Major Spotlight: Communication and Media Studies

I was the kind of student who came in undecided Freshman year and had absolutely no clue what I wanted to major in, and this is completely fine! Choosing a major can be an extremely stressful decision, which is why I want to share some of the amazing perks of the major that I decided on two years ago and have not regretted since: Communications and Media Studies! 

I didn't fall in love with Communications until I took an introductory class in it Freshman year.  I soon realized that I was fascinated and could definitely see myself creating a career for myself in this field in my future.  I was particularly drawn in by the fact that this major could take me in so many directions, I was not limited to one specific job. 

As a Communications major you will need to pick a concentration, in other words a specific area of study.  There are five different concentrations to choose from: 1) Film 2) Journalism 3)Media, Culture, and Society 4) New Media/Participatory Media and 5) Television/Radio.  

There are some core classes that are the same for all concentrations.  Before moving on in your chosen focus you will need to take two introductory courses, which are both extremely interesting and do a great job of introducing you to the field!  One of my favorite parts of the Communications major at Fordham is the fact that each concentration allows room for electives so you have the opportunity to check out classes from other focuses that you may be interested in.  

All of the professors in the department here are amazing and have an insane amount of knowledge about the field!  Another perk is that the Communications department is constantly hosting fun and interesting events with all kinds of guest speakers! 

Some of my personal favorite Communications classes that I have taken during my time at Fordham are: Communication Technologies & Society, Media Law, and Persuasion & Attitude Change.  I have absolutely loved having the opportunity to study Communications during my time here at Fordham and I cannot wait to see what awesome classes my Senior year will provide me with! 

Click here to learn more about the Communications Department here at Fordham! 

Or check them out on Facebook! 

A Day in the Life of a Math Major

As one would assume, the major a person decides to pursue says a lot about him/her. This is mainly because a student's major directs some if not many of the activities that he/she gets involved in. Now that the November 1st Early Action Deadline is approaching and you are trying to decide where to apply, something else that you are probably considering is what you will be majoring in at the school that you eventually end up attending. I have known from a young age that I want to be a teacher when I get older, and in high school, my math skills encouraged me to pursue a degree in mathematics through which I hope to become a high school math teacher. While I know math is generally not most students' favorite subject, for those of you interested in math or thinking about pursuing math, here is a little taste of what being a math major at Fordham consists of. 

John Mulcahy Hall, or JMH as it is commonly referred to by Fordham students, is home to the math department. Consequently, most if not all, math classes offered at Fordham will be located in this building. 

Central Room of the Math Department-Often students and professors are found working together on the blackboard to solve a difficult problem. 

Interestingly enough, I am currently in four math classes and every single one of them is even in the same classroom! So, Monday through Friday my friends know they can most commonly find me in JMH 406. 

JMH 406- This classroom has great technology and chairs that swirl around so that you can face any of the boards when needed. 

When I am not spending my time in JMH 406, I am also frequently attending office hours and spending time in the math help room. Attending office hours and going to the math help room are both extremely useful resources to help math majors with their homework and test preparation. All of the math professors have specific office hours, as do professors in all other departments. Every single one of my math professors makes him/herself available whenever possible. Sometimes I find myself stuck on a math problem late at night and e-mail my teacher only to get a response back within five minutes. However, when your specific professor may not be around to answer a question, the math help room is also a very useful resource. Each hour a different professor is assigned to the math help room to answer any questions that one may be struggling with. 

The Math Help Room- A schedule is posted on the door of when different professors will be in the Math Help Room 

Being a math major is not all homework and studying, however. The math department hosts speakers who give talks on a wide variety of topics that generally apply math to real world scenarios. Before these talks, a different professor each week will bring in cookies and tea for "tea-time." "Tea-time" is a great time to socialize with other math majors and professors and hear about problems that others within the department are working on. 

"Tea-time" Cookie Sign-Up Sheet in the Math Department

Posting of the latest talks happening within the Department 

Other opportunities for math majors, which I take advantage of, are being a member of the Math Club and working as a grader for math professors. I am currently the treasurer for the Math Club, and it is just another great way to get to know fellow math majors. Secondly, as a student grader, I get paid to correct homework assignments. It is a great way to get a bit of extra cash each week! 

There are so many cool things offered for math majors here at Fordham (as for other majors I am sure)! However, when deciding what to mark off on your application for Fordham, consider becoming a math major! 

Major Spotlight: English

Before coming to Fordham I didn’t know what I wanted to major in, and the fact that I had to take a somewhat extensive core made me nervous. It is the core, though, that helped me realize what my passions are and what I’m good at. 

I always grappled with the idea, but my courses here in literature and composition reinforced my idea that English was the right major for me. The skills that an English major will give you in knowing how to read and write effectively and analytically are so valuable in today’s ever changing market and society. You can obtain all sorts of different and varying careers from being an English major, from business to teaching to journalism to law, etc. It’s such a strong department here at Fordham!

The classes you can take as an English major are super interesting and while I’m still finishing up my core I can’t wait to take them! Some courses that spoke to me that I can’t wait to take are Charles Dickens, Modernism & Cinema, Poetry Writing: The Poet’s Craft, and American Writers in Paris. As an English major here, you are required to take 5 elective classes, a couple classes in theory, and classes in historical distribution. 

The English department always hosts super interesting speakers, authors, and poets, which give great insight to what people are doing with their English degrees. On top of that, English majors here at Fordham have interned at places such as The New York Times, Rolling Stone, MTV, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins. 

If you love reading, writing, or simply just learning how to think critically, you should consider majoring in English! Fordham has a great program here and I have had nothing short of amazing experiences with the English classes that I have taken here thus far. 

Major Spotlight: International Political Economy

A major reason why I chose Fordham four years ago was the wide variety of majors it offers to students.  As a liberal arts school, Fordham gives students the opportunity to study subjects beyond the basic humanities and sciences, offering many interdisciplinary majors that are not offered at every university.  An example is my major, International Political Economy (IPE).  The International Political Economy major is meant to teach students about the politics and economics that affect how nations and their economies interact with and rely on one another.  It’s very interesting to learn how interdependent our world is becoming, and it’s an area of study that is very practical and useful in everyday life.

The requirements for the major are based in the Political Science and Economics Departments: I’ve had to take Intro to International Politics, International Political Economy, Basic Macroeconomics, Basic Microeconomics, International Economic Policy, and Statistics I and II.  In addition, we are required to take Comparative Cultures, an anthropology course.  The last four courses are electives, which we can choose based on our track.  There are three tracks within the IPE major: Foreign Language Elective Track, Global Business Track, and the General Elective Track.  If you are following the Foreign Language Elective Track, you must take four courses in the same foreign language.  The Global Business Track requires students to take Financial Accounting, Managerial Accounting and two other International Economics Courses.  The General Elective Track (which I am on) requires any four international courses within anthropology, economics, history, modern foreign languages, political science, or sociology.  As my electives, I’ve taken Crime and Punishment in Europe, British Politics, Intermediate Spanish II, and Spanish Language and Literature.

The IPE major makes it very easy to minor in Modern Foreign Languages or Business Administration.  I am minoring in Business and three of the seven minor requirements overlap with requirements for my major.  Having completed all of the requirements for my IPE major, I feel well rounded and as if I know more about what is going on in the world around me.  It has prepared me for a career in almost any field, such as law, public policy, or working for a non-profit organization.  I think my major is one of my favorite aspects of Fordham, and I think it’s a great example of the strong academic tradition and cosmopolitan education that Fordham has to offer its students.

Crossing Schools at Fordham

Is it possible to major in Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) or Lincoln Center (FCLC) and minor in the Gabelli School of Business?

Yes! Undergraduate liberal arts students may take up to six courses in the Gabelli School of Business. The Business Administration minor and Sustainable Business minor are available to FCRH and FCLC students and the Accounting Minor and Marketing minor are also available to FCRH students.

I am majoring in Communication and Media Studies in FCRH and minoring in Marketing. In addition to the core curriculum and 11 courses required for my major, I am taking six courses required for my minor, including Marketing Principles, Statistics, and Consumer Behavior. I love studying in both schools and have found that the material covered in my communications and marketing classes complement one another very nicely. Also, the process of studying in both schools is simple!

DegreeWorks

As a freshman, I came in undeclared. Majors must be declared by the second semester of sophomore year and minors are usually declared around the same time for scheduling purposes. After declaring, students track their credit and course requirement progress on DegreeWorks.

For more information on each of the business minors available to liberal arts students, click here.