Bachelor of Arts, Major in Economics (STEM)

at University of Massachusetts Lowell USA

Sociologists study many different subjects: race and ethnicity, social policy, gender and sexuality, family and kinship, the nature of industrial capitalism, the effect of technology on modern society and interpersonal relationships. These are just a few of the many areas sociologists are interested in understanding. What draws these different areas together is the emphasis on understanding social life, both in our own society and cross-culturally.

The sociology major offers students the opportunity to learn about our social world. Courses cover a wide range of fields. As part of their program, students are encouraged to work in the Lowell community. Many students complete corporate or agency internships in which they work within a field setting to gain needed job experience.

Department members value the search for meaningful social change. Students who are interested in working in human services, social work, personnel management, urban planning, elder services, communications, law, education, research, community activism or full-time academic work might consider a major in sociology.   

Policy and Social Problems Concentration
Students may choose a concentration in Policy and Social Problems, which provides a pathway for those who want to focus specifically on applying analytical tools of sociological thinking to social problems and their solutions.

The Energy Engineering Program at the University of Massachusetts Lowell is, along with the Nuclear Engineering Program, one of two ways to earn a graduate degree in Energy Engineering. The program offers both Master's and Doctoral degrees, as well as a Graduate Certificate, in Energy Engineering. The Energy Engineering Program began over twenty-five years ago with a focus on solar energy, but over time has expanded to encompass several renewable energy technologies, including wind turbines, fuel cells and green combustion.

Renewable energy engineers are leading the way to a cleaner, safer future across the globe. From designing small off-grid, solar-powered agricultural water pumps in Peru to improving the reliability of towering wind turbines off the coast of Rhode Island, our students and graduates are making a positive impact on our society and our environment.

Completion of the chemistry curriculum provides preparation for all areas of the chemical profession, as well as for graduate study in chemistry, dentistry, medicine, patent law, and teaching. Students completing the B.S. requirements graduate with a degree certified as being in a program approved by the Committee on Professional Training of the American Chemical Society.

The major typically includes 56-60 credits in chemistry courses and 26-30 credits in supporting science and mathematics courses. In addition, university/college guidelines for core curriculum/distribution requirements must be fulfilled.

Forensic Science Option
The forensic option combines the application of physical sciences to criminal investigations, offering students the opportunity for close collaboration between the University and the community, by providing needed expertise and resources while obtaining real world experiences. This is the only forensics undergraduate degree program at a public university in Massachusetts and one of only three in New England.

The Master of Science program in Security Studies prepares students for careers in the rapid expanding field of cyber security, as well as weapons of mass destruction (CBRNE) and how to address threats to our critical infrastructure.

Homeland Defense - Concentration
Students pursuing this area of concentration will develop competencies and knowledge relating to homeland security strategy and policy development, critical infrastructure protection, regional and national security intelligence, land and maritime border protection, and the use of new technologies in homeland security. Emphasis is placed on integrating a “big picture” policy perspective with an understanding of human behavior, systems, and intelligence analysis.

The Master of Science serves several audiences, from the professional - with extensive industrial experience, to the recent graduate - aiming ultimately for an advanced research degree.

UMass Lowell’s computer science program offers theoretical grounding combined with an industry-influenced curriculum that sets our graduates apart. Alumni of the program work in companies like Amazon, Bloomberg, EMC, Facebook, Fidelity, Google, IBM, Microsoft, MITRE and Raytheon.

Graduates of the program work across industries, in large and small organizations. The Bioinformatics option graduates work primarily in the life sciences sector, improving people’s lives by making sense of the voluminous biological and health-care related data available today.

The Pharmaceutical Sciences Marketing and Management option prepares you for a career as a pharmaceutical executive in management, sales or marketing. You’ll gain a valuable foundation in health sciences and business, which will prepare you for a variety of job opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry, or continue your degree in the graduate program.  

A unique blend of business and scientific courses, the program prepares you to:

• Be a leader in pharmaceutical project management.
• Market and promote novel therapeutics.
• Develop entrepreneurial skills in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields.
• Integrate new technology to promote health for diverse populations worldwide.
• Work in Quality assurance/control (QA/QC).
• Pursue Lab-based research positions.

The Master of Science program in Security Studies prepares students for careers in the rapid expanding field of cyber security, as well as weapons of mass destruction (CBRNE) and how to address threats to our critical infrastructure.

International Security - Concentration
In this area of concentration, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of complex, intersecting global threats like organized criminal and terrorist networks, and the various policies, strategies and mechanisms to combat these threats.

Students can take courses in the history of philosophy and philosophical movements; political, mathematical and scientific philosophies; metaphysics; linguistics and aesthetics. Students will learn how to analyze, reason, deduct and apply persuasive arguments in a disciplined and systematic way while developing their oral and written communication skills.

The department does not specify particular course work for the major, but recommends that the sequence of courses be designed in close consultation with the student’s faculty advisor. Students who plan to go to graduate school are strongly encouraged to take at least two courses from the History of Philosophy series. They should also consider a second major in a cognate field, e.g., American studies, English, French, history, mathematics, or political science.

Religious Studies - Concentration
A major in Philosophy with a concentration in Philosophy & Religious Studies requires a combination of required introductory courses, Philosophy and Religious Studies electives and Interdisciplinary courses.

Students should choose those courses that are most suitable to their particular interests. Not all of these courses will be offered in a given academic year; students may contact the Chair of Philosophy to determine when a given course will be offered. New courses relevant to Philosophy & Religious Studies may be added to the catalog from time to time; students may contact their advisors to determine whether a new course will count towards the Philosophy & Religious Studies concentration.

In satisfying the Philosophy & Religious Studies electives requirement, students may also take courses from other departments that are relevant to the Philosophy & Religious Studies concentration.

The Creative Writing concentration invites English majors to study literary artistry in small group workshop classes that emphasize style, technique, and other aspects of craft. Where most undergraduate programs staff creative writing classrooms with visiting lecturers or graduate students, UMass Lowell retains a permanent faculty of distinguished writers specializing in poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Focused on reading widely and writing well, the concentration’s multi-genre, progressively rigorous course of study culminates in a capstone portfolio project.

Students can expect to take part in the English Department's vibrant and active literary and creative community. The campus literary magazine, The Offering, is entirely student-run and -edited, and many creative writing students work on the editorial team or publish work in the magazine. Students have access to any number of public literary events each semester, including student readings, and can meet and speak to award-winning, nationally recognized authors through our Writers on Campus series. Our program, like the other department concentrations, offers a degree in English, and provides a solid foundation for students hoping to pursue a writing life beyond the classroom. Graduates of our program have published work in prominent literary magazines, been accepted in top-ranked MFA programs, released books with major publishers, and won prestigious national awards.

The pandemic exposed the critical role that public health professionals play to prevent diseases and promote health. With a B.S. in public health, you’ll be prepared for a career that creates healthy communities through education, research and promotion of healthy environments and lifestyles.

The cornerstone of the program is health promotion and disease prevention, rather than on diagnosing and treating illnesses and conditions after they occur.

Public health jobs exist in private industry, organizations, local communities, and state and national settings. We offer the Public Health BS in two options: Community Health/Health Promotion and Health Sciences. See more details below. Students will also attain a foundation of knowledge that is necessary to pursue graduate studies in public health and health sciences.