Arts & Science Update

Posted by Kylie on Wednesday, September 1, 2010 in Academic Life, College of Arts and Science.

I intended to write about the Commons today.  I’ll talk plenty about the first-year living experience throughout this blog.  However, today I want to relay information from Dr. McIntyre, an Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Science.   Admissions counselors sit through hours of update meetings from various departments across campus at the end of each summer.  The point is that when we travel through your hometowns this fall we are bringing the latest information with us.  The meeting this morning with Dr. McIntyre captured my attention and I thought you might find the information interesting as well (if not, you can just chalk this post up to me being a total nerd and wait for my post on the Commons).

A Global Focus

We do not have a single major in international studies/relations/business.  Rather, we have majors with tracks of an international flavor.  If you are thinking you’re interested in international-something then these opportunities might be of interest to you:

• Political Science now has an International Politics track
• History now has a Global and Transnational concentration
• Public Policy Studies has a track focus titled Middle East Region
• Women’s and Gender Studies has a thematic concentration in Feminisms: Global and Local
• Area studies is still one of the best ways to prepare for international business because they include history, culture and language: we offer majors in European Studies, Latin American Studies, and Asian Studies

Talking about Science

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields are more important than ever in the 21st Century.  We absolutely need more STEM majors and individuals in respective careers.  Yet, we also need people who can talk about STEM in other fields such as journalism, health administration, advertising, etc.  Here are ways Vanderbilt’s College of Arts and Science is preparing non-STEM majors to work in a STEM-heavy world.

• Medicine, Health, and Society is the fastest growing majoring in A&S; it investigates the social and cultural contexts of medicine – it hones in on the social science aspect of this field which is absolutely central to the American economy
• We now offer a major in Communication of Science and Technology

By the Numbers

Approximately two-thirds of Vanderbilt undergraduates choose a major in the College of Arts & Science.

As of Fall 2010 our largest declared majors in the College of Arts and Science were as follows:

1. Economics
2. Political Science
3. Medicine, Health, and Society
4. Psychology
5. English
6. Spanish
7. History
8. Mathematics
9. Neuroscience

As of Fall 2010 our largest declared minors were as follows:

1. Managerial Studies (Corporate Strategy, Financial Economics, or Leadership and Organization)
2. Chemistry
3. Spanish

A Few Final Notes

• A College of Arts and Science student takes about one-third of their coursework within their major, one-third of their coursework in AXLE (liberal arts requirements), and one-third of their coursework consists of electives
• Approximately 40 percent of A&S students double major
• There is now a pre-major advising office for students located in the Commons with hours that are student-friendly; after you choose your major a faculty member in your department will serve as your advisor

Like always, that was a ton of information (you’re probably wishing I wrote about the Commons)!  Talk to me if you have questions.

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