Choosing Your Major and Creating a Four Year Graduation Plan

To assist students with graduating within four years, UTC has created ClearPath Showcases for each major.  These showcases provide students with an opportunity to see program requirements defined in a semester-by-semester format. The ClearPath Showcases also provide students with important tips, pointers, and suggestions for staying on track with progress toward the degree. Click on one of the links below to learn more about the program and view its Four Year Graduation Plan (If the link for the Four Year Plan is not yet posted, please go to the UTC Registrar site: www.utc.edu/records.)

 

Accounting
Anthropology 
Art
Biology
Chemistry
Communication
Computer Science
Criminal Justice
Economics
Education
Engineering
Engineering Technology Management
English
Entrepreneurship
Environmental Science
Exercise Science
Finance
Foreign Language
Geology
General Management
Health and Exercise Science Pedagogy K-12
History
Humanities
Human Resource Management
Industrial Management
Interior Design
International Studies
Legal Assistant Studies
Management
Marketing
Mathematics
Music
Nursing
Nutrition
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Pre-Major/Undecided
Psychology
Rehabilitation Science
Religion
Social Work
Sociology
Sport and Leisure Service Administration
Theatre
UTeaChattanooga

 

 

The Accounting Major

Accounting: a.k.a The Language of Business

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) states that, “…there’s one degree that gives you the education to succeed at just about anything in the business world.  It’s an accounting degree. Accounting opens doors in every kind of business coast to coast. It can give you the foundation you need to go on and become a CPA. It can prepare you to become a partner in an accounting firm, to pursue a career in finance or corporate management, to work in government, or even to become an entrepreneur. In fact, no matter what you decide to do, having an accounting background can open doors wide.”

The Accounting Major at UTC

Students wishing to major in Accounting should display the following characteristics:

• Possess integrity
• Be critical thinkers
• Possess self-discipline

 

Top Things to Know

• Accounting students should develop their analytical, critical-thinking and problem solving skills. Develop high ethical standards.
• Accuracy and attention to detail are important traits for accountants.
• Accounting is a versatile degree. Students who graduate with a major in accounting may find jobs in many areas of business including: sales, production management, client management, product development, procurement, general management, banking and financial planning.
• Certifications available through the Institute of Internal Auditors or the Institute of Management Accountants may increase job marketability in some areas of accounting.
• Earn good grades. Grades are an indicator of technical competence in accounting and of a person’s work ethic.
• Actively participate in student organizations to develop leadership skills.
• Develop excellent computer skills.
• Learn to work well within in a team.
• Develop strong communication skills.
• Gain work experience and information about careers through internships.
• Join Beta Alpha Psi, the honorary fraternity for accounting and finance information professionals, to gain knowledge about the accounting profession.
   

Career Information

CORPORATE ACCOUNTING

• Budget Analysis
• Cost Accounting
• Financial Management
• Financial Reporting
• Information Technology Services
• Internal Auditing
• Tax Planning

EDUCATION

• Consulting
• Research
• Teaching

GOVERNMENT

• Auditing
• Budget Analysis
• Financial Reporting
• Research 

NON-PROFIT

• Accounting
• Budgeting
• Financial Management
• Internal Audit

 PUBLIC ACCOUNTING

• Auditing/Assurance Services
• Environmental Accounting
• Forensic/Investigative Accounting
• Information Technology Services
• International Accounting
• Personal Financial Planning
• Tax

 

The Anthropology Major

Anthropology is the study of humankind: our past, present and future.  Anthropologists take a holistic approach to their study meaning that they look at all of the interrelationships involving their study subjects and the physical and cultural environments in which they live.  The field of anthropology is divided up into five basic areas of specialization:  cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, linguistic anthropology, archaeology, and applied anthropology.  

The anthropology concentration at UTC is structured so that all majors take courses in Sociology as well as the many areas of specialization within Anthropology.  These courses provide students with broad training in the field as well as expose them to the methods used in Behavioral and Social Science Research.  Our program will teach you how to design a study question(s), collect data to answer that question, learn how to analyze, and then present study findings.   Studying anthropology will challenge the way you think about yourself and the world around you, facilitate your understanding of cultural differences, and provide you with skills to navigate within an ever changing and more globally connected world.  

 

Top Things to Know

• Anthropology is broadly applicable to almost everything involving human beings!
• Participation in a hands on archaeological field school or lab experience is required.  The archaeological field school is only available during the summer.
• You need to take Statistics and Anthropological Theory before the end of your Junior year.
• You will be working on a research project in your capstone senior-level courses.  Anthropological Methods must be taken in the fall and then the Anthropology Research Seminar is taken in the spring.
• It’s important to become involved in the student group, SAGA. You will meet other majors, have opportunities to present your own research, and plan activities for the department.
• As the job market becomes more global, you might consider earning the B.A., because of its language requirement.
• Make sure you see your advisor at least once a semester and get to know the entire anthropology faculty.

 

Career Information

What can I do with this major? 

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES            

• Consumer Affairs                           
• Park Service                                   
• Foreign Service                                                                                     

SOCIAL SERVICES

• Fundraising Assistant
•  Non-Profit Organizations

 EDUCATION

• Admissions Counselor
• Teacher
• Museum & Zoo
• Educational Outreach
• Programs

 BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY                                                   

• Advertising & Marketing                
• Data Entry Manager                    
• Project Manager                          
• Human Resources                          
• Cultural Resource Management

 RESEARCH  

•  Consumer Researcher
• Data Analyst
• Statistician
• Census Research Asst.

 

 ART (BFA Degrees)

 

The Department of Art is an accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. We offer BFA studio degrees in four areas: Graphic Design, Painting and Drawing, Photography and Media Art, and 3D.

 

The BFA provides opportunities to: learn about the history of art; engage in visual culture; solve complex problems; develop technical skills; and work productively with others.  Students will learn to think critically, articulate themselves forcefully, and define theoretical underpinnings in support of an art/design practice. Each of our students develops a distinctive artistic voice.

 

Although our students develop mastery in a particular discipline and thus become highly skilled, this is not a vocational degree program. Our focus is primarily on equipping students to practice in a fine-art context.

 

Top Things To Know

 

• Freshmen pursuing studio degrees enter as pre-art majors. Students must pass Art 2900 Sophomore Review (in the spring semester) to advance into the upper division. Transfer students (including those with Associate degrees) are required to complete their sophomore-level studio coursework at UTC.
• The art curriculum is linear and art courses are sequential, so that each course prepares a student to succeed in a subsequent course. In addition, not every course is offered every semester. It is very important to see an advisor in the Art Department regularly to avoid potentially significant delays in matriculation.
• All studio courses meet for double-contact hours. This makes it highly impractical to hold a full-time job and complete an art degree in four years.
• Students primarily interested in animation, illustration, game design, advertising and other forms of vocational training (i.e. learning Photoshop) would be better served elsewhere.

 

Career Information

 

Students who graduate with a BFA in studio art from UTC are well prepared to enter into a competitive yet deeply rewarding field. Most of our graduates work as professional artists or designers. They also work at design firms, in film production, at galleries and museums and as creative members of corporate teams. A studio practice can be funded through sales, grants, residencies and consultation fees.

 

Many of our students have gone on to pursue MFAs at competitive and prestigious institutions, including Cranbrook Academy, Maryland Institute College of Art, Hunter College in New York, the California Institute of the Arts and the Naropa Institute, among many others.

 

Link to Art Clear Path Showcases

 

ART EDUCATION

 

To be admitted into the Teacher Education Program (TEP), you must have completed ONE of the following with the corresponding score: Praxis I (Math 173, Reading 174, Writing 173); ACT 21 prior to 1989, Enhanced ACT 22 after 1989; SAT 920 prior to 4/95, Re-centered SAT 1020 after 4/95.

 

Students must have a 2.5 GPA in four areas (UTC, cumulative, content/Art and Education) before they can complete a departmental interview and be recommended for TEP admission. Student must also complete all art and education classes with a C grade or better.

 

Prior to student teaching, students must complete Praxis II. This exam is taken in two parts: 1. Art and art education content and knowledge (0135), and 2. The Professional Licensure Test (PLT) in education. The art portion of Praxis II requires a passing score of 157 or better. The PLT test scores must be: 0621 (PreK-3) score of 155; 0622 (K-6) score of 158; 0623 (5-9)  score of 158; 0624 (7-12) score of 155.

 

Top Things To Know

 

• Art Education courses are not available during the summer terms.
• Art 2100 Introduction to Art Education is offered during the day; Art 3230, 3240 Materials and Procedures in Art Education and Art 4200 Seminar in Art Education are only offered in the evenings.
• Student teaching (12 hrs) is a full-semester experience that typically takes place during the final semester prior to graduation. General education coursework may be completed following student teaching.
• A complete list of check-point requirements can be found on the UTC Teacher Preparation Academy home page.

 

Career Information

 

Students who graduate with a B.S. in Art Education will be certified to teach art in elementary and secondary schools. Outside the classroom teaching experience, you might choose to work in the community at art and cultural centers as a recreation specialist teacher/instructor. You could become an art critic or writer, artist-in-residence (in the school), work as an arts administrator, be a freelance illustrator, or teach overseas through a government agency. Working in an art gallery or nursing/daycare center are also options.

 

There is also the opportunity to pursue graduate-level studies in an array of degree programs. 

 

The Communication Major

The Department of Communication is one of 109 accredited journalism and mass communication programs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Students receive a solid foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, as well as the knowledge and skills required for success in a wide variety of professions. 

Majors complete a 21-hour core of seven courses and select electives that allow for focused learning in a specific professional area to complete the 33-hour major. Courses include media writing, persuasive writing, audio and video production, web production, documentary production, publication design, television news production, advanced reporting, feature writing and others.  The internship program provides opportunities for experience in a variety of communication fields.

Graduates work in fields such as print and broadcast journalism, magazine production, public relations, advertising, broadcast production, web development and design, multi-media production and presentation, corporate communications, media relations, television and film, and many, many others.

Top Things to Know

•  Includes written and visual communication
•  Wide variety of career fields
•  Must complete four semesters of same foreign language unless able to test out
•  Must complete a minor area 
•  May work for student media, newspaper/web, television newscast, online radio station
•  Internship required at senior level 

Career Information

What can I do with this major?

Communication                

• Corporate Communication                                                                     
• Internal Communication                                     
• External Communication                                                                        
• Marketing/Sales                                                                                                            

Public Relations

• Media Relations 
• PR agency/client rep
• Non-profit P.R.    
• Media Buyer

News Media

• Web news content
• Newspaper reporter
• Broadcast Journalist
• Copy Editor

Broadcasting                                                                                              

• Video Editor                                                              
• Producer                                                                     
• Radio promotions                                                   
• Media sales (advertising)                                                     
• Documentary production 

Web Content

• Web Editor
• Web Writer
• Documentary Production                 
• Web Producer

Visual Communication

• Publication designer         
• Web designer
• Photography
• Graphic designer

 

 

The Entrepreneurship Major

• Are you hard-working, persistent, smart, or creative?  Do you work well with others?  You could be a successful entrepreneur someday.

• Most new jobs are from entrepreneurial firms and small businesses.

• As an entrepreneurship major, you’ll learn how to start or acquire a business, write a successful business plan, develop new products and services, identify new business opportunities, and obtain start-up funding. 

Top Things to Know

Learn How To:

• visualize and articulate the value of your business.
• communicate effectively to potential investors.
• deliver your value proposition and sustain a competitive advantage.
• acquire patents and intellectual property protection.
• develop a strong business team and support network.
• write a successful business plan.
• find important start-up resources.

Internships available.  Contact: Brad Slaughter at [email protected] 

Career Information

What can I do with this major?

You can:

• start a new business.
• buy an existing business or franchise.
• build a business to sell or go public.
• work closely with entrepreneurs in start-up businesses.
• provide an entrepreneurial mindset to large organizations

 

The Finance: Investments Major

The art and science of acquiring and managing financial resources

Finance derives from the Latin and Old French word for fine, which originally meant "end". English and French adaptation of the word “fine” as it relates to monetary matters became “make fine,” “make one’s peace,” or “settle a matter” which is a useful way of looking at one’s financial affairs. [Source: Online Etymology Dictionary]  Today, Finance focuses on raising and using resources wisely when the future is uncertain. 

• If you have a fascination with decision-making, investing, securities markets, financial institutions, or how companies make and manage money,
• If you would like to learn more about managing your own personal finances,
• If you like to be challenged and have an analytical mind,
• If you are seeking a fulfilling and enduring career when you graduate,

…….. then Finance is the right major for you!

 

Top Things to Know

In the Finance: Investments Major…

• Critical and analytical thinking with a global perspective is emphasized, enabling the development of a skill set that will add value to your local and global community.

• Professional Designations, such as the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) are encouraged and supported by cutting edge knowledge in the field based on the CFA curriculum, including Behavioral Finance, which is the intersection of Psychology, Neurobiology and Finance.

• Internships, on a local, regional and national basis, and active engagement with the local business community are emphasized and encouraged. (contact: [email protected])

• The Galtere Institute:  Finance for the Future Initiative – offers numerous co-curricular and extra-curricular workshops, field trips, networking and learning opportunities for students.  The Bloomberg Lab fosters hands-on technology and research skills that supplement classroom assignments. 

• Student-led clubs such as The Financial Management Association (FMA) and The Trading and Investment Club (TIC) offer active and engaging opportunities for learning and leadership.  

Career Information

What can I do with this major?

• Commercial Banking
• Investment Banking
• Hedge Funds
• Money Management
• Private Equity
• Central Banking
• Financial Planning
• Wealth Management
• Insurance 
• Real Estate
• Federal & State Regulators
• Portfolio Management 

 Finance Faculty at UTC

UTC’s Finance Faculty are committed to providing high-quality educational programs supported by ongoing research and active participation in community and professional organizations.

To learn more about the UTC Finance Faculty, please visit: www.utc.edu/Academic/Business/directory_fin.php

 

The Criminal Justice Major

What it means to be a CRMJ major:  Criminal justice majors have many opportunities for employment. You can work in a wide variety of criminal justice agencies that include policing, the courts, corrections, and victim services.  Each of these areas have various opportunities.   For example, if you are interested in corrections, you could work as a probation or parole officer, correctional caseworker, or juvenile services worker. You could pursue a career at the local, state, or federal level in a variety of types of work (see the list below).  Federal jobs generally require criminal justice experience for a master's degree.  In some fields, it is expected that you would start at entry-level jobs. For example, in most police departments, you would not be able to investigate crimes without first working as a police officer. The ability to speak Spanish is a valuable asset in this field. Employment opportunities in the criminal justice field are excellent. There continues to be a demand for students in this field.  While not all of these jobs currently require a bachelors' degree, it is becoming a more common requirement for entry-level employment and individuals without a college degree usually have limited options for promotion later in their career. 

What it means to be a CRMJ major at UTC:  Criminal Justice has one of the largest programs on campus.  It has a broad, inclusive curriculum with common core areas of study and flexible electives so you can tailor your degree to meet your career and academic goals.  You will learn about the process of making laws.  You will study about many types of crime including corporate crime, interpersonal violence, and crime committed by strangers (common "street" crime). You also will study about how the criminal justice system functions, how policy is made, and societal reactions to crime.  You also have opportunities to be engaged with the community including internships and service learning activities.   Your teachers are a talented, diverse group of faculty members who have been honored for their teaching, research productivity, and extensive involvement in the Chattanooga community and national criminal justice organizations.   You also will take classes from part-time faculty members employed in the field.  If you have prior experience working in the criminal justice field, you may be able to earn experiential credit hours and shorten the time it will take you to get your degree. We offer a masters degree in criminal justice if you decide you would like to continue your education after you complete your bachelors degree.

 Top Things to Know

• Most jobs in criminal justice require working with victims and offenders who may be very different from you and from very diverse backgrounds.

• This major challenges you to think about crime from a very broad perspective including topics like corporate misconduct, interpersonal violence, and street crime.
• It does not teach you how to “be” a cop, for example, though it will expose you to a variety of issues associated with policing and the police profession.
• If you can speak Spanish with any degree of proficiency, it will be a major asset because this skill is in high demand in the criminal justice field. 
• If you have prior experience working in the criminal justice field, you may be able to earn experiential credit hours that will shorten the time it will take you to get your degree.
• You are encouraged to think about getting a minor.  Good choices include; legal assistant studies, sociology, psychology, Spanish, communication, English, political science, public administration and nonprofit management.
• If you are interested in working in forensics (CSI) this is not the major for you.  Think about a chemistry major and a criminal justice minor.  A double major also is a good idea.
• The major is not designed as a pre-law program.

Career Information

What can I do with this major?

Federal Level Employment                                                                

• Federal Bureau of Prisons Case Manager                                       
• Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Inspector                      
• Customs Inspector                                                                                      
• Deputy U.S. Marshal                                              
• Drug Enforcement Officer                                                                      
• Fish and Wildlife Agent                                                                           
• Immigration and Naturalization Officer
• Internal Revenue Service Investigator
• Secret Service Agent

Law Enforcement             

• Deputy Sheriff    
• State Patrol Officer
• Municipal Police Officer  
• Alcoholic Beverage Control              
• Enforcement Officer          
• Wildlife Protection Enforcement
• Victim Witness Coordinator

Court Related Options

• Bailiff
• Court Administrator
• Pretrial Services
• Research Analyst
• Victim Services
• Specialist 

Private Security                                                                       

• Security Officers                                                                        
• Loss Prevention Investigators                                             
• Private Investigators                                                               
• Arson Investigators                                                                  
• Security Management                                           
• Safety Coordinator                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Correctional Positions 

• Corrections Caseworker  
• Corrections Officer
• Parole Officer      
• Pre-Release Officer
• Half-Way House Manager
• Probation Officer
• Crisis Counselor                  
• Juvenile Services Counselor

Non-Profit Agencies

• Offender Reentry
• Program Officer
• Drug Treatment
• Program Staff
• Domestic Violence
• Shelter Staff
• Rape Crisis Program
• Coordinators
• Victim Education and Advocacy
• Gang Prevention/Interdiction       
• Juvenile Diversion
• Facility

 

The General Management Major

• Management is the art and science of achieving organizational goals through people. Managers plan, organize, lead and control the use of organizational resources.
• The Management curriculum is designed to prepare students for careers in both the public and private sectors as well as for graduate studies.

• Individuals obtain management degrees to help them advance further in their career.

Top Things to Know

• Management degrees allow students to hone skills in human capital management, leadership, marketing, statistical and quantitative analysis, ethics, organizational structure, written and verbal communication and business research.

• Students develop critical thinking, adaptability, and communication skills for today’s dynamic business environment.

• Internships available Contact: Brad Slaughter at  [email protected]

Career Information

What can I do with this major?

• Consultants                                                                 
• Sales Manager                                                                                                                          
• Contract Manager                                                    
• Benefits Specialist                                                   
• Production Manager                                              
• Business Developer
• Human Resource Management
• Marketing    
• Finance 
• Administrative Manager
• Education Administrators

 

The Human Resource Management Major 

Human resource management, formerly known as personnel management, has evolved way beyond the administration of compensation and benefits. Human resource managers help their firms effectively use employee skills, provide training opportunities to enhance those skills, and boost the employees’ satisfaction with their jobs and working conditions. Successful business leaders understand that high performing workers are an organization’s most important resource.

“Take our 20 best people away, and I will tell you that Microsoft would become an unimportant company”

Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft in Fortune, November 25th, 1996 

“HR should be every company’s ‘killer app.’ What could possibly be more important than who gets hired, developed, promoted, or moved out the door? The team that puts the best people on the field and gets them playing together wins.” --Jack Welch, Former Chairman and CEO of General Electric (1981-2001) in BusinessWeek, 2006

Top Things to Know

• You can work in virtually any industry
• You'll develop further insights into human resources functions and outside influences on modern business such as economic, social, and legal issues.
• You will obtain a more strategic understanding of workforce staffing, planning, and development, training, compensations and benefits, global human resource management, employee health and safety, and employment law.
• Internships available Contact: Brad Slaughter at  [email protected]

Career Information

What can I do with this major?

• Benefits                                                                                                            
• Compensation                                                                            
• Labor Relations                                                                          
• Global HR                                                                                      
• Staffing Management                                                        
• Talent Management                                                          
• Recruiting Manager
• Employee Relations
• Diversity
• Consulting, HR
• Director of Human Resources
• Training

The Industrial Management Major

• Offers core business courses with a mix of liberal arts, to help you learn communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills

• The segment of management that seeks improvements in efficiency and productivity

“Take our 20 best people away, and I will tell you that Microsoft would become an unimportant company”

Bill Gates, CEO of Microsoft in Fortune, November 25th, 1996

Top Things to Know

• More and more service industries are applying the industrial management techniques to support operation in areas such as health care, financial services, and government. Most are employed in manufacturing industries, such as industrial machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, electronic and electrical equipment, fabricated metal products, instruments and related products, and food. Production managers work in all parts of the country, but jobs are most plentiful in areas where manufacturing is concentrated.

• Internships available Contact: Brad Slaughter at  [email protected]

 

Career Information

What can I do with this major?

• Quality Assurance Manager                                                                                    
• Production supervisor                                                                                               
• Purchasing Manager                                                                                                                     
• Branch Manager                                                                                                            
• Plant Manager                                                                                                                
• Warehouse Manager
• Maintenance Supervisor
• Production Manager
• Project Manager
• Contracts Manager

 

The Marketing Major

Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. (Source: American Marketing Association)

Stated another way…Marketing is the most exciting, provocative, fast-paced, and challenging element in any company! Marketing determines the products and services, owns the customer, and confronts the competitors. Organizations MUST excel in marketing.

UTC’s Marketing Major prepares you to…

• Tackle the challenges that today’s organizations face – both globally and locally.
• Think analytically and creatively – using both sides of your brain.
• Build relationships with buyers and sellers – marketing is about people.
• Find solutions to tough problems – big marketing ideas are born of hard work.

Top Things to Know

• Marketing is needed in every company from large to small and in virtually all industries
• Marketing is great for all types of people, from those who like to lead, those who like to create and present, and those who like to analyze data.
• Marketing is strategic and practical and in demand in good economies and bad
• Marketing tools are constantly changing, especially with the rapid technological developments in analytical tools and digital media
• Internships available. Contact: Brad Slaughter at [email protected]

Career Information

What can I do with this major?

• Digital Marketing                                            
• Sales                                                                      
• Advertising                                                       
• Business Consulting                                      
• Logistics                                                               
• Marketing Research                                       
• New Product Development                       
• Brand Management 
• Corporate Marketing
• Not-for-Profit Marketing 
• New Venture Creation & Marketing
• Marketing Management
• Marketing Analytics
• Public Relations