In the fall, Elmira College will add four career-focused minors targeting knowledge for high-growth industries. The new programs complement EC’s more than 30 majors and give students an in-depth look into a specific career field. Courses for the programs will begin in the fall.
“These new academic programs build on EC’s long history of academic quality and the exceptional educational opportunities we provide our students,” said Dr. Patricia Ireland, EC Provost. “As part of our strategic plan, we’re increasing career pathways and giving students the skills to be successful in the professional world.”
Program Descriptions:
Fashion Business Generalist Minor: The fashion industry is one of the largest consumer-facing industries in the world, with an estimated annual sales volume of $1.5 trillion worldwide. This minor, which is in the Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Business School, teaches students about fashion merchandising and fashion marketing. Students will learn to analyze market trends and get to know consumer behaviors. They’ll also learn how to make wise purchasing decisions to get the right items to the right people at the right price. They will also learn how to use market research to develop promotional strategies, from online campaigns to large events.
Cybersecurity Minor: The risk of cyber-attacks continues to increase, creating a large demand for cybersecurity professionals. In 2023, the unemployment rate for cybersecurity professionals reached zero percent. In this program, students will learn a combination of hard and soft skills using discussions, projects, and real-world case studies that will prepare them for industry certifications. This minor pairs well with other programs such as Criminal Justice and IT Management.
Esports Gaming and Administration Minor: This minor lets students pair their love of gaming with industry knowledge so that they can capitalize on the quickly growing Esports and videogame industry, projected to reach more than $665 billion in revenue by 2030, according to Fortune Business Insights. This program was co-created with Unity Technologies with input from the International Game Developers Association (IGDA). Students will learn how games are made, how to manage Esports teams, and how to plan the end-to-end of Esports events from logistics to marketing. It pairs well with broader programs like Business Administration; Media Studies, Communications, and Design; Art; and Psychology.
Digital Marketing Minor: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, marketing manager roles – including digital marketing positions – are expected to grow 10% in the next 10 years and are among the best-paid positions. marketing managers are among the most highly paid professionals in the modern workforce, with a median salary of $141,490. Furthermore, the number of Marketing manager roles is expected to grow 10% in the next 10 years. Students will learn to develop optimized and creative content, learning about social media and email marketing, search engine optimization, and marketing analytics. As part of the program, students will earn certifications from two industry-leading organizations: Hubspot and Google.