Humanities & Sciences

If your long-term objectives include graduate study in physics or a closely related field such as astronomy, engineering, or applied physics, you’ll find excellent preparation in Ithaca’s new physics B.S. program, which emphasizes research-intensive laboratory and methods courses and hands-on research in collaboration with physics faculty. The department also features a performance-based teaching laboratory that facilitates the latest methods in physics education.
Ithaca’s physics department is large enough to offer well-equipped, state-of-the-art research labs yet small enough to offer ample opportunity for individualized instruction. Scientific research is the cornerstone of the curriculum; the B.S. program requires the completion of an individualized research project and the submission of a related thesis. Students also collaborate with professors on faculty research projects, and they frequently present research findings on campus as well as regionally and nationally (for example, at meetings of the American Physical Society).

You’ll complete focused and intensive methods courses; an advanced lab in quantum mechanics or another research field; and an advanced course in a selected topic, such as astrophysics, optics, solid state physics, or electromagnetism. You may want to take additional coursework in advanced physics, mathematics, computer science, chemistry, or biology to strengthen your skills in areas that interest you. A thesis is also required before graduation. Here are a few recent titles: “Determination of Age and Mass of Herbig Ae/Be Stars”; “Identifying and Reducing Positional Errors in Cesium Magnetometer Surveys”; and “Compost Thermal Heating Project,” a student’s ingenious exploitation of the heat generated by compost heaps to recharge cell phone batteries.

Whatever career path you imagine, our combination of rigorous academic preparation and the mastery of research skills will prepare you for the real world. Recent graduates have gone on to Ph.D. programs at the University of Illinois and Oregon State University and advanced study in astronomy at Cornell University.

To understand the exciting advances in modern physics, you must be fluent in the language of mathematics. Our dual-major, mathematics-physics program recognizes this interrelation and supports students whose talents bridge both fields.

The program is designed for students who want to explore physics, from basic mechanics to quantum theory, and learn the mathematical language that describes it, from basic calculus to abstract algebra. To that end, the program offers a balanced curriculum that allows you to pursue both subjects equally. It also gives you more flexibility in selecting courses, allowing you to gain a firm understanding of both subjects. In addition, you may switch to a major program in either area up to the middle of junior year.

Through classroom work and lab projects, you'll learn physics as you gain skills in mathematical computation, modeling, reasoning, and analysis. You'll also have exciting opportunities for hands-on research. Our students are currently working on projects that range from computational modeling of asteroid surfaces to experimenting with advanced optics to re-engineering the campus with sustainable energy systems.

The dual-major program will give you the knowledge, experience, and organizational skills to face successfully all the intellectual and professional challenges that lie ahead. Our graduates have gone on to study for advanced degrees at prestigious schools worldwide or have begun careers in industry, technology, research, and other related fields, working as test engineers, research specialists, and project managers.

Mathematics is a highly valued tool in today’s world, combining quantitative thinking, formal reasoning, and creative problem-solving. Forget the familiar “when will I ever use this in real life” idea -- math is all around us, and you’ll use it to manage personal finances or to understand climate change, sports statistics, and Google analytics. It’s also terrific preparation for a variety of careers in business, industry, the sciences, and government: Being good with numbers and logical thinking will give you a boost in a competitive job market.

As a mathematics major at Ithaca College, you’ll have plenty of one-on-one time with professors. As a sophomore, you’ll take a seminar led by various faculty members that provides a taste of advanced mathematical topics, such as dynamical systems, non-Euclidean geometries, fairness, and mathematics of climate change. During your junior year, you’ll have the opportunity to work with faculty on research projects. Some recent examples include missile tracking systems, finger games, fractal tree growth structure, and Chebyshev polynomials. In your senior year, you’ll find a faculty mentor to guide you in completing a comprehensive thesis that will culminate in a public presentation of your work. Students have completed theses in cryptology, Fourier analysis, and representation theory, to name a few.

Early on in your studies, you may want to take advantage of the free tutoring available in the math tutorial room. As an advanced mathematics major, you’ll join your peers and faculty members in staffing that room, tutoring other students. You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in or organize game nights for the campus and math days for K-12 students.

Our program prepares you for further study in math and many other fields, including biostatistics, operations research, and environmental engineering. Our graduates have gone on to study for doctorates at prestigious institutions such as Johns Hopkins and Cornell; others have taken jobs as senior systems administrators and actuaries.

Law affects society at virtually every level and touches almost every profession. That’s why the legal studies major and minor offer students the opportunity to learn about the ideas, institutions, and processes of law from multiple perspectives.

The core elements of the major give students a competitive edge by balancing liberal arts and applied theory. You’ll examine the various social, political, philosophical, and sociological factors that shape the evolution and application of law in our society. You’ll also study the relationship between the law and diversity issues such as race, ethnicity, gender, and class.

Our major and minor programs stress the interdisciplinary nature of law while providing a broad spectrum of academic and professional options in not only law but business, teaching, public policy, health administration, and social work.

Know just what you want to do, but not sure how to do it? Our integrative studies major gives motivated students the opportunity to focus on interdisciplinary courses of study that fall outside the usual range of offerings.

As an integrative studies student, you'll follow through on your own academic and career goals by designing a major tailored to your specific interests. You may integrate your major around a theme, topic, issue, problem, or practice. Examples from previous years include intercultural studies and social change, not-for-profit administration, computer science and visual effects, sociopolitical photography, and music administration. The options are virtually unlimited: if you have a strong, clear sense of what you want to achieve, we'll help you do it.

Acceptance into the integrative studies program requires submission of a detailed, well-articulated proposal demonstrating the hows and whys of your suggested path of study, as well as the approval of each department in which you plan to take courses. You'll need to complete one year of study at Ithaca before you'll be eligible for the program. This gives you time to clarify, organize, and fine-tune your thinking on your chosen topic.

History is the study of the deep relationships between our present and our pasts, between who we are now and who we have been as a people in local and global communities. As a history major at Ithaca College you'll explore the complex interplay of political, economic, social, cultural, scientific, and philosophical forces that have shaped the story of humankind. You'll also learn that studying history is a continuous process of interpretation and reinterpretation as new data is collected and different perspectives influence the established historical record.

Our faculty provide expertise in U.S., European, Latin American, Asian, and Middle Eastern histories, among others. With their guidance, you'll examine the history of different eras and cultures while considering broader thematic and interdisciplinary issues. For example, you may wish to study colonial U.S. history or the history of imperial and Weimar Germany, while taking courses in Islamic civilization and global environmental history.

Beyond your coursework, you may participate in independent studies and honors projects, emphasizing close collaboration with individual instructors. You'll also be encouraged to take advantage of internships and cocurricular activities such as Model UN, an optional semester at our London Center, or archival work with the History Center in Tompkins County. In your final year, you may participate in small seminar classes or one-on-one tutorials with faculty.

While firmly focused on the critical examination of our past, our flexible curriculum gives you the freedom to explore complementary disciplines such as anthropology, politics, and geography. Our graduates emerge with broad historical perspectives and strong writing and analytical skills that are well-suited to a variety of careers. Recent alumni have attended graduate school or pursued careers as professors, business executives, teachers, archivists, librarians, attorneys, computer consultants, and urban planning specialists.

This interdisciplinary program pairs the social and policy strengths of our environmental studies major with a rigorous science curriculum to give you the broad knowledge and the scientific and technical skills necessary to address global environmental problems successfully.

During your first two years, you’ll acquire a broad science foundation and will also be exposed to environmental humanities and history. You’ll participate in a seminar that will connect you to a diverse group of environmental professionals, including many graduates from this program, and you’ll undertake a cultural immersion experience that exposes you to new perspectives on environmentalism. By your junior year you'll begin focusing on your individual interdisciplinary interests in science and have some research experience with a faculty member. As a senior you’ll either continue your research or participate in one of the many regional internship opportunities. This combination of critical- and systems-thinking skills and hands-on science will prepare you to work effectively with environmental policy makers, educators, and scientists alike.

Real-world experience is a hallmark of the program. Our faculty members have received numerous grants in the last five years, and they often ask their students to join in their research. Locally our students have conducted wildlife movement and population studies, researched the reintroduction of a blight-resistant strain of the American chestnut tree, investigated paleoclimate through tree rings in Mexico, and studied the possible effects of microplastics in Cayuga Lake. They've also studied plant-insect coevolution in Ecuador and the impacts of ecotourism in Belize. As one of the country’s most ecofriendly cities, Ithaca brims with environmental internship opportunities.

Trained to tackle such hot-button issues as our energy future, climate change, natural resource management, and global biodiversity conservation, our environmental science graduates are prepared to succeed. Whether you're passionate about preserving the world's natural resources or using a scientific approach to solve ecological challenges, an environmental science degree from Ithaca College will set you on the path to making a positive difference.

Graduates pursue careers in areas such as environmental consulting and management, aquatic toxicology, wildlife conservation, environmental science outreach and education, solar technology, and renewable energy implementation.