Manchester University Academic Catalog 2017-2018

Applied Study Areas Offered

Applied Study Areas (ASAs) combine 2-3 academic courses and a supervised practical experience through which students develop an identifiable competency. These study areas are intended to demonstrate to a graduate school or potential/current employer that students have a focused experience in an area other than the major or minor.

Applied Study Area in audio production and marketing: Tim Ogden and Tim Reed, coordinators
BUS 111, 234, 445; MUS 110, 141. Applied experience:

  • Within the MUS 141 course, students will produce an audio recording of a complete piece of creative work.
  • The project must include professional quality audio, produced and recorded by the student.
  • Proposed projects must be approved prior to their completion. Examples of appropriate projects include an album of recorded music, an audio podcast, audio score for a film project.
  • Projects must demonstrate a student's proficiency in digital audio recording, editing and mastering.
  • Projects must be completed before the student begins BUS 445.

Applied Study Area in interfaith literacy: Kate Eisenbise Crell, coordinator  
Two courses from REL-210, 222, 223, 131, 205, or other varying courses (January study abroad cross-cultural opportunities approved by the administrators of the certificate). Applied experience: Students will complete one experiential learning component offered by the Office of Religious Life or other offices/programs on campus. The experience will be selected in consultation with the certificate administrators. These experiences could include one of the following:

  • A Campus Interfaith Board “Sacred Spaces” trip and reflective paper
  • A visit to and in-depth experience with a house of worship in Fort Wayne from outside the student’s own faith tradition and reflective paper
  • An internship in an ecumenical and/or multi-faith environment and reflective paper
  • Attendance at relevant VIA events and other campus programs and reflective paper
  • A combination of these and other opportunities as they arise on the campus or in the community/region.

The goal of this certificate is to expose students to (and possibly inspire in students) the idea of interfaith leadership, which noted interfaith leader Eboo Patel defines as “someone with the framework, knowledge base, and skill set needed to help individuals and communities who orient around religion differently in civil society and politics build mutual respect, positive relationships, and a commitment to the common good.”

Applied Study Area in libraries and literacies: Stacy Erickson-Pesetski, coordinator 
ENG 254, 476; LIB 200; ENG 311, LIB 202, COMM 232 or COMM 234.

This certificate will help prepare students for graduate study or for work in libraries, museums, archives, or publishing; emphasis is on book culture (both print and digital) and the history of authorship, readership, and publishing. For more information, see: http://libguides.manchester.edu/LibrariesLiteraciesCertificate

Applied Study Area in mediation and conflict resolution: Katharine Gray Brown, coordinator 
PEAC 218, PEAC 320; one of the following; 6-10 hours of community mediation work; workshop planning and facilitation; semester-long internship with an appropriate conflict resolution organization or agency.

Applied Study Area in queer advocacy: Barb Burdge, coordinator  
The certificate in Queer Advocacy involves two classes and two experiential trainings to help you develop knowledge and skills necessary for increasing the inclusion and equality of LGBTQ people in your community.

FYS LGBT Lives or GNST 201; three hours from: COMM 256, PEAC 218, PSYC 366, SOWK 274 or a practicum, internship, or special problems course designed for the development of relevant skills. Applied Experience: Complete a Celebrating Diversity Workshop and complete 6 hours of SafeZone training.

Applied Study Area in scientific computing: Timothy Brauch, coordinator
Requirements: CPTR 105 or CPTR 111, MATH 121, MATH 233, an applied experience. The applied experience could be: An extension of a project from a science course but will be beyond what is done in the course, a summer research experience that is not for academic credit, joint work with a professor outside of normal class or other ideas that are approved by the coordinator of the program and another faculty member.

Much of modern scientific research is done using computational methods and computer modeling. The area has been steadily growing in the past few years. As computing power increases and data storage costs decrease, the need for computationally aware science students is going to continue to increase. This certificate program looks at how to use mathematics and computer programming to analyze, perform research on and model quantitative questions in science. Students who complete this certificate will stand out in both job and graduate school applications. 

Applied Study Area in social media: Michelle Calka, coordinator
COMM 234; COMM 232; MATH-242 (prerequisites: MATH 115 or 210 or 240 or PSYC 241); Applied experience in social media:The applied experience is non-credit bearing, but is required for the complete of the ASA. Students must complete a social media project for a client, on- or off-campus. This could be as part of an existing internship or coursework in addition to the required coursework for the ASA. The ASA coordinator must approve the applied experience. Pre- requisite: COMM 234: Intro to Social Media.

The purpose of the applied study area in social media is to develop knowledge and skills necessary for professional social media use in your internships and workplaces.