Academic Minors
These exciting academic minors are offered to UMD undergraduate students.
Science, Technology, Ethics and Policy (STEP) Minor
The Science, Technology, Ethics, and Policy (STEP) Minor is an interdisciplinary program sponsored by the School of Public Policy, the College of Information, and the A. James Clark School of Engineering. Students in the minor explore the ways that scientific practice and technological development are embedded in social, cultural, humanistic, and political systems. Students will develop tools for anticipating potential social, ethical, and political problems and employ these insights for emerging science and technology governing strategies; and investigate how culture, politics, economics, law, professional training, funding, and employment settings affect the pursuit of science and the development of technology. This minor is available to UMD College Park or UMD Shady Grove students. Courses are delivered online.
The Information Risk Management, Ethics, and Privacy Minor
The 5-course (15 credits) undergraduate minor in Risk Management, Ethics, and Privacy is designed to prepare students to evaluate major information and big data privacy and security issues that businesses and individuals are faced with. The curriculum will examine risks companies face while collecting, storing, and managing information and their existing customers’ and stakeholders’ data. The coursework will focus on practical strategies to mitigate risks and explore the ways emerging technologies benefit in the context of risk management, ethics, and privacy. Must be a UMD College Park (UMCP) student. Courses are available at the UMCP campus or online.
The Technology Innovation Leadership Minor
The 5-course (15 credits) undergraduate minor in Technology Innovation Leadership prepares students to effectively create and navigate a climate of technological innovation within an organization or team. By combining creative leadership, design thinking, and understanding socio-technical challenges, students will tackle large-scale problems relating to technology innovation. Innovative thinking approaches incorporated into the curriculum will allow students to create new ideas and energy and solve socio-technical challenges through leadership experiences. The coursework will examine the different ways leaders and social entrepreneurs strategically use innovative technologies and information to solve social, cultural, and environmental problems. This minor is available to UMD College Park or UMD Shady Grove students. Courses are delivered online.