Re-entry & Resiliency Plan (updated 5/25/22)
If you want to work with young children outside of a traditional elementary classroom, Carlow’s Early Development and Learning degree will give you the skills you need.
Carlow University accepts state-sponsored scholarship opportunities, including TEACH, Rising Stars and PASSHE.
Bachelor of Arts
On campus, some online
Oakland or Satellite
Up to 90 credits
Carlow’s early childhood development degree program includes a unique apprenticeship model for full-time child care providers. You can learn about children experiencing homelessness through a service-learning course in collaboration with the Allegheny Intermediate Unit and participate in educational experiences at our on-campus Early Learning Center and Campus Laboratory School.
You will use the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) three core considerations when planning learning environments for young children: child development and learning theory, individual appropriateness, and cultural importance. The program is guided by the NAEYC’s Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators and Power to the Profession.
This program is also offered at our Greensburg and Cranberry campuses.
“Every staff member in the Education Department really cares about you, your education and your long-term goals. … Every student in the Education Department is there for you when you need them, we really have been through it all!”
— Bailey Pallus ’20
With a degree in early childhood development, you can work as a lead teacher in a child care program, Head Start teacher, home care coordinator, education consultant, grant writer, juvenile corrections worker, museum educator, quality coach, early learning engagement specialist or public policy advocate, or work in a hospital, family support center, community outreach, homeless programming, social work, early learning resource center support or intervention services, workforce development, or research.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment of preschool teachers is projected to grow 2% from 2019 to 2029; employment of preschool and child care center directors is projected to grow 1% from 2019 to 2029.
anytime
Fall, Spring & Summer
If you are interested in this major, our Admissions team is available to help you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit or attending an upcoming event.
Be the voice of change for a community, help market a business or product, or become a business leader with a communications degree from Carlow University. You’ll develop the tools you need to communicate effectively through oral, written and multimedia outlets. Gain practical, real-world experiences by collaborating with Carlow multimedia artists, writing for our student-run newspaper or announcing Carlow Celtic sporting events. If you have a specific focus in mind we offer tracks, including organizational management, advocacy and social change, and digital media.
As a communication major, you have the opportunity to not only reach your audience but your personal goals, too. Our Communication alumni remain connected to the program as a strong professional network for any communication graduate.
Bachelor of Arts
On campus, some online
Oakland
Up to 90 credits
As a communication major you can choose the general track or specialize your studies to better fit your career goals.
Tracks include:
In each track, you will access hands-on learning opportunities, such as developing your news writing and research skills by working with “The Carlow Chronicle,” a student-run newspaper, and polishing your broadcasting skills with “Carlow Sports Talk.”
Classroom and real-world practice help you hone problem-solving, team-building and critical thinking skills, all highly sought after by employers. In the Hopkins Communication Lab, you can practice professional presentations and perform research. Student tutors can help you master your public speaking skills.
As a Carlow University student, you have the opportunity to pursue a well-rounded liberal arts education full of career-readiness pathways including our honors program, internships, service-learning, study abroad and research.
The Carlow Compass is our general education curriculum that allows you to develop your knowledge and skills as you discover what you want to study or pursue as a career.
Career opportunities for communication majors are projected to increase 4%* as organizations in every industry continually need communication professionals to create, edit and deliver information through multiple platforms.
We help you get to where you want to be
Our Office of Career Development offers one-on-one services including job search help and internship programs.
*Source: U.S. Bureau of Statistics
anytime
Fall, Spring & Summer
Haley Chiusano ’22, a communication major, was very impressed with the helpful atmosphere at Carlow. “I have learned so much (at Carlow). The professors are so knowledgeable and the coursework is very fair. It pushes me to be a good student, while also allowing me to have time for other things such as volleyball and my job.”
Finish your bachelor’s degree in three years by following a 3-year academic plan. Courses are taken across fall, spring and summer terms with summer courses completely online. When applying, indicate your interest in the 3-Year Degree option.
Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.
If you are interested in this major, our Admissions team is available to help you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit or attending an upcoming event.
You have seen the world change so much in such a short amount of time: climate change, human rights violations and wealth inequality, to name a few. You feel the need to help. With our social change degree, you can explore critical social justice issues and learn the communication skills necessary for social advocacy work.
This communication degree can be tailored to your specific interests in social justice, positioning you to make a difference and create change at the local, state and federal levels.
Bachelor of Arts
On campus, some online
Oakland
Up to 90 credits
The social advocacy curriculum includes in-person and online courses. In addition to your communication courses, political science and social work courses are included in the curriculum to help you develop your understanding of how communication relates to social policy and advocacy. You will have the opportunity to focus your social change degree on specific interest areas including poverty, education equality and health care.
With access to Carlow’s Hopkins Communication Lab, you will gain critical learning experiences, develop and practice professional presentations, and perform research.
Hands-on experience includes the Youth Media Advocacy Project, an organization that empowers middle and high school students in the community to develop communication advocacy campaigns.
Students with a communications degree can work in an array of media and communication occupations such as a public relations specialist, a reporter or specialized areas of communications outreach for an organization.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in media and communications occupations is projected to grow four percent from 2019 to 2029. The public relations specialists job market is expected to grow 7 percent from 2019 to 2029. This growth is largely driven by organizations’ need to develop their public image.
anytime
Fall, Spring & Summer
If you are interested in this major, our Admissions team is available to help you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit or attending an upcoming event.
From marketing to grassroots social movements, a well-crafted message is key. With a Digital Media degree from Carlow University, you will learn the art of strategic messaging and its place in the big picture.
You will learn to develop and critique messages and hone the skills needed for written, oral and digital communication, as well as gain experience in marketing, social media and public relations.
With an emphasis on social justice, the Digital Media degree builds a strong foundation in strategic communication for advocacy, boosting the well-being of marginalized groups. You will learn how to develop digital stories about critical issues, including gender and racial equity, immigration, and public health.
Bachelor of Arts
On campus, some online
Oakland
Up to 90 credits
You will master the elements and software of digital media to deliver your message clearly, concisely and widely through courses such as Digital Storytelling, Mass Media Society and Communication Ethics.
With an emphasis on social justice, the Digital Media degree provides the opportunity to engage with interest-specific coursework and extracurricular activities.
Additional hands-on experience is available on campus. Through the Youth Media Advocacy Project, you can work with middle and high school students to develop communication advocacy campaigns. You can also get involved with “The Carlow Chronicle,” a student-run newspaper, and its sister podcast, as well as a webcast.
Finish your bachelor’s degree in three years by following a 3-year academic plan. Courses are taken across fall, spring and summer terms with summer courses completely online. When applying, indicate your interest in the 3-Year Degree option.
Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.
Armed with a digital media degree, you’ll find a wide range of career opportunities, including advertising, public relations, and sports and other media.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, though employment for writers and authors is expected to decline 2% from 2019 to 2029, employment for public relations managers is expected to grow 9%.
Anytime
Fall, Spring & Summer
Carlow Young Laureate Chanessa Schuler appreciated how the university’s Youth Media Advocacy Projects helped her reach a fulfilling career in media. “What I learned about Carlow is that it is very much connected to the outside community. I appreciated that the school saw me for who I was and not just as a student, that I was part of a larger institution and that I mattered.”
If you are interested in this graduate program, our Admissions team is available to help you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit or attending an upcoming event.
You will set yourself up for career success and master highly sought-after skills in business management with a corporate communications degree from Carlow University.
In the Organizational Management degree program, you will learn corporate principles of strategic planning and interpersonal skills, organizational communication and media relations in a corporate setting.
With a unique combination of courses from Carlow’s communication and business management programs, you will gain hands-on learning experiences and cultivate valuable leadership skills.
Bachelor of Arts
On campus or online
Oakland
Up to 90 credits
The Organizational Management degree curriculum takes an interdisciplinary approach, offering courses from both the communication and business management programs. You can adapt your learning experience to suit your interests while cultivating career-ready knowledge and leadership skills through courses in interpersonal communication and corporate principles of strategic planning.
Gain the knowledge you need at your convenience with our online degree option. When applying, indicate your interest in the online option.
Finish your bachelor’s degree in three years by following a 3-year academic plan. Courses are taken across fall, spring and summer terms with summer courses completely online. When applying, indicate your interest in the 3-Year Degree option.
Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.
Program graduates have a 99% job placement rate. Students go on to work for private and public companies, health care organizations, nonprofits and government agencies. Career opportunities include human services, marketing communications, event planning, philanthropy and public relations.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, employment for public relations managers is slated to grow 9% from 2019 to 2029, faster than average. These professionals are essential for organizations’ maintenance of public image.
anytime
Fall, Spring & Summer
If you are interested in this major, our Admissions team is available to help you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit or attending an upcoming event.
You can build on your creative skills and refine your writing technique with Carlow’s Creative Writing major. You will explore the works of great writers while deepening your relationship with these texts through critical examination.
You can workshop creative pieces with peers as well as working writers, and develop your ability to understand creative concepts like context, image and voice.
You can gain experience in editing, graphic design and other practical skills by working with “The Critical Point,” Carlow’s journal of visual and literary arts. Opportunities such as the Madwomen in the Attic writing workshops and annual anthology and the Red Dog Reading Series can help you hone public reading, critique and editing skills.
Bachelor of Arts
On campus, some online
Oakland
Up to 90 credits
In introductory and special topics courses, you will study poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction, and learn how to critique work in a workshop setting. You can study sound, rhythm and line in poetry studies; learn the essentials of a good story while studying fiction; and focus on narration, description and dialogue if your interest is creative nonfiction.
Other courses include world literature and language.
Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.
With a background in creative writing, challenging and rewarding career opportunities abound, such as becoming a copywriter, working in publishing or advertising, or freelance as an editor or writer.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment rate for technical writers is slated to grow 7% over the next 10 years, largely driven by the expansion of scientific and technical products, as well as a need for web-based product support.
Malcolm Randall, a junior creative writing major and forward on the basketball team at Carlow University, fulfilled that goal in the fall of 2021. On Oct. 16, his first novel, titled “Sheriff Sebastian Part 1: The Boy,” was published and available for sale on Amazon.
▸ Watch his story on WTAE-Pittsburgh
anytime
Fall, Spring & Summer
Creative writing major KJ Miller ’21 said Carlow’s program is unique because of the connections students make. “Each professor in the program creates a knowledgeable and familiar environment, so that you are always learning how to perfect your craft as well as be comfortable sharing your own work. You gain mentorship on a new level – not only do they want to advise you, but they want to see you succeed while giving you all of the tools you need to do so.”
If you are interested in this major, our Admissions team is available to help you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit or attending an upcoming event.
As an English major, you will build an understanding of British, American and world literature, significant writers, and writing strategies. You can also focus on areas of interest through electives that can lead to a minor or double major.
You will develop effective communication, critical reading and thinking skills and learn advanced analytical research methods, preparing for a variety of professions that rely on those skills such as law, teaching and professional writing.
You can gain publication and presentation experience through Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society, as well as editorial experience with “The Critical Point,” Carlow’s journal of visual and literary arts, and the Carlow University newspaper.
Bachelor of Art
On campus, some online
Oakland
Up to 90 credits
The English major curriculum focuses on timeless literary works and writers who address today’s major issues. Course options include Peace/Justice Themes in American Literature, Shakespeare in the 21st Century, Literature in Translation, Myths and Monsters, and Visions of Social Change. Other courses cover genres such as the American novel, Romantic or Early Modern women writers, and contemporary issues in poetry, drama and prose by modern British authors. A Writing for Social Media internship is also available.
English and Liberal Studies double major Caitlin McDonough ’21 is grateful for the attention students receive from faculty in the English program. “I experienced the timelessness of literature through new perspectives, and I learned how to grow and market my writing skills for an increasingly online world.”
Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.
Employers seek candidates with critical and creative thinking skills; this provides English majors unique opportunities beyond their field of study, including public relations and social media management. Many English graduates use their writing skills in business or nonprofit settings.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment rate for public relations specialists is expected to increase 7% over the next 10 years.
anytime
Fall, Spring & Summer
English major Madeline Longmore ’22 said Carlow has exceeded her expectations since the moment she enrolled. “The small community has allowed me to be seen as a person instead of another number in a large lecture hall. The English literature program has exposed me to a wide range of artists and historical perspectives. The English professors have made diversity and intersectionality a basis for all their curriculum. I have learned more than literature; I have experienced bodies of work that connect our past to our present.”
If you are interested in this major, our Admissions team is available to help you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit or attending an upcoming event.
Passionate about art? Use your drive and polish your skills with an animation major from Carlow University. You will learn the essential skills to work with new media technologies, including animation software and digital storytelling.
Working with faculty who have field experience, you will master advanced principles of 2D and 3D computer animation and become proficient in animation software. You can supplement your education with creative classes like creative writing and gestural studies.
With a program adapted to your own academic interests, you can dive head first into experimental animation, conveying your ideas with mixed media and different approaches to digital technology.
Bachelor of Arts
On campus, some online
Oakland
Up to 90 Credits
You will gain a professional edge by working with industry-standard animation software, including Adobe Creative Suite, ZBrush and Toon Boom. Media arts and animation includes graphic design work with digital photography and digital illustration in the 2D and 3D studios and the animation lab.
You will develop and refine a digital portfolio under the guidance of faculty who will help ensure your portfolio demonstrates your unique media arts and animation style. The portfolio will prepare you for entry-level employment in the field.
Required media arts and animation coursework will teach you how to successfully manage your own freelance business. The Creative Freelancer, a required course, involves professional practice and teaches creatives how to market themselves.
Students have gone on to work for ad agencies, public relations firms and school districts, and to study in graduate programs.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, from 2019 to 2029, employment for multimedia artists and animators will grow 4%, largely fueled by the demand from the movie, television and video game industries.
anytime
Fall, Spring & Summer
Art major James Balsimo ’22 said Carlow’s Media Arts and Animation program gave him the freedom to express himself. Additionally, “I learned the global history of animation as well as the necessary components to navigate the modern animation industry. The program also covers other important aspects such as graphic design and digital illustration that have expanded my skill set.”
If you are interested in this graduate program, our Admissions team is available to help you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit or attending an upcoming event.
Mastery of the elements of form is essential to becoming a great artist. With a Bachelor of Arts in Painting and Drawing from Carlow University, you will cultivate a solid foundation in technique, form and concept.
Bachelor of Arts
On campus, some online
Oakland
Up to 90 credits
You will spend six semesters studying painting in depth, and will examine more advanced issues centered around two-dimensional art and concept development through still life and landscape, figure, street art and illustration.
As you advance in the major, you will be able to participate in a mentorship program and focus your educational experience on your personal interests. On-campus instruction includes access to the 2D studio.
Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, from 2019 to 2029, employment for multimedia artists and animators will grow 4%, largely fueled by demand from the movie, television and video game industries.
anytime
Fall, Spring & Summer
If you are interested in this major, our Admissions team is available to help you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit or attending an upcoming event.
You will acquire the skills needed for a high demand field with a data analyst degree from Carlow University. This interdisciplinary program cultivates both real-world data analysis skills and critical soft skills like interpersonal communication and data storytelling.
Google and LinkedIn name data analysis as one of the top skills sought in potential employees. In this program, you will build critical thinking, analytical and business skills, supplemented with courses in mathematics, statistics and computer programming.
While you will master data interpretation and gain the foundation needed to help lead an organization on the path to growth, you will also learn to communicate your research and findings: Being able to explain research and findings is just as important as the research methods.
You can receive up to $10,000/year through our C-STEM Scholars Program. ▸ Learn more
Bachelor of Science
On campus, some online
Oakland
Up to 90 credits
The curriculum will enable you to master analytics competencies that are highly in demand, including linear algebra, statistics, database management and data science, and data applications such as SQL, Power BI, Python and R. You will learn how to access, clean and analyze data sets and use data ethically and responsibly.
Computer labs are equipped with industry-standard software. Class size averages eight to 10 students. In Carlow’s Center for Statistics and Data Analytics, you can work on projects that help Pittsburgh-area nonprofits.
Fast track your way to a master’s by taking graduate courses as an undergraduate student. Course credits count toward both degrees. Apply for the accelerated option after your sophomore year.
With a Data Analytics degree, you’ll find a wide number of career opportunities, including market analyst, market researcher, information technology specialist and statistician, in business or the nonprofit sector.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Statistics, employment for market research analysts is slated to increase 18% from 2019 to 2029, largely driven by increased data use and more industries using market research.
You can receive up to $10,000 per year through our C-STEM Scholars program.
anytime
Fall, Spring & Summer
If you are interested in this major, our Admissions team is available to help you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit or attending an upcoming event.
