learn to identify and analyze structural, institutional, and transnational violence
• Gain knowledge and skills toward understanding and transforming injustice
• Prepare themselves to contribute to the improvement of their communities and society

Our graduates have careers in law enforcement, courts, corrections, public administration, law, social services, youth services, nonprofit or non-governmental agencies, and community organizations. A growing number of CJS graduates have gone on to complete graduate degrees in law, master's, and various doctoral programs.

The BFA in Art + Design: Drawing offers professional, studio-based training in the visual arts with all the advantages of a university education.

The BFA is a professional degree with concentrated areas of specialization, so you will take more art courses than you would in a BA program. At UMass Dartmouth, you also have the advantages of a university education where you can diversify your studies and expand your career opportunities.

You will learn fundamental skills and contemporary drawing practices through a wide spectrum of drawing course offerings such as:

• Representation
• The human figure
• Architecture & perspective
• Concept-development
• Mixed media
• Abstraction
• Time-based media
• Installation

You will develop cross-disciplinary sensitivity—with the possibility of combining drawing with painting, printmaking, photography, digital media, textiles, sculpture, time-based media, installation and other disciplines in contemporary art making. You will also be able to explore fields across the university, such as business, engineering, and science.

Prepare for a career in graphic design by learning how to communicate visually.

You’ll develop your talents and skills to achieve a high level of professional ability, while pursuing your own creative goals. The BFA in Art + Design: Graphic Design will prepare you for the many career opportunities available in contemporary design practice.

The BFA is a professional degree with concentrated areas of specialization, so you will take more art and design courses than you would in a BA program. At UMass Dartmouth, you also have the advantages of a university education where you can diversify your studies and expand your career opportunities by exploring fields such as business, sustainability, writing/communication, computer science, and many more.

Our faculty—who are also professionals in their fields—will teach you how to:

• Research and analyze content as part of the design process
• Work within the context of the message, audience, environment, and technology
• Develop graphic translations such as symbols, books, posters, and interactive media
• Create art with a purpose

The Interior Architecture + Design program prepares students for professional-level entrance into the design field. You will learn contemporary design techniques, have access to state-of-the art design technology, build a personal portfolio, and gain workplace experience through internships.

You will pursue a well-rounded interior architecture and design degree that integrates technical know-how and artistic vision, develops your creative potential, and helps you launch your career.

Accredited by the Council for Interior Architecture and Design Accreditation (CIDA), CVPA's Interior Architecture + Design program is the only public option in New England.

Interior architects work for a wide range of clients. They work in hospitality, healthcare, commercial, corporate, residential, retail and institutional design. Many interior architecture and design professionals work in niches such as environmental design, historic preservation, furniture design, ergonomics, and health and safety.

The program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture + Design is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, www.accredit-id.org, 206 Grandville Avenue, Suite 350, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. The CIDA-accredited program prepares students for entry-level interior design practice, for advanced study, and to apply for membership in professional interior design organizations. The Interior Architecture + Design granted by University of Massachusetts Dartmouth meets the educational requirement for eligibility to sit for the National Council for Interior Design Qualification Examination (NCIDQ Exam).

UMass Dartmouth’s Master of Arts in Professional Writing & Communication program meets a growing demand for professional and technical communicators. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in professional and technical writing are growing faster than average.

Our students take classes that prepare them to meet that demand by learning how to communicate ideas and information across a range of media.

• Web authoring
• Document design
• Social media writing
• Rhetorical theory
• Usability
• Stylistics

Our program is based on the belief that photography has a unique ability to merge new technologies as well as cultural and historical influences with artistic production.

Placing our degree within the Design context allows the MFA Photo candidate to gain access to a broader array of faculty conversant with new technologies and design theory which in turn enables candidates to acquire and utilize a more professionally oriented degree and skill set.

MFA candidates develop a thesis project based on their own unique research. The thesis requires both visual and written components which are intellectually, formally, and technically rigorous. Students form a committee based on their thesis topic, choosing from faculty who provide a wide variety of viewpoints and expertise.

In addition to access to the photographic facilities on the main campus—which include a state of the art media lab with 48” Epson color printer, black and white darkrooms and professional lighting studio—MFA students are supplied with graduate studios at our Star Store campus in New Bedford. This downtown arts campus houses all disciplines in graduate study, fostering a communal artistic environment in which multi-discipline projects and collaborations are possible.

Opportunities both to exhibit and curate exhibitions are available at the Star Store's 244 Gallery for graduate students.

The School for Marine Sciences & Technology’s (SMAST) MS in Marine Science and Technology program emphasizes societal need-driven research and learning in an interdisciplinary environment. The MS program focuses on observations, modeling, experimentation, and theory in the areas of ocean sciences, ocean technology, and marine policy.

Students work independently as well as collaboratively with our renowned faculty and some of the most highly regarded oceanographic institutions and may pursue a range of leading-edge research projects in areas that include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Biochemical cycling
• Coastal Ecosystem Dynamics and Restoration
• Computational Modeling
• Fisheries Science
• Marine Renewable Energy
• Ocean Physics

Highlights

• Options for thesis or non-thesis program of study
• Thesis option requires a minimum of 30 credit hours and the non-thesis option requires 33 credit hours
• Full-time MS students normally complete their degree requirements in four semesters

Our two-year programs provide continued graduate education and research experience in general biology or marine biology.

Specific areas of study include, but are not limited to:

• Animal behavior
• Coastal ecology
• Computational biology
• Developmental biology
• Evolutionary biology
• Genomics
• Immunology
• Microbiology
• Physiology

For a degree in marine biology, it is expected that your research project has a marine focus, and that the curriculum includes at least one marine biology course.

The Computer & Information Science Department offers a bachelor's degree in computer science with an option in software engineering: the systematic approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software.

Software engineers analyze, design, and program software. They are concerned with issues that play a vital role in software development, such as quality, novelty, creativity, standards, teamwork, and professional practice. If you're interested in large-scale commercial software development or in managing software projects, consider software engineering.

Our BA in political science with a concentration in pre-law prepares you for law school by providing a solid foundation for future study in fields including commercial, criminal, environmental, family, labor, and tax law.

Your courses will focus on the U.S. legal system, law and courts in relationship to other aspects of the U.S. political system, international law and courts, and the international political system. A background in law prepares you not only for a practice of law, but also for rewarding careers in advocacy, business, and education.

Studying law will develop your analytical, logical, and creative thinking skills. You'll be prepared to think critically and act effectively as an engaged citizen.

We want to ensure that you acquire proficiency in writing, communication, advocacy, and comparative analyis: all vital skills in today's workplace, which is why we require students to complete an internship.