Minors

Students may elect to take a minor in a discipline outside of their major that would also contribute toward completion of the breadth requirement of electives. A more complete list of available minors and minor requirements are in the Course Catalog.

Interdisciplinary

Sustainability

Minerva’s interdisciplinary Minor in Sustainability supports students as they investigate and work toward the development of more sustainable practices at the local, national, and international levels. The minor is interdisciplinary and open to students from all colleges because understanding sustainability will be useful in areas ranging from earth sciences to public policy to computer sciences to entrepreneurship. Coursework provides students opportunities to understand and apply problem-solving frameworks to complex global challenges stemming from the climate crisis and the inequities in the global distribution of natural resources. Drawing from coursework across three colleges, students study sustainability principles and practices and learn how to synthesize scientific, economic, ethical, and policy-guided perspectives to support new solutions. The Minor in Sustainability builds on the global model at Minerva, providing opportunities for students to engage in constructive dialogue and place-based projects related to sustainable practices, and to develop an appreciation of different points of view on what sustainability entails. Students use coursework in the Colleges of the Arts & Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences to address a core question from an interdisciplinary perspective: How can we keep Earth habitable and create healthy conditions for other beings and future generations?

Arts and Humanities

Concentrations:

Historical Forces

Understand the impact of historical forces by acquiring the analytical tools of historians to solve the challenges posed by a wide range of historical problems; learn about comparative methods to analyze the effects of various forces on different societies; and apply what you have learned as a historian to use history as an instrument to inform public debates on contemporary issues.

Philosophy, Ethics, and the Law

Delve into the origins of moral beliefs, the relationship of ethics, philosophy, and law to one another, and the relevance of all three to decision-making. Learn about the theoretical frameworks you can bring to bear when addressing moral issues and investigate how ethical and philosophical analysis may be used to change political and social institutions for the better.

Arts and Literature

Acquire a variety of analytical tools to interpret works of art and literature. Explore how art and literature interact with the larger society around them, how they are influenced by economic, political, and social forces, and how in turn art and literature can be used to communicate effectively and persuade others to bring about change.

Business

Concentrations:

Brand Management

Master the processes, tactics, and tools that businesses utilize through various stages of growth, from the general manager's perspective. From ideation to start up, from domestic to international, from market follower to market leader, students learn effective brand management through a rigorous academic and practical approach.

Enterprise Management

Deeply examine the complexity of managing and optimizing a multi-national corporation. Explore the systems necessary to operate a business at scale to workforce management; from leveraging investments to leveraging the brand.

Managing Operational Complexity

Study how to balance an intricate array of constituents, systems, and environmental factors when growing a business. The Managing Operational Complexity concentration provides students with advanced modeling tools and specific strategies to manage large employee basses, navigate multinational laws and regulations, create scalable IT infrastructures, and optimize global supply chains.

New Business Ventures

Delve into the critical elements of successfully navigating businesses through the earliest stages of formation and establishment of market traction. Explore critical questions in business and market analysis for new product introduction, start-up finance, the elements of contracts and sales, and how to successfully manage in highly constrained environments.

Scalable Growth

Dig into the critical elements of successfully navigating businesses through various trajectories of growth as they penetrate new markets and solidify success in existing ones. Explore both internal (capital allocation & supply chain) and external (market penetration and complex partnerships) factors.

Strategic Finance

Learn how to allocate and preserve funds to make informed decisions; understand how to utilize financial instruments to manage a growing private enterprise successfully. The Strategic Finance concentration provides students with rigorous financial modeling and budgeting skills, success tactics of great CFOs, accounting principles necessary for effective corporate management, and the optimal utilization of various assets to maximize corporate returns.

Computational Sciences

Concentrations:

Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence

Learn the theory and practice of computer science, from the foundations of computation to the engineering of large scale software projects. Apply artificial intelligence and other innovative computational approaches to solve modern challenges.

Mathematics

Investigate ways in which different fields of mathematics are used to analyze and address complex questions. Develop the skill to rigorously apply mathematical concepts and tools to a wide variety of problem domains.

Data Science and Statistics

Acquire the skills necessary to analyze, interpret, and exploit massive amounts of data. Through the lenses of statistics, machine learning, and stochastic modeling learn how to draw strong inferences about the world around us.

Natural Sciences

Concentrations:

Molecules and Atoms

Dig deeply into the chemistry and physics of matter, from particles to atoms and molecules. Learn how the laws that govern the small scale universe give rise to the fundamental processes of life, the Earth, and the cosmos. Explore the scientific foundations for observing matter, and the technologies that could help solve diverse global-scale challenges.

Cells and Organisms

Dig deeply into the complexity of how cells and organisms function and learn sophisticated approaches for examining life. Learn how biotechnology and bioengineering technologies can provide solutions to the challenges facing life on earth.

Earth's Systems

Investigate the interactions among Earth's systems, including the atmosphere, terrestrial, and marine components and how the Earth's biome (including humans) interfaces with the physical, chemical and geological aspects of the environment. Explore how scientists are monitoring and modeling the changes to our Earth, and potential technological and social solutions to Earth's challenges.

Social Sciences

Concentrations:

Cognition, Brain, and Behavior

Learn how to use cognitive science to illuminate questions about the mind, including the nature of thinking and emotion and how the two interact in human beings. Investigate the anatomy, physiology, and chemistry of the brain, how they relate to the mind, and what implications brain science more generally has for society as a whole. Explore how to use the science of psychology to become a more effective member of society: to be more persuasive, set better goals, lead effectively, and promote positive behavior changes in yourself and others.

Economics and Society

Study the nature of capital, trade, taxation, economic growth, and the scientific analysis of economies. Learn the various tools and theories used for analyzing economic behavior. Understand the powerful ways in which local, national, and global economic activities impact the lives of world citizens, at every socioeconomic level.

Politics, Government, and Society

Investigate the factors that influence and define successful governments. Understand the ways in which distinct political systems influence outcomes in different places and times. Learn the elements of effective constitutional design and implementation.