School of Engineering and Computer Science
Minor in Technology
Engineering and technology are integral parts of many careers and fields of study. As "technology" has become so prevalent in our lives and careers, more and more companies are demanding that their employees have a working knowledge in such areas as design, graphics, communications, hardware and software advances, etc. Consequently, college students majoring in non-technical disciplines would be well advised to consider taking advantage of technology-related courses to bolster their knowledge and awareness in any of these areas. In order to provide a structure and formal recognition towards this end, Pacific offers a Minor in Technology.
The Technology Minor provides an introduction to various aspects of engineering and technology which will strengthen a student's employment qualifications. The University offers a number of engineering and technology-related courses which are basic enough in their content that non-engineering students can enjoy enrollment without intimidation. Two of the courses, in fact, normally do not include any engineering students since those courses (COMP 25 and 41) do not satisfy any Engineering degree requirements. Numerous other courses have only a few engineering students in them, such as PHIL 35, Environmental Ethics. Still others are available which require no advanced math or science skills.
Phrases like "The Age of Technology" and "Information era" reflect the demand for professionals with more knowledge about engineering and technology. The student who takes advantage of this structured approach to additional studies will likely enjoy much greater job and salary recognition upon college graduation.
For details on The Minor In Technology or for more information, contact Gary Martin (209)-946-3064 or visit him on campus in 105 Baun Hall with any questions.
Departmental Rational for the Minor
The reasons for students pursuing this minor will vary:
Liberal Arts: COP students could value this program purely as a liberal art which broadens the student's appreciation for the connection between science and application (i.e., technology), and the various social effects of both science and technology.
Technical Skills: A second reason would be to connect students to the career world. For example, one of the most rapidly growing employment sectors during the past decade has been in Finance/Insurance/Real Estate ("FIRE"). Here, possession of computer software skills does demonstrably provide access.
Career World: This minor would be extremely effective for students contemplating careers in the computer hardware/software industry, "heavy" industries (e.g., the steel industry) or other areas of durable goods manufacturing, specialized but emerging high-tech areas (e.g., bioengineering), telecommunications, heavy construction, and so forth, where the issues generally have a significant technical component. It appears that the majority of people working in places like Silicon Valley today are not engineers or computer scientists. Rather, most people work in other phases, from finance and accounting to human resources, sales, and marketing. However, they must be prepared to work and communicate effectively with various kinds of technologists as well. This minor could thus provide solid preparation for these kinds of students and open up a whole new employment world for many other students.
Teacher Preparation: Many Pacific students go on to teach. This minor could provide tools and insights which enable a teacher to illustrate the relevance of the basic math and science subjects taught at all levels.
