Illinois Institute of Technology Announces Five New Degree Programs

Chicago, IL — March 2, 2011 —

Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) will offer four new undergraduate programs and one dual-degree graduate program, beginning in fall 2011. The four new undergraduate degrees, Bachelor of Science in Sociology, Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences, Bachelor of Science in Biology with Secondary Education Teaching Certificate, Bachelor of Science in Physics Education, are offered by IIT College of Science and Letters, and the fifth, a dual degree Master of Architecture with Master of Integrated Building Delivery, is offered by IIT College of Architecture.

Bachelor of Science in Sociology
Students interested in current issues including privacy in the age of Facebook, biotechnology and society, social problems in public housing and urban planning, and the role of gender in the workplace may be particularly interested in the Bachelor of Science in Sociology degree. IIT's unique new program in sociology focuses on technology, science, the built environment, and work and organizations. Graduates of this program will be well prepared for jobs in nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations, civil service, research organizations, marketing firms, and publishing houses. They will also be prepared to continue their education with law school or graduate programs in sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, urban planning, and social work. The program consists of five core courses and six electives within the major, including a senior seminar in which students are required to produce a research paper or project that demonstrates their interests and skills to potential employers or graduate schools.

Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences
The Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences degree allows students to analyze global issues from multiple perspectives and recommend data-based solutions while offering a broad-based, interdisciplinary program in economics, sociology, political science, anthropology, and psychology. Science is committed to systematic observation and the knowledge gained from that observation. The social sciences apply scientific inquiry to group-level, human endeavor. Students will learn the different techniques of multiple disciplines and how to apply them in various arenas, from private companies to the government. This major is excellent preparation for a variety of jobs and graduate studies, including law school and programs in sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, psychology, urban planning, and social work. The program consists of six core courses and six electives required within the major, including a senior seminar in which students will produce a research paper or project that demonstrates their interests and skills to potential employers or graduate schools.

Bachelor of Science in Biology with Secondary Education Teaching Certificate
A joint program with the biology division and the Department of Mathematics and Science Education, the Bachelor of Science in Biology With Secondary Education Teaching Certificate program prepares graduates to help meet the need for high school biology teachers and stand apart from competitors with a degree that’s both science and pedagogy-focused. The program provides a solid background in biology while presenting the necessary coursework for students to meet the requirements for obtaining a secondary education teaching certificate in Illinois. Students are generally able to choose this track through the end of their second academic year and still finish in four years if they attend summer school. The program includes a professional internship in a Chicago area high school.

Bachelor of Science in Physics Education
Students who are excited about science have the opportunity to inspire a new generation of high school physics students with the Bachelor of Science in Physics Education program, which allows students to fulfill both physics and education requirements to become a secondary-school physics teacher in eight semesters. The program is offered jointly by the physics division and the Department of Mathematics and Science Education, emphasizing a strong science and pedagogical foundation. Students are required to complete a professional internship at a Chicago area high school.

Dual Degree: Master of Architecture and Master of Integrated Building Delivery
The Master of Architecture program is accredited by the National Architectural Accreditation Board (NAAB), and is a necessary component for licensure in the field. The curriculum addresses principles of design concepts, materials, construction, systems, planning, history and visual judgment, which are fundamental for the development of the creative process. The Master of Integrated Building Delivery educates architects to more actively participate in, guide, or undertake the full range of entrepreneurial and innovative activities comprising design, develop, and build initiatives. Upon completing the degree, students will be empowered as design professionals to work more closely with financial teams and the construction industry to better understand a project or enterprise. The dual degree responds to the interests of students who recognize the intrigue of expanding their goals from designing the built environment to effecting or otherwise participating in the realization of the built environment. Students earning the dual degree will gain the knowledge and skill sets necessary to understand the broader and complex processes of both design and construction.

For more information about IIT and its degree programs, please visit www.iit.edu
For undergraduate admission information, please visit www.iit.edu/admissions-aid/undergraduate-admission
For graduate admission information, please visit www.iit.edu/admissions-aid/graduate-admission

Founded in 1890, IIT is a Ph.D.-granting university with more than 7,700 students in engineering, sciences, architecture, psychology, design, humanities, business and law. IIT's interprofessional, technology-focused curriculum is designed to advance knowledge through research and scholarship, to cultivate invention improving the human condition, and to prepare students from throughout the world for a life of professional achievement, service to society, and individual fulfillment. Visit www.iit.edu.