Albion College Continues Curriculum Innovation through Launch of New Academic Programs

October 15, 2021

Albion College, one of the top 50 innovative liberal arts colleges in the country, has unveiled a suite of new academic programs that have been added to the college’s 2021-2022 class catalog and are already available for student enrollment. Albion College Provost Ron Mourad made the announcement.

Academic programs added to Albion College’s class offerings include a:

• Post-baccalaureate certificate in premedical studies;
• Public health concentration;
• Data science major;
• Data analytics minor;
• Sport communication major and minor;
• Health communication minor;

This fall, the College also launched the new experiential certificate, an integrated blend of coursework, experiential learning and professional training focused on a topic or field a student is passionate about.

“As an institution of higher learning, we continuously work to identify opportunities to evolve our academic curriculum to drive student interest and long-term success, as well as meet the needs of the post-graduate professional landscape,” Mourad said. “These additions to our course catalog are in direct response to the growing demand of professionals in healthcare, technology and communications. We look forward to welcoming students into these new programs and supporting them as they translate all they are learning in the classroom into action.”

The post-baccalaureate certificate in premedical studies is part of the Lisa and James Wilson Institute for Medicine and is designed specifically for students interested in developing their academic and extracurricular competencies before they apply for admission to dental, medical, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, or veterinary school. The program offers internship opportunities through The Philadelphia Center, giving students a well-rounded personal and professional development experience prior to beginning coursework.

Through coursework and hands-on experience, students in the public health concentration will learn the core functions and services of the industry and study the practice of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health for groups of people. Classes span several departments—anthropology, biology, chemistry, communications, economics and management, kinesiology, philosophy, psychology and sociology—based on a student’s chosen track, interests and career goals.

Part of the Mathematics and Computer Science Department, the data science major and data analytics minor both combine Albion’s rigorous liberal arts curriculum with courses in mathematics, computer science and statistics. The goal is to develop student skill sets in data analytics and position them for success with top employers by demonstrating evidence of a specialty area in a growing field.

The Communication Studies Department has added a sport communication major and minor, which will explore the role of communication in a sports context, the media environment and culture in and around sports. The department’s health communication minor will examine interpersonal, organizational and mass communication contexts within the growing healthcare field.

These announcements follow a year of curricular innovation that culminated with the launch of the new School for Public Purpose and Professional Advancement. Focused on experiential education, the School will prepare students for a life of purpose, career success and graduate or professional school through experiential certificates, which combine classroom instruction with experiential learning and professional development; stackable professional credentials like project management and human resources certifications; internships and community engagement; continuing professional and executive education; and real-world learning environments, including a student-run consulting firm. The School houses existing centers and institutes including the Carl A. Gerstacker Institute for Business and Management, the Gerald R. Ford Institute for Leadership in Public Policy and Service, the Lisa and James Wilson Institute for Medicine and the Center for Sustainability and the Environment. 

For more information, visit albion.edu.

About Albion College

Albion College is a private liberal arts college of approximately 1,500 students and is nationally recognized for its academic excellence in the liberal arts tradition, a learning-centered commitment and a future-oriented perspective. The College is a leader in preparing students to anticipate, solve and prevent problems in order to improve the human and global condition. Albion immerses students in the creation and processing of knowledge and graduates skilled architects of societal change, active citizens and future leaders. The College is dedicated to the highest quality in undergraduate education and is committed to diversity as a core institutional value.

Albion, Michigan is a culturally diverse community in the south-central part of the state. The College recognizes the value of community, both on- and off-campus and has invested resources in supporting the revitalization of the greater Albion community. This work offers an increasingly vibrant city around the campus that provides students with a fuller experience as they prepare to become engaged citizens in their own communities. For more information, visit albion.edu.