To the UMBC Community:

We are pleased to announce the establishment of two new academic departments in UMBC's College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences: the Department of Gender and Women's Studies and the Department of Media and Communication Studies.

Gender and Women's Studies (GWST) is one of the oldest interdisciplinary programs at UMBC. It has offered a minor since 1982, a major since 2007, and introduced a new minor in Critical Sexuality Studies in Fall 2012, which together enroll more than 90 students. Its four core faculty and 29 affiliate faculty representing 15 departments have built a strong record of innovative scholarship and teaching. GWST core faculty also contribute to the Language, Literacy, and Culture; Asian Studies; and Global Studies curricula and to the BreakingGround initiative through the Women Involved in Learning and Leadership (WILL) program.

In its brief history, Media and Communication Studies (MCS) has grown in majors, curricular offerings, and scholarly impact. In the fall of 2007, the fledgling MCS program had 29 majors. As it prepares to begin its sixth year, it has more than 270. MCS graduates at least 50 students each year and has graduated more than 160 to date. This fall MCS will debut a curriculum featuring new coursework in critical media literacy, digital production skills, and media and globalization.

Please join me in congratulating our colleagues on their accomplishments and acknowledging the hard work and commitment of Dr. Carole McCann and Dr. Jason Loviglio, who will serve as the chairs of our newest departments.