With the start of a new semester comes the start of several new undergraduate majors and concentrations at Campbell University.
Already home to more than 150 programs, Campbell will now offer sports communication training and development, professional writing (pre-medical) and pre-athletic training in the College of Arts & Sciences and electrical engineering in its School of Engineering.
“The world changes constantly, and subsequently the specific skills and knowledge needed for our graduates change as well. We develop new programs to not only meet a student’s curricular needs, but also to be consistent with the institution’s mission,” said Vice President for Academic Programs and Provost Mark Hammond. “We seek a balance between the tools a student needs for her or his vocation and employment, while at the same time educating broadly in the traditional liberal arts, sciences, social sciences and humanities so that our graduates can also enjoy her or his avocation and a good life as well.”
Sports Communications
Communication Studies | College of Arts & Sciences
The Bachelor of Science in Sports Communications degree will open up several new possibilities for students in a sports media industry that grew from $14.6 billion in 2014 to a projected $20.5 billion by 2019, according to Forbes.
“We maintain these industries are communicative in nature, as sports requires specialized competencies in sports writing, video production, speaking, photography and graphics — as well as an understanding of how we construct reality through communication,” said Dean Farmer, chair and associate professor of communication studies at Campbell. “[Our department] is the place to develop and refine these competencies as the field continues to expand and evolve.”
Students in the new major will take courses in sports communication, speaking, media production, sports writing, communication ethics, organizational communication, sports history and sociological aspects of sport, and all students will engage in an internship experience.
“There are also more than 50 colleges and universities in North Carolina with sports operations, for which this program will provide communication professionals,” Farmer said. “North Carolina has three major league sports teams — the Charlotte Hornets, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Carolina Panthers — to which graduates may aspire to work.”
Pre-Athletic Training
Department of Exercise Science | College of Arts & Sciences
The Department of Exercise Science currently offers a kinesiology major (with multiple tracks to health care programs like pre-medical, pre-physician assistant and pre-physical therapy) and an athletic training major.
The latter is transitioning from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree. In order to prepare for the degree change, the department has put together a pre-athletic training track.
“The track is established to align with the other pre-health care professions within the department,” said Sarah Christie, athletic training program director and associate professor. “This major is for students preparing for Campbell’s Master of Athletic Training program and other similar programs.”
Electrical Engineering
School of Engineering
Campbell’s School of Engineering will add an electrical engineering concentration to its curriculum beginning fall 2018. The electrical concentration joins mechanical engineering and chemical engineering offered at the University.
The field of electric engineering consists of sub-fields like electronics, computer engineering, telecommunications and microelectronics.
“We are excited to be able to offer an electrical engineering concentration as part of our bachelor degree in engineering,” said founding dean Jenna Carpenter. “There is a significant amount of interest in electrical engineering from prospective students, as well as a significant number of companies and employment opportunities in the Research Triangle Region and beyond.”
IEEE, the largest technical professional organization in the world for advancing technology, states there is “high growth, high salaries, high demand, high competition among hiring companies” for electrical engineering.
Carpenter says the concentration provides great employment and career opportunities for Campbell students.
Professional Writing, Pre-Medical
Department of English | College of Arts & Sciences
The English pre-medical track is designed for students who enjoy the fusion of literature, writing and science and may wish to prepare for a pre-professional program in the health sciences or a related field.
In addition to the courses required for a typical English major, students in this track will take several pre-med courses, including psychology, sociology, geometry and calculus, chemistry, biology and physics.