Lakeland University

Our most popular major is stronger than ever, with a choice of ten highly relevant emphases that will separate you from the pack of students who simply major in "business" at other schools.

If your objective is to gain broad exposure to business curriculum in a macro sense, while honing one or more specific areas of expertise, this is the major for you.

"I think what makes it appealing for students is that they have a chance to concentrate on a certain area," says Scott Niederjohn, associate professor of business administration. "So while they get the broad-based education, they're actually also asked to pick (at least) one area where they can really concentrate their studies."... [-]

Most colleges offer an accounting degree. But our degree will make you more attractive to employers than most. Why? Because at Lakeland, you won’t just learn how to crunch numbers. You will get out of the classroom and apply your knowledge in a real-world setting. And that’s exactly what employers want to see on a resume.

Come to Lakeland, and your out-of-class accounting journey will include:

Check out our high-performance liquid chromatograph. Take our ultraviolet-visible spectrometer for a spin. Would you like to use our DNA sequencer? Or perform Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy? If you’ve got a passion for biochemistry, we would love to work with you. Lakeland’s professors have an impressive collection of high-tech tools they're excited to introduce you to. Together, using Lakeland’s deeply ingrained hands-on approach, you will unlock the many secrets of biochemistry. You will get a project, you will learn how to use and troubleshoot all of our instruments, you will learn how to obtain results, how to interpret those results and how to explain those results to an audience.... [-]

Earning acceptance into the graduate school of your choice feels good. Attending that graduate school free of charge, while also receiving a stipend, may seem too good to be true.

It is true, though, and we have the graduates to prove it. In just the past few years, we've put students into funded Ph.D. programs at prestigious schools like the University of Wisconsin, Michigan Tech University, Rutgers and North Carolina.

"I'm really pleased that our graduates with a passion for biology have had incredible success being accepted by some pretty high-powered programs," says Paul Pickhardt, Lakeland's natural sciences division chair. "If you pursue a masters or Ph.D. in biology, and you're applying to good programs, they will pay you to go to school."... [-]

At Lakeland College, learning chemistry means living chemistry. Once you dive into our interactive program, you'll quickly realize that here, you are one of a kind — not one of many. "I know every one of my students personally," says Brian Frink, Lakeland College's award-winning Lakeland College Professor Chemistry and Physics. "If you want that kind of attention so you can become the best chemist you want to be, then I would say you need to come to Lakeland."

Yes, when it comes to student-professor interaction, you might say our chemistry is strong. At Lakeland College, you won't sit in a large auditorium with a couple hundred of your peers, robotically taking notes while a professor lectures through a microphone.... [-]

No human behavior has evolved more dramatically over the past decade than communication, and there's no stopping these winds of change. Print media continues to scramble, trying to keep up with the ever-changing online world. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter become more and more prevalent every day. And video communication is gaining popularity.

When it comes to communication, dramatic change is ongoing, and the traditional ways of reaching an audience simply aren't sustainable – at least on their own. Here at Lakeland College, we are on the cutting edge of the communication revolution, and you will be too.

It's a new media world, and the way we choose to address that fact is by making 'new media' the center piece of the puzzle for our communication major. We've got something new going on, and the curriculum at other colleges and universities just isn't cutting it. They haven't caught on, and we have. There's not another program like ours.... [-]

Work with a Faraday Cage. Learn to stay a step ahead of cybercriminals. Experiment with a 3D printer and robotics. Refurbish scrapped computers in our lab. Lakeland's computer science program is an all-encompassing foray into the ever-changing world of computers and how they work. Here, you won't focus on just programming, database or system analysis. You'll learn it all, with multiple classes that span all disciplines.

“As a computer science student at Lakeland, you don't have to specialize,” says Cynthia Lindstrom, assistant professor of computer science, who has a doctorate in computing and information technology and has more than 20 years of corporate computer science experience. “In fact, you can't specialize here. You will be a generalist; you will know a little bit about everything. And that's what businesses are looking for today.”... [-]

Some people tend to be left-brain oriented, wired to crunch numbers, analyze spreadsheets and find comfort in black-and-white absolutes. Right-brain oriented people tend to be more drawn to writing, graphic design and other forms of creative expression.

And then there are those of you who are equally comfortable working on an Excel spreadsheet and an InDesign brochure. Do you fit that description? If so, our marketing major might be right up your alley.

“I think our marketing students know they’re interested in business, but they’re often more creative,” says Scott Niederjohn, associate professor of business administration. “They’ve enjoyed writing classes in high school. Maybe they’ve enjoyed some art classes. They want to tell a story but they want to do it in the context of business.”... [-]

Given its black-and-white, highly objective nature, mathematics can seem like a relatively impersonal academic discipline. At Lakeland, however, you will discover that mathematics, like every other subject, is taught with a personal touch.

We have teachers who will really get to know you personally. We'll be able to monitor you as you work your way through the program, encourage you to participate in extra activities if we think you're not living up to your potential, give you extra help if we see that you're struggling in a particular class and write a personal letter of recommendation when you're ready to apply for jobs.

From pre-calculus to differential equations and linear algebra to topology and complex variables, Lakeland offers a full range of mathematics classes that will fit into the career path you choose. Mathematics can be a standalone major, but it also fits nicely as a major or minor with other majors such as chemistry, computer science and education.... [-]

Whether you’re a classical artist who paints, sculpts or draws, or an artist whose canvas is a computer screen, Lakeland College will help you flourish. Our two art major options – art with a studio emphasis and art with a graphic design emphasis – are designed to meet your specific needs and make you stand out to potential employers in your chosen profession. “I think what most parents ask is, why would you major in art? What can you do with this?” says Denise Presnell-Weidner, associate professor of art. “Is there a career? Is there a future in this? Well, today, especially in the area of graphics, there are a lot of jobs in that area. Graphics are everywhere.”