The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s College of Arts and Sciences is home to a wide range of undergraduate degrees and certificates. In fact, the College has been considered the foundation of undergraduate education at UAB for over a decade. The College also has 21 master’s degrees, nine Ph.D. programs, and six graduate certificates. These degrees and certificates span numerous disciplines across the Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Arts and Humanities. Given our expanding diversity of prospective students—including adult learners, individuals interested in upskilling, and more—I also want to take some time to shine a spotlight on our many innovative graduate programs.
One of our newest master’s programs is the Master of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience. For many years, the Department of Psychology (my home department) has offered a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience. Now, we are excited to also offer a terminal master’s degree for students who are interested in studying behavioral neuroscience and neurobiology and who might be interested in developing new skills related to collecting, managing, and analyzing research data. The program is good for students who want to transition into the workforce without a Ph.D., as well as for students who want to earn a Ph.D. but need additional training before applying to a program. Be sure to visit the program’s website or contact Dr. Dave Knight, program director, to learn more about this new degree.
Next is the Master of Arts in Cultural Heritage Studies. This interdisciplinary degree includes coursework in Art and Art History, Anthropology, and Political Science and Public Administration. Students who earn this degree are well-positioned to pursue careers in historic preservation and museum studies, arts management and administration, cultural and public advocacy, and more. Visit the Department of Art and Art History’s website or contact Dr. Cathleen Cummings, program director, for more information.
The M.S. in Mathematics is also worth a mention. This program equips students with skills to be successful in a range of careers, not just in the field of mathematics. Students who pursue the M.S. can engage with one of two tracks: 1.) the Applied Mathematics Track focuses on statistics and data analysis and can be valuable to people who want to pursue careers in business or government; 2.) the Traditional Mathematics Track is useful for future mathematics teachers. The Department of Mathematics has more information on their website, and Dr. Roman Shterenberg, program director, is available to answer questions about it.
In addition to useful and unique master’s programs, several departments within the College also offer graduate certificates. The certificates can be obtained on a shorter timeline and do not require the same application process as a master’s or Ph.D. program. If you do earn a graduate certificate and it inspires you to earn your master’s, then you may be interested in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies (IGS) degrees at UAB. Students can earn either an M.A. or M.S. in IGS by combining any two UAB graduate certificates that are affiliated with the IGS program. The Department of Political Science and Public Administration offers two certificates affiliated with the IGS program: the Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management and the Graduate Certificate in Public Management. I encourage you to explore these, as well as the full list of IGS certificates (which is available on the UAB Graduate School’s website).
For those interested in the Ph.D. programs within the College, please be sure to visit this comprehensive degree portal website. You can click through each degree to learn more about faculty members, program requirements, research opportunities, and more.
The degree portal includes a full list of our master’s programs and graduate certificates too. We expect a significant amount of growth in our graduate offerings in the coming years and will update this webpage frequently to reflect our new degrees and certificates, so be sure to bookmark the page and check back regularly.
I hope you take the time to further explore the graduate degrees and certificates within the College, and, if you’re considering taking the next step in your graduate education, please do not hesitate to reach out to a program director, department chair, or the College’s Associate Dean for Graduate and Continuing Education, Dr. Rajesh Kana. As we say in many of our print brochures and social media posts, Your Place is Here—and we firmly believe that. We hope to hear from you soon.
Kecia M. Thomas, Ph.D., is the dean of UAB’s College of Arts and Sciences
