Minors

Why Add a Minor?

A well-chosen minor can enhance your major, provide an opportunity to discover more about an interest, and add additional skills and knowledge to your resume.  A minor broadens your skills and your outlook, and it can help you offer a more diverse learning experience to a graduate school or to an employer.

From art and music, to leadership and business, we offer nineteen opportunities for a minor that fits your goals, your dreams and your interests.

Turn Minors into a Major Opportunity

For some students, a single focused major doesn’t fit their personality or their goals. Our Multi-Disciplinary Studies degree lets you design your own major by combining three of our minors. They can all be connected, or they can be diverse, to fit both your interest and career goals. It’s a great way to add depth to your education and tailor it to your own style and goals.

• Art (18 credit hours) – designed for students who wish to major in another discipline, but desire a minor in art.
• Biology (19 credit hours) – for students who want to briefly study living organisms and life processes.
• Business Administration (21 credit hours) – offer in seat and online, this minor helps students develop business skills.
• Chemistry ( 18 credit hours) – gain an understanding of chemical reactions and the chemistry involved in everyday life in the world around us.
• Communication (18 credit hours) – provides a foundation in the study of human communication while integrating areas of study including speech, writing, public relations and journalism.
• Computer Science (20 credit hours) – from database systems to computer networks and more, a computer science minor provides a wide range of skills.
• Criminal Justice (18 credit hours) – for students who want to briefly study the criminal justice system. Students will take courses in areas such as criminal law, law enforcement, terrorism and homeland security, etc.
• Digital Media Design (12 credit hours) – this minor is an excellent complement for students majoring in Communications, Digital Marketing, Political Science, and others.
• Entrepreneurship (19 credit hours) – uses design thinking, the business model canvas, and lean startup methodologies in a hands-on, experiential approach to new venture creation.
• Game Development (21 credit hours) – provides a foundation in the study of game development with a focus on content and systems design.
• Health Science (18 credit hours) – this minor helps students develop a broader perspective of the health science field.
• History (18 credit hours) – provides a study into the past with course areas such as world cultures, history of war, world geography, etc. Students must choose three of four 200 level courses and three of four 300 level courses listed in the academic catalog.
• Music (23 credit hours) – designed to educate students interested in studying and practicing music as an avocation. The curriculum focuses on the development of content knowledge in popular and world music history in addition to performance skills as a soloist and member of an ensemble. The credit hours are broken down into 9 credits in coursework; 6 credits in ensemble; and 8 credits in private instruction.
• Organizational Leadership (18 credit hours) – provides individuals with the skills they need to join the next generation of global leaders by using foundational skills and applying personal and professional knowledge in core leadership competencies.
• Political Science (18 credit hours) – provides a glimpse into the political science field with courses in legislative/executive/judicial branch politics, foundations in public policy, national government, etc.
• Professional Writing (18 credit hours) – designed to help students who want to focus on writing in the professional world. The curriculum draws from English, public relations and communication courses to give students a background in several key professional areas.
• Psychology (18 credit hours) – helps students understand the operation of behavior and mental processes of organisms, appreciate psychology as a discipline, a science and a profession. Students must take Intro to Psychology, Lifespan Development and 12 hours of Psychology electives. Nine of the 12 credits of electives must be at the 300 level, and should be selected in conversation with a member of the Psychology faculty and the student’s major advisor to ensure the student’s educational objectives are met.
• Regional Studies in Appalachia (18 credit hours) – provides students an opportunity to study local culture in an interdisciplinary way with courses spanning from English to Social Sciences to Business.
• Sport Business (18 credit hours) – blends business and sport management courses into a minor designed to help students succeed in the sport industry. Students select from courses such as sport law, facility/event management, sport media/information, coaching theory, etc.
• Strength & Conditioning (18 credit hours) – designed to expand students’ knowledge of performance enhancement through interdisciplinary coursework in Movement Science, Athletic Training and Health Science. Students completing the Strength & Conditioning minor are prepared to take recognized credentialing certification exams offered by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).