Goucher College announces eight new majors
Goucher College has launched eight new majors, each rooted in the liberal arts and focused on preparing students for success in the global economy. The new interdisciplinary majors include education studies, engineering science, French transnational studies, integrative arts studies, integrative data analytics, literary studies, professional and creative writing, and visual and material culture. These new majors have been in development for the past two years and have now been approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC).
“Goucher College has always been known for innovation. These eight new majors continue that tradition of innovation and offer real value to our students’ future success in their careers,” said Kent Devereaux, Goucher College president. “The college’s investment in these new majors reflects Goucher’s commitment to the liberal arts and is grounded in our three key pillars of global education, social justice, and innovative teaching designed for today’s students.”
Designed and approved by the Goucher faculty, the new majors, along with the other majors offered at the college, provide students with foundational skills to excel in the rapidly evolving and complex workforce. All major and minors at Goucher focus on four core principles: writing, global education, foreign language, and data analytics.
Goucher College new majors:
- Education studies—Offers students the opportunity to explore education policy, while providing an optional path to become an elementary classroom teacher through a 4+1 certification program
- Engineering science—An interdisciplinary program focusing on broad skills-based preparation for tomorrow’s science- and engineering-related careers
- French transnational studies—A broader lens of French cultures from around the world as well as a comprehensive exploration of the language
- Integrative arts studies—Combining a variety of concentrations across art mediums and giving students the tools to work as collaborators and entrepreneurial individuals in the creative economy
- Integrative data analytics—A union of mathematical and computational sciences with a focus on data and its applications
- Literary studies—An examination of American and international literature from the perspectives of varied narrators
- Professional and creative writing—A deep dive into fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction alongside pragmatic applications of writing
- Visual and material culture—A hands-on approach to studying art history and historic preservation
“The engineering science major represents a new and exciting concept for a science- and technology-oriented major,” said Rodney Yoder, associate professor of physics. “It focuses on the problem-solving and the skills students will need in many career paths, while still benefiting from the strength of the liberal arts and the expertise of the science faculty at Goucher.”
The foundation for every major is the Goucher Commons curriculum, which creates shared learning experiences to best prepare students for jobs of the future. Students engage in problem-based learning across disciplines with two complex-problem exploration courses that explore a variety of topics. Race, power, and perspective and environmental sustainability are two areas of inquiry students pursue across their learning. In addition, there are numerous hands-on learning components integrated throughout the Goucher Commons, including community-based learning, research with faculty, internships, and study abroad.
To see the full list of majors and minors at Goucher College, please visit https://www.goucher.edu/learn/undergraduate-programs/.