College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

BA-Liberal Studies Applied Cultural Thought

The one constant in our lives is change, which is going on all around us. Not only are we changing, but so is the social and cultural matrix in which we live. The concentration in Cultural Studies gives students a background in how cultures and societies work and the ways they change. It focuses on the nature and direction of cultural and social change in countries and societies. It also emphasizes the impact of globalization on this change.

The concentration includes courses in the social sciences that help students understand society and culture, develop skills in data analysis, and grasp issues in the dynamics of human populations. It provides a wide range of electives that allow students to explore geographic areas and specific topics and give them additional, but needed knowledge and skills.

Applied Cultural Thought students are ready to play important roles in many causes and organizations or to continue their education in graduate and professional school. The organizations include the United Nations, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Agency for International Development, the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, private global industries, international nongovernmental organizations such as CARE, the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam America, and International Organization on Migration. Students can also pursue opportunities with a variety of domestic nongovernmental organizations that deal with issues of culture, diversity and poverty in the U.S., such as the Poverty Law Center, Urban League, and NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

The degree also prepares students for graduate and professional programs in sociology, anthropology, development studies, international law, and public relations, among others, leading to careers in the private or public sector and in college or university teaching and research.

Curriculum Guide