New Programs of Study at Assumption

Worcester, MA- Assumption College has announced the addition of two new major courses of study and a new minor, all of which were recently approved by the Board of Trustees. In addition to the already existing programs, students can now choose to major in Latin American Studies or Visual Arts. In addition, a minor in Community Service Learning has also been added.

The major in Latin American Studies is designed to respond to the increasing interest in the societies of the region and the need to understand the complexity of their history, political and economic systems, social structures, and literary and artistic expression. Through a program that focuses on the study of a significant region of the world that is not their own, students will have the opportunity to increase familiarity with the dynamics of other societies while enriching their human experience and strengthening their awareness of cultural diversity.

A major in Latin American Studies will prepare students for graduate work or employment in fields, such as government, business, industry, media, and community services. The major is also excellent preparation for a teaching career

Students in the major are strongly advised to undertake an immersion experience in a Latin American country as an integral part of their education. They may select from a variety of Assumption-approved study abroad programs administered by other institutions with sites in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Central America. Students may also consider internships in a study abroad setting. The Mexican and Puerto Rican Missions may offer students the opportunity to plan interdisciplinary internships in conjunction with the departments of Sociology, Anthropology, Foreign Languages, History, or Theology. A summer program developed with the National University of Yucatan in Merida, Mexico will begin in the Summer of 2001.

The major in Visual Arts aims to educate qualified, promising students in various aspects of creative activity and Art History. Studio students may concentrate in Drawing, Painting, and Design. Art History students may select from a range of courses offerings to fulfill their professional interests. Students are expected to develop a personal direction that culminates, for studio students, in a professional exhibition of their work. The program for Art History students culminates in a semester-long independent research project and presentation.

The minor in Community Service Learning offers students a unique program of study which fosters reflection and learning about the world. Through the minor, students learn to connect interdisciplinary course materials to experience in the community, to combine theory and practice, and to think in original ways about the substantive problems in society. Studies in the minor provide experiences in which critical habits of mind can develop through observation, exploration, and action-oriented research in a multicultural setting. Through community service learning, the students can explore connections between various disciplines, develop the tools for critical analysis of community issues, learn from experience as well as text, and contribute to the Worcester community.