Already, students have access to the new Bachelors of Arts in Computer and Information Sciences, the only degree of its kind in the State of Alabama and typical of the kinds of degrees that are emerging across the country in response to industry growth and demand. The UAB BA in CIS is designed for students interested in combining a broad-based liberal arts education with a strong foundation in computer science. Graduates of the program will be equipped to use the tools and techniques of computer science to solve computational problems related to arts, humanities, business, engineering and other areas, meeting industry demands for such professionals.

New degrees available in January 2017 include the Bachelors of Science in Digital Forensics offered by the Department of Justice Sciences, and the Masters of Arts in Peace and Human Rights in the Department of Anthropology. Degrees that will be available by the Fall semester of 2017 include the Bachelors of Science in Medical Sociology in the Department of Sociology and two bachelors degrees offered in partnership with the School of Medicine: Immunology and Genetics/Genomics. "One of the goals of the UAB College of Arts and Sciences is to offer innovative interdisciplinary programs that span the traditional boundaries of science, arts and humanities,” said Robert Palazzo, Ph.D., dean of the UAB College of Arts and Sciences. “These new degrees will give students a unique opportunity to combine their interests and maximize career prospects.”

And with seven departments slated to move into the new Arts and Sciences Building in Fall 2019: Anthropology, Computer and Information Sciences, English, Foreign Languages and Literatures, Mathematics, Philosophy and Social Work, every freshman will be guaranteed a class in the new space. The building, the groundbreaking for which will be in Summer 2017, will provide modern teaching facilities and technologies, larger classrooms, and will be a safe and secure space for students to learn and for faculty to conduct their scholarship and research. “When you think about advancing the university, it comes down to three key elements: the people, the programs, and the platforms that we provide. And all of them require the other," says Dean Palazzo. "Without appropriate platforms, we won’t recruit the best students and faculty. Without the students and faculty, we won’t develop the best programs. Without the programs, we won’t create prosperity for Birmingham region, for the state, and for the country.”

Learn more about the exciting growth in the College of Arts and Sciences by visiting uab.edu/cas