University of California, Merced - Social Sciences and Humanities

School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts Website

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND ETHICS DEGREE?

A major in Science, Technology, and Ethics is an excellent stepping stone to a wide range of different careers, depending on which STEM field students engage with. Potential career paths that may not require a graduate degree include science policy, public health communication, research ethics administration, user experience (UX) research, and AI ethics. Potential career paths that would likely require a graduate degree include environmental or technology law and clinical bioethics.

Upon graduation, you might become:

Communications Specialist
Project Manager
Public Relations Manager
Information Technology Analyst
Management Analyst
Human Resources Specialist
Project Management Specialist
Compliance Officer
Intellectual Property Lawyer*
Social Science Researcher*

*these occupations typically require additional education/training

Employment Outlook for Program Graduates

2022 Median Pay in California: $101,236
563 job openings/year
7.2% projected growth in 2022-2032

Neuroscience, B.S., B.A.

bwright3 — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 18:32:40 +0000

Neuroscience is the study of the nervous system of humans and animals from an anatomical, molecular, and functional perspective. From an anatomical perspective, neuroscientists study the structure of neurons, synapsis, enzymes, and molecules involved in neural signal transmission, as well as the structure of the brain and sensory and cognitive systems (visual, auditory, motor, memory, and attention). From a molecular and functional perspective, neuroscientists study how biochemical and enzymatic reactions facilitate neural inhibitions and excitations within and across neuro-muscular structures and in turn how these processes mediate processing of environmental stimuli, regulate organ functions, and maintain body homeostasis. Moreover, the study of modern neuroscience includes a macro examination of how neural signaling across the entire nervous system manifests in behavior and disease, typically studied in the fields of Psychology, Health, and Cognitive science. Such macro topics include how brain encoding of environmental, linguistic, and musical stimuli, emotions, memory, artistic talent, and languages facilitate learning and development and how social interactions influence mental and physical health.

UC MERCED NEUROSCIENCE PROGRAM

The Neuroscience major offering takes all aspects of the study of neuroscience. A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Neuroscience option offers a comprehensive scientific learning experience, not only in molecular and cell neurobiology, psychology, cognitive sciences, and biomedical engineering but also the subject matters that biological systems are based on, such as chemistry, physics and mathematics. The B.S. option offers three emphases to suit students’ career plans. These emphases are: 1) Molecular, Systems and Cellular, 2) Computational, Perceptual, and Cognitive 3) Neuroscience of Human Health and Development.
Alternatively, ��쿪�� offers a Bachelor of Art (B.A.) in Neuroscience option, which is similar to the B.S. option but with less emphasis on physics and mathematics. Finally, ��쿪�� also offers a Minor in Neuroscience (20-21 units), which has 2 required courses and 3 electives.

School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts Website

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A NEUROSCIENCE DEGREE?

Graduates of the Neuroscience program will develop skills that go beyond a neuroscience focus, including critical thinking, communicating ideas effectively, and analyzing problems effectively. Graduates of the Neuroscience program will be well prepared to go on to graduate school in disciplines related to Neuroscience, Psychology, Cognitive Science, and Health, including nursing and medicine. Moreover, neuroscience graduates will be well prepared for high school teaching careers, and careers as researchers in health and pharmaceutical settings. Finally, neuroscience graduates are highly sought after in industry, especially in companies that utilize data science to study social trends and social biases.

Upon graduation, you might become:

Natural Sciences Manager
Clinical Research Coordinator
Research Associate
Project Manager
Medical Scientist*
Biological Scientist*
Physician*
Biological Technician
Data Analyst
Clinical Laboratory Technologist

*these occupations typically require additional education/training

Employment Outlook for Program Graduates

2022 Median Pay in California: $97,013
4,171 job openings/year
8.3% projected growth in 2022-2032

Communication and Media, B.A.

bwright3 — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 18:29:40 +0000

The BA in Communication and Media at ��쿪�� brings together research and practices of the social sciences and humanities in a broadly interdisciplinary approach to the study of human communication in diverse media. In addition to the field of communication, our faculty conduct research in many fields, including media and cultural studies, film studies, performance studies, visual studies, sound studies, gender studies, rhetoric, writing studies, cognitive science, and linguistics. We draw on these fields to illuminate processes of human communication and how these manifest socially, materially, and politically in scholarship that is historical, transnational, and committed to community engagement and social justice.

UC MERCED COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA PROGRAM

Our program offers students the tools available to analyze, investigate, and produce effective communication in a wide variety of media for diverse audiences and perspectives. This training prepares students to pursue positions in many occupations and graduate programs, including media production, journalism, health communication, industrial and labor relations, public information, opinion research, legislative staff positions, mediation and negotiation, legal research, business management, and other professions in which effective communication is essential. In addition to a B.A. in Communication and Media, we also offer emphasis tracks in Media Production, and Linguistics that provide more specialized background in particular areas of inquiry.

More Information About the Major and Minor School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA DEGREE?

Upon graduation, you might become:

Advertising Manager
Content Creator
Journalist
Marketing Manager
Market Research Analyst
Sales Manager
Project Manager
Fundraiser
Public Relations Specialist
Editor
Artistic Director
Multimedia Artist or Animator

Employment Outlook for Program Graduates

2022 Median Pay in California: $95,306
35,872 job openings/year
7.2% projected growth in 2022-2032

Environmental Humanities, B.A.

Steven Powers — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 17:33:57 +0000

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL HUMANITIES

We are in the midst of a global environmental crisis. Scientists and academics from various disciplines have been researching our current environmental problems and coming up with solutions for decades, and yet little progress seems to be made. Why is this? This is a complicated question, but an important part of the answer is that environmental research often doesn’t get effectively “translated” into understandable, moving messages for the wider public. We need better environmental communicators — people capable of turning important research into relatable and, inspirational content that will lead to actual change in the real world.

The ��쿪�� Environmental Humanities (EH) major and minor lay the foundation for becoming an environmental communicator. The “toolkit” you’ll develop in this program — including storytelling, creativity, critical thinking, and audience sensitivity — are applicable to producing inspiring and engaging content about society's most pressing environmental and social justice issues. After hearing from experts in the field, you’ll complete projects ranging from podcasts to comics to plays. Use skills you’ll hone in this program are not only necessary for creating a better world but are also rare and valuable abilities that employers today are looking for.

UC MERCED ENVIRONMENTAL HUMANITIES PROGRAM

The Environmental Humanities major and minor at ��쿪�� is the first of its kind in the University of California system. This program, centered on the study and analysis of literary, artistic, and creative works about environmental topics drawn from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, has a strong base in literature — where the term “literature” is taken to mean any cultural production that can be “read.” The program includes reading and understanding environmental research as well as creative environmental works. Special attention is paid to environmental justice, Indigenous ways of knowing, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Black ecology, BIPOC perspectives, and postcolonial and decolonizing frameworks.

The Environmental Humanities program responds to an urgent need to create clear and inspiring environmental communications. Graduates of this career-oriented program will be professionals who understand environmental science and environmental injustice and can tell compelling stories about the research and data that urges action.

Major Minor

School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts

What Can You Do With An Environmental Humanities Degree?

Annual Job Openings in CA: 10,769
10-year projected job market growth:17.9%
Median wage in California: $91,983

Upon graduation, you might become:

Project Management Specialist
Environmental Consultant
Operations Manager
Marketing Manager
Public Relations Manager
Communications Manager
Media Programming Director
Environmental Planner
Project Coordinator
Writer

Writing Studies, B.A.

jgarcia571 — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 15:11:13 +0000

Writing Studies emphasizes a broad-based investigation of the process and production of writing, focusing on theories and practices of language use as well as artistic, academic and professional expression. Our degree features specializations in professional and technical writing, often advantageous for dual degrees with the social sciences and sciences, particularly in health professions. The comprehensive degree program is designed to be 54 units, allowing for this possibility of double majors, with particular interest for undergraduates in STEM fields to combine science and writing studies degrees.

Graduate and Professional Schools

Masters in Fine Arts
Law school
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Humanities MA and Ph.D. programs (Rhetoric / Composition, Applied Linguistics, Education, Communications, Arts, and/or English Literature)

Minor Requirements School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts

What Can You Do With A Writing Degree?

Annual Job Openings in CA: 674
10-year projected job market growth: 15.9%
Median wage in California: $89,121

Upon graduation, you might become:

Author
Creative Writer
Copywriter
Communications Specialist
Advertising and Promotions Managers
Market Research Analyst
Editor
Reporter
Journalist
Technical Writer

Writing Minor

bwright3 — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:22:24 +0000

��쿪�� Writing Program

The writing minor enhances students' understanding of the theoretical, creative, interdisciplinary and professional aspects of writing, and helps them develop the vocabulary, syntax, style and voice appropriate to the practice of composition in diverse fields.

By using the writing process to strengthen their ideas, students develop strategies for participating in research, policy-making, professional advancement and creative expression. Study of language is a central activity, including engaging rhetorical elements common to all writing as well as conventions particular to specific disciplines. Overall, this program fosters a writing culture, integrating knowledge creation with communication.

The minor in writing is open to — and appropriate for — students majoring in any field, and prepares those proceeding on to graduate work for the challenges of advanced academic writing, critical reading and effective speech.

By representing the student's intensive work in writing, the minor also signals to prospective employers the student's distinguished preparation for the demands of the professional workplace.

Minor Information Minor Requirements School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts Website

Geospatial Technology Minor

bwright3 — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:13:46 +0000

Students taking the minor in Geospatial Technology learn to use geospatial hardware and software and apply these tools to the study of society, culture, earth sciences, and socio-environmental phenomena. Through experiential and technology-based coursework, the program prepares students in spatial data acquisition via positioning systems and remote sensing; in spatial data encoding, management, analysis, and display in maps and other visualizations; and in developing models and databases via Geographic Information Systems software. Students completing the minor will be prepared for such diverse careers as business and economics, historic preservation, cultural and natural resource management, and spatial data analysis and mapping.

Minor Requirements School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts

Spanish Minor

bwright3 — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:10:01 +0000

��쿪�� Spanish Minor

Being able to communicate in a foreign language is a fundamental asset in any profession, from careers in education, translating and interpreting to those in international studies, health, business or law. A minor in Spanish addresses the needs of students who seek the ability to communicate in more than one language to be competitive in their chosen professions.

The study of Spanish language and culture is of special importance in the United States, the country with the second largest Spanish-speaking population in the world. The Spanish minor offers students the linguistic confidence needed for studying in another country and the benefits of being exposed to other cultures.

Minor Requirements School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts

Sociology Minor

bwright3 — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:08:43 +0000

��쿪�� Sociology Minor

A minor in Sociology gives students the ability to understand the complexities of today’s society by examining human behavior and social actions. In examining how social structures (such as work, the family, religion, etc.) help shape social rules, processes and agency, students gain a better understanding of the entirety of today's world — from poverty, gender, race and organizational behavior to politics. In studying these issues, students learn to use analytical reasoning and apply sociological theories to explain a wide range of social phenomena.

Minor Requirements School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts

Psychology Minor

bwright3 — Wed, 24 Feb 2021 00:07:45 +0000

��쿪�� Psychology Minor

Psychology is a social science that helps students better understand and interpret scientific information and ways to apply quantitative tools such as statistics. Psychology is often of inherent interest to students.

Taking a psychology minor provides an interesting exposure to novel and exciting ideas that students would not otherwise encounter and can be of great use to students who are majoring in other fields. For example, students taking a pre-med curriculum find a psychology minor useful for understanding the social and psychological aspects of medical care or as preparation for a career in psychiatry. Students in management and economics find coursework in social psychology, decision-making and organizational and industrial psychology to be of particular use to their careers.