Minor Areas of Study
Although minors are not required for graduation, many students choose one. A minor area of study consists of courses specified by each department. Typically, minors consist of five or six courses, over half of which must be taken at Hiram College. Examples of minors available through the weekend format include: biomedical humanities, communication, computer systems management, economics, environmental studies, management, and writing. For other minors please refer to the Hiram College Catalog.
Accounting
Biomedical Humanities
Because humanities issues in healthcare are of great concern across many disciplines today, and because many of our students envision themselves serving in the healthcare professions in the future, we offer a minor in biomedical humanities. This minor, comprised of interdisciplinary and departmental courses, emphasizes the ethical, religious, social, economic, and other non-technological issues in healthcare, and it addresses the complexities of solving healthcare problems. For students considering going on to careers in medicine, medical technology and research, nursing, counseling, social work, ministry, etc., this minor infuses humanities perspectives and concerns into the training they are getting in sciences and social sciences. It also complements traditional majors in the humanities.
Students wishing a minor in biomedical humanities choose an advisor from the Health Sciences Board, and in conjunction with the advisor, select the courses most appropriate for them. Students taking the minor will participate in BIMD 480, senior seminar.
The biomedical humanities minor consists of a minimum 20 semester hours of courses.
Communication
A minor in communication requires five courses, including Communication 101: Foundations of Public Communication and Communication 300: Human Communication Theory; three courses are selected from two different tracks. These courses, chosen in consultation with a communication department faculty member, should represent a coherent study of communication relative and complementary to the student’s major.
Practicum programs include field experiences and internships; they are offered by the department in several areas, such as journalism, public relations, and electronic media.
Economics
A minor in economics requires five courses: two required (Economics 201: Principles of Microeconomics and Economics 202: Principles of Macroeconomics) and three chosen by the student to meet personal educational goals. These courses, chosen in consultation with an economics department faculty member, should represent a coherent study of economics relative and complementary to the student’s major.
Environmental Studies
The environmental studies minor allows a student to obtain an environmental perspective which can meaningfully enhance his or her major in a specific discipline. Students of any major may elect to participate in the environmental studies minor, and those interested in this program should contact a member of the Environmental Studies Board as early as possible, preferably during the student's first year, for further information and to discuss a plan of study. Students who minor in environmental studies should begin by taking Interdisciplinary 225 and other core and correlative requirements. Internships typically are done in the summer between the junior and senior year. Students who minor in environmental studies must have a minor advisor who is a member of the Environmental Studies Board.
Management
A minor in management requires six courses: four required and two chosen by the student to meet personal educational goals. These courses, chosen in consultation with a management department faculty member, should represent a coherent study of management relative and complementary to the student's major.
Required Courses
- Economics 201: Principles of Microeconomics
- Management 207 and 208: Financial Accounting I and Financial Accounting II
- Management 218: Organizational Behavior
- Management 255: Principles of Marketing
- Two additional 3 or 4 semester hour anagement courses at the 300 level or above.
Writing
The minor in writing requires a firm commitment on the part of the student and approval by the Writing Committee. Application to the Writing Committee should occur no later than the fall of a student's junior year. Five (5) courses are required; two may be selected from the 200-level sequence, but three must be from the 300-level. One of the five courses must be Advanced Expository Writing or Nonfiction Writing.
In addition, minors in writing are required to complete the minimum of a two-hour writing internship, or its equivalent. Writing minors also will be expected to prepare a senior portfolio and present it to the Writing Committee. Students who want to apply for the minor in writing should pick up an application in the Writing Center (217 Hinsdale). The Director of Writing will serve as advisor to all writing minors.