Explore a wide range of disciplines and career tracks: from history to anthropology, communications to film studies, gender and women's studies to Africana studies, public administration to international non-governmental organizations, psychology to sociology, political science to justice studies, chemical dependency and addiction studies to gerontology, and more. These many and varied fields of study are all connected by a common focus on people, culture and behavior. Students go on to pursue careers in journalism, filmmaking, law enforcement, marketing, public relations, counseling, government, advocacy, nonprofit work and many more professions. Through the careful study of people and the world around them, students gain an understanding of human behavior and the way it drives industries and institutions. A rigorous academic environment combined with ample experiential learning opportunities means graduates go out into the world prepared to hit the ground running.
The BA in Anthropology provides students with the skills and knowledge to examine the diversity of lived experiences of individuals, groups and communities both locally and globally. Students receive a broad foundation exploring the archaeological, biological, cultural and linguistic facets of anthropology and then pursue their interests through topical elective courses. An emphasis on anthropological methods in these courses urges students to undertake several research projects. The major culminates in a senior capstone course that requires aspiring grads to create an original semester-long research project.
Locally and around the globe, RIC faculty in this field are committed to an applied and engaged anthropology that emphasizes addressing issues impacting local and global communities. As a result, graduates of the program go on to understand the real world implications of these issues and how anthropological tools can be used, preparing them for jobs in a variety of fields.
This degree program is designed to develop the professional skills of students who intend to work with people struggling with substance abuse, addiction and other behavioral health disorders. In addition to foundational courses on the scientific basis of behavior, professional courses will teach students interaction and intervention skills used by clinicians of the 21st century. By completing this program, graduates will earn many of the certification requirements for entry-level clinicians in chemical dependency.
Rhode Island College offers the only undergraduate chemical dependency professional preparation degree program in New England. This innovative program reflects the scientist/practitioner model taught by clinical and teaching faculty who offer a diversity of expertise. Students also gain access to rewarding and challenging training experiences in long established professional internship placements within local communities.
The minor in Behavioral Neuroscience consists of the study of the brain and behavioral science. The undergraduate study of behavioral neuroscience emphasizes the interdependent nature of science and allows students to draw knowledge from diverse fields in order to better understand and address our greatest social, biological and ethical challenges. The behavioral neuroscience minor seeks to prepare students for diverse careers or graduate study in fields related to behavior and brain function.
Rhode Island College offers students graduating with a minor in behavioral neuroscience are prepared for professional careers in neuroscience related fields. With this minor, in combination with degrees in psychology, biology, chemistry, and computer science, students can choose to pursue careers in biotechnology, consulting, medicine, pharmaceutical and/or medical industry, public health, research or teaching.
The minor in digital media production is for any student who wants to expand their digital media skills and learn to produce professional audio, video, music, podcasts, live streams and other multimedia projects. Courses in the minor provide students with foundations in concept development and scriptwriting for various forms of media and opportunities for advanced study in video and audio production and other forms of multimedia content creation. The digital media minor provides skills that complement a wide variety of majors, including education, psychology, music, theatre and dance.
Jobs related to digital media production have been projected to grow much faster than average. For instance, employment for video and film editors and camera operators is projected to grow by 18 percent from 2019 to 2029.
A geographic information system (GIS) links hardware, software, and people to collect, manage, analyze, map, store, update, and present a wide variety of data about human or animal populations, environmental events, and the places where they interact. GIS connects all manner of quantitative data to a base map by integrating location data (i.e., where things are) with all types of descriptive, analytic or predictive information (i.e., the conditions that exist—or will exist—at the place(s) under study).
In its 2021 annual job growth forecast, the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that several GIS-related careers will see greater than average growth by 2029. These professions include urban and regional planners, database administrators, environmental scientists and specialists, environmental science and protection technicians and GIS information systems technologists and technicians.
According to the online professional resource, “GISGeography” (October 24, 2022), RIC is offering the first undergraduate GIS certificate in Rhode Island.
Our Geography minor studies the science of what makes places unique and how natural environments influence patterns of human settlement in different regions of the country and world. We ask questions like: Where are phenomena located on the surface of the earth and why are they found there? Why do places differ so much from one another in their physical and cultural characteristics? Geography links social and natural sciences. As such, there are two branches of geography: Human Geography and Physical Geography. Human Geography covers the spatial aspects of human existence while Physical Geography examines patterns of weather, climate and climate change.
Geography students engage in hands-on, experiential learning with an opportunity to discover learning styles that work best for them. Field trips and work, internships, group projects and independent study are embedded within the diverse curriculum. The program also offers significant individualized guidance and advising, as well as a chance to work one-on-one with Geography professors on topics of personal interest.
Around the world, people are living longer. Rhode Island is home to the largest proportion of older adults aged 85 and over in the United States. The college’s gerontology program consists of courses in sociology, psychology, social work, political science and nursing. Many of the fastest growing career fields, including government, community planning and counseling, are relying upon the skills of social gerontologists.
As the first gerontology program in the state of Rhode Island, RIC’s multidisciplinary program leads to a minor or certificate in gerontology and equips students with a systematic grounding in the study of aging. It can be combined with any major with courses offered through the Schools of Arts & Sciences, Education, Nursing and Social Work.
As an interdisciplinary program, INGOS explores international social, political, and economic change and the people and movements that seek this change. INGOS offers two options: a minor and a certificate, both of which can be completed within a year. Students in the program have opportunities to work in the community, gaining professional nonprofit experience, as well as interning locally, nationally, or internationally.
RIC offers the only undergraduate program in the country in International NGOs and Nonprofit Studies (INGOS). Our graduates work at the United Nations, in federal and state government, and in nonprofits globally. Our program has a unique approach to professional development to prepare students for post-graduate opportunities and a committed group of alumni mentors to guide you.
As an interdisciplinary major, justice studies focuses on both social and criminal justice. Students can select courses in sociology, political science, psychology, philosophy and other fields to attain a broad understanding for thinking about questions of justice, as well as a firm grounding in research and data analysis. Students have the chance to complete an internship for major credit and depending upon the strength of their performance can take graduate courses in their senior year to complete a BA and MA in just five years.
Faculty possess a range of real-world experiences and develop skills desired by employers and graduate programs. Students go on to succeed in a variety of career paths, from legal work to law enforcement, from non-profit management to the corporate world, and from social services to education.
Our department offers both a bachelor of arts and a minor in Political Science. Our faculty and students examine enduring puzzles of politics and policy at the local, national, and global levels. A main goal of the political science program is to produce citizens who can evaluate information accurately, reason carefully, think critically, and communicate effectively. The major is also designed to make it easy for students to double major in programs like Public Administration or Justice Studies, or to add a minor in our International Nongovernmental Organizations Studies (INGOS) program or in other programs such as Cybersecurity or Data Science.
RIC Political Science graduates can be found influencing public policy in the state and federal legislature, practicing law, and advocating progressive change. We help prepare many of our students for advanced degrees and law school. Our majors and minors develop leadership and analysis skills at an impressive value. Our faculty are ready to help you leave your mark.
Courses that delve into research methods, personality and cognitive/brain science all fall under the big umbrella of the psychology major. As a discipline, psychology has largely adopted a scientific approach to the study of behavior. Consequently, three of the required major courses are entirely devoted to research methods and statistics. The major has no required practicum, however one course in the major is an internship course.
Students graduating from our Psychology program find that the knowledge and skills gained through the program are easily transferred to several professions, including, but not limited to, human services, criminal justice, human resources, and nursing. The array of courses offered is broad and faculty attempt to ignite student curiosity through experiential and hand-on activities.
The goal of the Public Administration program is to produce dedicated and creative public sector administrators to meet the governing challenges of federal, state, local and private nonprofit agencies. Our students are accepted into some of the best public administration graduate programs in the nation. Our alumni are working in public administration capacities in at every level of government and a broad cross-section of nonprofit organizations throughout the nation.
All public administration students are paired with a full-time advisor from the day they declare their major and they graduate within four years of full-time study. The curriculum at RIC is a mix of foundation, skills and experience-based courses designed to appeal to employers and graduate schools. There is a growing RIC public administration alumni network throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
Do you find people fascinating? If so, sociology is for you! You will learn about what people do and why they do it; how organizations, families, communities, and other groups function; the ways in which social, political, and economic contexts shape decision-making and social life; and how social interaction and social inequality matter to our individual and collective experiences. Our graduates leave college with strong research and data analysis skills that are highly marketable to employers as well as with a strong understanding of the social dynamics that shape our communities.
RIC is a great place to study sociology because you will get to work closely with faculty who have a range of real-world experiences and develop excellent skills desired by employers and graduate programs. And you will be able to take courses on all kinds of topics, ranging from bodies, legal systems and families to policing, health and organizations.
Strategic communication is an area where the aim is to communicate an entity’s (organizational, business, political, or otherwise) goals, mission, values, or policies or similar. Jobs in strategic communication can be found in public relations, health communication, public policy and nonprofits and may encompass social media, strategy, analysis, graphic design, speech writing, production of collateral like fact sheets and news releases or speaking on behalf of the organization.
A primary goal of the communication department is to develop students’ capabilities by providing a balance between practical experience and theory. Students are encouraged to participate in internship programs to get on-the-job communication experience. In addition to providing training for specialists, the communication department strives to supply students with the communication background necessary for their personal endeavors and career pursuits.
