Chinese Studies and Marketing Analysis are Among the Popular Areas

DePaul University has added exciting new academic programs that are designed to meet the increasing demand for employees proficient in Chinese language, culture and society; data-driven marketing analysis, special education and public interest law.

With Mandarin Chinese the most widely spoken language in the world and China quickly becoming the largest national economy in the world, DePaul’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LA&S) degree program will offer numerous practical benefits. The undergraduate program for a major in Chinese Studies began this fall quarter. The program provides advanced proficiency in the language as well as a broad spectrum of interdisciplinary courses in culture and society.

Roughly half of the 52 credit hours needed for the major will be completed in the language component, which requires proficiency in Mandarin. More than 12 programs, departments and schools in LA&S contribute to the interdisciplinary portion of the curriculum which includes courses in art and art history, communication, economics, geography, history, management, philosophy, political science and religious studies.

“We’ve combined talents and disciplines to create the strongest curriculum of any Chinese program in the Midwest,” said Mark D. Johnston, chair of the Modern Languages department at DePaul. “The program is designed to emulate DePaul’s highly successful interdisciplinary Japanese studies major, which enrolls nearly 300 students each year and is the largest program of its kind in the Midwest.”

The university is also offering a certification program for K-12 Chinese language teachers, which requires students to complete coursework equivalent to a major in the language.

Additional new programs offered by the School of Education include a master of education, master of arts and a certificate in special education. The programs are designed for currently certified general elementary and secondary teachers who want to become special education teachers. Completion of the two-year and part-time programs lead to state certification in special education and graduates will meet the requirements of “highly qualified” under the No Child Left Behind legislation.

DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business’ new offering is a streamlined master of science degree in marketing analysis, a 12-course program that provides a blend of marketing skills and technical expertise.

The degree is ideal for analytical professionals who are interested in the growing number of data-driven marketing positions, said Sue Fogel, chair of the marketing department. “The increase in data availability and analytical tools has led the field of marketing to evolve from mass marketing to highly targeted approaches. The ability to track customers and transactions has made true customer relations management possible. Firms are seeking people to make sense of the data in order to develop effective marketing programs.”

Fogel said graduates of the program will be educated for career opportunities in database marketing, e-business and in firms that provide business intelligence and customer relationship management services.

A surge in interest in law degrees with an emphasis on serving underserved populations has led DePaul’s College of Law to develop a new certificate in public interest law through its Center for Public Interest Law.

In addition to the 86 semester hours required to earn a juris doctor degree, students wishing to earn a certificate in public interest law must complete an additional 15 credit hours of course work. Courses cover areas of study such as: juvenile justice; feminist jurisprudence; race, racism and U.S. law; civil rights, poverty law, housing and disability law.

For more information on the law school certificate program, contact Len Cavise, director of the Center for Public Interest Law, at 312/362-5448. For more information on other academic programs, contact DePaul’s Office of Admission at 312/362-8300.