Have you changed your mind while taking courses for your major or have transfer credits from subjects outside your major? Maybe you've grown to like a new subject while taking general education coursework?

Harness the full potential of extra electives by completing smaller programs alongside your major--aka Minors and Certificates (U.D. Certs).

UMBC offers a variety of options for minor programs and certificate programs at the undergraduate level.

NOTE: Not to be confused with graduate certificates, all undergraduate minors and certificates must be done in conjunction with an undergraduate degree program. However, this stipulation presents many advantages to your academic journey at UMBC.

Here are the top reasons why you should consider adding minors and certificates to your undergraduate career:

1. Most minors and certificates contain about 6-8 courses as requirements and may partially overlap with other requirements coinciding with your GEPs or major coursework.

NOTE: Some minors (I.e.,Minor in Social Welfare) are not eligible for students already majoring in the related bachelor's program (I.e.,Social Work, B.A.). Likewise, some programs limit how many courses can double count or come from transfer coursework-- Always ask an academic advisor before making assumptions!

1. Instead of taking on a double major, a minor or certificate could help manage graduation timelines while incorporating multiple academic disciplines.

1. Declaring minors and certificates are great ways to reach upper-level elective minimums and work towards other general graduation requirements tailored to an additional field of interest (e.g.,Intercultural Communication,Media and Communications Studies, etc.)

1. Going beyond your major requirements to complete a minor or certificate is a solid avenue toward expanding your undergraduate academic credentials and diversifying your professional portfolio.

NOTE: Some of our minors and certificates are designed to equip you with foundational knowledge for niche industries (i.e.,Entrepreneurship,Health, Wellness and Aging,Security Studies, etc.)

Discuss adding a minor or certificate at your next academic advising appointment. Enhance your UMBC experience by broadening your network with students and professors you may have never encountered in your major alone. Doing so indicates your successful completion of an "extra credit" program that could be a game-changer for your resume/CV, job interviews, professional/graduate school applications...you name it!

Welcome Week isn't just for new students! Now that you have a full year (and some) of experience at UMBC, take a second-look at getting involved on campus! 

Involvement Fest is the perfect place to get started and to get connected to over 200+ student organizations. Join us TODAY from 12pm-2pm in the RAC. 

Involvement Fest will feature the following categories of organizations:

• Academic and Departmental
• Arts and Performance
• Career and Professional
• Club Sports
• Cultural and Ethnic
• Fraternities and Sororities
• Governance
• Hobbies
• Honors Societies
• Intellectual Sports 
• Media
• Political
• Religious and Spiritual
• Service

Head on over to the Welcome Week site to learn more and start connecting!

Ever wonder why UMBC ranks so highly in US News and World Report annually?

Or why later this week over 180 local, regional, and national employers will set up tables in the RAC to recruit current UMBC students and alums at the 2024 Spring Career and Internship Fair?

Or why our annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (URCAD) includes hundreds of student presenters (from all UMBC majors) and thousands of attendees?

And why are so many of our students awarded significant prestigious scholarships like the Rhodes, Fulbright, Marshall, Gates-Millennium, and Truman?  And finally, how do so many fellow students gain acceptance to some of our nation's best graduate and professional schools?

One common thread throughout these outcomes is student engagement in experiential learning - applying what you have learned in the classroom within real-world settings.  Encouraging, fostering, and rewarding students for these opportunities is a distinctive hallmark of a UMBC education.  Applied learning is often transformational - enabling you to differentiate yourself from others in the region and beyond!  Are you ready to learn more about how you can gain this distinguishing advantage and benefit from the confidence it often instills?  Read on!

Independent Study & Research

Independent study opportunities exist in every single major at UMBC.  Yes, that's right - every department has a course or courses that allow you to propose and execute an academic project with the support and direction of a UMBC faculty member.  Independent study and research coursework can earn students anywhere between one and six credits - depending on the scope and nature of the project. 

Moreover, these courses carry upper-division credit value and can sometimes count toward your major (or minor) requirements.  Your relationship with a faculty member is a critical driver in the process; thus, taking at least one or more classes with a faculty member who specializes in the subject or topic you are pursuing is ideal.   Departmental websites proudly highlight their faculty's disciplinary research interests and expertise, which can help you identify a prospective faculty member.

Two examples of departments with helpful and enlightening descriptions are Sociology, Anthropology, and Public Health for independent study and Biological Sciences for research.   Other excellent resources to consider include:

Research and Creative Achievement at UMBC

Undergraduate Research & Prestigious Scholarships

USM LSAMP Research Program

Internships

An internship is a professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work related to a student's field of study or career interest.  An internship enables students to engage in active career exploration and development and learn new skills.  Internships offer employers opportunities to bring new ideas and energy into the workplace, develop talent and build pipelines for future full-time employees.  Our Career Center provides leadership and oversight of UMBC's excellent internship program.  Several UMBC majors require internships like Media and Communication Studies and Social Work.  Yet almost all departments sponsor internship credit options managed similarly to independent study and research.  Economics and Information Systemsdepartments don't require internships.  Still, they are often helping students secure opportunities to work at incredibly diverse businesses and organizations within our region's for-profit and not-for-profit sectors.

Other Related Services & Opportunities

Summer Internships at the Army Research Lab in Maryland

Association of American Medical Colleges - Summer Undergraduate Research Programs

National Science Foundation Big Data REU Site

The Maryland Technology Internship Program