Exploring Degree Programs at East Carolina University

East Carolina University (ECU) offers a wide array of academic programs, positioning itself as a leading institution in North Carolina for higher education. With over 170 degrees available, encompassing both undergraduate and graduate studies, ECU provides a diverse range of opportunities for students with varied interests and career aspirations. The university emphasizes academic support to ensure students maximize their educational experience.

A Broad Spectrum of Academic Disciplines

ECU's academic offerings span numerous fields, catering to a diverse student body. Here's a glimpse into some of the undergraduate majors available:

Business and Accounting

The Accounting (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration) degree provides a comprehensive understanding of management accounting and internal accounting issues relevant to various entity types. The curriculum covers topics essential for accounting managers in dynamic environments and prepares students for careers in corporate, governmental accounting, and internal auditing. As the largest College of Business in North Carolina, ECU provides an outstanding opportunity for education and networking. The college has been accredited since 1967.

Humanities and Social Sciences

African and African American Studies (Bachelor of Arts): This interdisciplinary program offers a broad perspective on racial and ethnic diversity, examining sociopolitical, religious, and historical aspects of African peoples and their diasporic communities.
Anthropology (Bachelor of Arts): This program explores human cultures in the past and present, providing expertise in archaeology, biological, forensic, medical, environmental, and cultural anthropology. Graduates find careers in various fields, including healthcare, law, business, and community development.
Classics: This is the study of the civilizations of ancient Greece, Rome, and the ancient Mediterranean, which begins with their languages - ancient Greek and classical Latin. Students may study the entire civilizations through coursework on literature, history, philosophy, art, architecture, anthropology and archeology, mythology and religion, and material culture.
Communication (Bachelor of Science): With concentrations in journalism, media studies, interpersonal/organizational communication, and public relations, this program focuses on message creation and interpretation across various contexts. The Journalism Concentration equips students with the cross-platform skills they need to succeed in today’s converged journalism. The Media Studies Concentration critically examines mass and mediated forms of communication. The Public Relations Concentration is designed for students interested in developing strategic messages, managing communication campaigns and/or practicing communication involving complex social organizations. The Interpersonal/Organizational Concentration emphasis represents a degree focused on an analysis of human and social interaction and message construction for organizational and professional settings.
Community and Regional Planning: The degree is designed to prepare students for careers in community, regional, environmental, and coastal planning. Students will complete core courses in theory, legislation, and techniques, as well as acquire computer skills in the application of geographic information systems (GIS), statistics, quantitative analysis, and design in planning. Two senior capstone classes include a Studio and a Practicum. Students will complete one of two emphases: “Community Planning and Development” or “Coastal Planning and Development.” A minor or two planning-related concentrations are also expected.
Economics (Bachelor of Arts): This degree provides graduates the foundation for understanding the forces that cause growth in living standards, recessions, and inflation. The major will provide a solid liberal arts degree that will help students in the ever-changing career world. Graduates have found employment in banking, brokerage, business management, and government agencies.
Economics (Bachelor of Science): This degree prepares graduates with foundational social forces that will shape your life and career: market fluctuations, financial crises, and trends in employment and wages. The program explores the costs and benefits of public policies (e.g., health or environmental).
Criminal Justice: The degree program provides students with the critical thinking skills that prepare them to become the next generation of criminal justice leaders. Upon graduation, students accept positions at the federal, state, or local levels in law enforcement, forensic, consumer reporting, court, correction, private security, or juvenile fields. Our graduates can be found in criminal justice or law positions in government agencies, corporations, or private offices around the world. They work as federal special agents, police officers, forensic specialists, intelligence analysts, game wardens, judges, attorneys, probation officers, correctional administrators, juvenile specialists, background investigators, and more. Students also have the opportunity to complete an internship with a criminal justice organization. This experiential learning opportunity enables students to bridge theoretical classroom knowledge with real-world applications. The Department of Criminal Justice, in collaboration with the Department of Chemistry, has prepared a four-year degree plan for students interested in future forensic science laboratory career opportunities. The Minor in Forensic Science helps prepares students for a career in crime scene investigation or forensic impressions and markings.
English (Bachelor of Arts): The degree provides students a solid foundation of reading, writing, and analytical skills. Students have the flexib…

Sciences and Mathematics

Applied Atmospheric Science (Bachelor of Science): This program prepares students to apply knowledge of weather and climate, meteorological observations, and forecasting to address societal challenges related to natural hazards and climate change. Students learn geospatial technologies and apply them to understanding coastal hazards, severe weather, and hydrology.
Biology (Bachelor of Science & Bachelor of Arts): The Biology department offers both a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree. The bachelor of science degree is designed for students seeking career opportunities in health, industry, business, academia, research, or governmental and non-governmental organizations; or advancement into professional and graduate programs. The bachelor of art degree prepare students for careers in education, industry, public health, and environmental monitoring. Both degrees provide a broad-based biological background with increased hand-on experience.
Chemistry (Bachelor of Arts & Bachelor of Science): The Chemistry (Bachelor of Arts) degree provides a flexible major designed to provide the student with a broad education in chemistry appropriate for further study in a wide range of fields, such as business, medicine, pharmacy, and law. The curriculum, in conjunction with two semesters of laboratory-based biology courses, satisfies the course requirements for application to most US medical schools. The Chemistry (Bachelor of Science) degree equips students with skills that enhance their marketability to a wide variety of employers in technology and science and are also well positioned to apply for graduate study in chemistry and related fields. The BS chemistry degree differs from the BA degree in that it is more rigorous; more courses are required not only in chemistry, but in mathematics and physics as well. The BS degree in chemistry is the appropriate program for students considering advanced degree programs in chemistry, biochemistry, and other related fields or a professional career in chemistry. Success in Chemistry is dependent upon math skills.
Computer Science (Bachelor of Science): This comprehensive program prepares students for professional employment or graduate studies, providing a strong foundation in mathematics, science, and computer science principles.

Education and Human Development

Art Education (Bachelor of Fine Arts): The curriculum is designed to prepare students for certification in art at the elementary through secondary school levels and to develop their competence both as creative artists and as teachers.
Birth Through Kindergarten Teacher Education (Bachelor of Science): The degree prepares individuals to work with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners with and without disabilities, including those at risk, and their families. In addition to working in public school classrooms, graduates may find employment in early intervention programs, child care and education centers, residential placement centers, and other child and family settings. Upon completion of program requirements, majors are eligible to apply for a North Carolina teaching license.
Elementary Education (Bachelor of Science): This program prepares students to work with children in grades K-6 in public schools, employing a developmental approach in its coursework and methods courses.
Child Life Specialist: Child Life Specialists (CLS) provide evidence-based, developmentally appropriate interventions including therapeutic play, preparation and educations that reduce fear, anxiety, and pain for children and adolescents (www.childlife.org). Coursework in this competitive program prepares student for working with children and families in healthcare and stressful circumstances by learning through lectures, labs, and practicum experience. Students complete practicums within a healthcare setting and within the Nancy W. Darden Child Development Center.
The oldest college at ECU, the College of Education is the top provider of educators for North Carolina schools.

Engineering and Technology

Construction Management (Bachelor of Science): The program prepares graduates for professional careers in the construction industry, creates future leaders for the industry, builds construction knowledge in service to the profession and the public, and promotes a sustainable environment for the safety and welfare of all people. Construction management is a diverse discipline focused on the delivery of projects that compose the world’s built environment. The major has three concentrations: general commercial construction, residential construction, and infrastructure construction. Faculty represent diverse backgrounds in the design, engineering, and construction fields and provide students with a focused learning environment of real-world construction practices and solutions to construction problems.
Design (Bachelor of Science): The program emphasizes application of state of the art software, digitizing, and product realization/development equipment. In addition, there are many opportunities to gain work experience such as part-time and temporary jobs and co-op or internship positions. The Architectural Technology Concentration prepares individuals to assist architects in developing plans and related documentation and performing architectural office services. The Mechanical Technology Concentration includes a hands-on design curriculum that prepares graduates for careers in the application of machine and mechanical system principles to the development of automated systems and equipment.
Engineering (Bachelor of Science): The program produces graduates with unique skills that span several engineering disciplines with a focus on interdisciplinary problem solving and analysis. The program is composed of a general engineering core and five concentrations that build on this foundation. The concentrations cover emerging and fast-growing engineering fields and assure engineering career skills that are demanded by the global economy. The Biomedical Engineering Concentration focuses on improving medical systems to enhance human health. This concentration includes disciplines such as medical instrumentation, imaging, biological materials, and modeling in areas such as biomechanics and the physiological systems of the body. The Bioprocess Engineering Concentration represents one of the fastest growing segments of the economy. Bioprocess engineers design and develop equipment, methods, and systems for the efficient and environmentally sound manufacturing and processing of medicines, vaccines, organic fuel technology, food products, diagnostics, and biologically-based products. The Electrical Engineering Concentration is a broad field involved in projects of varying scale. Electrical engineers possess the skills to work on very large scale engineering projects such as high power transformers, generators, and electrical distribution grids and very small scale products such as nanoscale transistors. Electrical engineers are involved in the design of any electronic device from music players, digital cameras, and computers to robots, automotive technology, and manufacturing equipment. The Industrial and Systems Engineering Concentration is the perfect blend of technical engineering skills and people orientation. Industrial and systems engineers focus on the design, analysis, optimization, and operation of systems ranging from a single piece of equipment to large business, social, and environmental systems. Industrial and systems engineering addresses overall system performance and productivity, responsiveness to customers’ needs, and the quality of the products or services produced by the enterprise. The Mechanical Engineering Concentration is one of the broadest engineering disciplines. Mechanical engineers have skills to support design and improvement of a wide range of products from supersonic aircraft to toasters and bicycles. Mechanical engineers may specialize in areas like combustion, thermal systems, machine design, and robotics or cross over into advanced technologies such as artificial limbs and nanotechnology.
Over 40% of ECU students are in a STEM-related program, many of them in the College of Engineering and Technology.

Performing Arts

Dance Performance (Bachelor of Fine Arts): The program gives equal emphasis to the core techniques of ballet, modern, and jazz, ensuring that dance majors reach the advanced level in each. Upperclassmen may concentrate in one area while completing their other technique requirements or may continue to balance their training in all three core techniques. In addition to taking technique classes, dance majors take courses in improvisation, composition, choreography, dance history, and theatre. The major prepares students to dance professionally or to teach in a private studio.

Health Sciences

The BS degree in Clinical Laboratory Science is designed to prepare competent Clinical Laboratory Scientists (also called Medical Technologists) to perform lab tests on patient samples in all major areas of the modern medical laboratory including hematology, immunohematology, serology, clinical microbiology (includes mycology and parasitology), clinical chemistry, and urinalysis.
ECU’s outstanding College of Nursing produces more new nurses than any other four-year university in North Carolina.

Online Education

East Carolina University extends its reach through online education programs and courses, approved by the University of North Carolina General Administration, throughout the United States and internationally. ECU was approved to participate in NC-SARA on November 14, 2016, enabling the university to provide online education to students from all SARA member states.

Coastal and Marine Research

As a leader in coastal and marine research, ECU's Outer Banks Campus provides undergraduate students unique research and engagement opportunities.

Read also: Affording ECU

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