Special Programs – Minors
Albright allows students to individualize their curricula with special minor options. These minors, consisting of five or six courses, are designed to complement the student’s major field of study. They provide an extra dimension to education and enhance career opportunities. The completion of a minor will be indicated on the student’s transcript.
- Africana Studies
- Anthropology Minor
- Art History
- Arts Administration
- Asian Studies
- Classical Studies
- Criminology
- Digital Media
- European Studies
- English
- Evolutionary Studies
- Film / Video
- French
- Holocaust Studies
- Latin American and Caribbean Studies
- Legal Studies
- Marine and Aquatic Science
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies
- Music
- Music Business
- Painting
- Photography
- Public Administration and Policy Analysis
- Public Health
- Sculpture
- Sociology
- Theatre
- Urban Affairs
- Women’s and Gender Studies
The Africana Studies Minor at Albright College provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to the study of the histories, cultural practices, beliefs/ideas, and experiences of peoples of Africa and of the African Diaspora. Students will be familiarized with the various descriptive, critical, representational, and analytical approaches to the study of Africa, its peoples/diasporas, across time and space. The minor offers a curriculum that covers various disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and approaches within and across the fields of anthropology, arts, education, film studies, history, literature, philosophy, political science, psychology, religious studies, sociology, economics and business. Contact: Prof. Adam John
Requirements:
- One introductory course from HIS 211 “African History” or (other introductory courses may be approved by the program coordinators)
- Three Africana studies content courses from at least two disciplines.
- One 300- or 400-level advanced course that involves studying in depth an Africana topic or author.
The anthropology minor enables students to gain a holistic understanding of both biological and cultural effects on humans. The courses in the anthropology minor provide a basis for understanding the effects of these forces on humans cross-culturally in a variety of habitats. Topics of investigation include violence, sex, cooperation and ecological relationships. Contact Prof. Barty Thompson for more information.
Requirements:
- ANT 101
- One from ANT 342 or ANT 285
- Three from ANT 265, 270, 301, 310, 320
The study of art history is essential to any basic understanding of the visual environment in which we live. What may at first appear to be “academic” actually leads to profound insights into why our modern world looks the way it does. The art history minor attempts to impart this awareness through a variety of courses covering the entire historical spectrum of human artistic endeavor, from cave painting to the latest developments in the international art scene. The art history minor is coordinated wherever possible with exhibitions in the Freedman Gallery and various programs in studio art and filmmaking. An art history course includes a field trip to one of the major museums in New York or Philadelphia. Thanks to our proximity to these art centers, students of art history at Albright College are exposed not only to the usual instructional materials but are able to study from the masterworks themselves. Specific course requirements are listed in the Art Department section. Contact: Chair, Art Department
The The Arts Administration Minor offers flexibility in your course of study, allowing you to tailor the program to your interests, whether it’s visual arts or performing arts, and, within performing arts, theatre or music. If you’re interested in business, you can choose marketing, finance, leadership/management or legal concepts. Majors in history, education, science, digital media or even fashion can benefit from an arts administration minor, especially if you want to pursue a career in museums, historic parks/sites/homes, science centers, symphonies, ballets, public radio/TV or any other non-profit cultural organization. Specific course requirements are listed in the Arts Administration section. Contact: David Tanner, CFA Director
The Albright Asian Studies Minor offers Albright students enrolled in any chosen academic concentration the opportunity to design a curriculum that focuses on the field of Asian Studies. Courses included in the program extend across different departments to allow for multiple approaches and interpretations of Asian culture, and to provide a wide range of disciplinary methodologies for developing greater understanding of the globally emerging societies of South, Southeast, East and West Asia. These fields of study include History, Political Science, Religion, Philosophy, Cultural Studies, Art and Film Studies. Students enrolled in Asian Studies will have the opportunity to choose five courses from the ones offered in the program so that they may tailor their educational experience according to their own specific interests and concerns. In addition to the curriculum offered at the Albright campus, students will also be encouraged to study abroad, giving them the important experience of completing course work while living in the cultural worlds they are studying. Upon completion of Albright’s Asian Studies program students will be prepared to continue their education in graduate studies or to move on to a number of professional careers in Asian education, business and marketing, or social and economic development. Contact: Prof. Victor Forte
Requirements:
- One introductory course – PHI 217 “Asian Philosophy” or REL 266 “Asian Cultural Life”
- Three Asian Studies content courses from three different departments
- One course with a research module, either:
- Within an Asian studies course
- An independent research with a faculty member in the Asian studies curriculum
- In a special topics or senior seminar course approved by the Asian Studies coordinator
Students in the Asian Studies minor are encouraged to take Chinese at Albright or Chinese or another Asian language at another institution.
Asian Studies Courses
Art Department
ART 104 Survey of Art History – Module Course
Economics and Business Department
Module Courses:
ECO 233 Comparative Economics (pre-req. ECO 105)
BUS 368 International Management (pre-req. BUS 346)
BUS 374 International Marketing (pre-req. BUS 347)
History Department
HIS 241 History of East Asia to 1800
HIS 242 History of East Asia after 1800
HIS 254 From Byzantine to Ottoman: Middle East 500-1500
HIS 255 Gunpowder Empires: Ottomans, Safivids and Mughals: Middle East 1500-1900
HIS 256 Modern Middle East
Interdisciplinary Courses
IDS 289 – Japanese Religion and Philosophy and its Impact on Business Practice (includes study
in Japan)
IDS 283 – Class, Religion and Development in India (includes study in India)
Modern Foreign Languages Department
CHI 101 Elementary Chinese I
CHI 102 Elementary Chinese II
CHI 201 Intermediate Chinese I
Philosophy Department
PHI 217 Asian Philosophy
Module Courses:
PHI 130 Individual and Society
PHI 135 Class, Race & Gender
PHI 140 Human Nature
PHI 210 Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
PHI 222 World Philosophy
Political Science Department
POS 340 Modern Politics in East Asia
Religious Studies Department
REL 152 Religions of India, China and Japan
REL 257 Buddhism across Cultures
REL 210 Asia on Film
REL 251 Islam: Ideals and Realities
The study of ancient Greece and Rome has proven itself through the centuries as a (perhaps “the”) core area for study of the liberal arts, exploring the basic foundations for subsequent western religious practice, visual art, literature, government, natural science, mathematics, theater and philosophy. The Classical Studies minor at Albright combines traditional emphasis on the languages of the classical world (Latin and ancient Greek) with courses that focus on the general study and appreciation of the art, religion, culture, and history of ancient Greece and Rome. The minor requires the completion of five courses.
Requirements:
- Two semesters of Latin or Greek (101 & 102 or higher)
- Three additional courses from:
- GRE 101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, 401, or 402
- LAT101, 102, 201, 202, 301, 302, or 401
- ART 105 Ancient & Medieval Art
- ENG 270 The Classical Heritage
- HIS 101 Early Civilizations
- HIS 135 World History I
- PHI 210 Greek & Medieval Philosophy
- REL 142 New Testament
- REL 154 Classical Mythology
- One of the following:
- ART 253 Art of the Renaissance
- ENG 235 Renaissance Literature
- ENG 301 Historical Study of Language
- HIS 122 Medieval & Early Modern Civilization
- HIS 261 Renaissance
For more information, contact Professor Robert Seesengood.
Criminology
The criminology minor exposes students to the sociological perspective through study of the methodology of the field, basic theoretical paradigms, as well as the study of socialization, culture, deviance and conformity, social organization and societal development, complex organizations, and the principles of stratification and other forms of social inequality. In addition, students study the social problem of crime and deviance within the context of other social problems such as family dysfunction, poverty, education, racism, gender issues, and the sociology of work and occupations. Contact: Sociology Department
Requirements:
- SOC101 Introduction to Sociology
- SOC251 Crime and Deviance
- Three of the following courses:
- SOC202 The Criminal Justice System
- SOC210 Research Methods
- SOC211 Social Statistics
- SOC213 Social Theory
- SOC253 Criminal Investigation
- SOC254 Advanced Criminal Investigation
- SOC302 Juvenile Deliquency
- SOC307 Organized Crime
- SOC309 Criminal Corrections
- SOC311 Domestic Violence
- SOC360 Crime and the Media
- SOC385 Violence and Victims
- ANT310 Crime Culture, Conflict Resolution
This minor provides in-depth study of Digital Media through a selection of five courses. For more information about this minor, contact Professor Daniel Falabella.
Requirements:
ART 265 Computer Graphics Art and Design
DIG 201 Digital Video I
DIG 265 Digital Literacy
DIG 270 Illustration & Design
DIG 315 Web Design
The English Minor provides in-depth study of literature through a selection of five courses. Specific course requirements are listed in the English Department section.
The European Studies Minor offers students the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of the European continent through a multi-disciplinary approach. In so doing, they can better combine their chosen major with courses that would not otherwise integrate as easily into their study track. European studies is particularly well-suited for students in the arts, philosophy, or students who are focusing on the mastery of a European language and wish to clarify the relationship of their chosen discipline to other fields. It is also helpful to students in history and political science with a concentration on non-European areas, who wish to integrate knowledge of Europe for academic, pre-professional or personal reasons.
The minor requires the completion of five courses, including at least one from each of the three following groups:
- History, philosophy, religious studies
- Anthropology, economics, political science, psychology
- Art, literature, music
For more information, please contact Professors Guillaume de Syon or Patricia Turning.
The Evolutionary Studies Minor is meant to create opportunities for faculty and students to (a) develop a deep understanding of evolutionary ideas, (b) conduct cross-disciplinary research using evolution as a synthesizing paradigm, and (c) contribute to novel ideas across disciplines guided by evolutionary reasoning. Specific course requirements are listed in the Psychology Department section. For more information, contact Professor Susan Hughes.
The Film/Video Minor provides in-depth study of film and video through a selection of five courses. Specific course requirements are listed in the Art Department section. For more information, contact Professor Gary Adlestein.
The French interdisciplinary minor is designed to build a bridge between your French studies and your major field of study, enabling you to use primary sources in French to discover how topics in your major play out in French-speaking contexts.
The minor allows you the flexibility to substitute one course for a French-themed course in your major. It also encourages you to experience French outside the classroom by giving you the flexibility to substitute one course for a study abroad course in a French-speaking country. When substitutions are made, you will integrate the material through periodic meetings in French with a member of the French faculty.
The French interdisciplinary minor will add value to your major, will benefit your future academic and/or professional needs and will enable you to participate in a wider, global community.
By taking these five courses, you will complete the minor in French interdisciplinary studies:
- FRE 202
- FRE 301
- FRE 302
- One approved French-themed course in the department of your major OR an additional French 300-level course
- One approved study abroad course OR an additional French 300-level course
OR
- FRE 301
- FRE 302,
- One additional French 300-level course
- One approved French-themed course in the department of your major OR an additional French 300-level course
- One approved study abroad course OR an additional French 300-level coursse
For more information, please contact Dr. Adam John, chair of the Department of Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures.
The Holocaust Studies Minor offers an interdisciplinary framework for the investigation of ethical and moral choices. Studying the Holocaust shows that reason and good intentions are frequently unstable and often displaced by ruthless force. The involved faculty expects students to confront such issues as prejudice, racism, stereotyping, as well as silence and apathy in multiple contexts. Through a combination of historical, literary and religious case studies, they should develop an awareness of the value of tolerance in a pluralistic society, one that extends beyond Judaism and anti-Semitism to include other social groups by challenging bigotry and exclusion in any form.
Required courses for this minor are:
- HIS 373 The Holocaust
- REL 375 Religious Responses to the Holocaust
- SPI 232 Holocaust in American Literature or SPI 234 Holocaust in World Literature
- Two courses from HIS 267, 374; PHI 204; POL 242; REL 250; SPI 230, 232, 234 (additional courses may be added to this elective list)
Contact Professors Guillaume deSyon or Jennifer Koosed for information about this program.
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
The Latin American and Caribbean Studies Minor is designed for students who are pursuing other majors but who would like to become more familiar with Latin America and the Caribbean in a general way. See the Latin American and Caribbean Studies section for additional information and specific course requirements.
The interdisciplinary minor in Legal Studies is designed to help students develop a thorough understanding of our legal system and, for those considering law school, to serve as academic preparation for law school. Students study the place of the legal system among our civil institutions, and develop the ability to read, understand and assess critically court cases. This minor is open to all students interested in studying our legal system regardless of major. Six courses are required for the minor in legal studies. Specific course requirements are listed in the Political Science Department section.
The Marine and Aquatic Science Minor is a compliment to studies in biology, biochemistry and environmental science. Students with an interest in both salt water and fresh water habitats can enroll in a series of classes that will enhance their knowledge of biological systems in general and focus their interest about water based habitats in specific. For students considering a graduate program in environmental science or aquatic sciences, this minor can be a conduit to graduate school. The minor is administered by the Biology Department and interested students should contact Professor Brylawski. Specific course requirements are listed in the Biology Department section.
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
The Medieval and Renaissance Studies Minor enables students to examine the Middle Ages and Renaissance from multiple disciplinary perspectives, in order to gain an interdisciplinary understanding of this important and vibrant period. Students will investigate the history, literature, religion, philosophy, and arts of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, and will complete a substantial original research project. This minor is suitable for anyone interested in the Middle Ages and Renaissance and is especially beneficial to anyone considering graduate work in this area.
Requirements:
- HIS 122 Medieval and Early Modern Civilization
- One Literature in Original Language from
- ENG352 Chaucer
- ENG354 Shakespeare
- ENG355 Tudor/Stuart
- ENG356 Milton
- LAT201 Intermediate Latin
- FRE321 French Civilization and Culture
- One Philosophy or Religious Studies course from
- PHI210 Greek/Medieval
- REL142 New Testament
- REL251 Islam
- REL253 History of Christianity to 1600
- One Elective Course approved by the program coordinator
- One Independent Study with a research paper or an approved module with a research paper in an upper-level course
Courses not listed above can be used with the approval of the program coordinator.
For more information about this program, contact Professors Lawrence Morris or Patricia Turning.
The Music Minor has been designed for students who want to continue to improve their vocal or instrumental performance skills within a structured academic program of music study as an addition to their chosen major. Students complete music history and theory courses as part of their program, and further develop their musical abilities through participation in one of the major performance ensembles (Concert Choir, Women’s Chorale, Symphonic Band, Chamber Winds, Jazz Ensemble, String Chamber Orchestra) and/or private instruction. Specific course requirements are listed in the Music Department section.
The Music Business Minor is designed primarily for non-musicians desiring to work in music industries as an addition to their chosen major. Students complete courses in the fundamentals of music history and theory and music business. Advanced students also have the option to pursue a music business internship in their area of interest. Specific course requirements are listed under the Music Department section.
The Painting Minor provides in-depth study and experience through a selection of five courses. Specific course requirements are listed in the Art Department section.
The Photography Minor provides in-depth study of photography through a selection of five courses. Specific course requirements are listed in the Art Department section.
Public Administration and Policy Analysis
Students considering careers in the government and not-for-profit organizations should consider this minor designed to offer the basic academic preparation for management in the public sector. Specific course requirements are listed in the Political Science Department section. Five courses are required for the minor in public administration and policy analysis. Specific course requirements are listed in the Political Science Department section.
The Minor in Public Health is a liberal arts program in which students will gain a greater understanding of public health on local, national and global levels. The study of public health not only combines perspectives from the social sciences, sciences, mathematics and humanities, it also cultivates critical and analytical skills across disciplines, written and oral communication, teamwork ability, ethical reasoning, and civic knowledge and engagement. This major will benefit students who wish to pursue careers related to public health and the health sciences, law and policy, and other career paths that draw upon multidisciplinary approaches and critical engagement. To study public health is to engage human biology, socio-economic contexts, personal choices and behaviors, environmental determinants, and political processes on local and global scales. Specific course requirements are listed here.
The Sculpture Minor provides in-depth study and experience through a selection of five courses. Specific course requirements are listed in the Art Department section.
Sociology is the scientific study of people and groups. This focus can be as narrow as looking at short interactions between people in passing or as complex as analyzing global social processes. Perhaps the most comprehensive of the social sciences, sociology is concerned with the analysis and explanation of the most challenging issues of our time: street crime and delinquency, corporate downsizing and dislocation, child abuse and dysfunctional families, welfare and education reform, racism and ethnic cleansing, and problems of peace and war. The sociology minor provides significant study of the discipline through a selection of 5 courses.
Students are required to complete SOC101 “Introduction to Sociology” and four additional courses with a SOC- or ANT- prefix.
The Theatre Minor is a group of six courses that can supplement any major or combined major. The program offers a foundation in dramatic literature, theatre history, the creative process and practical skills. When enhanced by the performance and production opportunities afforded by the College’s Domino Players, the theatre minor is at once an academic program, a creative outlet, and a basis for further work in theatre. Specific course requirements are listed in the Theatre Department section.
The urban affairs minor engages the multidisciplinary study of such issues as the history of urbanization, economic influences on urban growth and development, political influences on and of the city, social/cultural causes and effects, and the interplay of each of these dynamics. It is designed to provide analytic skills, theoretical frameworks, research methods, and substantive knowledge to initiate and evaluate constructive solutions to urban problems such as poverty and economic/political inequality, racial segregation, damage to the natural environment, and crime
and corruption. Specific course requirements are listed in the Sociology, Anthropology, Criminology, Family Studies Department section.
The Women’s and Gender Studies Minor offers a series of courses on women, gender and the family, providing a coherent grasp of women’s achievements throughout history as well as a sense of female psychology and socialization. In offering students a systematic range of women’s studies perspectives and fields, the minor allows them the opportunity to relate the interdisciplinary study of women’s experience to the content of their major academic field of study. Specific course requirements are listed in the Women’s and Gender Studies section.