Bachelor of Arts, Major in Political Science with Concentration in International Politics

at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth USA

The Health and Society bachelor's degree program explores multiple perspectives on health, health care, and related systems and policies. You will engage in a critical analysis of the factors that impact the health and health behaviors of diverse populations, the provision of health care, and the formulation of health-related policy.

Through the program, you will:

• Understand how systemic inequalities affect health outcomes
• Learn how theoretical frameworks and research from multiple disciplines can be used to find innovative solutions to health-related problems
• Demonstrate an understanding of the organization and efficacy of health care systems and policies
• Develop basic skills in qualitative and quantitative social scientific research methods
• Utilize effective oral and written modes of communicating health-related issues to diverse audiences

The Sociology and Anthropology Department offers a BA degree in Sociology and Anthropology with a concentration in Anthropology: the study of the role culture and power play in the world around us.

Anthropology emphasizes a comparative, cross cultural approach to the study of humankind, and the need to analyze culture and power in a global as well as local context. This program emphasizes  the development of a holistic perspective and offers the possibility of studying communities and cultures in the US as well as in other societies around the world. The faculty has expertise in Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, indigenous cultures throughout the Americas, as well as in the US. Students graduating with the anthropology concentration may pursue advanced degrees in a wide range of fields, such as women’s studies, anthropology, social work and education. They will also be prepared for jobs in fields that require understanding of cultural difference and social inequality, such as teaching and educational policy, social services, museum and historical preservation, government and public service, environmental assessment, urban planning and development, medical and public health, and business.

Centered on studio practice, UMass Dartmouth's BFA in Art Education is a professional degree that will prepare you for elementary or secondary school teaching and for careers in other learning environments.

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.

The BFA is a professional degree that prepares students for licensure in elementary or secondary school teaching or for work in other learning environments and it is founded on studio practice.  Students must complete a concentration in one of the studio areas in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Teaching licensure students become Art Education Teacher Candidates after passing the Communication and Literacy Skills portion of the Massachusetts Test of Educator Licensure (MTEL). Teaching licensure students become Art Education Pre-Service Candidates only after passing the entire MTEL, which includes the Visual Arts portion, before the first semester of their senior year, a prerequisite for entrance to the student teaching practicum. Depending upon the level of licensure sought, in consultation with the Art Education faculty advisor, and prior to class registration each semester, the appropriate Art Education courses must be selected and passed.  Students must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.75 and obtain a positive recommendation from the chairperson before permission is granted to the student for entrance in his/her student teaching (Practicum). Student teaching requires a commitment of 400 total hours, earning full-time (12 credits) status. During the pre-practicum field experience, UMD pre-service teachers observe and assist in teaching students at their selected grade level (PreK-8 or 5-12) in public schools. Students must acquire a total of seventy-five hours outside of class during their pre-practicum field work, plus 20 hours observations in Sheltered English Immersion (SEI).

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

Mechanical engineers work on the design, analysis, production, and operation of mechanical and thermal systems, including tools, engines, and machines.

You will be prepared to work in a diverse range of careers including aerospace, manufacturing, robotics, biomedical, product design, energy, sustainable development, scientific research, defense, and the military.

Growing opportunities are available for mechanical engineers in cutting-edge medical research, new energy resources, novel material design, and robotics applications. Encompassing a wide range of fields, mechanical engineering includes the study of energy transformations, manufacturing, mechanical systems, material science, and systems control.

The Mechanical Engineering program provides students with both a diverse, broad-based degree that is grounded in fundamental principles of science and engineering and the opportunity to specialize in a field of interest (such as energy, manufacturing, robotics, materials science, mechanical systems).

The program is characterized by hands-on design projects and the use of computer work stations to address complex problems and enable the design and manufacture of components and systems.  The program culminates in a senior project, solving a real-life engineering problem with realistic constraints of time as well as economic, aesthetic, safety, social and environmental considerations. The students defend their work in an oral presentation before their class, faculty, guests and an invited panel of judges from local industries.

The first two years of the program include basic courses in mathematics, chemistry and physics, together with introductory courses in applied science such as mechanics, materials, and electrical science. Specialization occurs during the last two years with courses available in the areas of thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, manufacturing processes and systems, control systems, materials behavior, energy, and mechanical design.

English is an exciting discipline that challenges you to explore both literature and writing. We offer two options for English majors—creative and professional writing or literature and criticism.

With either option, you'll learn how to:

• Read and think critically
• Write to move audiences
• Engage with literature—and the world—thoughtfully and analytically

The skills you'll develop are essential in today's competitive job market and can lead to rewarding careers in communications, editing, grants writing, journalism, public relations, social media, technical writing, web publishing, teaching middle or high school English, writing for general and specialized audiences, and many other fields. You'll also be prepared for graduate study across many disciplines, such as creative and professional writing, education, law, and library/information science.

Civil engineering is the engineering of the constructed facilities we encounter every day:

• Buildings, bridges, tunnels, and dams
• Waterways, railways, and highways
• Water power, irrigation, drainage, and water supply
• Wastewater and hazardous waste disposal
• Environmental health systems

As a civil engineering major, you'll learn how to plan, design, construct, and manage public and private infrastructure and facilities. You'll also be prepared to address emerging engineering issues related to sustainability, climate change, and new energy resources. You will be prepared to pursue a career in industry, government, research, or academia. Frequent interaction with the public is unique to the field of civil engineering.

Money, time, and risk: these are the fundamentals of finance. Finance is the study of funds management, and how money is spent and budgeted. Financial decisions determine the economic viability of any enterprise, whether a corporation, multinational company, limited partnership, private company, or nonprofit organization.

Your professors—leading experts in their field—will introduce you to the discipline's analytical tools, which bring together concepts from economics, accounting, and mathematics. Internships in corporations and financial institutions will help you discover the many career opportunities available in finance.

Finance majors prepare for careers in brokerage firms, corporations, financial institutions, investment banks, and government in positions such as:

• Budget analyst
• Financial analyst
• Financial manager
• Financial planner
• Mortgage officer
• Portfolio & mutual fund manager

As global markets expand, international opportunities for finance professionals will also increase.

Art history is the study of visual artifacts that express the values of cultures and societies. As an art history major at UMass Dartmouth, you'll learn to recognize, analyze, and interpret works of art from around the globe and across the centuries.

As you explore art, architecture, and the culture of history, you will develop your analytical, communication, critical thinking, research, and visual skills—skills that are applicable in a wide range of career paths.

Your studies in art history will prepare you for professional options in areas such as appraisal, arts administration, conservation, corporate arts management, education, preservation, publishing, research, and writing—and for positions in archives, galleries, libraries, and museums. You will also be ready for graduate study in art history and related fields.

Students with a degree in Art History will be able to:

• Demonstrate the critical thinking and analytical skills necessary to engage with an increasingly visual culture
• Apply the concepts, terminology and theoretical perspectives of art history, visual studies and film and media studies to a diverse set of visual artifacts
• Articulate the relationship between visual artifacts and their stylistic and cultural contexts
• Design and implement exhibitions using contemporary curatorial theories and methods
• Apply knowledge in the broader community through meaningful partnerships
• Formulate and pursue research questions using scholarly methods and sources
• Form cogent, well-researched arguments in written and verbal form

The bachelor’s degree in Economics with a concentration in Healthcare Services Administration is for anyone interested in a career as a manager or supervisor in the healthcare field. This degree is a great option for healthcare professionals with an associate's degree who want to advance their careers as managers or supervisors. The program is also well suited to students looking to work in the healthcare industry with a focus on operations, administration, and management rather than the science-focused aspects of this profession.

Healthcare administration professionals make decisions every day that help improve the lives of their patients. They are often responsible for managing health records, communicating new policies, coordinating with doctors and nurses, and ensuring compliance with healthcare laws and regulations.

The field of healthcare administration is growing fast, and so is the demand for qualified candidates to fill the growing number of jobs. Employers seek candidates with very specific credentials in the field.

We'll help you gain the practical skills necessary for intelligent decision-making and administration in healthcare. You will be able to:

• Create evaluative techniques
• Design and implement budgets
• Develop quantitative skills
• Evaluate management goals
• Use theoretical concepts of social dynamics
• Research healthcare and economic issues
• Manage healthcare staff