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The University’s College of Social Sciences, Mathematics and Education has more opportunities this semester for students to expand their knowledge in public policy, computer science and social work.

The college has launched a major in public policy and three minors: social work, artificial intelligence, and game design and development. The additions follow job market demand and student interest and are intended to complement other fields of study in colleges across the University.

The programs correspond with UTampa’s mission to provide academic programs that help students develop new skill sets so they can innovate in their respective disciplines and professions, said Holley Tankersley, the college’s dean. 

“These four new programs are prime examples of what the college does best: provide opportunities for students to apply theory to practice,” she said.

Public Policy Major

The major in public policy is led by Jonathan Lewallen, associate professor of political science.

Nationally, there has been increased demand and enrollment in public policy and public administration degrees, and that has been true at UTampa as well, said Lewallen.

“We have seen consistent demand for our public policy courses, at least since my time here,” he said.  The major is in the political science department but is cross-disciplinary and intended to complement other degrees so students can add it as a second major.  Public policy studies can help students become better thinkers in their primary field of study, introducing them to new concepts and frameworks for thinking about a subject, Lewallen said.

“We often have students majoring in environmental studies, public health, criminology, communications, cybersecurity, and other fields who are interested in connecting the content and ideas they're learning in their major courses to additional questions related to policy and politics,” he said.

Artificial Intelligence Minor

The minor in artificial intelligence is a part of the computer science department, led by Jean Gourd, professor of computer science and an expert in artificial intelligence studies. It aims to give students a comprehensive “under the hood” look at artificial intelligence, including its development, how it works and how to use it ethically.

“The whole intent of the minor is to help prepare students so they can be well versed in AI, so when they go out and market themselves in the workforce, they can be successful,” said Gourd. “There is demand from all over. They want students to be fluent in AI.”

The minor’s courses will help students understand how AI works and enable students to explore its technical foundations and its ethical considerations, said Gourd

“We also have to think about its use from an ethical context,” he said. “Our students want to use it, and we are thinking about when they can use it and when they can't.”

The curriculum itself will go beyond lectures and be hands-on but will include discussions on how to think about the information AI provides and discern what is good information versus bad information.

Game Design and Development Minor

Game design and development grew out of years of student interest in the topic, Gourd said. The minor is also part of the computer science program and weaves in aspects from disciplines from across the University.  It teaches students the principles of game design, including player experience, storytelling, image production and advanced interactive digital experiences.

Courses include hands-on projects throughout the curriculum, providing opportunities for students to create a portfolio of playable games and includes a capstone project where students work together to create a game, Gourd said.

“It’s a fun application of computer science,” Gourd said. “Our students, many of them are gamers, so the idea that they could create something they could play is pretty cool.”

Creating a game is fundamentally interdisciplinary, and this minor gives students a chance to collaborate and interact with students from a wide array of disciplines: English is involved in writing the story of the game, art in designing the game, business expertise in marketing and selling the game, along with computer science in producing it.

“It creates and fosters this really cool environment where students get to work together,” Gourd said.

Social Work Minor

The social work minor is housed in the sociology department and is overseen by Bruce Friesen, associate professor of sociology. The minor introduces students to the field of social work while providing a deeper understanding of the structural conditions that influence social behavior.

It complements a range of majors and is particularly well suited to students majoring in sociology, psychology, public health, education, legal studies, criminology, communication, political science, nursing and other fields connected to health, human services and community well-being.