Biology - Major in Biology Program

Required Courses:

ACT 131 Fundamentals of Accounting and Financial Statement Analysis

This course will provide students with an introduction to the fundamentals of the accounting system, basic financial statements, and SEC filings. You will learn how transactions get recorded in a business' financial records and become familiar with the concept of footnote disclosures. You will evaluate and analyze how financial statements are used by stakeholders and how information contained therein in collected. Students are not permitted to take ACT 131 if they have previously completed ACT 151 with a C- or better. 3 credits.

DIGI 311 Information Law and Ethics

Students will begin with a foundation in media law and ethical reasoning and examine both legal and ethical questions surrounding the use of digital media. They will then move on to examine the ways that the Web and digital media platforms have transformed traditional understandings of concepts like intellectual property rights, privacy, and free speech. Students will work with case studies, national and international legal documents, academic research, and company guidelines in order to understand whether legal strictures or ethical reasoning should guide personal, governmental, and corporate behavior. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisite: ENG 112 or FYE 112, and junior or senior standing. 3 credits.

DIGI 387 Social Media: History, Theory, and Practice

Social media connects organizations, companies, and individuals throughout the world, fostering interaction, collaboration, discussion, and community. And it is not surprising that social media networking is the number one online activity of people in the United States. Students in this course will study the history and theory of social media. They will also put into practice specific marketing, community building, and institutional support activities that take place through social media channels. This course is for students who wish to obtain analytic and practice-based skills for careers in media, Web-based companies, and publicity in any form. Fulfills requirement: Critical Thinking through Writing. Prerequisite: ENG 112 or FYE 112. 3 credits.

DIGI 465 Online Marketing

The course examines the principles and processes of Online Marketing. Students will examine current topics including search engine advertising; social media, online advertising strategies and models; metrics, and ethics. The course will also integrate a comparison and contrast of online promotion to traditional channels and extensively employ case studies. Satisfies the business technology and communications concentrations. Prerequisite: Course restricted to junior-level standing or above. 3 credits.

MPR 214 Introduction to Music and Entertainment Industry

This course examines how the music business operates, delving into a wide range of issues and areas, such as publishing, record labels, retail, distribution, market research, agents and managers, and current issues in the industry. 3 credits.

MPR 325 Music Entrepreneurship

Many musicians and engineers will run their own businesses, whether as independent contractors, private instructors, and so on. This requires an understanding of taxes, cash flow, marketing, 1099s, LLCs, and other aspects. We'll examine industry trends, business models, marketing strategies, and intellectual property while learning how to build a personal brand, navigate digital platforms, and explore opportunites. 3 credits.

Two semesters of the following:
MPR 315 Vale

Vale offers students the opportunity to run a record label, promote artists, produce podcasts, organize industry events, and manage live events on campus. The course runs every semester and students are encouraged to participate at least one entire year in order to maintain continuity of operations and benefit from a wide variety of experiences. This course may be repeated for credit as topic changes. 2 credits.