Gordon’s 12 New Academic Programs

It’s 12/12 and “12 Days of Christmas” is playing in the background as yet another dozen Christmas cookies bake in the oven. What better time to share about Gordon’s 12 new academic programs? Beginning this year, the College rolled out several new majors, minors and concentrations to better meet the academic interests and career goals of students. Read along for updates in psychology, social welfare, art, philosophy, education and ministry (partridge and pear tree not included).

Psychology, Sociology and Social Welfare

B.S. in Psychology
The longstanding psychology major has expanded to include the option for students to earn a Bachelor of Arts or Science in Psychology. The new B.S. offers a special emphasis on scientific understanding for students who are considering fields or graduate programs that require a demonstrable focus on science. The program offers opportunities to study areas like brain functioning, animal behavior, modern genetics or biomechanics. 

Social Welfare Major
Social welfare is the pathway to an accredited Master of Social Work program for students looking to work for social change in areas like adoption and foster care, child welfare, community development or disability services. Students will be prepared to act in systems at all levels to help bring about peace, justice and social transformation.

Human Services Minor
The new human services minor is for servant-leaders and change makers. Students will learn about organized networks of public and private social services, along with basic practices and perspectives in the social work profession—all while preparing for some of the fastest-growing occupations in the nation.

Counseling Concentration
Housed under the psychology major, the new counseling concentration not only prepares students for careers in clinical and church-based counseling, but also puts them on the fast-track to a graduate degree. Through Gordon’s partnership with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, undergraduate counseling students can earn graduate credit and qualify for advanced placement in the Master of Arts in Counseling program at the Seminary.

Art

Design Studio Concentration
The design studio concentration equips aspiring designers with solid software skills and a deep foundation in the process of artmaking. The new concentration weaves print and screen, analog and digital into a process of creating that is comfortable in a multitude of design-centered fields, like graphic design, product design and character design.

Fine Art Studio Concentration
Taking an interdisciplinary approach to visual thinking and critical making, the fine art studio concentration can bend to fit aspiring painters, sculptors, illustrators, photographers and print makers. The program allows for wide exploration that challenges students both technically and creatively.

Political Science, Philosophy and History

Philosophy majors now have the opportunity to choose one of four concentrations to tailor their studies to their academic and career goals. Students will complete their program with an internship or final research project related to their concentration.

• Justice, peace and conflict connects the foundational philosophical study of human nature, ethics and justice with contemporary work in the nature of conflict and peacemaking.
• Languages and linguistics gives students theoretical and historical underpinnings to their work in translation or teaching English as a second language.
• Political theory challenges students to deepen their understanding of the foundations of politics and justice—from the earliest thinkers to contemporary theories.
• Law prepares students for success in law school through studying the philosophy of law, constitutional law, formal logic and economics.

Education

Education Minor
The newest offering under Gordon’s new School of Education, the education minor offers an additional pathway for students interested exploring the field of education or in teaching outside of a traditional school setting—for example, in ministry, adult education and vocational training.

Christian Ministries

Social Impact Ministries Track
A blend of ministry, entrepreneurship, economics and justice, the social impact ministries track within the Christian ministries major prepares students to be transformative leaders in church and society through community development and social ventures.

These 12 new programs are just a handful of the more than 90 majors, minors, concentrations and interdisciplinary programs offered at Gordon. See the full list >