Academic Minor

A minor is a way for students to pursue an interest, or find recognition of their studies, in a specific area even as the main focus of their academic career lies elsewhere. For example, a Theology major might take a minor in Psychology or a Sociology major find herself on the way to an interdisciplinary minor in Justice and Peace Studies. Some people even choose to minor in more than one subject.

To minor in a subject here at the Abbey, a student generally needs to have a minimum of 15 credits of upper-level courses in a subject. Most majors offer a minor, and there are also some programs which only offer a minor. These minor-only programs tend to be interdisciplinary in nature, or aren’t yet large enough to offer a major. You will find a list of those in the navigation bar at the left, as well as below.

Chemistry:

The Chemistry minor is designed for students who have an interest in Chemistry and who would like to study chemical principles in some depth. The program is open to all students but is particularly attractive to Biology majors. A student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology is required to take Organic Chemistry I and II. He or she would only need two additional courses to obtain the minor in Chemistry.

A minor in Chemistry requires a grade of “C” or better in the following courses: CH 221 and 222 (Organic Chemistry I and II), CH 316 (Biochemistry), or PY 303 (Modern Physics), and CH 317 (Analytical Chemistry).

Faculty Advisor
Marilyn Martin-Schwan – Associate Professor of Chemistry
B.A. University of Maine, M.S. University of Maine, Ph.D. University of North Dakota

Education:

A minor in Education is for students who are interested in knowing more about education in the United States. A student pursuing a minor in Education must formally apply to the Education Department for approval. After completing six semester hours of coursework, he or she should contact the Department Coordinator.

A minor in Education requires a grade of “C” or better in the following Education courses: Education 300, 301, 305, and 312, and one of the following: Education 302, 380, or 399.

Faculty Advisor
Dr. Sara Powell – Chair and Associate Professor of Education Department
B.S. Southern Nazarene University, M.A. University of Colorado-Denver, Ph.D. University of Colorado-Denver

International Studies:

The interdisciplinary minor in International Studies encourages students to discover and think seriously about the structure of the world in which they live and acquaints them with cultures other than their own. The minor, which consists of both lower-level pre-requisites and upper-level courses, is open to students of any major. The minor is designed to equip graduates with a basic knowledge of the contemporary international system and to acquaint them with the language and culture of at least one region of the world.

Students interested in pursuing a minor in International Studies must complete the following list of requirements:

• The study of a modern Foreign Language during freshman and sophomore years.
• The completion of the intermediate level of that modern Foreign Language.
• The completion of the following upper-level courses: Political Science 413 or 414, or History 401 or 402, or a combination of these courses.
• The completion of three additional upper-level courses form the list of classes offered in Business, Economics, History, Languages, Philosophy, Political Science, Theology, and Sociology.
• Completion of elective course work (Student can choose from the following list): International Business 310, Political Science 240, 341, 335, 418, 419 and Social Sciences 301 (see catalog for course descriptions). Please speak with the Director of the International Studies Minor for required hours.

Faculty Advisor
Dr. Robert Jones – Chair and Professor of Political Science Department
B.S. St. Louis University, M.A. University of Notre Dame, Ph.D. University of Notre Dame

Justice and Peace Studies:

The Interdisciplinary minor in Justice and Peace Studies offers students an opportunity to develop knowledge of many of the world’s major problems, together with a responsible social conscience guided by Catholic social teaching. Courses included in the concentration incorporate the broader perspectives of just action, the common good, and environmental concern and focus on the following:

• The study of socio-economic conditions or potential changes in those conditions affecting justice/peace (e.g., SO 351 Social Problems).
• The analysis of socio-political philosophies or movements (e.g., PO 402 Modern Political Philosophy).
• The examination of the relationships between individual human existence and the larger social or natural world (e.g., PC 360 Social & Cultural Psychology).

The minor, which consists of 15 credit hours of upper-level courses, is open to students of any major. Students interested in pursuing a minor in Justice and Peace Studies must complete the following: TH 340 Catholic Social Teaching, an internship, and three elective courses (drawn from an approved list of courses in Biology, Business, Economics, Education, English, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Theology).

Faculty
Sr. Jane Russell, O.S.F - Associate Professor of Theology, Coordinator of Justice and Peace Studies
B.A. Alverno College, M.A. University of San Francisco, Ph.D. University of Notre Dame

Pre-Law:

This minor provides students a foundational understanding of law. Students who minor in pre-law typically major in English, History, Political Science or Philosophy because these disciplines especially hone the particular skills needed for success in law school.
In addition to electing an academic major, students intending to go to law school may also undertake an interdisciplinary minor in Pre-Law. The minor consists of 15 credit hours of courses carefully selected to polish the skills necessary to gain admission to law school and succeed once there. The courses are: Pre-Law Prep I, II, and III, Advanced Logic, Constitutional Law, Business Law, and Statistics.

Faculty Advisor
Dr. John Plecnik – Professor of Philosophy
B.A. The Athenaeum of Ohio, M.A. The Athenaeum of Ohio, Ph.D. Marquette University

Theatre Arts:

The minor in Theatre Arts is offered for students interested in achieving some proficiency in either technical theater or performance. The minor is closely allied to the activities of the Abbey Players, Belmont Abbey College’s dramatic troupe. The minor requires students to choose between one of two (technical or artistic) tracks and to pursue studies that culminate in a practicum during the senior year. As part of the graduation requirement, the students must collaborate and produce a full-stage production.

The minor consists of 15 credit hours, organized between two separate tracks: one for the technically-minded student and the other for the student actor or director. The tracks will conjoin during the students’ senior year, when they engage in a practicum to create a full-stage production.

Students must choose one of the following:
Technical Track: Introduction to Technical Theatre, Lighting and Sound Design, Set Design, Set Construction, and Practicum.
Artistic Track: Introduction to Theatre Arts, Theatre Appreciation, Acting I and II, American Musical, Introduction to Directing and Practicum.

Faculty
Mr. Simon Donoghue - Associate Professor of English / Fine Arts, Director of the Abbey Players B.A. University of Virginia, M.S.L.S. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Mr. Gary Sivak - Technical Director of Theatre
B.A., University of North Carolina-Charlotte