Finlandia’s Suomi College of Arts & Sciences is excited to introduce two new bachelor’s degrees and two new minors for fall 2020. The new degrees are a Bachelor of Science in psychology and a Bachelor of Science in biology. The new minors students can explore are military science and global studies.

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) options expand upon FinnU’s current psychology and biology programs, which are currently only offered as a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). Dean of the Suomi College of Arts & Sciences Jason Oyadomari says the new options will appeal to students that want a more science-intensive education.

“The B.S. option should appeal to students looking for advanced education and degrees,” Oyadomari said. “But even without an advanced degree, the B.S. option can appeal to employers that want job candidates that have a more rigorous science training, such as for technicians or clinicians, and thus appeal to students looking for such jobs.

“The B.A. option we currently have is ideal for students that a science education but also want a well-rounded education in the liberal arts.”

Students need not decide which path – B.A. or B.S. option – they want at admission, but can decide in their second or third year.

Beginning this fall, students will also have the option of minoring in global studies or military science.

William Knoblauch, who helped draft the proposal for global studies, is excited about the ways in which the minor explores culture across the globe.

“Regarding scope, ‘culture’ here includes rituals, ceremonies, texts -print, auditory, visual- and discourses from various regions of the world,” Knoblauch said. “Analytically, students will interpret, critique, and compare texts to assess the construction of regional or intellectual authority, and examine how and why conflicts arise when those hegemonies meet or clash. Instructors will apply contemporary approaches from cultural anthropology, human geography, literary criticism, history, and business and criminal justice practices.”

The military science minor is ideal for students who are part of ROTC.

“The military science minor allows students at Finlandia the opportunity to have the credits they take through our agreement with Michigan Tech’s Army ROTC program be applied to their major by way of a minor in military science,” Registrar Jason Sullivan said. “This also aligns with Michigan Tech’s military science minor that is available to their students that successfully complete the Army ROTC program.”

In addition to military science and global studies, the Suomi College of Arts & Sciences approved a creative writing minor this past December that will also be available beginning fall 2020.