A minor is a course sequence within an area of study that provides a degree of specialization within that area, which can be a specialty within a discipline or a specialty integrating several disciplines. Minors are available to Bachelor degree seeking students only.
Minors are be designed to be completed within the same time-frame allowed for the completion of the baccalaureate degree. After matriculating in a major, students wishing to obtain a minor shall use the Academic Minor Request Form.
New York State and federal regulations stipulate that undergraduate students may receive financial aid only for courses that are required for their degree program. Therefore, undergraduate students need to enroll in 12 credits or more of required coursework to maintain full-time status for New York State and federal student aid programs. Courses taken in completion of a minor that are not also required for the student’s declared major are not considered “required” for the student’s degree for purposes of financial aid. Coursework that solely satisfies a minor is not considered required for New York State and federal aid programs. The only exception is when a minor is included in an approved NYSED major.
Students must declare a minor prior to completing 105 degree credits required in their bachelor degree.
Curriculum Guidelines
- Minors consist of a minimum of 15 credits, at least 6 credits of which will be upper-division (300 or 400-level) courses.
- A minimum of 9 credits of a minor shall be completed with courses taken at SUNY Morrisville.
Minors at SUNY Morrisville
Full details about available minors can be found in the college catalog.
Agricultural Human Resources Management Minor
This minor provides students with an understanding of the many aspects of human behavior in the workplace of production agriculture. A wide range of topics including labor laws, human resource management, hiring, developing, training and retaining employees, workplace psychology, policy development, and leadership are covered within this minor. Specific emphasis is placed on H2A (agricultural work visas), seasonal, and migrant employees. Housing, OSHA, labor, and Workers Compensation Audits will also be covered. This minor requires 15 credits, with at least 9 credit hours in the upper-division.
Aquatic Science & Aquaculture Minor
The aquatic science and aquaculture minor is for students in a Bachelors degree program who also want to gain an understanding of aquaculture, marine biology, fisheries biology, limnology and aquatic biology. This minor is intended to equip students with the fundamental scientific principles needed to develop solutions for the pressures placed on our aquatic resources and the production of a sustainable food source through aquaculture. You will explore diverse subjects through practical, hands-on experience in a state-of-the-art aquaculture complex and a wide assortment of laboratory and field settings.
Business Minor
The Business minor will provide students with the understanding of business practices and skills necessary in management, marketing, and financial activities of the business. This minor will give students the hand-on experience with real case studies and projects. This minor requires 15 credit hours, with 9 credit hours in upper division.
Cannabis Industry Minor
The Cannabis Industry minor will provide students with an understanding of the many aspects related to the cannabis industry. This minor is appropriate for students in horticulture, agriculture, and natural science related majors and provides students opportunities for focus on a specific area of interest. This minor requires 16 credit hours, with at least 6 credit hours in the upper-division.
Criminal Justice Minor
The Criminal Justice Minor allows students to get an understanding of criminal justice in addition to other disciplines.
Cybersecurity Minor
Cybersecurity, also referred to as information technology security, focuses on protecting computers, networks, programs, and data from unintended or un- authorized access, change, or destruction. Government agencies, the military, corporations, financial institutions, hospitals, and other groups collect, process, and store a great deal of confidential information on computers and transmit that data across networks to other computers. With the growing volume and sophistication of cyber attacks, ongoing attention is required to protect sensitive business and personal information, as well as safeguard national security.
Environmental Assessment Minor
Develop the skills and knowledge needed to conduct environmental assessments and reviews for permitting and other purposes. Students in this minor will learn how to collect and use geospatial data to create maps, identify plants by habitat type, and understand the environmental policies and laws that govern the review of projects that will impact the environment.
Game Programming Minor
The Game Programming minor is for students in a Bachelors degree program who want to develop the skills to create software for 2D and 3D video games. The minor provides students with courses that cover game design concepts, user interface design, and software development of video games. Students wishing to specialize in game programming may complete the Game Programming minor by taking 15 credits (five CITA courses).
History Minor
The history minor is for students in a Bachelor’s degree program who also want to gain a better understanding of human societies through the study of the discipline of history.
Marketing Minor
The Marketing minor will enhance a student’s academic and career profile. The student will learn and apply the concepts of advertising, branding, consumer behavior, and market research. This minor will develop the student’s marketing knowledge of price, product, promotion, and place while improving their written and oral communication, analytical thinking, and data-driven decision-making. This minor requires 15 credit hours, with 9 credit hours in upper division.
Natural Resources Minor
Engage with and manage natural resources and the people who use them. This minor is for students looking to learn more about the environment, how it is measured and managed, and how people and society interact with it. Applications of this minor include environmental law enforcement, eco-tourism, agriculture education, and environmental policy careers. Courses in the minor may count toward related NYS Civil Service exams. Depending on course selection, there may be course fees.
Psychology Minor
The psychology minor is for students in a bachelor’s degree program who also want to gain an understanding of the scientific study of human thought and behavior. The minor provides enough structure for students to learn about the breadth and depth of the field while also allowing students to select from a variety of courses to focus on specific areas of interest.
Sociology Minor
The sociology minor is for students in a bachelor’s degree program who want to develop an understanding of the scientific study of group behavior and society. The minor provides enough structure for students to learn about the breadth and depth of the field while also allowing students to select from a variety of courses which focus on specific areas of interest.