Art
Arts Administration
Art History
Costume Design
Design & Merchandising
Digital Media
Digital Studio Art
English-Theatre
Entertainment Industry
Fashion Design
Fashion Merchandising
Film & Video
Music
Music Business
Music Industry Studies
Photography
Theatre
The Art Department offers a curriculum that combines theory and practice, well in keeping with Albright’s emphases on the liberal arts and experiential learning. This curriculum, which comprises both studio and lecture courses, has two aims:
OR
*One of these courses may also be used to satisfy the Foundations-Fine Arts requirement of the General Education Curriculum.
**Must be the same area as 200-level course
*One of these courses may also be used to satisfy the Foundations-Fine Arts requirement of the General Education Curriculum.
One of the ART courses may also be used to satisfy the Foundations-Fine Arts requirement of the General Education Curriculum.
Minor in Art History
Minor in Film/Video
Minor in Photography
Minor in Painting
Minor in Sculpture
Art Majors preparing for a career in education take Art courses and a series of Education and other courses specified by the Education Department to meet Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. As early as possible in their college experience, candidates for teacher certification in Art should consult the Requirements section of the Education website and the chair of Education regarding specific course requirements. The Art Education certification is a grades K-12 program.
Specific course requirements are listed in the Art Department section. Contact: Chair, Art Department
Both the co-major and minor options offer 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. Co-majors in history, education, science, digital media or even fashion can benefit from an arts administration co-major, 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.
Minor in Arts Administration
Requirements:
Co-Major in Arts Administration
Requirements:
Arts Administration Courses
Business and Business-Related Courses
Production/Practice Courses (one of the following is required for minor and co-major)
History/Theory Courses (one of the following is required for minor and co-major)
Business studies at Albright are a blend of theory and application. You’ll receive hands-on experience through internships, simulations, field trips and case studies. The business administration major offers a comprehensive program that aptly combines in- and out-of-class learning.
Unlike at many other schools, you’ll start with business coursework in your freshman year, and during the course of your education will take classes in accounting, economics, statistics, finance, management, marketing, management information systems, business-government-society and business strategy. You’ll select from one of five specializations, with co-majors available through the use of electives.
Requirements:
Requirements:
Requirements:
Requirements:
Requirements:
Requirements:
Note: Students considering combining economics and business administration should consult the department chair for the required courses.
The interdisciplinary major in Accounting, Economics and Finance blends coursework in accounting, economics and finance to create an integrated foundation for professional careers or further study in accounting and financial analysis. The major enables you to enhance you understanding in these fields by adding dimensions not possible in the regular or combined majors in accounting, economics and business administration-finance.
Students whose primary focus is accounting, but who wish to add an emphasis in financial analysis, should take the Accounting Track within the interdisciplinary major in Accounting, Economics and Finance.
Students whose primary focus is financial analysis need a strong understanding of both business financial statements and the methods of economic analysis. These students should take the Financial Analyst Track within the interdisciplinary major in Accounting, Economics and Finance. The Financial Analyst Track is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in financial analysis and to provide foundation knowledge for professional certification programs in finance and financial analysis.
Students graduating with the interdisciplinary major in Accounting, Economics and Finance must complete the core requirements below and either the Accounting Track requirements or the Financial Analyst Track requirements listed below.
Minor in Digital Media
The Digital Media Minor provides in-depth study of Digital Media through a selection of five courses.
Requirements:
Requirements
One of the ART courses may also be used to satisfy the Foundations-Fine Arts requirement of the General Education Curriculum.
See English section or Theatre section for specific course requirements.
Students interested in this concentration should contact Professor Alberto Cacicedo in the English Department or Professor Julia Matthews in the Theatre Department.
The Fashion Department offers the following majors:
These areas possess a commonality of mission and provide you with a curriculum that addresses issues of creative research and development, design, manufacturing, marketing and the consumerism of textiles and apparel products.
Students majoring in fashion must complete the core requirements and the requirements for one of the tracks.
Core Requirements
Track Requirements
Design and Merchandising
* Students should choose one track for their internship and the other track for their senior seminar.
Fashion Merchandising
Fashion Design
Costume Design
Combined Major
The following requirements are for students matriculating Fall 2018 and after. Students who matriculated before Fall 2018 see the requirements below.
The following requirements are for students matriculating before Fall 2018.
Combined Majors
Fashion Merchandising Combined Major
Fashion Design Combined Major
Costume Design Combined Major
The world of commercial music has undergone a seismic shift in identity and purpose as young, entrepreneurial artists have taken control of both the content and delivery of their artistic material to the mass market — thanks to advances in digital technology and user-friendly online distribution systems. This is not a trend but the new face of doing music business in a digital world, assuming one has the harnessed skill sets and problem solving abilities necessary to thrive in both the worlds of artistry and industry. To prepare students for this exciting and multi-faceted profession, Albright’s Department of Music offers three academic degree programs.
Note that a formal audition is not required for admission into the Music Department.
The Music Industry Studies Major
In the Fall of 2014, the Department of Music introduced our bachelor of arts degree in Music Industry Studies — an interdisciplinary major that integrates three academic areas of focus: Artistry, Industry, and Technology.
The first focus, Artistry, includes courses in music history, theory, harmony, songwriting, commercial arranging, and private instruction (voice, piano, guitar, etc.). The second focus, Industry, harnesses our department’s existing Music Business curriculum to examine topics as diverse as: artist management; music distribution; licensing; copywriting; marketing and promotion; and, music law. The degree program culminates with two capstone experiences: an academic seminar in entrepreneurship and a pre-professional internship. Our Technology strand includes contact time within the arenas of audio technology (live sound), recording technology, and music production.
Requirements for the Music Industry Studies Major:
Artistry
– MUS 209 Applied Lessons (four semesters required)
– MUS 211 Commercial Music Theory I
– MUS 212 Commercial Music Theory II
– MUS 311 Commercial Arranging
– MUS 312 Songwriting
Industry
– MUS 243 The Business of Music: An Introduction
– MUS 244 Music Marketing and Promotion
– MUS 344 Artist Management
– MUS 345 Music Law
– MUS 391 Concert Promotion
Technology
– MUS 250 Introduction to Music Technology
– MUS 251 Recording Technology
– MUS 351 Music Production
Capstone Experiences
– MUS 482 Internship
– MUS 495 Senior Seminar
General Education (First Year Seminar – Recommended)
– FYS 100 History of the Recording Industry
– FYS 100 Cultural Politics of Hip Hop
General Education (Foundations/Fine Arts – Choose 1 of the Following 3 Courses)
– MUS 111 Introduction to Commercial Music Theory
– MUS 113 Popular Music and American Culture
– MUS 125 All That Jazz
– MUS 126 Music and the Cinema
The Music Industry Co-Major
As one of our country’s “Top 25 Schools for Artistic Students” (Newsweek, 2011), it goes without saying that for Albrightians, music is art. But, since Albright also houses one of the country’s leading programs in Music Industry (Billboard, 2013), at Albright — music is also commerce. Our interdisciplinary and experiential approach to learning is the perfect environment for aspiring artists and budding entrepreneurs to collaborate and envision the creative path of professional music in the near and distant future. The seven courses that comprise our Music Industry co-major — which you can combine with any other department’s co-major (Accounting, Spanish, or Arts Administration, for example) is designed to prepare you for an exciting career inside the business of the music industry. As you can see, there is lot of flexibility within the combined major to offer you the ability to create the program that best suits your abilities and career goals.
Requirements for the Music Industry Co-Major
Four (4) Required Courses:
– MUS 243 The Business of Music: An Introduction
– MUS 244 Music Marketing and Promotion
– MUS 250 Introduction to Music Technology
– MUS 482 Internship
Two (2) 300-level courses in Music Industry from the following:
– MUS 391 Concert Promotion
– MUS 344 Artist Management
– MUS 345 Music Law
One (1) course in Applied Music/Music Appreciation from the following:
– MUS 103 Symphonic Band (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 104 String Chamber Orchestra (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 105 Concert Choir (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 109 Applied Music Lessons (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 111 Introduction to Commercial Music Theory
– MUS 113 Popular Music and American Culture
– MUS 120 Music Appreciation: Introduction to Western Music
– MUS 125 All That Jazz
– MUS 126 Music and the Cinema
– MUS 211 Commercial Music Theory I
One (1) course to satisfy General Studies: Foundations: Fine Arts recommended from the following:
– MUS 113 Popular Music and American Culture
– MUS 120 Music Appreciation: Introduction to Western Music
– MUS 125 All That Jazz
– MUS 126 Music and the Cinema
The Music Industry Minor
One of the finest aspects to Albright’s interdisciplinary approach to learning is that our students are actively encouraged to expand their intellectual horizons by combining disparate areas of concentration to tailor-make an undergraduate experience as academically unique and satisfying as they can imagine. For those students who wish to augment their academic experience with an added focus in Music Industry, we offer a five-course minor.
Two (2) Required Courses:
– MUS 243 The Business of Music: An Introduction
– MUS 244 Music Marketing and Promotion
Two (2) courses at the 200 or 300 level from the following:
– MUS 211 Commercial Music Theory I
– MUS 212 Commercial Music Theory II
– MUS 344 Artist Management
– MUS 345 Music Law
One (1) additional Music Department course at any level
Recommended: one (1) course from the following to satisfy General Studies: Foundations: Fine Arts
– MUS 113 Popular Music in American Culture
– MUS 125 All That Jazz
– MUS 126 Music and the Cinema
The Music Minor
For those students who wish to augment their academic experience with an added focus in the rudiments of Applied Music, we offer a five-course minor.
Two (2) Required Courses
– MUS 120 Music Appreciation: Introduction to Western Music
– MUS 211 Commercial Music Theory I
Two (2) courses from the following (chosen with consultation of Department Chair):
– MUS 113 Rags, Rock and Rap: Popular Music and American Culture
– MUS 212 Commercial Music Theory II
– MUS 250 Introduction to Music Technology
– MUS 251 Recording Technology
– MUS 312 Songwriting
Four (4) Semesters of Study in Applied Music
– MUS 103 Symphonic Band (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 104 String Chamber Orchestra (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 105 Concert Choir (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 109 Applied Music Lessons (requires four semesters of study for credit)
The world of commercial music has undergone a seismic shift in identity and purpose as young, entrepreneurial artists have taken control of both the content and delivery of their artistic material to the mass market — thanks to advances in digital technology and user-friendly online distribution systems. This is not a trend but the new face of doing music business in a digital world, assuming one has the harnessed skill sets and problem solving abilities necessary to thrive in both the worlds of artistry and industry. To prepare students for this exciting and multi-faceted profession, Albright’s Department of Music offers three academic degree programs.
Note that a formal audition is not required for admission into the Music Department.
The Music Industry Studies Major
In the Fall of 2014, the Department of Music introduced our bachelor of arts degree in Music Industry Studies — an interdisciplinary major that integrates three academic areas of focus: Artistry, Industry, and Technology.
The first focus, Artistry, includes courses in music history, theory, harmony, songwriting, commercial arranging, and private instruction (voice, piano, guitar, etc.). The second focus, Industry, harnesses our department’s existing Music Business curriculum to examine topics as diverse as: artist management; music distribution; licensing; copywriting; marketing and promotion; and, music law. The degree program culminates with two capstone experiences: an academic seminar in entrepreneurship and a pre-professional internship. Our Technology strand includes contact time within the arenas of audio technology (live sound), recording technology, and music production.
Requirements for the Music Industry Studies Major:
Artistry (5 courses)
– MUS 209 Applied Lessons (four semesters required)
– MUS 211 Commercial Music Theory I
– MUS 212 Commercial Music Theory II
– MUS 311 Commercial Arranging
– MUS 312 Songwriting
Industry (5 courses)
– MUS 243 The Business of Music: An Introduction
– MUS 244 Entertainment Marketing
– MUS 344 Artist Management
– MUS 345 Music Law
– MUS 391 Event Promotion
Technology (4 courses)
– MUS 250 Introduction to Music Technology
– MUS 251 Recording Technology
– MUS 350 Mixing & Mastering
– MUS 351 Music Production
Capstone Experiences (2 courses)
– MUS 482 Internship
– MUS 495 Senior Seminar
The Music Industry Co-Major
As one of our country’s “Top 25 Schools for Artistic Students” (Newsweek, 2011), it goes without saying that for Albrightians, music is art. But, since Albright also houses one of the country’s leading programs in Music Industry (Billboard, 2013), at Albright — music is also commerce. Our interdisciplinary and experiential approach to learning is the perfect environment for aspiring artists and budding entrepreneurs to collaborate and envision the creative path of professional music in the near and distant future. The seven courses that comprise our Music Industry co-major — which you can combine with any other department’s co-major (Accounting, Spanish, or Arts Administration, for example) is designed to prepare you for an exciting career inside the business of the music industry. As you can see, there is lot of flexibility within the combined major to offer you the ability to create the program that best suits your abilities and career goals.
Requirements for the Music Industry Co-Major
Four (4) Required Courses:
– MUS 243 The Business of Music: An Introduction
– MUS 244 Entertainment Marketing
– MUS 250 Introduction to Music Technology
– MUS 482 Internship
Two (2) 300-level courses in Music Industry from the following:
– MUS 391 Event Promotion
– MUS 344 Artist Management
– MUS 345 Music Law
One (1) course in Applied Music/Music Appreciation from the following:
– MUS 103 Symphonic Band (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 104 String Chamber Orchestra (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 105 Concert Choir (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 109 Applied Music Lessons (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 111 Introduction to Commercial Music Theory
– MUS 113 Popular Music and American Culture
– MUS 120 Music Appreciation: Introduction to Western Music
– MUS 125 All That Jazz
– MUS 126 Music and the Cinema
– MUS 211 Commercial Music Theory I
One (1) course to satisfy General Studies: Foundations: Fine Arts recommended from the following:
– MUS 113 Popular Music and American Culture
– MUS 120 Music Appreciation: Introduction to Western Music
– MUS 125 All That Jazz
– MUS 126 Music and the Cinema
The Music Industry Minor
One of the finest aspects to Albright’s interdisciplinary approach to learning is that our students are actively encouraged to expand their intellectual horizons by combining disparate areas of concentration to tailor-make an undergraduate experience as academically unique and satisfying as they can imagine. For those students who wish to augment their academic experience with an added focus in Music Industry, we offer a five-course minor.
Two (2) Required Courses:
– MUS 243 The Business of Music: An Introduction
– MUS 244 Entertainment Marketing
Two (2) courses at the 200 or 300 level from the following:
– MUS 211 Commercial Music Theory I
– MUS 212 Commercial Music Theory II
– MUS 344 Artist Management
– MUS 345 Music Law
One (1) additional Music Department course at any level
Recommended: one (1) course from the following to satisfy General Studies: Foundations: Fine Arts
– MUS 113 Popular Music in American Culture
– MUS 125 All That Jazz
– MUS 126 Music and the Cinema
The Music Production Minor
The Music Production Minor allows students to develop the foundational technical skills and hands-on experience necessary to thrive in the world of audio recording, music production, and sound design. Through the five courses in the minor, students will design, record, mix, and master original music and sound projects, as well as collaborate with artists on the campus record label, Lion Records, to produce and distribute music on the global marketplace. Upon completion of the core Music Technology courses, students will gain industry-standard certifications in music recording and sound design software. Contact Dr. Mike D’Errico—Director of Music Technology & Composition—at (610) 921-7268, mderrico@albright.edu for more information.
Required Courses:
– MUS 250 Introduction to Music Technology
– DIG 250 Sound Design for Visual Media
– MUS 251 Recording Technology
– MUS 350 Mixing & Mastering
– MUS 351 Music Production
The African American Music Minor
The African American music minor provides students the opportunity to explore interdisciplinary connections between music and Black culture through histories and repertoires that define U.S. culture and have wide-ranging implications around the world. Since the arrival of enslaved Africans in the United States, African American music has served as oral history, social commentary, political protest, expressions of communal belonging and hope for better futures. In addition to elements of musicianship and characteristics of musical style, studying African American music requires explorations of the music’s value and meaning within African American communities, in the United States, and around the world. Course offerings in applied music, music history, and pop music studies—as well as relevant courses in the Humanities—afford students many potential, individualized programs of study to engage their interests and augment their other coursework. For more information contact Dr. Mark Lomanno at (610) 921-7876 or mlomanno@albright.edu.
Required Courses:
Additional offerings with the approval of the program advisor
The Music Minor
For those students who wish to augment their academic experience with an added focus in the rudiments of Applied Music, we offer a five-course minor.
Two (2) Required Courses
– MUS 120 Music Appreciation: Introduction to Western Music
– MUS 211 Commercial Music Theory I
Two (2) courses from the following (chosen with consultation of Department Chair):
– MUS 113 Rags, Rock and Rap: Popular Music and American Culture
– MUS 212 Commercial Music Theory II
– MUS 250 Introduction to Music Technology
– MUS 251 Recording Technology
– MUS 312 Songwriting
Four (4) Semesters of Study in Applied Music
– MUS 103 Symphonic Band (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 104 String Chamber Orchestra (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 105 Concert Choir (requires four semesters of study for credit)
– MUS 109 Applied Music Lessons (requires four semesters of study for credit)
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.
The Theatre Department invites students to examine the impact of their original creative work through the critical lens of an ever-deepening appreciation for the stage’s rich cultural heritage via an academic course of study that combines theory with practice. We offer an array of courses and experiences designed to explore the wide-ranging history, literature, and aesthetics of this timeless art form alongside a variety of practical courses that provide students with the fundamental skills and crafts necessary for producing theatre in today’s professional world.
We offer a Bachelor of Arts degree to majors in Theatre; however, many students opt to combine Theatre with another major, such as Arts Administration, Education, Communications, Fashion, English, History, or Music. Courses in costume design and stage makeup are offered in cooperation with the Fashion Department and our new interdisciplinary major in Digital Video Arts prepares students to employ their theatrical creativity toward careers in film and new media. In all cases, we encourage our students to develop their resume along with their transcript. Internships, study abroad, and student driven projects provide the real world applications of the classroom experiences.
Requirements for the Theatre Major
– THR 101 The Creative Process (required for General Studies: Foundations: Fine Arts)
– THR 110 Introduction to Theatre Technology
– THR 150 Acting Studio I
– THR 210 Design Fundamentals
– THR 280 Script Analysis
– THR 288 Great Ages of Theatre I
– THR 289 Great Ages of Theatre I
– THR 491 Senior Seminar
One of the following skills courses:
– THR 211 Stagecraft
– THR 212 Theatre Electrics
– THR 213 Audio Technology
– THR 214 Stage Makeup
– THR/FAS 220 Costume Construction
– THR 250 Acting Studio II
– THR 252 Acting for the Camera
– THR 255 Improvisational Theatre
– THR 260 Playwriting
One of the following 300-level dramatic literature courses:
– THR 388 Postmodern American Drama
– THR 389 Postmodern British and European Drama
– ENG 354 Shakespeare
One of the following 400-level courses:
– THR 401 Advanced Production Experience
(requires two formal production assignments)
– THR 482 Advanced Internship
Three other theatre courses selected in consultation with adviser
The Theatre Co-Major
One of the finest aspects of Albright’s interdisciplinary approach to learning is that our students are actively encouraged to expand their intellectual and artistic horizons by combining areas of concentration to tailor-make an undergraduate experience as academically unique and satisfying as they can imagine. Many students opt to combine theatre with another major, such as Arts Administration, Education, Communications, English, History or Music Industry. As you can see, there is lot of flexibility within the combined major in Theatre to offer you the ability to create the program that best suits your abilities and career goals.
Requirements for the Theatre Combined Major
– THR 101 The Creative Process (required for General Studies: Foundations: Fine Arts)
– THR 110 Introduction to Theatre Technology
– THR 150 Acting Studio I
– THR 210 Design Fundamentals
– THR 280 Script Analysis
– THR 491 Senior Seminar
One of the following Theatre History Courses:
– THR 288 Great Ages of Theatre I
– THR 289 Great Ages of Theatre I
One of the following 300-level dramatic literature courses:
– ENG 354 Shakespeare
– THR 388 Postmodern American Drama
– THR 389 Postmodern British and European Drama
The Theatre Minor
Our interdisciplinary and experiential approach to learning is the perfect environment for aspiring artist scholars to examine the nature and purpose of the live theatrical event in relation to their academic studies in other departments. For those students who wish to augment their scholarly experience with a peripheral focus in Theatre, we offer a five course minor.
Requirements for the Theatre Minor
– THR 101 The Creative Process (required for General Studies: Foundations: Fine Arts)
– THR 150 Acting Studio I
– THR 280 Script Analysis
One of the following Skills Courses:
– THR 210 Design Fundamentals
– THR 211 Stagecraft
– THR 212 Theatre Electrics
– THR 213 Audio Technology
– THR 214 Stage Makeup
– THR/FAS 220 Costume Construction
– THR 250 Acting Studio II
– THR 252 Acting for the Camera
– THR 255 Improvisational Theatre
– THR 260 Playwriting
One of the following 300-level dramatic literature courses:
– THR 388 Postmodern American Drama
– THR 389 Postmodern British and European Drama
– ENG 354 Shakespeare
One other theatre courses selected in consultation with adviser
Interdisciplinary Major in English-Theatre
Winston Churchill famously said that Britain and America are two nations separated by a single language. The same is true of the two departments involved in this major. Literature people read texts that were written to be performed, and theatre people perform texts that were written in the first place; theatre people forget the literacy frame of the text and literary people forget its dramatic matrix. Falling in the gap between the two approaches is the curiously intermediate phenomenon of dramatic art itself, the enactment of a text. The primary goal of the English-Theatre interdisciplinary concentration is therefore to offer students a systematic way to try to fill that gap, so that, for instance, the function of metaphor will be as vivid to the theatrical as to the literary person and the function of the performance will be as significant to the literary as to the theatrical person.
Students interested in this concentration should contact Professor Alberto Cacicedo in the English Department or Professor Julia Matthews in the Theatre Department.
– THR 101 The Creative Process (recommended as General Studies: Foundations: Fine Arts)
_ ENG 204 American Literature (recommended as General Studies: Connections-Humanities)
– ENG 201 Major British Texts to 1780
– ENG 202 Major British Texts from 1780 to the Present
– THR 280 Script Analysis
– ENG 354 Shakespeare
– THR 388 Postmodern American Drama
– THR 389 Postmodern British and European Drama
– THR 491 Senior Seminar
One of the following Theatre Skills Courses:
– THR 150 Acting Studio I
– THR 210 Design Fundamentals
– THR 211 Stagecraft
– THR 212 Theatre Electrics
– THR 213 Audio Technology
One of the following Theatre History Courses:
– THR 288 Great Ages of Theatre I
– THR 289 Great Ages of Theatre I
One of the following English Courses
– ENG 350 Old English Literature & Language
– ENG 352 Chaucer
– ENG 355 Renaissance Literature
– ENG 356 Milton and the 17th Century
– ENG 357 Dryden to Black: Restoration and 18th Century Literature
– ENG 366 Romanticism: Monsters and Vision on the Brain
– ENG 368 Literature of the Victorian Era
– ENG 372 British Fiction to 1890
– ENG 373 Modern British and Irish Fiction
– ENG 374 European Fiction
-One from the following English Courses
– ENG 380 Modern American Women Poets
– ENG 384 Major American Writers to 1865
– ENG 385 Major American Writers from 1865 to the Present
– ENG 386 Modern American Fiction
One from the following Two Seminar Courses
– ENG 399 Seminar on Theory and Methods
– ENG 491 Senior Seminar: The Discipline of English Studies
Digital Video Arts
The Digital Video Arts Interdisciplinary Major was terminated on December 15, 2017. Students declared in this major on this date can continue with it, but no other students can declare it.
Introductory/Aesthetics
ART 265 Computer Graphics (required for General Studies: Foundations: Fine Arts)
THR 101: The Creative Process
DIG 265: Digital Literacy
THR 150: Acting Studio I
DIG 201: Video I
THR 280: Script Analysis
Skill Sets
THR 213: Audio Technology
MUS 241: Electronic Music I
THR 252: Acting and the Camera
THR 361: Screenwriting
DIG 300: Digital Media Production
DIG 301: Video II
ARA 390: Project Management-Arts Administration
Capstones
THR/DIG 382: Internship
DIG 420: Senior Seminar: Producing
Albright business students can choose from several different specializations and start business coursework right away.
Business Administration Specializations
Economics
Entertainment Industry
Finance
International Business
Management
Marketing
Sport Management
Combined Majors
Business Administration
Accounting
Economics
Interdisciplinary Major
Accounting, Economics and Finance
Accelerated Adult Programs
Accounting
Business Administration
Digital Marketing & Sales
Business studies at Albright are a blend of theory and application. You’ll receive hands-on experience through internships, simulations, field trips and case studies. The business administration major offers a comprehensive program that aptly combines in- and out-of-class learning.
Unlike at many other schools, you’ll start with business coursework in your freshman year, and during the course of your education will take classes in accounting, economics, statistics, finance, management, marketing, management information systems, business-government-society and business strategy. You’ll select from one of five specializations, with co-majors available through the use of electives.
Requirements:
Requirements:
Requirements:
Requirements:
Requirements:
Requirements:
Note: Students considering combining economics and business administration should consult the department chair for the required courses.
The interdisciplinary major in Accounting, Economics and Finance blends coursework in accounting, economics and finance to create an integrated foundation for professional careers or further study in accounting and financial analysis. The major enables you to enhance you understanding in these fields by adding dimensions not possible in the regular or combined majors in accounting, economics and business administration-finance.
Students whose primary focus is accounting, but who wish to add an emphasis in financial analysis, should take the Accounting Track within the interdisciplinary major in Accounting, Economics and Finance.
Students whose primary focus is financial analysis need a strong understanding of both business financial statements and the methods of economic analysis. These students should take the Financial Analyst Track within the interdisciplinary major in Accounting, Economics and Finance. The Financial Analyst Track is designed to prepare students for entry-level positions in financial analysis and to provide foundation knowledge for professional certification programs in finance and financial analysis.
Students graduating with the interdisciplinary major in Accounting, Economics and Finance must complete the core requirements below and either the Accounting Track requirements or the Financial Analyst Track requirements listed below.
Innovation is the name of the game in today’s incredibly dynamic information age. And demand has never been higher for timely, well-informed communicators ready to help the world connect. Express your passion through digital or traditional media!
Communications
– Journalism Track
– Public Relations & Advertising Track
Digital Communications
Digital Media
Photography
The Department of Communications offers conceptual and practical coursework and projects in a small, engaged community, developing effective, responsible, socially aware communicators.
We will guide you through courses and projects to develop a thoughtful and strategic approach to communications with an emphasis on hands-on applied projects to practice newly learned skills and gain insight on the impact of messaging.
Learn outside the classroom with The Albrightian; Albright A.M.; Campus Radio News; or the College’s radio station, WXAC-FM.
The Communications major prepares you for careers in media and professional communications in a variety of corporate, government and non-profit settings, and for advanced study in the discipline.
Choose the Journalism track or Public Relations & Advertising Communications track, or opt for the Digital Communications Major.
Requirements for the Journalism Track
Core Courses:
COM 250 Media & Society
COM 260 Communication Theories (General Studies Foundations-Humanities)
COM 320 System of Free Expression
COM 321 Media History
COM 333 Practicum
COM 390 Multi-Platform Writing
COM 480 Senior Seminar in Communication Research
Journalism Track Courses:
COM 219 Magazine & Feature Writing
COM 222 Writing for Media
COM 315 Public Affairs Reporting
COM 316 Editing & Print Production
Three Electives, at least two of which must be from Communications, from: COM255, COM280, COM283, COM317, COM327, COM383, ART216, ART 265, DIG201, DIG301, DIG315, ENG235 (Literature of Journalism), HIS207, IDS208, IDS240, IDS252, PHI203, SOC331
Requirements for the Public Relations & Advertising Communications Track
Core Courses:
COM 250 Media & Society
COM 260 Communication Theories (General Studies Foundations-Humanities)
COM 320 System of Free Expression
COM 321 Media History
COM 333 Practicum
COM 390 Multi-Platform Writing
COM 480 Senior Seminar in Communication Research
Public Relations & Advertising Communication Track Courses:
COM 317 Campaign Planning
COM 327 Writing for Public Relations & Advertising
COM 337 Public Relations & Advertising Research
Four Electives, at least three of which must be from Communications, from: COM219, COM 222, COM255, COM280, COM283, COM316, COM383, ART216, ART265, DIG201, DIG301, DIG315, HIS207, PHI150, PHI203, SOC331
Requirements for the Communications Co-Majors
Core Courses:
COM 250 Media & Society
COM 260 Communication Theories (General Studies Foundations-Humanities)
COM 320 System of Free Expression or COM 321 Media History
COM 480 Senior Seminar in Communication Research
Track Courses
Journalism: COM 222, COM 315 and one of the following: COM 219, COM 316, COM 390
Public Relations & Advertising Communication: COM 317, COM 327, COM 337
One Communications Elective
The Digital Communications major is grounded in theory, social impact, and industry practice and extends practical experience in both writing and visual design and production, culminating with two senior-level courses. Students will take:
Theory/Social Impact/Industry Practice
Required:
COM260/DIG260: Communication Theories in the Semiotics of Digital Media
DIG201: Digital Video
DIG265: Digital Literacy
COM250: Mass Communication & Society
COM/DIG 333: Practicum
DIG301: Video Production II
Choose one:
COM317: Public Relations & Advertising
COM321: Media History
COM320: Freedom of Expression
Writing
Required:
COM222: Writing for Mass Media
COM390: Multiplatform writing
Choose one:
COM315: Public Affairs Reporting
COM219: Feature Writing
COM327: Writing for Public Relations & Advertising
Visual Design and Production
Choose One FOCUS:
FOCUS 1
DIG315: Web Design
DIG325: Visual Design for the Web
FOCUS 2
DIG270: Illustration & Design
DIG370: Design II
Senior Requirement
COM480: Senior Seminar in Communications
DIG420: Capstone
Minor in Digital Media
The Digital Media Minor provides in-depth study of Digital Media through a selection of five courses.
Requirements:
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.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that computer and information technology will grow much faster than the average for all occupations. Don’t just learn a skillset. Develop critical thinking and adaptability at Albright College to stay ahead of an ever-changing industry.
Computer Science
Game and Simulation Development
Information Systems
Mathematics
Physics
Accelerated Programs
Computer & Information Systems and Management
Computer Information Systems
• CSC 141, 142
• CSC 213
• CSC 305, 306
• One 400-level course
• One elective course from the elective courses listed above
• The related mathematics courses are recommended but are not required.
A student can only do a combined major in information systems; a student cannot major in information systems alone.
There continues to be an increasing demand for college graduates who possess an information systems (IS) degree. Projections are for the need to be further unmet over the next several years as the gap widens for supplying skilled individuals to IS jobs. We are faced with a major shortage, not only with providing players with these needed skills, but also with providing new leadership in burgeoning areas as IS has moved into the mainstream of our economic culture. Globalization of business markets adds the need for communication and project teamwork. To become a part of a graduate’s repertoire. Exhibiting the knowledge and skills that such an IS degree requires, graduates can expect to be in strong positions to compete for managerial and analytical positions in many fields, including software design, database management, network consulting and e-commerce business.
• IST 150
• CSC 141, 142
• CSC 305
• IST 301
• One 300-level IST course
• One 400-level IST course
A student is not allowed to combine information systems with computer science. A student who is interested in this combination would work out a program of study within the Computer Science Department that would result in the student majoring in computer science with some information systems courses being chosen for the student’s departmental elective requirements.
Program Curriculum
A student can only do a combined major in information systems; a student cannot major in information systems alone.
A student is not allowed to combine information systems with computer science. A student who is interested in this combination would work out a program of study within the Computer Science Department that would result in the student majoring in computer science with some information systems courses being chosen for the student’s departmental elective requirements.
MAT 131, 132, 233
MAT 250
MAT 320
MAT 325
MAT 431
Six elective mathematics courses at the 300-400 level
MAT 491
PHY 201 (satisfies the General Studies Foundations Natural Science Requirement)
Students interested in pursuing graduate study in mathematics are strongly encouraged to take MAT 310, 334, 360, 435, 438, 440, and CSC141.
Mathematics Majors preparing for a career in education take Math courses and a series of Education and other courses specified by the Education Department to meet Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. As early as possible in their college experience, candidates for teacher certification in English should consult the Requirements section of the Education website and the chair of Education regarding specific course requirements. The Mathematics Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
For Classes before the Class of 2023
MAT 131, 132, 233
MAT 250
Three elective mathematics courses at the 300-400 level
MAT 491
Beginning with the Class of 2023
MAT 131, 132, 233
MAT 250
MAT 320
Two elective mathematics courses at the 300-400 level
MAT 491
Students interested in the actuarial profession should take MAT 131, 132, 233, 250, 310, 320, 360, 491, CSC 141, ECON 105, 207, 307, and should co-major in economics, accounting, or business. Exam P and Exam FM should be taken before graduation.
The Department of Physics offers a flexible course of study that prepares you for success in a wide range of technically related fields. Opportunities after graduation include graduate study, industrial research and development, engineering, teaching, technical management and software development. We’ll give you an excellent education in the fundamentals of physics, with special emphasis on strong mathematical skills, advanced laboratory training and collaborative student-faculty research.
You can choose from among three major tracks of study:
Physics majors interested in graduate programs are encouraged to take courses beyond the basic requirements. Since requirements for graduate programs vary, you are encouraged to seek advice from faculty members in the department. Students interested in pursuing teacher certification in physics must consult the chair of the Department of Education regarding specific requirements for the program.
Requirements for the General Physics track:
First Year:
Second Year:
Third Year:
Fourth Year:
Requirements for the Optical Physics track:
First Year:
Second Year:
Third Year:
Fourth Year:
Physics Majors preparing for a career in education take Physics courses and a series of Education and other courses specified by the Education Department to meet Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. As early as possible in their college experience, candidates for teacher certification in English should consult the Requirements section of the Education website and the chair of Education regarding specific course requirements. The Physics Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
Co-Major in Physics
Requirements
Co-Majors in Optical Physics
Requirements
A student may combine optics with any other major. However, the high level of computational background required for most optics courses favors combining with mathematics.
The mathematics courses required are:
Albright education students earn teaching certifications while fully exploring more than two dozen major areas of study.
K-12 Certification Programs
Art Education
Foreign Languages
Early Childhood Education (Pre K-4) with co-majors:
Accounting
Art
Arts Administration
Communications
English
Environmental Studies
Family Studies
Fashion
History
Latin American Studies
Mathematics
Music Industry Studies
Political Science
Psychology
Religious Studies or Philosophy
Spanish
Theatre
Women’s Studies
Secondary Teacher Education (7-12)
Biology
Chemistry
English
French
Latin
Mathematics
Physics
Social Studies: History or Political Science
Spanish
Master’s Degrees & Beyond
Dual bachelor’s and master’s 4+1 degree program
Master or Science/Arts in Special Education (with or without certification)
Master or Science/Arts in Early Childhood General Education (with or without certification)
Master or Science/Arts in Secondary General Education (with or without certification)
Master or Science/Arts in Secondary Special Education (with or without certification)
Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification
Because Albright is a liberal arts college, we offer certification in education but not a degree in education.
If you are a student interested in earning your teacher certification at Albright College and you have questions, please contact someone in the Education Department.
Candidates for secondary education, foreign language, or art certifications, must fulfill certification requirements as well as obtain a degree in a content area to be eligible for a certification in one of the content areas below.
The following are the general requirements for inclusion and retention in all Albright College teacher certification programs culminating in a professional semester that includes student teaching. Specific requirements (minimum GPA, PDE tests, and course requirements) for teacher certification are revised for each entering class. Candidates for Pennsylvania teacher certification must consult with an Education Department adviser for current information regarding specific requirements.
All certification programs require extensive field and classroom experiences. Albright requires membership in the student organization of the Pennsylvania State Education Association.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) requires all teacher candidates to show competency in the basic skills of reading, writing, and mathematics.
Albright education students must show competency in the basic skills prior to applying for the certification program at the end of their sophomore year.
As of March 2016, Students may show competency using different test vendors for each basic skill.
ETS’s Praxis Core Academic Skills: Reading, Writing, & Mathematics Tests
http://www.ets.org/praxis/about/core/content
Reading (5712): 156
Writing (5722): 162
Mathematics (5732): 150
OR
Pearson’s PAPA (Pre-service Academic Performance Assessment): Reading, Mathematics, & Writing Modules http://www.pa.nesinc.com
OR
SAT (Scholastic Achievement Test)* Taken prior to college enrollment.
A SAT score 500 or higher on each individual section (Critical Reading, Writing, and Mathematics).
ACT+ Writing (American College Test Plus Writing)* Taken prior to college enrollment.
*Prior to teacher certification, the student must provide official SAT and/or ACT test scores in an envelope sealed by the test vendor. This sealed envelope should be given to the Albright Certification Officer.
ART EDUCATION CERTIFICATION
The Art Education certification is a grades K-12 program.
Art courses (10)
Professional courses (12)
Courses required for Pennsylvania certification (6)
SECONDARY BIOLOGY EDUCATION
The Biology Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
Biology & Related Science Courses (14)
Professional courses (12)
Courses required for Pennsylvania certification (6)
SECONDARY CHEMISTRY EDUCATION
The Chemistry Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
Chemistry and Related Science Courses (12)
Professional courses (12)
Courses required for Pennsylvania certification (6)
SECONDARY ENGLISH EDUCATION
The English Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
English Courses (12)
Professional courses (12)
Courses required for Pennsylvania certification (6)
SECONDARY MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
The Mathematics Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
Mathematics and related courses (11)
Professional courses (12)
Courses required for Pennsylvania certification (6)
SECONDARY PHYSICS EDUCATION
The Physics Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
Physics and related math courses (13)
Professional courses (12)
Courses required for Pennsylvania certification (6)
SECONDARY SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION
The Social Studies Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
Social Studies courses (History Major) (14)
– OR –
Social Studies courses (History Major & Political Science Minor) (18)
Professional courses (12)
Courses required for Pennsylvania certification (6)
FOREIGN/WORLD LANGUAGES EDUCATION
The Foreign/World Languages Education certification is a grades PK-12 program.
French courses (11)
– OR –
Spanish courses (11)
– OR –
Latin courses (9)
Professional courses (12)
Courses required for Pennsylvania certification (6)
Named one of the top fashion programs in the country, Albright’s hands-on instruction ensures graduates are skilled in technology and ready to take on the fast-paced industry.
Costume Design
Design and Merchandising
Fashion Design
Fashion Merchandising
Earn a Fashion Merchandising degree in three years
New York Fashion Week 2021
The Fashion Department offers the following majors:
These areas possess a commonality of mission and provide you with a curriculum that addresses issues of creative research and development, design, manufacturing, marketing and the consumerism of textiles and apparel products.
Students majoring in fashion must complete the core requirements and the requirements for one of the tracks.
Core Requirements
Track Requirements
Design and Merchandising
* Students should choose one track for their internship and the other track for their senior seminar.
Fashion Merchandising
Fashion Design
Costume Design
Combined Major
The following requirements are for students matriculating Fall 2018 and after. Students who matriculated before Fall 2018 see the requirements below.
The following requirements are for students matriculating before Fall 2018.
Combined Majors
Fashion Merchandising Combined Major
Fashion Design Combined Major
Costume Design Combined Major
Dive deeply into the study of human society and social relationships at Albright College in order to positively shape tomorrow’s landscape — whether it be in a Kindergarten classroom, a city courtroom or a corporate boardroom.
Programs
Africana Studies
American Civilization
Anthropology
Asian Studies
Child and Family Studies
Crime and Justice
Criminology
Environmental Studies
European Studies
Evolutionary Studies
Family Studies
Health Psychology
History
Holocaust Studies
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Medieval & Renaissance Studies
Philosophy
Political Science
Public Health
Religious Studies
Sociology
Urban Affairs
Women’s and Gender Studies
American Civilization Majors with an emphasis in Literature:
American Civilization Majors with an emphasis in History:
American Civilization Majors interested in historical museum studies should take HIS 311 or 312 and complete a supervised internship at either the Landis Valley Farm Museum near Lancaster or the William Penn Museum in Harrisburg.
Students interested in this major should consult Professor Pankratz in the History Department.
Requirements:
Students in the Asian Studies minor are encouraged to take Chinese at Albright or Chinese or another Asian language at another institution.
Full Course List for Child and Family Studies Major
Psychology Requirements
Sociology Requirements
Requirements:
There are numerous rigorous academic requirements for a degree in criminology because the degree trains students to evaluate and assess very complex phenomena and make assessments with incomplete information. Students must develop skills in analysis, organization, research design and interpretation, abstract thinking, technology/computers, oral/written communication, statistics and the interpersonal skills that facilitate teamwork, multicultural sensitivity and understanding.
Study abroad courses are also encouraged as electives.
Major in Environmental Studies
Required Courses (Only one course, beyond the Quantitative Reasoning Statistics course, can be counted toward General Studies Foundations requirements)
All of the following core courses
One general course:
One environmental science course:
One humanities course:
One additional course from either the environmental science group or humanities group above.
One experiential learning course:
Another off-campus experience, independent study or internship that relates to environmental issues and that is approved by an affiliated instructor or an additional course approved by the director of the Environmental Studies Program.
One statistics course (satisfies General Studies Foundations Quantitative Reasoning requirement):
One methods course:
Combined Major in Environmental Studies
Required Courses:
One of the following courses:
One statistics course (satisfies the General Studies Foundations Quantitative Reasoning requirement):
It is recommended that students take one of the following science courses to satisfy the general studies natural science requirement:
Students interested in environmental studies should contact Professor Barty Thompson, Director or Professor Brian Jennings.
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (fulfills General Studies Foundations Social Science course)
SOC 210 Research Methods
SOC 211 Statistics (fulfills General Studies Quantitative Reasoning course)
SOC 213 Social Theory
SOC 490 Senior Seminar
SOC 203 Human Services for Families and Children
SOC 261 The Family
SOC 270 Parenting & Technology or SOC 271 Work & Family Conflict
SOC 302 Juvenile Delinquency
SOC 311 Domestic Violence
ANT 320 Sex, Gender, & Culture
SOC 382/482 Internship, travel abroad course, or a 400-level approved substitution
Two of the following:
SOC 201 Social Problems
SOC 230 Cultural Sociology
SOC 251 Crime & Deviance
SOC 262 Social Stratification
SOC 291 Environmental Sociology
ANT 101 Introduction to Anthropology
ANT 285 The Human Animal
One of the following:
SOC 470 Immigration & Transnational Families
Combined Family Studies Major
Requirements
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (fulfills General Studies Foundations Social Science course)
SOC 210 Research Methods
SOC 211 Statistics (fulfills General Studies Quantitative Reasoning course)
SOC 213 Social Theory
SOC 490 Senior Seminar
SOC 261 The Family
One of the following intermediate courses:
SOC 203 Human Services for Families and Children
SOC 270 Parenting & Technology
SOC 271 Work and Family Conflict
SOC 302 Juvenile Delinquency
SOC 311 Domestic Violence
SOC ANT 320 Sex, Gender, & Culture
One of the following advanced application courses:
SOC 470 Immigration & Transnational Families
Students are also encouraged to complete an internship as an elective.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
One course from World and European History
HIS 101 Ancient Mediterranean World
HIS 122 Medieval & Early Modern Civilization
HIS 135 World History I: Foundations of World Civilization
HIS 136 World History II: Making of the Modern World
HIS 137 20th Century World History
One course from United States History
HIS 151 United States 1585-1800
HIS 152 United States in the 19th Century
HIS 153 United States Since 1865
AREA REQUIREMENTS (at least two must be 300-level courses)
Two courses from European History
HIS 232 Russia & the Soviet Union
HIS 240 Heroes & Villains*
HIS 251 History of England I
HIS 252 History of England II
HIS 261 Renaissance
HIS 262 Reformation
HIS 266 19th Century Europe
HIS 267 20th Century Europe
HIS 275 Women’s Work*
HIS 283 Topics in European History
HIS 315 World War II Era*
HIS 345 Sex and Society in Early Modern Europe
HIS 361 The Early Middle Ages (500-1000) (Medieval History I)
HIS 362 The Later Middle Ages (1000-1500) (Medieval History II)
HIS 370 Early Modern Europe
HIS 373 The Holocaust *
HIS 374 Germany since 1800
HIS 375 France since 1789
HIS 383 Advanced Topics in European History
Two courses from United States History
HIS 202 History of Race & Ethnicity in the US
HIS 204 US Women’s History
HIS 205 History of US Medicine
HIS 207 History of US Popular Culture
HIS 208 American Indian History
HIS 212 African-American History
HIS 215 US & Latin America
HIS 216 Pennsylvania
HIS 240 Heroes & Villains*
HIS 272 History of US Foreign Relations
HIS 275 Women’s Work*
HIS 280 Living on Earth
HIS 283 Topics in US History
HIS 310 History of the US West
HIS 311 US Social History
HIS 312 US Economic History
HIS 315 World War II Era*
HIS 322 City in American History
HIS 373 The Holocaust *
HIS 383 Advanced Topics in US History
Two courses from World History
HIS 211 African History
HIS 215 US & Latin America
HIS 220 History of the Caribbean
HIS 221 Ancient Cultures of Latin America
HIS 224 Latin American History
HIS 228 Dictators & Revolutionaries
HIS 236 Magic in World History
HIS 237 Gender, Women, Power in the Global South
HIS 240 Heroes & Villains*
HIS 241 East Asia to 1800
HIS 242 East Asia from 1800
HIS 254 Middle East 500-1500
HIS 255 Middle East 1500-1900
HIS 256 Modern Middle East
HIS 275 Women’s Work*
HIS 277 History of the Family in Latin America
HIS 283 Topics in World History
HIS 315 World War II Era*
HIS 330 Mexico
HIS 340 Women & Gender in Latin America
HIS 352 African Diaspora
HIS 373 The Holocaust *
HIS 380 Modern India
HIS 383 Advanced Topics in World History
*These courses can count for any Area requirement
SEMINARS
Two different Seminars
HIS 493 US History Seminar
HIS 494 European History Seminar
HIS 495 World History Seminar
RELATED COURSES
Three History courses or History Department approved related courses from Art History, Education, Economics, Political Science, Philosophy, Sociology or Religious Studies.
For History Majors, a History course may not count for both History Major credit and General Studies Humanities credit.
REQUIREMENTS:
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
One course from World and European History
HIS 101 Ancient Mediterranean World
HIS 122 Medieval & Early Modern Civilization
HIS 135 World History I: Foundations of World Civilization
HIS 136 World History II: Making of the Modern World
HIS 137 20th Century World History
One course from United States History
HIS 151 United States 1585-1800
HIS 152 United States in the 19th Century
HIS 153 United States Since 1865
AREA REQUIREMENTS (at least one must be 300-level courses)
One course from European History
HIS 232 Russia & the Soviet Union
HIS 251 History of England I
HIS 252 History of England II
HIS 261 Renaissance
HIS 262 Reformation
HIS 266 19th Century Europe
HIS 267 20th Century Europe
HIS 283 Topics in European History
HIS 345 Sex and Society in Early Modern Europe
HIS 361 The Early Middle Ages (500-1000) (Medieval History I)
HIS 362 The Later Middle Ages (1000-1500) (Medieval History II)
HIS 370 Early Modern Europe
HIS 373 The Holocaust *
HIS 374 Germany since 1800
HIS 375 France since 1789
HIS 383 Advanced Topics in European History
One course from United States History
HIS 202 History of Race & Ethnicity in the US
HIS 204 US Women’s History
HIS 205 History of US Medicine
HIS 207 History of US Popular Culture
HIS 208 American Indian History
HIS 210 US Working Class History
HIS 212 African-American History
HIS 215 US & Latin America
HIS 216 Pennsylvania
HIS 240 Heroes & Villains*
HIS 275 Women’s Work*
HIS 280 Living on Earth
HIS 283 Topics in US History
HIS 310 History of the US West
HIS 311 US Social History
HIS 312 US Economic History
HIS 315 World War II Era*
HIS 322 City in American History
HIS 383 Advanced Topics in US History
One courses from World History
HIS 211 African History
HIS 215 US & Latin America
HIS 220 History of the Caribbean
HIS 221 Ancient Cultures of Latin America
HIS 224 Latin American History
HIS 228 Dictators & Revolutionaries
HIS 236 Magic in World History
HIS 237 Gender, Women, Power in the Global South
HIS 241 East Asia to 1800
HIS 242 East Asia from 1800
HIS 254 Middle East 500-1500
HIS 255 Middle East 1500-1900
HIS 256 Modern Middle East
HIS 277 History of the Family in Latin America
HIS 283 Topics in World History
HIS 330 Mexico
HIS 340 Women & Gender in Latin America
HIS 352 African Diaspora
HIS 380 Modern India
HIS 383 Advanced Topics in World History
*These courses can count for any Area requirement
ELECTIVE
One History course at the 200 or 300 level
SEMINAR
One Seminar
HIS 493 US History Seminar
HIS 494 European History Seminar
HIS 495 World History Seminar
For history combined majors, a History course may not count for both History Major credit and General Studies Humanities credit.
The Major in American Civilization offers a framework for those students who wish to take an interdisciplinary approach to American culture. As it developed in the years following World War II, the American studies movement here and abroad included literary scholars who gave new weight to the historical context of the texts they read, as well as historians eager to move beyond the main lines of political and economic historiography into other fields of endeavor and forms of expression.
To these early forays were added contributions of art historians and musicologists, folklorists and specialists in material culture. This mix of disciplines, methods and objects has prompted earnest (and much debated) attempts to develop a unified methodology, and, at best, has elicited from American studies specialists an unusual degree of methodological self-consciousness. We hope to instill our interdisciplinary majors with a clear and responsible sense of the ways in which one may study American culture.
Much of the work of American Civilization takes place in the History and English Departments.
Requirements:
American Civilization Majors with an emphasis in Literature:
American Civilization Majors with an emphasis in History:
American Civilization Majors interested in historical museum studies should take HIS 311 or 312 and complete a supervised internship at either the Landis Valley Farm Museum near Lancaster or the William Penn Museum in Harrisburg.
Students interested in this major should consult Professor Pankratz in the History Department.
The purpose of the History Minor is to provide Albright students with the opportunity to gain further exposure to developments in history while focusing on their chosen majors. A Minor in History complements majors in many fields, from Art or Biology to Sociology or Theatre thus allowing students to enjoy an interdisciplinary curriculum of the liberal arts mission.
Requirements:
Five History courses, to be taken across three levels (100-, 200- or 300-level) and two of the three geographical fields (US, Europe, World). (See the History Major requirements for a list of courses by geographical field)
History Majors and Combined Majors considering law school should confer with the pre-law adviser. Suzanne Palmer, J.D., LL.M., an attorney and Assistant Professor of Economics and Business in the Business, Accounting and Economics Department, is an experienced pre-law adviser who can guide students through the process of preparing for a career in law and the law school application process.
History Majors and Combined Majors interested in pursuing Albright’s teacher certification program should consult with the chair of the Education Department, Rodney Warfield, Ed.D., as soon as possible.
Students in History or Political Science preparing for a career in social sciences education take History and Political Science courses and a series of Education and other courses specified by the Education Department to meet Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. As early as possible in their college experience, candidates for teacher certification in social studies should consult the Requirements section of the Education website and the chair of Education regarding specific course requirements. The Social Studies Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
Required courses for this minor are:
The Latin American and Caribbean Studies Minor:
The Latin American and Caribbean Studies minor is a five-course curriculum. In either the first or second year of study, students must take the “Introduction to Latin American Studies” course (LAS 225). In the third or fourth year of study, students must take the core “Seminar on Latin America” (LAS 400). Students must also take, at any point in their four years at Albright, three Latin American and/or Caribbean content courses listed across the curriculum. For the minor option only, students are permitted to “double-count” these courses as fulfilling both the Latin American and Caribbean Studies program requirements and either general studies requirements or the particular requirements of any degree program.
Combined Major in Latin American and Caribbean Studies:
Latin American and Caribbean studies as a combined major is a seven-course curriculum. Students take the “Introduction to Latin American Studies” course (LAS 225) in their first or second year and then the core “Seminar on Latin America” (LAS 400) in their third or fourth year. Students must also take, at any point in their four years at Albright, five Latin American and/or Caribbean content courses listed across the curriculum.
The Interdisciplinary Major in Latin American and Caribbean Studies:
The interdisciplinary major in Latin American and Caribbean Studies is a 12-course curriculum that combines core, track and elective courses.
The core requirements are “Introduction to Latin American Studies” (LAS 225), which should be taken within the first two years of academic work at Albright, and the “Senior Seminar in Latin American Studies” (LAS 400), which should be taken in the junior or senior year.
After taking Introduction to Latin American Studies (LAS 225), students will declare a primary and secondary track from the two tracks (Group A or Group B). Group A consists of courses that focus more on the arts and humanities, and Group B consists of courses that focus more on the social and natural sciences.
The track is an eight- course sequence in which students choose five courses from one group and three courses from the other group to complete the track requirement. Note: The Director may add additional courses to the groups.
Group A courses: LAS 160, 195, 201, 215, 220, 224, 228, 235, 240, 259, 275, 280, 285, 308, 319, 320, 321, 322, 325, 330, 340, 352, 380
Group B courses: LAS 215, 228, 270, 275, 280, 307, 322, 325, 330, 340, 345, 360
The major is also required to take two elective courses in Latin American Studies.
Courses not listed above can be used with the approval of the program coordinator.
Full Major in Philosophy: 12 Courses Total
Option 1: 12 PHI COURSES
| 1 PHI 150 |
| 10 PHI Courses (including 2 selected from each of the 4 Core Areas) Special Topics (PHI 183, 283, 383) and PHI 391/491 or 481 fulfill core requirements. |
| 1 of PHI 391/481 or 491 |
Option 2: 9 PHI COURSES and 3 RELATED COURSES
| 1 PHI 150 |
| 1 of PHI 391/481 or 491 |
| 7 Courses (including 2 selected from each of the 3 Core areas) Special Topics (PHI 183, 283, 383) and PHI 391/491 or 481 fulfill core requirements. |
| 3 related courses from any department outside of Philosophy (e.g. History, Biology, Business, Political Science, Psychology, etc.) |
Combined Major in Philosophy: 7 PHI COURSES
| 1 PHI 150 |
| 1 of PHI 391/491 or 481 |
| 5 Courses (including 1 from each of the 4 Core Areas) Special Topics (PHI 183, 283, 383) and PHI 391/491 or 481 fulfill core requirements. |
Minor in Philosophy: 5 PHI COURSES
| 1 PHI 150 |
| 1 of 203, 210, 211, 214, 216, 314 or 315 |
| 3 PHI electives |
The core area courses may be chosen from the following options:
| Reality and Knowledge | PHI 120, 140, 175, 220, 245, 280, 323, 326. |
| Value Theory | PHI 203, 204, 206, 230, 250, 260/360, 270/370, 314, 315. |
| Difference & Diversity | PHI 130, 135, 152, 228, 256, 257, 296. |
| History of Philosophy | PHI 210/310, 211/311, 214, 216/316, 314, 315. |
Major in Political Science
Requirements
Interdisciplinary Combined Major in Crime and Justice
The Political Science, Sociology and Psychology departments offer a Crime and Justice interdisciplinary major that focuses on the legal, political, administrative, psychological and sociological analyses of criminal deviance and societal responses to crime. See Crime and Justice under the Sociology Department for requirements.
Combined Major in Political Science
Requirements
Minor in Political Science
Whether you are planning a career in the bureaucracy, the nonprofit world, or the private sector, government and politics impact you. Appreciating the ways policy is made, realizing how relationships between and among countries affect business and the populace, and understanding power structures are all hallmarks of the political science minor. The minor in political science shall consist of five courses with the following distribution:
International Relations Combined Major
The interdisciplinary major in International Relations provides students you the tools you need to understand and evaluate relationships among nations, states and people as these are affected by conflict, globalization, health, climate changes and other challenges. Students contemplating careers in government, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, intelligence, international business, international law or diplomacy should consider this combined major. For more information, contact Professor Irene Langran, or visit http://www.albright.edu/IR/.
Requirements
International Relations majors are strongly encouraged to develop facility in languages other than their native language. Students should stay alert to the options provided by independent study with qualified and willing instructors in the departments.
Interdisciplinary Combined Major in Public Health
The interdisciplinary combined major 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.
Requirements
Public Health Minor
Requirements
Legal Studies Minor
The interdisciplinary minor in Legal Studies is designed to help you develop a thorough understanding of our legal system. For those considering law school, it serves as excellent academic preparation. You study the place of the legal system among our civil institutions, and develop the ability to read, understand and assess critically Supreme Court cases. This minor is open to all students interested in studying our legal system regardless of concentration or career goal. Contact Suzanne Palmer, J.D. for additional information. A total of five courses are required.
Requirements
REQUIRED of all minors:
Take any TWO of the following:
Take any TWO of the following:
Secondary Social Studies Education
Students in History or Political Science preparing for a career in social sciences education take History and Political Science courses and a series of Education and other courses specified by the Education Department to meet Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. As early as possible in their college experience, candidates for teacher certification in social studies should consult the Requirements section of the Education website and the chair of Education regarding specific course requirements. The Social Studies Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
Albright offers programs in Psychology and Psychobiology. Students majoring in psychology at Albright can choose to focus on a general psychology program or specialize with an interdisciplinary major in Psychobiology, Health Psychology, or a specialized track in child psychology.
Majors and Minors in the Psychology Department
The bachelor of arts degree program in psychology provides a balance of theoretical and applied courses in the discipline and prepares you for graduate study, professional school, or careers in social services, business, research and educational settings.
Requirements
Total: 15 courses (2 captured for General Studies)
Combined Major in Psychology
Students may elect to combine Psychology with any other major. Required courses in Psychology are:
Note: Sociology co-majors may take SOC210 Research Methods and SOC211 Statistics instead of PSY200 and PSY201, and if so, they must take any 2 additional psychology courses in place of PSY200 and Psy201.
Two from Group I (Social, Developmental, and Clinical Approaches):
Total: 9 courses (2 captured for General Studies)
Child Development Track
The Psychology Department offers a track in Child Development. This track is primarily for full Psychology majors but may be completed by Combined Psychology majors and students in other majors (such as Child & Family Studies and Psychobiology) who have the prerequisites.
Interdisciplinary Major in Psychobiology
The bachelor of science in psychobiology is intended for students with an interest in both the behavioral and natural science approaches to psychology and biology. The major is especially ideal for developing an appreciation of the emerging fields of neuroscience and health psychology. Individuals arrange courses to satisfy their particular interests and prepare for advanced study in psychology, psychobiology, biology, behavioral ecology, veterinary medicine and the health professions (medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, optometry), or employment in varied areas including pharmaceutical research or sales and allied health professions. Psychobiology majors must declare one of two tracks: Molecular Psychobiology Track (more biologically oriented) or Behavioral Psychobiology Track (more psychologically oriented). Contact Dr. Keith Feigenson at kfeigenson@albright.edu for more information.
Behavioral Psychobiology Track
The Behavioral Psychobiology track is more psychologically-oriented and is intended for those pursuing graduate work in health psychology, behavioral research, and some mental health related fields.
Total: 16 courses (3 captured for General Studies)
Molecular Psychobiology Track
Students must declare one of two tracks for the Psychobiology major. The Molecular Psychobiology track is more biologically-oriented and is intended for those pursuing graduate work in neuroscience, the medical field, and other related fields.
Total: 16 courses (3 captured for General Studies)
Interdisciplinary Major in Child and Family Studies
The interdisciplinary major in Child and Family Studies is for students interested in psychosocial approaches to child development and family dynamics. This B.A. degree program, which combines Psychology and Sociology (Family Studies Track), provides the breadth and depth required to work in human services or to pursue graduate studies in human development, psychology or family studies.
Full Course List for Child and Family Studies Major
Psychology Requirements
Sociology Requirements
Interdisciplinary Major in Health Psychology
The interdisciplinary major in health psychology provides students with a strong foundation in general psychology, while also providing a concentrated focus on the emerging discipline of health psychology. The program will employ a biopsychosocial perspective in helping students to understand factors that influence health and wellness. Students will use this approach to create treatments that prevent illness and improve health outcomes. In addition, courses provided through other departments, such as Public Health, will enhance student understanding of the medical and mental healthcare systems at a broader policy level. Students graduating with a degree in health psychology will be prepared to pursue careers or graduate study in counseling, nursing, research coordination, and occupational health. Contact Dr. Bridget Hearon, bhearon@albright.edu for more information.
Note: Students are encouraged to design a research project relating to health psychology
Evolutionary Studies Minor
The Evolutionary Studies Minor is meant to create opportunities for faculty and students at Albright 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. Contact Dr. Susan Hughes at 610-929-6732, shughes@albright.edu for more information.
Interdisciplinary Combined Major in Public Health
The interdisciplinary combined major 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.
Requirements
Public Health Minor
Requirements
Major in Religious Studies
Requirements
The religious studies major requires thirteen courses, at least ten courses in religious studies beyond the general studies requirement. Majors are also permitted to take three related courses (beyond general studies) in the areas of philosophy, history, literature, the arts or the social sciences. Although there are no “core” courses, majors are expected to take courses from a diversity of areas in religious studies. Upperclass majors must take a 300-level course and senior majors must take REL 491, in which they are expected to present a senior thesis or project interpreting an issue in the study of human religion and culture from the appropriate methodological perspectives.
Fourth Year:
• REL 491
Combined Major in Religious Studies
The department welcomes students who wish to pursue interdisciplinary work in conjunction with religious studies through either a combined major or an individualized study program. Combined majors are required to take seven religious studies courses, beyond general studies, including a 300-level course in religious studies and REL 491. The department especially encourages students to consider interdisciplinary work in areas such as: religion and philosophy, religion and human culture, religion and human behavior, religion and literature, religion and communication, religion and law, or religion and the arts. More information on how such programs might be structured is available from the Religious Studies Department.
A minor in religious studies consists of five courses. Religious studies is a broad and interdisciplinary field, so students will be able to craft the content of their minor depending on their interest. Combined majors are required to take:
One 100 or 200-level religious studies course
One 300-level religious studies course
Three other religious studies courses
More information is available from the Religious Studies Department.
Although pre-theological students don’t have to major in religious studies, the study and practice of religion is vital to their growth and maturation during college and is an integral part of their preparation for seminary. Working together with the College chaplain, campus religious organizations and the wider religious community in Reading, the Religious Studies Department seeks to encourage, counsel and assist pre-theological students in their personal and vocational journeys of faith.
Perhaps the most comprehensive of the social sciences, sociology is concerned with the analysis and explanation of social phenomena. These phenomena, which range from the socialization of the child to criminal behavior and cultural change, are studied and investigated using a wide variety of research techniques. Through formalized standards of inquiry, sociologists focus on the relationships between the parts of social systems and how the systems are formulated, how they function, and how they are related to the everyday lives of human beings.
The Sociology and Anthropology Department offers four tracks:
The department also supports the following interdisciplinary majors:
In addition, students can combine each of the four tracks mentioned above with another academic discipline to form a combined major. The department also offers minors in Anthropology, Criminology and Sociology.
Core Courses
This diversity of majors covers a wide range of topics, but they are unified by a set of core requirements for all students in the department (with the exception of the environmental studies interdisciplinary major). These core courses include:
(Some substitutions are allowed in the above for students co-majoring in another social science with similar required courses and those with interdisciplinary majors. These are noted below).
Appropriate academic skills are also ensured at each level in that all 300-level courses (excluding 400-level Anthropology) require a sophomore standing or above as a pre-requisite, and all 400-level sociology (excluding 400-level Anthropology) courses require a junior standing or above. Courses at the 400 level also have as a prerequisite that all other core courses be completed in addition to at least one additional 300-level course. Many other prerequisites exist for individual courses to ensure that students can build on a specific set of foundational skills in their upper-level courses.
The anthropology major expands the focus of investigation to include biological, cultural and ecological forces that have effects on humans. From human evolution to cultural diversity to ecological constraints, students learn to incorporate a broad array of information and perspectives to arrive at a more complete and complex understanding of the human species. Four core courses provide a comprehensive foundation about the essential constraints that act on mankind. Additionally, two electives must be completed to enhance the students’ understanding in particular areas (conflict, sex, evolution). Finally, students complete their anthropological courses with an independent study in which they design and conduct a semester-long research project that requires them to gather and assess data in one particular area of human activity.
Due to the broad and multidisciplinary nature of anthropology, students completing this major will be prepared to undertake graduate studies in a variety of disciplines including anthropology, sociology, law, medicine and a number of other social, environmental and biological sciences. Likewise, they will be prepared to enter careers in a variety of areas, such as international relations, international business, education, medicine, public policy, law, labor organization, government, environmental resource management, economics and development, social work and counseling.
Requirements
Requirements
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.
Requirements:
The criminology major 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, e.g., family dysfunction, poverty, education, racism, gender issues, and the sociology of work and occupations. Courses that concentrate on crime and delinquency are concerned with:
· The study of behaviors defined as criminally deviant in both American society and other developed and developing societies
· The traditional and contemporary theoretical explanations of both the process of defining criminal behavior and the social and interpersonal decisions and circumstances related to engaging in criminalized deviant behavior
Students study the methodology of social research used in the study of these forms of deviance including secondary data analysis and empirical research construction and design. A course in parametric and nonparametric statistics provides students with additional analytic tools for use in collecting and studying aggregate- as well as individual-level data on crime and delinquency.
Students are able to use internship opportunities to experience and participate in the activities of an organization or agency whose activities relate to the application of the program content. Internship opportunities can be either in a local organization or agency or in association with an off-campus experience such as the Washington Center or the Philadelphia Center. The senior seminar provides students a capstone course integrating the various components of the program and incorporating the opportunity to complete a major empirical study of some facet of crime and delinquency of interest to them.
Requirements
Study Abroad courses are also encouraged as electives.
Requirements
Because this is a combined major there are relatively few topically based requirements. Therefore it is strongly encouraged that criminology combined majors use their electives to take additional topical courses
Criminology Minor
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.
Requirements:
The family studies major provides students with an extensive academic understanding of family systems and their relationship to the development and social participation of their members as well as the skills to evaluate and conduct research on topics related to family interaction. The course requirements for students in this program focus on understanding the family as a social group and the dynamics of family participation in American society as well as in a global context. Students are introduced to the theory of group formation, the external forces that impinge upon family functioning and the methods that can be used to measure and anticipate family dysfunctions. Students who combine family studies with another major may enter the employment market immediately upon graduation in fields such as preschool education, elementary education, and residential treatment and care, or may pursue a graduate degree in family studies.
Requirements
Requirements
Students are also encouraged to complete an internship as an elective.
The sociology major is designed for students who are interested in a general, though intensive, study of sociological methodology, theory and content areas. Students with a major in sociology can find employment in business and government, in human service organizations and international organizations, as politicians, educators, journalists and social researchers, and in foreign service. The general sociology major is intended primarily for students who plan to attend law school or pursue graduate study in sociology. It is also intended for those who seek careers in business, governmental or community service occupations for which graduate school training is unnecessary.
Requirements
Combined General Sociology Major
Requirements
Sociology Minor
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.
All of the following core requirements:
Students must also complete ONE of the following tracks or specialties within Urban Affairs:
Human Services and Diversity Track/Specialty
Complete three of the following:
Environment Track/Specialty
Crime Track/Specialty
Communications Track/Specialty
Ethics and Law Track/Specialty
Complete three of the following:
Combining Urban Affairs with other Majors
Requirements:
Urban Affairs Minor:
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. More information about urban studies can be found under the listing for the major in Urban Affairs.
Requirements:
The listings and topics vary from year to year, but among the courses offered on a regular basis for either the minor or the co-major are:
Are you ready to connect with different people and cultures? Learn to express thoughts clearly, persuasively and artfully by developing your ability to think and read critically.
Programs
Classical Studies
English
French
Spanish
World Languages and Cultures
The Classical Studies minor requires the completion of five courses.
Requirements:
Major in English Language and Literature
Combined Major in English Language and Literature
Minor in English Language and Literature
Requirements:
Secondary English Education
English Majors preparing for a career in education take English courses and a series of Education and other courses specified by the Education Department to meet Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. As early as possible in their college experience, candidates for teacher certification in English should consult the Requirements section of the Education website and the chair of Education regarding specific course requirements. The English Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
General Studies and Elective Offerings
In addition to offering upper level concentration and special non-concentration programs, Albright’s English Department is a vital part of the College’s liberal arts core – the general studies programs – in the areas of composition and literature. All students at Albright take at least one composition course, usually ENG 102, and most students take both ENG 101 and 102. For other general studies requirements in Foundations, Connections, and Global Connections students may take course from departmental offerings as appropriate.
For General Studies Humanities Foundations credit, the English Department offers a variety of courses, listed as ENG 135, including the following topics: Ghost Stories, Literature of Fantasy, Dada and Surrealism, The Vampyre, Tragedy, Hitchcock: Film and Text, American Short Fiction, Comedy, Adolescent Protagonists, Modern American Poetry, Folklore and Fairy Tales. ENG 380, Modern American Women Poets, may also be taken for Foundations credit. Other topics and courses may be added to the list.
Our Creative Writing course, ENG 125, may be taken for Fine Arts Foundations credit.
For General Studies Connections credit, the English Department offers a variety of courses, listed as English 235, including the following topics: Utopian Literature, Novel Englishwomen, Black Women Writers, Latin American Poetry, African Autobiography, Irish Literature, Afro-Caribbean Literature, Shakespeare and Company, Literature of War, Hip-hop, Mean Girls. Selected courses listed for majors are also available for Connections credit, including the following courses: ENG 204, Survey of American Literature; ENG 210, African-American Literature; ENG 356, Milton and the Seventeenth Century. Other topics and courses may be added to the list.
For General Studies Global Connections credit, the English Department offers ENG 234, Adolescent Literature, as well as a number of courses listed as ENG 236, including World Litereature, Irish Arts (a course that includes a trip to Ireland), Latin American Poetry, and Afro-Caribbean Literature. Other topics and courses may be added to the list.
Nearly all of the department’s offerings have proven to be both popular and enriching elective courses, and many of Albright’s majors in other programs have rounded off their liberal arts experience at the College with courses in, drama, literature, and/or creative writing, or one of the department’s travel courses offered from time to time during Interim session or in the summer to such places as London, Dublin and Italy.
Students interested in supervised creative writing projects may pursue them on an individual study basis after approval by a departmental adviser. Together with the Dean of the College, the English Department maintains a Writing Center where students of all disciplines are welcome to seek assistance in redrafting papers and in improving writing skills. Albright’s Theatre Department offers several dramatic literature courses that may be used to satisfy English concentration requirements. Please see the Theatre section for descriptions of these courses.
Interdisciplinary Major in English-Theatre
Albright College provides you opportunities to acquire in-depth competencies in French and the cultures of the French-speaking world. Through coursework, service learning, study abroad, internships, honors theses, and collaborative research with our faculty, you’ll learn to appreciate cultural differences, to question, and to analyze. You’ll solve problems on a daily basis. You’ll interact with native speakers who share their cultural and linguistic expertise inside and outside the classroom. Learning a new world language is a transformative experience, and we’re here to guide you as your begin your journey.
The vast majority of students who study French at Albright choose to combine it with another discipline. While no one combination dominates in terms of raw numbers, here are some examples of what students have combined French with recently:
And the list goes on…
Combined Major. To complete the combined major in French, here’s what you need to do.
Take these courses:
Or take these courses:
Or take these courses:
It’s that simple! By taking these seven courses, you will complete the combined major in French.
Full Major. You can also complete a full major in French. Just take three additional courses at the 300-level. Voilà! C’est simple comme bonjour!
If you have questions, please contact Dr. Abby McGovern, chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures.
Albright College provides you opportunities to acquire in-depth competencies in Spanish and the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Through coursework, service learning, study abroad, internships, honors theses, and collaborative research with our faculty, you’ll learn to appreciate cultural differences, to question, and to analyze. You’ll solve problems on a daily basis. You’ll interact with native speakers who share their cultural and linguistic expertise inside and outside the classroom. Learning a new world language is a transformative experience, and we’re here to guide you as your begin your journey.
The vast majority of students who study Spanish at Albright choose to combine it with another discipline. While no one combination dominates in terms of raw numbers, here are some examples of what students have combined Spanish with recently:
And the list goes on…
Combined Major. To complete the combined major in Spanish, here’s what you need to do.
Take these courses:
Or take these courses:
Or take these courses:
It’s that simple! By taking these seven courses, you will complete the combined major in Spanish.
Full Major. You can also complete a full major in Spanish. Just take three additional courses at the 300-level. ¡Así de fácil!
If you have questions, please contact Dr. Abby McGovern, chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures.
Did you know that by studying French or Spanish you can widen and deepen your understanding of your major field of study?
The French interdisciplinary minor and the Spanish interdisciplinary minor are designed to build a bridge between your French or Spanish studies and your major field of study, enabling you to use primary sources the language you study to discover how topics in your major play out in French- or Spanish-speaking contexts.
The minors allow you the flexibility to substitute one course for a French-themed or Spanish-themed course in your major. It also encourages you to experience French or Spanish outside the classroom by giving you the flexibility to substitute one course for a study abroad course in a French-speaking or Spanish-speaking country. When substitutions are made, you will integrate the material through periodic meetings in French with a member of the French faculty or in Spanish with a member of the Spanish faculty.
This 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 or Spanish interdisciplinary studies:
OR
OR
It’s that simple! By taking these five courses, you will complete your interdisciplinary minor. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Abby McGovern, chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures.
Majors in French, Latin, or Spanish preparing for a career in education complete requirements for their major and a series of Education and other courses specified by the Education Department to meet Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. As early as possible in their college experience, candidates for teacher certification in foreign language should consult the Requirements section of the Education website and the chair of Education regarding specific course requirements. and also courses required for certification. The Foreign Language Education certification is a grades K-12 program.
Are you ready to be an informed citizen in an international society? Join us!
Crime and Justice
International Relations
Legal Studies
Political Science
Public Policy and Administration
Requirements:
Students are required to take each of the following courses:
Prerequisite: ECO 105
For IR/POL Combined Majors Only:
Major in Political Science
Requirements
Interdisciplinary Combined Major in Crime and Justice
The Political Science, Sociology and Psychology departments offer a Crime and Justice interdisciplinary major that focuses on the legal, political, administrative, psychological and sociological analyses of criminal deviance and societal responses to crime. See Crime and Justice under the Sociology Department for requirements.
Combined Major in Political Science
Requirements
Minor in Political Science
Whether you are planning a career in the bureaucracy, the nonprofit world, or the private sector, government and politics impact you. Appreciating the ways policy is made, realizing how relationships between and among countries affect business and the populace, and understanding power structures are all hallmarks of the political science minor. The minor in political science shall consist of five courses with the following distribution:
International Relations Combined Major
The interdisciplinary major in International Relations provides students you the tools you need to understand and evaluate relationships among nations, states and people as these are affected by conflict, globalization, health, climate changes and other challenges. Students contemplating careers in government, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, intelligence, international business, international law or diplomacy should consider this combined major. For more information, contact Professor Irene Langran, or visit http://www.albright.edu/IR/.
Requirements
International Relations majors are strongly encouraged to develop facility in languages other than their native language. Students should stay alert to the options provided by independent study with qualified and willing instructors in the departments.
Interdisciplinary Combined Major in Public Health
The interdisciplinary combined major 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.
Requirements
Public Health Minor
Requirements
Legal Studies Minor
The interdisciplinary minor in Legal Studies is designed to help you develop a thorough understanding of our legal system. For those considering law school, it serves as excellent academic preparation. You study the place of the legal system among our civil institutions, and develop the ability to read, understand and assess critically Supreme Court cases. This minor is open to all students interested in studying our legal system regardless of concentration or career goal. Contact Suzanne Palmer, J.D. for additional information. A total of five courses are required.
Requirements
REQUIRED of all minors:
Take any TWO of the following:
Take any TWO of the following:
Secondary Social Studies Education
Students in History or Political Science preparing for a career in social sciences education take History and Political Science courses and a series of Education and other courses specified by the Education Department to meet Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. As early as possible in their college experience, candidates for teacher certification in social studies should consult the Requirements section of the Education website and the chair of Education regarding specific course requirements. The Social Studies Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
Co-Major Requirements:
A total of eight courses as follows:
ECO 105 Principles of Economics
POL 206 Political Inquiry
POL 207 Research Methods
POL 214 Public Policy
POL 218 Public Administration
POL 399 Internship
One Approved Political Science Senior Seminar
One of the following economics courses after completing ECO105: ECO 322 Labor Economics, ECO 324 Environmental Economics, ECO 337 Public Finance and Policy, ECO 383 Urban Economics and Policy
Students who take another research course sequence to fulfill requirements for a different “full major” or “co-major” should consult with political science faculty about approved course substitutions for POL206 and POL207.
Minor Requirements:
A total of five courses as follows:
ECO 105 Principles of Economics
POL 214 Public Policy
POL 218 Public Administration
POL 399 Internship
One of the following economics courses after completing ECO105: ECO 322 Labor Economics, ECO 324 Environmental Economics, ECO 337 Public Finance and Policy, ECO 383 Urban Economics and Policy
Explore how humans experience their world through the study of psychology and sociology. Albright offers traditional areas of psychological study and a unique psychobiology program that combines behavioral and natural science approaches to psychology and biology.
Programs
Child and Family Studies
Health Psychology
Psychobiology
Accelerated Adult Programs
Addiction Studies
Organizational Behavior/Applied Psychology
Albright offers programs in Psychology and Psychobiology. Students majoring in psychology at Albright can choose to focus on a general psychology program or specialize with an interdisciplinary major in Psychobiology, Health Psychology, or a specialized track in child psychology.
Majors and Minors in the Psychology Department
The bachelor of arts degree program in psychology provides a balance of theoretical and applied courses in the discipline and prepares you for graduate study, professional school, or careers in social services, business, research and educational settings.
Requirements
Total: 15 courses (2 captured for General Studies)
Combined Major in Psychology
Students may elect to combine Psychology with any other major. Required courses in Psychology are:
Note: Sociology co-majors may take SOC210 Research Methods and SOC211 Statistics instead of PSY200 and PSY201, and if so, they must take any 2 additional psychology courses in place of PSY200 and Psy201.
Two from Group I (Social, Developmental, and Clinical Approaches):
Total: 9 courses (2 captured for General Studies)
Child Development Track
The Psychology Department offers a track in Child Development. This track is primarily for full Psychology majors but may be completed by Combined Psychology majors and students in other majors (such as Child & Family Studies and Psychobiology) who have the prerequisites.
Interdisciplinary Major in Psychobiology
The bachelor of science in psychobiology is intended for students with an interest in both the behavioral and natural science approaches to psychology and biology. The major is especially ideal for developing an appreciation of the emerging fields of neuroscience and health psychology. Individuals arrange courses to satisfy their particular interests and prepare for advanced study in psychology, psychobiology, biology, behavioral ecology, veterinary medicine and the health professions (medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, optometry), or employment in varied areas including pharmaceutical research or sales and allied health professions. Psychobiology majors must declare one of two tracks: Molecular Psychobiology Track (more biologically oriented) or Behavioral Psychobiology Track (more psychologically oriented). Contact Dr. Keith Feigenson at kfeigenson@albright.edu for more information.
Behavioral Psychobiology Track
The Behavioral Psychobiology track is more psychologically-oriented and is intended for those pursuing graduate work in health psychology, behavioral research, and some mental health related fields.
Total: 16 courses (3 captured for General Studies)
Molecular Psychobiology Track
Students must declare one of two tracks for the Psychobiology major. The Molecular Psychobiology track is more biologically-oriented and is intended for those pursuing graduate work in neuroscience, the medical field, and other related fields.
Total: 16 courses (3 captured for General Studies)
Interdisciplinary Major in Child and Family Studies
The interdisciplinary major in Child and Family Studies is for students interested in psychosocial approaches to child development and family dynamics. This B.A. degree program, which combines Psychology and Sociology (Family Studies Track), provides the breadth and depth required to work in human services or to pursue graduate studies in human development, psychology or family studies.
Full Course List for Child and Family Studies Major
Psychology Requirements
Sociology Requirements
Interdisciplinary Major in Health Psychology
The interdisciplinary major in health psychology provides students with a strong foundation in general psychology, while also providing a concentrated focus on the emerging discipline of health psychology. The program will employ a biopsychosocial perspective in helping students to understand factors that influence health and wellness. Students will use this approach to create treatments that prevent illness and improve health outcomes. In addition, courses provided through other departments, such as Public Health, will enhance student understanding of the medical and mental healthcare systems at a broader policy level. Students graduating with a degree in health psychology will be prepared to pursue careers or graduate study in counseling, nursing, research coordination, and occupational health. Contact Dr. Bridget Hearon, bhearon@albright.edu for more information.
Note: Students are encouraged to design a research project relating to health psychology
Evolutionary Studies Minor
The Evolutionary Studies Minor is meant to create opportunities for faculty and students at Albright 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. Contact Dr. Susan Hughes at 610-929-6732, shughes@albright.edu for more information.
Perhaps the most comprehensive of the social sciences, sociology is concerned with the analysis and explanation of social phenomena. These phenomena, which range from the socialization of the child to criminal behavior and cultural change, are studied and investigated using a wide variety of research techniques. Through formalized standards of inquiry, sociologists focus on the relationships between the parts of social systems and how the systems are formulated, how they function, and how they are related to the everyday lives of human beings.
The Sociology and Anthropology Department offers four tracks:
The department also supports the following interdisciplinary majors:
In addition, students can combine each of the four tracks mentioned above with another academic discipline to form a combined major. The department also offers minors in Anthropology, Criminology and Sociology.
Core Courses
This diversity of majors covers a wide range of topics, but they are unified by a set of core requirements for all students in the department (with the exception of the environmental studies interdisciplinary major). These core courses include:
(Some substitutions are allowed in the above for students co-majoring in another social science with similar required courses and those with interdisciplinary majors. These are noted below).
Appropriate academic skills are also ensured at each level in that all 300-level courses (excluding 400-level Anthropology) require a sophomore standing or above as a pre-requisite, and all 400-level sociology (excluding 400-level Anthropology) courses require a junior standing or above. Courses at the 400 level also have as a prerequisite that all other core courses be completed in addition to at least one additional 300-level course. Many other prerequisites exist for individual courses to ensure that students can build on a specific set of foundational skills in their upper-level courses.
The anthropology major expands the focus of investigation to include biological, cultural and ecological forces that have effects on humans. From human evolution to cultural diversity to ecological constraints, students learn to incorporate a broad array of information and perspectives to arrive at a more complete and complex understanding of the human species. Four core courses provide a comprehensive foundation about the essential constraints that act on mankind. Additionally, two electives must be completed to enhance the students’ understanding in particular areas (conflict, sex, evolution). Finally, students complete their anthropological courses with an independent study in which they design and conduct a semester-long research project that requires them to gather and assess data in one particular area of human activity.
Due to the broad and multidisciplinary nature of anthropology, students completing this major will be prepared to undertake graduate studies in a variety of disciplines including anthropology, sociology, law, medicine and a number of other social, environmental and biological sciences. Likewise, they will be prepared to enter careers in a variety of areas, such as international relations, international business, education, medicine, public policy, law, labor organization, government, environmental resource management, economics and development, social work and counseling.
Requirements
Requirements
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.
Requirements:
The criminology major 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, e.g., family dysfunction, poverty, education, racism, gender issues, and the sociology of work and occupations. Courses that concentrate on crime and delinquency are concerned with:
· The study of behaviors defined as criminally deviant in both American society and other developed and developing societies
· The traditional and contemporary theoretical explanations of both the process of defining criminal behavior and the social and interpersonal decisions and circumstances related to engaging in criminalized deviant behavior
Students study the methodology of social research used in the study of these forms of deviance including secondary data analysis and empirical research construction and design. A course in parametric and nonparametric statistics provides students with additional analytic tools for use in collecting and studying aggregate- as well as individual-level data on crime and delinquency.
Students are able to use internship opportunities to experience and participate in the activities of an organization or agency whose activities relate to the application of the program content. Internship opportunities can be either in a local organization or agency or in association with an off-campus experience such as the Washington Center or the Philadelphia Center. The senior seminar provides students a capstone course integrating the various components of the program and incorporating the opportunity to complete a major empirical study of some facet of crime and delinquency of interest to them.
Requirements
Study Abroad courses are also encouraged as electives.
Requirements
Because this is a combined major there are relatively few topically based requirements. Therefore it is strongly encouraged that criminology combined majors use their electives to take additional topical courses
Criminology Minor
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.
Requirements:
The family studies major provides students with an extensive academic understanding of family systems and their relationship to the development and social participation of their members as well as the skills to evaluate and conduct research on topics related to family interaction. The course requirements for students in this program focus on understanding the family as a social group and the dynamics of family participation in American society as well as in a global context. Students are introduced to the theory of group formation, the external forces that impinge upon family functioning and the methods that can be used to measure and anticipate family dysfunctions. Students who combine family studies with another major may enter the employment market immediately upon graduation in fields such as preschool education, elementary education, and residential treatment and care, or may pursue a graduate degree in family studies.
Requirements
Requirements
Students are also encouraged to complete an internship as an elective.
The sociology major is designed for students who are interested in a general, though intensive, study of sociological methodology, theory and content areas. Students with a major in sociology can find employment in business and government, in human service organizations and international organizations, as politicians, educators, journalists and social researchers, and in foreign service. The general sociology major is intended primarily for students who plan to attend law school or pursue graduate study in sociology. It is also intended for those who seek careers in business, governmental or community service occupations for which graduate school training is unnecessary.
Requirements
Combined General Sociology Major
Requirements
Sociology Minor
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 demand for scientists is expected to soar, with more than 110,000 jobs likely to be added in the coming decade.
Albright College will prepare you well for the opportunities that lie ahead.
We offer seven distinct science programs that enable you to pursue your passions. And whichever major course of study you choose, you will get the hands-on experience that will truly set you apart. You’ll work closely with faculty. You’ll explore exciting new ideas and conduct lab experiments in our 78,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art science center. And you’ll be challenged every step of the way.
Whether you plan to go on to graduate school or go directly into the workforce, we will help you find the fit that is right for you.
Biology majors at Albright have gone to work in a wide range of exciting fields – from medicine to biotechnology to education and beyond. Our goal is to help all our students develop their critical-thinking skills and foster a comprehensive knowledge of and appreciation for the many dimensions of the biological sciences.
“I could not have asked for a better research experience.”
— Sarah Hosler ’20
Albright boasts a 100% placement rate for chemistry and biochemistry majors who apply to graduate school. Those who look to start their careers after graduation have landed positions at Penn State Health, GSK, Dow, and many other prestigious organizations. Find out what makes a biochemistry degree from Albright so valuable.
If you want to be at the forefront of environmental action and change? Albright College is a great place to start. Our rigorous curriculum and hands-on learning will give you the knowledge and insights to make a difference in government, consulting, and private industry.
From answering the world’s energy needs to finding new cures, the world is looking at today’s chemists for answers. At Albright, we will prepare you exceptionally for that challenge. Here, you will gain valuable experience in the classroom and in the lab. And working with our passionate faculty and students, you will graduate ready to conquer the toughest challenges.
“It was humbling to have so many of my professors and mentors write letters of recommendation on my behalf. I’m extremely thankful to have been able to build relationships with each one of them during my time at Albright.”
— Erika Hollinger ’22
Early Acceptance Medical School Student
If you are majoring in biology, biochemistry, or environmental science, you may want to consider a minor in marine and aquatic science. The coursework will enhance your knowledge of biological systems, with a focus on water-based habits. Our Environmental Science majors in particular have found that this minor opens many doors to graduate school.
Albright physics grads are simply in a league of their own. A full 100% of our students are accepted to graduate school; 100% pass the PRAXIS exam and 75% who take the GRE for graduate school score at least 780 out of 800. Find out what makes Albright’s physics program so elite.
FACT: 100% of chemistry/biochemistry majors are accepted to graduate school or begin a scientific career following graduation.
The bachelor of science in psychobiology is ideal for developing an appreciation of the emerging fields of neuroscience and health psychology. This major will prepare you for a wide range of careers, including psychology, psychobiology, biology, veterinary medicine, and the health professions, to name just a few.
The biology major allows you to develop a comprehensive knowledge of, and appreciation for, the many dimensions of the biological sciences and the close relationship of biology to other scientific disciplines, such as mathematics, chemistry and physics.
Biology majors focus in general biology, biotechnology, or marine and aquatic science, and often pursue interdisciplinary or dual majors. Biochemistry and psychobiology are the most frequently chosen combinations, but students also combine biology with such other majors as history, business administration and Spanish. You also may choose a biology education program that leads to certification to teach high school biology in Pennsylvania.
Special affiliations/agreements exist between Albright College and institutions such as Penn State (Early Assurance Program with Hershey Medical School).
Some Biology majors declare interest in Nursing or enter the 3+1 Medical Laboratory Science program.
The Department also offers a major in Environmental Science.
Students may choose the Marine and Aquatic Science Program, a specific course sequence that offers opportunities to study a range of topics from the ecophysiology of marine organisms to wetland and watershed restoration. Field study is conducted in nearby lakes and rivers and at coastal locations including Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay. The Marine and Aquatic Science Program is typically combined with either the Biology or the Environmental Science majors.
Requirements for the Biology Major
In addition, one course from each of the following three groups must be taken:
Requirements for the Combined Major in Biology
In addition, one course from each of the following three groups must be taken:
Interdisciplinary Majors in Biology
The department participates in formal interdisciplinary majors, such as psychobiology, biochemistry, and environmental science. Certain biology majors, such as those anticipating entrance into cooperative forestry, environmental studies, or teacher education programs, may include a geology course as a part of their program, upon approval of the department chair. Students interested in pursuing teacher certification in biology must consult the chair of the Education Department regarding specific requirements for the program.
Requirements for the Biotechnology Track
Albright offers a special track in biotechnology. This track is primarily for biology majors but may be completed by students in other majors (such as biochemistry and psychobiology) who have the prerequisites.
Requirements
Biology students in the biotechnology track must meet the following requirements:
Requirements for the Marine and Aquatic Science Minor
In addition to completing the requirements for the biology or environmental science majors, students electing to complete the marine and aquatic science minor must complete the following courses:
In addition to the above requirements, students are strongly encouraged to seek an experiential, off-campus experience in marine science. Consult Dr. Bryce Brylawski for more information.
Independent Research
Independent research under the supervision of a member of the Biology Department is strongly encouraged. Recent independent research projects have included studies on bat ecology and echolocation, ultrastructure of insect visual receptors, the ecology of area streams, lakes and wetlands, the distribution of endangered species of mammals, and cloning of genes using recombinant DNA techniques. Such projects involve field trips to nearby ecosystems and the use of scientific equipment and techniques, such as a scanning electron microscope, epifluorescence microscope, biological safety cabinets for sterile cell culture, ultramicrotome, computer-assisted recording of physiological variables, and/or amplification and electrophoresis of DNA and proteins. A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) computer laboratory, a greenhouse, and faculty-student research space support laboratory experimentation in many courses and independent study projects.
Secondary Biology Education
Biology Majors preparing for a career in education take Biology courses and a series of Education and other courses specified by the Education Department to meet Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. As early as possible in their college experience, candidates for teacher certification in Biology should consult the Requirements section of the Education website and the chair of the Education Department regarding specific course requirements. The Biology Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
Department Policy on Student Absences and Make-up Work
Lecture:
Students are expected to attend every lecture. Class attendance and on time arrival is necessary but not sufficient to achieve success. Please refer to individual class syllabi for specific penalties for tardiness and unexcused absences. Students should not plan events or schedule appointments that conflict with class. The biology faculty may excuse an absence due to athletic games (not practices), scheduled performances (e.g., band or choir), or class field trips. Other non-emergency cases will require prior approval of the instructor.
Requests for a non-emergency excused absence should be submitted at least one week in advance. Please contact the instructor as early as possible in the semester to determine a course of action. Failure to make arrangements before missing a class for a non-emergency reason will always be considered an unexcused absence.
If missing class is unavoidable due to an illness or other emergency, the student should make every effort to notify the instructor beforehand. The absence will only be excused if written verifiable documentation is provided within two business days of returning to classes.
Exams and quizzes missed for an excused reason must be made-up within one week of the student’s return to classes unless otherwise exempted (e.g., appropriate medical conditions such as concussion or hospitalization). Assignments due during the missed class meeting(s) are to be submitted to the instructor the first day the student returns to classes. Failure to properly follow these guidelines as described will result in a grade of zero for the exam or assignment in question.
Laboratory:
Attendance in lab is mandatory unless otherwise stated by the course instructor or indicated in the lab schedule (e.g., open labs). A 2.5% penalty will be assessed on the course total for the first unexcused absence from lab and an additional 5% penalty for each subsequent absence.
Students should not plan events that conflict with lab. The biology faculty may excuse an absence due to athletic games (not practices), scheduled performances (e.g., band or choir), or class field trips. Other non-emergency cases will require prior approval of the instructor.
Requests for a non-emergency excused absence should be submitted at least one week in advance. Please contact the instructor as early as possible in the semester to determine a course of action. Failure to make arrangements before missing a lab for a non-emergency reason will always be considered an unexcused absence.
If missing lab is unavoidable due to an illness or other emergency, the student should make every effort to notify the instructor beforehand. The absence will only be excused if written verifiable documentation is provided within two business days of returning to classes. Missed lab penalties will be applied after the documentation window has expired.
Make-up labs will not be offered. Lab practical exams must be made up later the same calendar week of the original exam date.
Students must be in lab at the designated start time. Each late arrival will result in a 1% penalty applied to the lab portion of the course grade. Late arrivals after the first 20 minutes will not be admitted and the above missed lab penalties will apply. Unexcused early departures (prior to the completion of all lab work) will likewise result in a 1% penalty applied to the lab portion of the course grade.
Major in Chemistry
Requirements
Completion of these requirements for the degree results in accreditation in chemistry by the Committee on Professional Training of the American Chemical Society.
Students interested in graduate work in chemistry may wish to consider a course in computer science and additional courses in mathematics and physics.
Interdisciplinary Major in Biochemistry
An interdisciplinary program for students interested in biochemistry is specially designed for those who plan ON professional careers in medicine, medical technology, pharmacology, bacteriology, cellular biology, molecular biology, microbiology, toxicology or physiology.
Requirements
Biochemistry majors who wish to receive accreditation in biochemistry by the Committee on Professional Training of the American Chemical Society must elect CHE 323 and 324 in addition to the required courses and select either CHE411 or CHE412 as their 400-level course. Students interested in graduate work in biochemistry and related fields may wish to consider additional courses from the 400-level courses (listed above) or from CHE 323 and 324 and BIO 321, 322 and 333.
Since biochemistry is already an interdisciplinary program, no courses are dropped from this program to create a combined program in biochemistry. However, this does not preclude you from combining biochemistry with another program.
Environmental Chemistry
Our program in environmental chemistry provides a sound general background in chemistry with a specific emphasis on the chemistry of the environment. It prepares you for graduate programs in chemistry, environmental chemistry and environmental science; for immediate employment in solving environmental problems; or for further study in a variety of other professional programs. The program emphasizes practical experience in solving environmental problems.
Requirements
Students interested in graduate work in environmental chemistry and related fields may wish to consider elective courses from the following:
Secondary Chemistry Education
Chemistry Majors preparing for a career in education take Chemistry courses and a series of Education and other courses specified by the Education Department to meet Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. As early as possible in their college experience, candidates for teacher certification in Chemistry should consult the Requirements section of the Education website and the chair of Education regarding specific course requirements. The Chemistry Education certification program is a grades 7-12 program.
Combined Major in Chemistry
Requirements
Minor in Chemistry
Requirements
The interdisciplinary nature of the environmental science major (see interdisciplinary studies) allows students to address a wide range of contemporary questions through the natural sciences of biology, ecology, earth sciences, chemistry, the social sciences including political science, sociology, economics, and psychology and the humanities of history and philosophy. The major is designed for science students wishing to pursue careers in environmental research/technology and resource management or pursue graduate study in an environmental field.
Requirements:
Environmental Science majors must take:
ESS 101 and 400
Seven courses within the science/math core:
– BIO 152 and either BIO 151 or BIO 203
– BIO 200 (fulfills general studies quantitative reasoning requirement)
– BIO 211
– CHEM 105 (fulfills general studies natural science requirement)
– CHEM 106 and 207
ESS 325
Two courses from each of the following three groups:
– Biological Group: BIO 214, BIO 220, BIO 246, BIO 318, BIO 319, BIO 337, BIO 389, BIO 491, BIO 494, ESS 298
– Physical Science Group: BIO 312, BIO/ESS 315, ESS 205, ESS 310
– Socio-Political-Cultural Group: ANT 365, ANT 285, POL 214, POL 321, ECO 224, HIS 280, PHI 270, PSY 350, REL 280, SOC 291, ESS 260, ESS 298
Two of the four choices from the biological and physical science groups must be field-based laboratory courses. Students should be aware that some graduate programs in the environmental fields also require a semester of calculus and physics and two semesters of organic chemistry. Students are also encouraged to participate in a study abroad field course (BIO 389 – Tropical Field Ecology of Costa Rica, ESS 298 – Ecological and Anthropological Field Study in Peru or a similar study abroad experience approved by the Biology Department). Students interested in the Environmental Science major should contact Professors Osgood or Mech in the Biology Department.
The Department of Physics offers a flexible course of study that prepares you for success in a wide range of technically related fields. Opportunities after graduation include graduate study, industrial research and development, engineering, teaching, technical management and software development. We’ll give you an excellent education in the fundamentals of physics, with special emphasis on strong mathematical skills, advanced laboratory training and collaborative student-faculty research.
You can choose from among three major tracks of study:
Physics majors interested in graduate programs are encouraged to take courses beyond the basic requirements. Since requirements for graduate programs vary, you are encouraged to seek advice from faculty members in the department. Students interested in pursuing teacher certification in physics must consult the chair of the Department of Education regarding specific requirements for the program.
Requirements for the General Physics track:
First Year:
Second Year:
Third Year:
Fourth Year:
Requirements for the Optical Physics track:
First Year:
Second Year:
Third Year:
Fourth Year:
Physics Majors preparing for a career in education take Physics courses and a series of Education and other courses specified by the Education Department to meet Pennsylvania Department of Education regulations. As early as possible in their college experience, candidates for teacher certification in English should consult the Requirements section of the Education website and the chair of Education regarding specific course requirements. The Physics Education certification is a grades 7-12 program.
Co-Major in Physics
Requirements
Co-Majors in Optical Physics
Requirements
A student may combine optics with any other major. However, the high level of computational background required for most optics courses favors combining with mathematics.
The mathematics courses required are:
