HUMAN RESOURCES
REAL ESTATE
SOFTWARE DESIGN AND CODING
PROFESSIONAL MINORS
HOW : Provides a foundation for careers in the human resources industry through the study of workforce development , compensation and planning , and employee relations .
WHY : Jeffrey D . Elliott , Ph . D ., Professor of Psychology and Department Chair , says “ A minor in Human Resources may be attractive to Psychology majors who want to apply their skills in a workplace or business setting rather than in a clinical or research setting . The minor can help to make them competitive for an entrylevel position in HR , where they might focus on recruitment and training of employees or on employee relations .”
HUMAN RESOURCES
HOW : Provides instruction in the basics of the commercial real estate industry and offers core skills for entrylevel work in the fields of commercial real estate and development .
WHY : “ There are many job opportunities for paralegals and lawyers in the real estate field ,” says Hilary Michaud , Chair and Professor of Law and Justice Studies . “ While they could work for law firms , they could also work for title companies , real estate brokerage firms , estate-specific types of employers , and more .”
REAL ESTATE
HOW : Provides a foundation in information systems to prepare students to perform industry-specific IT tasks in the workplace through the study of programming and technology infrastructures .
WHY : Laura Smith , Chair and Associate Professor of English Language and Literature says , “ Tech companies need people with those classic English skills in storytelling , communication , and complex thinking . At the same time , English majors who want writing careers will be increasingly writing in digital spaces . They need to graduate with the ability to understand and navigate digital platforms , including coding , information architecture , and design .”
SOFTWARE DESIGN AND CODING
A CONNECTION TO CAREER
Sue Gordon , Vice President of Career Services , is quick to note that the professional minors aren ’ t just about classes — they ’ re suffused with career experiences .
“ There are three elements to the career-related aspect of the professional minors ,” she says . “ There will be sponsored internships developed specifically for the minor . For example , a real estate minor will have an internship at an agency . There also will be panels with professionals who are working in the industry related to the minor . And finally , with employer site visits , students would travel to a business to learn about the industry , how the company recruits , and what skills truly apply to that field .”
The panels will begin this fall , she says , with internships and site visits beginning in fall 2019 .
Gordon also notes that she would embrace the opportunity to partner with Stevenson alumni working in any of the fields related to the new professional minors on sponsored internships and panels .
Overall , the new professional minors are yet another example of Stevenson ’ s goal of connecting students to careers both in and out of the classroom .
“ The professional minors allow students to customize their experience at Stevenson to reflect their unique skills , interests , and career goals . They also provide students with additional possibilities in response to the important question , ‘ What do I want to do when I graduate ?’ ” Brennan says . SU
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