Carthage College

Accounting (Bachelor of Arts)

Accounting majors can choose to earn a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. The Bachelor of Arts degree should be considered by students who are not planning to take the CPA exam, and this degree tract more readily allows students to double major in another discipline. Accounting graduates have obtained employment in auditing, financial analysis, tax accounting, and corporate accounting in private, public, nonprofit, and government entities.

Accounting (Bachelor of Science)

The Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting is targeted at students who plan to earn 150 credits in order to take the CPA exam. This degree will qualify students to sit for the CPA exam and will meet the educational requirements for certification. With careful planning, students can complete the Bachelor of Science in four years.

Allied Health Science (Bachelor of Arts)

Allied Health Science majors choose a degree path that aligns with their individual interests, career goals, and intended professional programs. The AHS curricula prepare students for professional programs such as athletic training, physical therapy, occupational therapy, diagnostic medical sonography, radiology, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine, respiratory care, clinical nutrition, pharmacy, chiropractic, and public health.

Allied Health Science (Bachelor of Science)

The Bachelor of Science in Allied Health Science provides a multidisciplinary foundation in the health sciences through a 53-credit required course sequence. Through comprehensive academic evaluation and personalized advising, faculty in the healthcare disciplines work closely with students to ensure their selected path meets the prerequisites and expectations of their chosen profession.

Animation and Film

The Animation and Film major is a 44-credit program offered by the Art Department that combines drawing, digital foundations, film history, animation, and screenwriting. The culmination of the animation and film major is the Senior Art Exhibition.

Applied Engineering

The Bachelor of Arts in Applied Engineering is an applied science degree with an engineering emphasis that allows students to pursue an area of specialization in areas such as business, arts, and humanities through a tailored course of study following the second year of coursework. It provides students with the flexibility to pair their engineering studies with complementary disciplines such as Management, Physics, Mathematics, Theatre Arts, and Environmental Science.

Art History

Art history and theory courses in both Western and non-Western traditions allow the student to study visual art as an enduring cultural legacy. The 40-credit major culminates in the public presentation of an original thesis, and three years of foreign language study are recommended.

Athletic Training

The Master of Athletic Training program at Carthage is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). The program is designed to develop academic competence, evidence-based practice, and clinical reasoning skills through a sequence of didactic, laboratory, and clinical experiences.

Biology (Bachelor of Arts)

The Biology Department offers both a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Students completing the Bachelor of Arts complete an 18-credit core plus five upper-level biology courses drawn from the department's three discipline areas — cellular and molecular biology, organismal biology, and ecological biology — along with required chemistry coursework.

Biology (Bachelor of Science)

The Bachelor of Science in Biology is a 66-credit major that builds on the department's core courses with additional upper-level biology, chemistry, and quantitative coursework. It is intended for students seeking greater depth in the natural sciences and preparation for graduate study and scientific research careers.

Biotechnology (Bachelor of Arts)

The Biotechnology program is housed within the Biology Department and offers a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology as well as a minor. The program prepares students for a wide range of career fields including genomics, genetic engineering, molecular biology research, pharmaceutical research, biomanufacturing, clinical diagnostic research, regulatory affairs, and bioremediation.

Biotechnology (Bachelor of Science)

The Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology is a 70-credit major combining biology, chemistry, biochemistry, mathematics, physics, and computational reasoning. The program prepares students for careers in genomics, genetic engineering, biomanufacturing, clinical diagnostic research, and regulatory affairs, and is not intended for pre-health students.

Broad Field Social Science Education

The Broad Field Social Science Education major emphasizes breadth over depth in the social sciences and is solely for students who are also pursuing teacher certification. It requires 32 credits from at least five social science departments, completion of the Secondary Education Grades 4-12 Major, and a 20-24 credit minor in one of the social science areas.

Business Design and Innovation

The Master of Science program in Business Design and Innovation (BDI), first accredited by the Higher Learning Commission in August 2016, provides an educational experience grounded in independent and critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and solution finding.

Chemistry (Bachelor of Arts)

The Chemistry Department prepares students for graduate study, industrial chemistry, law school, engineering, teaching, and a variety of health care graduate programs. The 60-credit Bachelor of Arts degree provides more flexibility to take courses outside of chemistry and is ideal for pre-health students, students pursuing careers in education and business, and students pursuing multiple majors or minors.

Chemistry (Bachelor of Science)

The 72-credit Bachelor of Science in Chemistry is approved by the American Chemical Society, the largest and most internationally recognized professional organization for chemists. This degree is ideal for students seeking a Ph.D. in chemistry and gives students additional in-depth and hands-on experiences helpful for industry positions.

Communication

The Communication and Public Relations Department engages students in the adventure of human communication in historical and contemporary contexts. Students are trained in written, oral, and visual communication, learning both to critique the effectiveness of communication and to create their own. The major culminates in a senior capstone seminar involving a major thesis, project, or exhibition.

Computer Science (Bachelor of Arts)

By taking computer science courses, students develop problem-solving skills that can be applied across many disciplines, gaining a firm foundation of knowledge and practical experience in software development, computer architecture, and software engineering best practices. The Bachelor of Arts pairs the departmental core with four additional upper-level computer science courses.

Computer Science (Bachelor of Science)

The Bachelor of Science in Computer Science extends the departmental core with additional mathematics and science requirements beyond the Bachelor of Arts. This knowledge prepares students for successful, rewarding careers in technology industries or for graduate studies in computer science.

Criminal Justice

The Criminal Justice major consists of 36 credits, including a four-credit senior seminar, built on a common core of five courses in the criminal justice system, criminology, race and racisms, and constitutional law. Students may choose to pursue either a criminal justice or a prelaw track within the major.

Cross-Categorical Special Education

The Cross-Categorical Special Education major prepares candidates for a K-12 Wisconsin license to teach exceptional learners. Coursework covers instructional technology for exceptional learners, inclusion and collaboration with families and professionals, comprehensive assessment, and methods for teaching elementary and secondary level exceptional learners.

Data Science

The Data Science major is composed of 50 credits, including five core courses, one course each in statistics, computing, data software, and ethics, and two portfolio seminars. Students develop and present a data science portfolio and engage in career and professional development activities.

Economics

The 44-credit Economics major grounds students in microeconomics and macroeconomics and refines those principles through intermediate-level theory courses and quantitative methods. Students gain breadth in the subfields of economics through electives and may select a concentration in Public Policy Analysis, International Economics, or Financial Economics. As the capstone, students complete the economics seminar course and a Senior Thesis.

Education

The Master of Education program at Carthage fosters intellectual and professional learning opportunities within the context of a liberal arts education. Classes enable teachers to keep abreast of current issues relating to education, such as curricula, counseling, guidance, and administration. Initial licensure is available in Education Administration and Reading, and a program of study may be devised for add-on licenses.

Educational Studies

This major is designed for students who are not pursuing a teaching license but want to work with youth and/or the community. Coursework spans education and society, educational psychology, supporting diverse learners, fieldwork, English language learner methods, urban and cultural leadership, and culturally relevant instruction, culminating in the Educational Studies Major Capstone.

Elementary and Middle School Education

The Education Department offers a major in Elementary and Middle School Education for grades K through 9, preparing candidates for Wisconsin teacher licensure. The senior capstone experience for Elementary and Middle School Education majors is the successful completion of student teaching.

Engineering

Students learn engineering through real projects partnered with real stakeholders to address real needs for the community, with early design and project experiences that provide real-world context and authentic practice throughout the program. The Bachelor of Science in Engineering has been designed to meet the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) ABET Student Learning Outcomes.

English

The purpose of the English major at Carthage is to foster the imaginative understanding of literature and language. Students learn to examine language closely and to analyze texts from the perspectives of race, class, gender, and sexuality, exploring the possibilities of language as both readers and writers. The major requires 40 credits.

Environmental Science

Students majoring in Environmental Science focus on studying interactions between humans and the natural world, highlighting the interconnections between the natural and social sciences for approaching environmental challenges. The major consists of at least 60 credits including a 32-credit core and a 28-credit plan of study chosen with an advisor, and all majors complete a Senior Thesis.

Exercise and Sport Science

The Exercise and Sport Science major builds on a 20-credit core covering foundations of the discipline, instructional methods, nutrition, strength training, exercise anatomy and biomechanics, and physiology of exercise. Students majoring in Exercise and Sport Science must select either a Health and Human Performance concentration or a Physical Education concentration.

Finance

Finance majors gain financial analysis skills and hands-on portfolio management experience, and take advantage of the college's economics, accounting, GIS, and math classes to strengthen their knowledge. Finance graduates have obtained employment in financial analysis, financial planning, corporate finance, portfolio management, wealth management, compliance, banking, insurance, and investment analysis.

French

The Modern Languages Department equips students to work, serve, and lead in the world by preparing them to communicate using foreign languages in appropriate and culturally specific manners. The French major totals 45-49 credits and is structured around a requisite study abroad experience in a country where the target language is spoken.

Game Development (Bachelor of Arts)

The Game Development in Computer Science major recognizes that future training systems, modes of work, and modes of storytelling will increasingly leverage simulation and synthetic environments. The major provides students a solid basis to pursue employment in simulation, game development, visual storytelling, and related fields, along with a rigorous foundation in the mainstream computer sciences.

Game Development (Bachelor of Science)

The Bachelor of Science in Game Development builds on the game development core in computer science with additional mathematics and science requirements. Graduates are prepared for employment in simulation, game development, and visual storytelling, as well as fields unrelated to gaming.

Geographic Information Science

The 48-credit major in Geographic Information Science allows students to focus on the techniques and practice of spatial data analysis and its practice within the larger field of information science. The core material highlights the theory and application of Geographic Information Science, while the remaining courses offer background in programming, statistics, and other areas of information and computer science.

Geoscience

Geospatial scientists study the world by focusing on spatial analysis — studying the processes that determine where and how people interact with their environment. The 40-credit geoscience curriculum prepares students to address global challenges ranging from climate change to water resources, and as part of the capstone experience students develop and conduct original or applied research in their senior year.

German

The German major totals 45-49 credits and is structured around a requisite study abroad experience, combining language acquisition, cultural awareness orientation, courses on the German-speaking world's social, political, economic, cultural, and intellectual life, textual interpretation, and a senior seminar. Immersion in the linguistic and cultural setting of a foreign country is essential to the formation of a modern language major.

Graphic Design

The Graphic Design and Film program blends creative expression with cutting-edge technology to prepare students for dynamic careers in visual communication. Through hands-on courses in graphic design, filmmaking, animation, and digital media, students develop technical skills and artistic vision. Students graduate with a strong portfolio and the versatility to succeed in diverse media industries.

Healthcare Administration

The Healthcare Administration major, offered by the Management Department, combines coursework in healthcare professions and business with management, marketing, human resources, economics, healthcare informatics, and evidence-based practice in healthcare. It prepares students for administrative and leadership roles across the healthcare industry.

History

Through the lens of history, students learn to appreciate and understand how humans on all levels of society have lived and grappled with war, revolution, social change, and the environment. The study of history teaches students critical thinking, effective oral communication, and good writing, providing the foundation for careers in law, business, journalism, government, education, and medicine.

International Political Economy

The major and program in International Political Economy consists of 48 credits and is designed for students who wish to focus study in business, economics, political science, and other fields on international perspectives and the business and public policy decisions that shape today's global economy and society. Because the major is broadly cross-disciplinary, students in IPE should be interested in study beyond a single discipline.

Japanese

The Japanese major combines a required core of elementary and intermediate Japanese language and oral Japanese courses with cultural awareness orientation, an immersion abroad experience, and a senior seminar. Students hone their linguistic skills and deepen their cultural understanding so that they may become more effective communicators and globally sensitive citizens.

Management

The Management major combines business foundations, applied statistics, principles of management, operations management, human resource management, the legal environment of business, marketing, and corporate finance with a senior business policies seminar. Recent graduates have obtained employment in social media marketing, business intelligence, media planning, sales and marketing management, benefits analysis, and human resource management.

Marketing

The Marketing Department offers a major in Marketing, which also provides students with the option to pursue a minor in Sport Business. Recent graduates from the program have successfully secured positions in digital marketing, business-to-business sales, marketing research, social media management, brand management, advertising, media planning, content marketing, event management, and customer service.

Mathematics

Courses in the Mathematics Department help students acquire methods of logical reasoning and deduction and develop problem-solving skills for a wide variety of applications. The major requires 48 credits including calculus, discrete structures, linear algebra, mathematical computing, abstract algebra, real analysis, senior research, and a Senior Thesis.

Music

The Bachelor of Arts in Music is a 40-credit major covering music theory and aural skills, keyboard skills, music history, applied lessons in a single performance area, ensemble participation, recital attendance, and a Senior Thesis. Carthage offers additional emphases in vocal performance, instrumental performance, music composition, and piano pedagogy for students who seek further depth and skills development.

Musical Theatre (Bachelor of Arts)

The Carthage Music Department houses the interdisciplinary emphasis in Musical Theatre, which comprises 56 credits of courses in music, theatre, and dance. Students who intend to pursue the Bachelor of Arts with an emphasis in Musical Theatre must pass an entrance audition.

Musical Theatre (Bachelor of Music)

The Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre requires 90-98 credits in the Music Department and supporting departments, spanning musicianship and musical performance, music theatre techniques, music theatre history, audition and business skills, and theatre and dance studies. The degree culminates in a senior showcase seminar and Senior Thesis.

Music Education

Carthage offers a Bachelor of Music in Music Education with certifications in Instrumental Music Education and Vocal Music Education. The BMME meets Wisconsin licensure requirements as well as the standards set forth by the National Association of Schools of Music, and comprises musicianship and performance, core music education, a concentration area, and professional education coursework.

Music Pedagogy

The Master of Music in Music Pedagogy provides opportunities for students to engage musically, artistically, and intellectually in the field of music pedagogy. Programs in music pedagogy focus on practical performance strategies as well as the theories and research that inform how we perform. The program is offered in a one-year accelerated format as well as in the two-year traditional format.

Music Theatre Vocal Pedagogy

The Master of Music in Music Theatre Vocal Pedagogy is one of the few programs that focus specifically on music theatre vocal pedagogy, covering styles from "legit" to contemporary pop/rock. Students develop pedagogical strategies in academic courses while implementing them in performance, mentored praxis, and supervised teaching experiences. The program is offered in a one-year accelerated format as well as in the two-year traditional format.

Neuroscience (Bachelor of Arts)

The neuroscience major provides both a breadth of understanding in basic scientific principles and depth of understanding in the emerging area of nervous system research, preparing students for graduate school and career opportunities in a diverse range of scientific research and medical/therapeutic fields. The Bachelor of Arts requires nine core courses (36 credits) plus three electives.

Neuroscience (Bachelor of Science)

The Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience extends the neuroscience core with additional science and quantitative coursework for students seeking greater depth. The major prepares students for graduate school and careers in scientific research and medical or therapeutic fields.

Nursing

Students in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program must complete 56 credits within the major, along with 24 credits of required supporting courses and 50 or more credits fulfilling Carthage's degree requirements. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at Carthage College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Photography

The Photography major consists of 40 credits spanning darkroom, digital, advanced, and theory coursework along with the history of photography and a senior seminar in art. The culmination of the photography major is the Senior Art Exhibition.

Physics (Bachelor of Arts)

Physics is the study of the fundamental principles that govern the entire cosmos, from the behaviors of subatomic particles to the structure of the universe as a whole. The 56-credit Bachelor of Arts in Physics is a flexible degree that promotes competency in computing, sharpens quantitative and analytical skills, and develops the ability to model complex systems.

Physics (Bachelor of Science)

The 72-credit Bachelor of Science in Physics is a rigorous course of study for students seeking depth in physics and related fields. Recent physics majors have earned advanced degrees in physics, astrophysics, medical physics, and applied physics, and have found employment in finance, IT, engineering, data science, and science teaching.

Piano Performance and Collaborative Piano

The Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Collaborative Piano requires 84-98 credits in the Music Department and supporting departments. The core curriculum covers private piano and organ study, theory and aural skills, music history, piano pedagogy, collaborative piano, performance practice, and piano literature, and students complete 12 additional credits of music electives.

Playwriting

The Playwriting major requires 60 credits, including 48 credits of required courses in acting, play reading and analysis, playwriting, verbatim theatre techniques, ensemble and experimental theatre, literary studies, creative writing, and Shakespeare. The major culminates in the Senior Seminar in Theatre and Senior Thesis.

Political Science

The study of political science is designed to provide insight into political institutions and behavior, to instill an understanding of the responsibilities of intelligent citizenship, and to promote understanding of the theories and realities of politics. A major in political science consists of 11 courses, including two courses in each of the department's four subfields, the Senior Seminar, and two electives.

Product Management for Manufactured Goods

In addition to the Business Design and Innovation program, the department also offers a Certificate program in Product Management for Manufactured Goods, listed among Carthage's graduate offerings in the Graduate Academic Program of Study section.

Product Management for Manufactured Goods

The Product Management for Manufactured Goods program provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively manage existing products and the development and launch of new manufactured products. The program focuses on topics such as product lifecycle, production processes, supply chain management, quality control, project management, and marketing strategies. Graduates will be prepared to lead product teams and make strategic decisions that impact product success.

Psychology

The major concentration in psychological science is designed to encourage an understanding of human behavior from a broad scientific perspective and to prepare students for graduate study, for employment in a psychology-related field, or for further education or career training in a variety of other fields. The major requires 44 credits.

Public Relations

The 40-credit Public Relations major combines departmental fundamentals in human communication, public speaking, and visual communication with a core in public relations principles, writing, communications management, campaigns, and crisis communication. Recent graduates have gained employment or pursued graduate study in fields such as public relations, sports media, electronic and print media, journalism, business, and human resources.

Religion

The Religion Department aims to provide all students with an introduction to the scholarly study of religion, to give them the conceptual skills to interpret religious experience in its varying manifestations, and to instill a sense of religion as a fundamental dimension of human experience. The major requires 38 credits including a research methods experience and a senior seminar.

Secondary Education

Students who plan to specialize in and teach a content area at grades 4-12 must complete a content area major together with the Secondary Education Grades 4-12 Major. The major consists of education foundations, educational psychology, classroom engagement, developmental and content area literacy, methods and materials, and student teaching.

Social Work

The undergraduate major in social work prepares students for beginning generalist social work practice and is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The major consists of 11 social work courses (44 credits) and four supporting courses (16 credits), including two semesters of field placement.

Sociology

Sociology, which is the science of society, examines social patterns and social change wherever found: in small groups, in political, economic, and cultural organizations, in whole societies, and in world systems. The sociology major consists of 36 credit hours including a five-course core and a four-credit senior seminar.

Spanish

The Spanish major totals 45-49 credits and is structured around a requisite study abroad experience, combining language acquisition, cultural awareness orientation, courses on the Spanish-speaking world, textual interpretation, and a senior seminar culminating in a Senior Thesis written in Spanish. Students immerse themselves in real communicative situations with people of other cultures to become culturally aware and linguistically proficient professionals.

Studio Art

Studio courses are designed to provide a foundation in traditional media while preparing the student to explore new media and a personal vision. Majors in studio art are prepared for a lifelong practice in creative activity, and the culmination of the studio major is the Senior Art Exhibition. The major requires 44 credits, 12 in art history and 32 in studio art.

Theatre

The Carthage Theatre Department guides, encourages, and cultivates students as they flourish into mature, well-rounded, and capable theatre artists and critics. The general theatre major requires 44 credits including a 24-credit core in acting, play reading and analysis, play production, stage management, and a senior seminar with Senior Thesis. An audition or portfolio presentation and interview are required for entrance.

Theatre Performance

The Theatre Major in Performance requires 52 credits, combining the departmental 20-credit core with 34 additional credits in applied acting and directing, voice for the stage, acting sequences, directing, Shakespeare, theatre survey, dance, and movement techniques for performers. An audition and interview before members of the theatre faculty are required for entrance.

Theatre Technical Direction

The Technical Direction major requires 56 credits, combining the departmental core with coursework in theatrical lighting and sound, theatrical drafting methods, scenic painting, advanced play production, scenic design, drawing, and art foundations. A portfolio presentation and interview before the theatre faculty are required for entrance.

Theatrical Stage Management

The Technical Stage Management major requires 52 credits, combining the departmental core with applied technical production, advanced theatre lab, stage management, directing, introduction to business, and human communication. A portfolio presentation and interview before the theatre faculty are required for entrance.