ARTS courses examine the significance of the arts in the human experience, the cultural context of creative composition and performance, the foundations of aesthetic values, and the communicative function of the arts.
All UNC Asheville students must take 3.0 credits of ARTS, or LAC (Liberal Arts Core) courses designated as approved ARTS courses, before they graduate.
UNC Asheville's Ethics and Social Institutions Program is designed to enable students to examine and evaluate social issues from interdisciplinary perspectives. Participating students will learn about economic, political and cultural institutions and the relationships between them. By examining markets, governments and community organizations, students will learn about decision-making processes and be able to determine their ethical implications and the outcomes of social choice.
The interdisciplinary concentration in Ethics and Social Institutions can lead to careers or advanced study in law, business, and government, or more specialized academic disciplines at the graduate level.
Students in UNC Asheville's Ethics and Social Institutions Program (ESI), under the guidance of the director of interdisciplinary studies, design their own individualized course of study by drawing on many disciplines including but not limited to economics, philosophy, political science, management, mass communication, psychology and sociology.
This personalized program allows each student to develop a course of study consistent with individual interests, while at the same time, investigating a specific set of social/political institutions. Thematic possibilities could include:
The requirements for the B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Ethics and Social Institutions include an introductory course - ESI 101 and PHIL 200 (Introduction to Ethical Theories) - as well as courses in social science research methods, ESI 490 (Senior Research in Ethics and Social Institutions), and choices from many elective courses.
Melissa Burchard
Professor of Philosophy
Director of Ethics and Social Institutions
236 Whitesides Hall
mburchar@unca.edu
828-232-2990
At UNC Asheville, we go far beyond the basics of business and the study of organizations. Our students learn how to think critically and creatively, collaborate across disciplines, and develop a global awareness so they can become successful decision makers in their careers.
Business majors can enroll in upper-level courses to explore areas and blend theory with practice in entrepreneurship, finance, global business, human resource management, marketing, and leadership, among others. Beyond the classroom, students may complete project-based internships, study abroad, engage in undergraduate research, or join our active chapters of Beta Gamma Sigma, the premier international business honor society, or the IMA Accounting Honor Society.
At UNC Asheville, we go far beyond the basics of business and the study of organizations. Our students learn how to think critically and creatively, collaborate across disciplines, and develop a global awareness so they can become successful decision makers in their careers.
Accounting majors may take upper-level courses in tax, audit, nonprofit, governmental, and other advanced topics. Beyond the classroom, students may complete project based internships, study abroad, engage in undergraduate research, or join our active chapters of Beta Gamma Sigma, the premier international business honor society, or the IMA Accounting Honor Society.
Visit mgmtacct.unca.edu for departmental updates and news.
Through the UNC Asheville teacher licensure program you will have the opportunity to pursue the subject you love while attaining a license to teach it! In four years you can graduate with both a bachelor’s degree in a specific subject and a teaching license, making you marketable in two areas.
With a liberal arts foundation, UNC Asheville graduates are teachers who have broad perspective; who think critically, reflectively and creatively; who are humane and committed to meeting the learning needs of all students; and who guide students using active inquiry to become effective and productive citizens in the 21st century.
The department also offers post-baccalaureate opportunities for individuals who already hold a bachelor's degree or higher and desire an initial North Carolina Standard Professional I Teaching License.
In UNC Asheville’s Department of Health and Wellness, we offer flexible programs designed to support students in promoting health in a variety of populations and settings. With a focus on holistic approaches to wellness, our curriculum includes and integrates nutrition, exercise science, mental health, and public health. Our faculty are as passionate about creating healthier communities as they are about helping students find their calling. Beyond the classroom, students pursue internships and employment, research projects, leadership experiences and community-engaged learning opportunities.
All students will receive an integrative and holistic educational experience that includes gaining foundational knowledge in human physiology, chronic disease, nutrition, exercise science, mental and emotional health, research methodologies, and public and community health.
Building on this foundation, you will have the opportunity to choose one of three concentrations within the Health and Wellness Promotion major:
Students interested in Health Sciences pursue careers in areas such as physical therapy, nursing, medicine, occupational therapy, neuroscience, counseling, holistic health, nutrition, and exercise science. As many of these career areas require additional education, UNC Asheville also has a Pre-Health Professions Program that provides students additional support for graduate school preparation.
Students interested in Public Health pursue careers in areas including health promotion and program coordination in and with community-based organizations, public health departments, schools, care facilities, hospitals, businesses, and other entities. Graduates also may advocate for systemic policy changes that support the health and wellbeing of populations, working with advocacy and other organizations. Public health graduates also pursue graduate studies in fields such as community health, health behavior and society, epidemiology, health policy and management, mental health counseling, social work and other fields.
Students interested in General Health and Wellness Promotion pursue careers in community health, health education, fitness and nutrition promotion, and holistic health modalities in a variety of settings such as non-profit organizations, gyms and fitness facilities, workplaces, educational settings and government agencies.
Students in the Health and Wellness program will also have access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment for aerobic and anaerobic fitness assessment, body composition testing, biofeedback assessment and training, health promotion and disease prevention research as well as a teaching kitchen for hands-on learning to put nutrition principles into practice.
UNC Asheville’s Political Science department comprises seven full-time faculty members who were trained at some of the nation’s top research universities and are deeply committed to undergraduate education. Political Science faculty members have interests and expertise across the political science discipline and also value interdisciplinarity. The Political Science department boasts a long and proud tradition of community engagement involving collaboration among faculty members, students, and community partners in the service of shared interests and values.
At the foundation of the Political Science department is a rich and rigorous curriculum with a wide variety of courses in American politics, world politics, political theory, and law. In addition, Political Science majors enjoy a variety of unique active-learning opportunities through internships, service learning, community-engaged scholarship, and research assistantships. All Political Science majors complete and present original scholarship under the close mentorship of a political science faculty member, informed by a variety of different methods and approaches.
UNC Asheville’s Political Science department is particularly distinguished for its leadership in the field of human rights. The department spearheaded the creation of the new Human Rights minor as well as the student-led undergraduate human rights research journal, Dignity.
The Political Science department’s flexible curriculum allows students to pursue double majors, additional minors, and study abroad. Upon graduation, Political Science majors are prepared to live rich lives and embark on meaningful careers in public service, law, journalism, teaching, international relations, and other related areas.
The department also offers political science majors the exceptional option of pursuing a joint degree with the University of Essex to earn both a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from UNC Asheville and a Master of Arts (M.A.) or a Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree in Human Rights from the University of Essex in roughly 4.5 years. For more information, please contact the Political Science Department at political_science@unca.edu or 828.251.6634.
How does the human mind work, and how does this shape the world we live in? As a psychology major at UNC Asheville, you’ll explore these compelling topics through the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Our exclusively undergraduate liberal arts program combines the rigor of pre-professional training for careers in psychology with the opportunity to explore other related disciplines. Unlike larger universities, we offer smaller classes taught by professors, not teaching assistants, and the opportunity to collaborate closely with faculty. Our department is a community of scholars dedicated to supporting each other as we work together to make the world a better place through the knowledge and best practices of the discipline.
Psychology students learn the fundamentals of the discipline and develop open-minded skepticism through training in psychological theory, research, and application. Students can conduct original research through our nationally recognized undergraduate research program, and the neuroscience minor is popular among students who want to understand brain science from different disciplinary perspectives. Outside the classroom, students can join Psych Club or our active chapter of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology. Our graduates find careers in a range of fields, including healthcare, research, business, and more, while others pursue professional programs in medicine, law, and education.
Our graduates work at large metropolitan newspapers and in Hollywood production offices. They create original films and documentaries, design strategic communication plans for major corporations, produce broadcast news, develop podcasts, and pursue graduate degrees in myriad fields. The range of their pursuits reflect the opportunities available in today’s evolving media industries, as well as the skills taught within the department. Our mass communication faculty bring both theoretical knowledge and practical skills to students, equipping graduates with a foundation from which to launch careers as journalists, communication professionals, film producers, social media strategists, photographers, scholars, and more.
All mass communication majors take foundational courses in journalism, video production, communication theory, media law, and ethics before creating a course of study to develop expertise within your chosen media field. Beyond the classroom, many of our students produce original film projects, complete internships to gain real-world experience, and work for the university’s student-run newspaper, The Blue Banner. In short, our graduates learn what it takes to thrive in today’s dynamic media industries.
UNC Asheville’s Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) program questions and challenges assumptions and constructs about gender and sexuality that affect all lives around the globe. Emerging from an activist tradition, WGSS provides resources to the university and the community by offering an array of co-curricular activities for students and community members. We regularly bring renowned artists, academics, and activists to campus, and also host our annual F-Word Film Festival (“f” for feminist) and our biennial Queer Studies Conference.
WGSS is an interdisciplinary program, offering core courses in WGSS and related electives from a variety of departments, including anthropology, political science, psychology, sociology, history, literature, philosophy, and more. Courses investigate the role of culture, social institutions and policy on perspectives of women, gender and sexuality in psychological, biological, social, political, literary and humanistic terms. Students are encouraged to apply their academic understanding to community action through the internship course, service learning, and volunteerism. Our students are prepared for careers in business, education, journalism, law, politics, public policy, and many other fields that require strong analytical and communication skills.
