College of Arts and Sciences to introduce new degree programs

The College of Arts and Sciences is rolling out five new degree programs that will be available to students beginning with the fall 2021 semester.

The New York State Education Department recently approved the forward-thinking degree opportunities, which will provide students with career-ready skills needed to succeed in rapidly developing and expanding professional fields.

The five new degrees include three graduate level programs and two at the undergraduate level:

• Master of Arts in Art & Design for Social Impact.
• Master of Science in Criminology.
• Master of Arts in Global Affairs.
• Bachelor of Arts in Global Affairs.
• Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE).

The diverse options not only reflect the college’s growth, but its goal of providing innovative programs designed to meet student demand while helping students build the educational foundation necessary to create exciting professional opportunities.

“The new programs at the undergraduate and graduate level respond to the interests of our students and the expertise of our faculty. They are designed to give students the skills they need to solve present problems and create successful careers,” says Robin Schulze, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The MS in Criminology focuses on the nature and causes of crime; characteristics and behaviors of people who commit crime and who are affected by crime; how law enforcement agencies and criminal justice systems work; how society reacts to crime, victims and people who commit crime; and connections between crime and other social institutions, such as work, schools, media, etc..

The MA in Global Affairs offers students advanced understanding of the processes, institutions and challenges arising in the modern global system. Students will examine how international, regional and domestic factors affect relations between and within countries, and with non-governmental and international actors. A major focus of the program will be instilling the conceptual, analytical and methodological tools needed to ground a rigorous understanding of the factors structuring global affairs. `

The BA in Global Affairs provides students with the opportunity to investigate questions related to international politics, global policies, international law and economics. Students interested in international relations, human rights, international conflict and law are well-suited for a BA in Global Affairs.

The MA in Art & Design for Social Impact underscores the critical function of design in helping to address complex social issues. Working with a diverse range of community partners and social justice advocacy groups, students will develop a better understanding of design’s pivotal role in generating positive social change. Students will learn the value of an integrative and interdisciplinary design practice that encourages critical thinking, teamwork and collaboration — empowering a new generation of designers to become more active members of their community.

The BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), which is the first undergraduate major of its kind to offer a course of study in local PPE, provides students with a set of interdisciplinary tools to think rigorously about complex social problems.

Students will learn about the relationship between markets and morality, the role institutions play in shaping our politics and economics, and how social norms can shape our behavior. Students who study PPE will gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of political life, and develop the tools for promoting positive social change. After receiving training in the core methods of PPE, students can choose to focus on one of three thematic domains, each relating to a particular level of governance: local, national or global.