By: Dr. Wendy Stickle

The University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJS) and the UMD Information Science Program are excited to be offering three new minors at USG this Fall! You may be asking, why should I complete a minor? There are so many reasons, including:

• Being more purposeful in filling elective credit, which will be reflected on transcript;
• Opening up doors to additional career and graduate study options;
• A quick way to specialize in a specific field without the longer commitment of a major;
• A way to study a topic that students may be interested in but do not want to pursue a career in.

All UMD students at USG are eligible to add a minor. It is possible to complete minors within two years. If necessary, minor courses can be completed during the summer and winter sessions as well.

If you are a UMD student at USG, you will have three minors to choose from this Fall:

1. Minor in Criminal Justice: The Minor in Criminal Justice offers non-CCJS UMD majors at Shady Grove the opportunity to learn more about the criminal justice system and the challenges it faces. Students who complete the minor will have a better understanding of how the criminal justice system, including police, courts, and corrections, operates, its strengths and weaknesses. Students will also have the opportunity to be exposed to emerging topics such as forensics, homeland security, elder abuse and human trafficking. This minor is perfect for anyone looking to better understand the criminal justice system, a topic so commonly brought up in the media, in elections, etc.  Questions? Email: ccjsusg@umd.edu
2. Minor in Technology Innovation Leadership: By combining creative leadership, design thinking and understanding socio technical challenges, this undergraduate minor prepares students to tackle large scale problems relating to technology innovation. While using innovative thinking approaches, students will learn to create new ideas and energy and solve socio technical challenges through leadership experiences. Questions? Email: infoscisg@umd.edu
3. Minor in Information Risk Management, Ethics, & Privacy: This undergraduate minor prepares students to evaluate major information and big data privacy and security issues that businesses and individuals encounter. Students will focus on practical strategies to mitigate risks and explore the ways emerging technologies benefit in the context of risk management, ethics, and privacy. Questions? Email: infoscisg@umd.edu

Join us for an info session to learn more on April 29, 2021! Register for the Info Session here: HTTPS://GO.UMD.EDU/UMD-SG-MINORS.