myBama
Office for Academic Affairs

Pathways

Expand your expertise.

Pathways

CHART YOUR COURSE

Take a collection of interconnected courses centered on a topic of your choosing. Take ownership of your education by focusing some of your core curriculum courses on a particular thematic Pathway. A Pathway can augment your major or help you explore another field of study. You can complete a Pathway without adding any additional credit hours to your degree, and when you complete a Pathway, you will receive a credential on your transcript that employers want to see.

Select from four Pathways.

Intercultural Affairs

Global Systems & Structures

Digital Ethics & Practice

Health & Sustainability

Select an icon to learn more.

Requirements for completing a Pathway

Choose three courses to complete a Pathway.

One Social and Behavioral Science (SB) or History (HI)

Choose from the General Education Core Curriculum that meets the objectives of your Pathway theme.

One Humanities (HU) or Literature (L)

Choose from the General Education Core Curriculum that meets the objectives of your Pathway theme.

One course that is not in the General Education Core Curriculum

This course should meet the objectives of your Pathway theme. This course can be within your Major(s) or Minor(s).

PATHWAYS

Intercultural Affairs (rolling out fall 2025)

This pathway explores relationships between individuals and communities. It seeks to understand the political, economic and cultural forces that make us who we are, paying attention to unique geographical, historical, racial, economic and gendered intercultural experiences. This pathway is for students interested in understanding the key problems and issues that define our world.

In this Pathway, you will learn to:

1. Gather and analyze historical and contemporary knowledge on the nature of local, national and/or global intercultural affairs.

2. Debate and/or present on the most critical issues that shape political thought in the modern era.

3. Explore historical and contemporary definitions of culture (this can include anthropological, philosophical, religious, literary and linguistic perspectives).

4. Recognize and navigate intercultural dependencies.

5. Demonstrate how social, political, cultural, historical, and economic forces shape the ways that cultures interact.

6. Gather and analyze historical and contemporary ways that cultures have resisted injustice and/or sought to find common ground.

Global Systems & Structures (rolling out fall 2025)

This pathway explores the economic, cultural, and political structures and systems that shape people and the physical world.  It considers the deeper, interconnected structures that define the human and global experience. Tailored for students keen on honing their executive and strategic thinking abilities, this Pathway offers a comprehensive understanding of these structures.

In this Pathway, you will learn to:

1. Identify the larger political, economic, social, cultural, historical or physical structures that define and shape the contemporary world.

2. Uncover the relationship between global systems and structures.

3. Explore the ethical and philosophical issues undergirding the functioning of large social, political, economic, cultural or physical systems, identify possible solutions and assess the merits of each.

4. Examine how legal, cultural, and ethical structures are inherited, cultivated, and perpetuated locally and globally and how they animate and orient human experience.

5. Analyze and assess the consequences of global systems on communities, individuals, the environment and the physical world.

6. Explore the interactions of large systems with each other.

7. Identify systemic issues in the political, economic, cultural,or physical world.

Digital Ethics & Practice (rolling out fall 2026)

This Pathway delves into the global repercussions of the digital revolution, media, artificial intelligence and machine learning. It investigates the diverse ways in which humans are harnessing digital tools to influence contemporary society. Equipping students with essential skills, it aids those aiming for a deeper comprehension and proficiency in navigating the digital world.

In this Pathway, you will learn to:

1. Explore the relationship between the creation, organization, dissemination and use of digital data.

2. Debate the ethical standards and moral codes that should govern human-computer conduct in modern society.

3. Uncover the historical, philosophical, anthropological, literary, linguistic or religious relationship between humans and technology.

4. Analyze the local, national and global implications of artificial intelligence and machine learning on the present and the future.

5. Acquire key digital skills needed to function ethically and productively in a variety of personal, social, research and work-related environments.

Health & Sustainability (rolling out fall 2026)

This Pathway tackles health and environmental challenges that extend beyond borders, affecting populations globally. It covers the examination of health inequalities, disease prevention, healthcare systems and health policy. This Pathway is for students who want to learn more about the intricate environmental and health-related hurdles confronting our planet. 

In this Pathway, you will learn to:

1. Define issues surrounding global health and medicine (e.g., pandemics, mental health, impacts of climate change, poverty, healthcare access, health systems and population aging). 

2. Analyze how global and domestic healthcare impact individual lives in the contemporary world and from a historical perspective.

3. Assess the history and legacy of the practice of medicine and healthcare.

4. Define issues surrounding sustainability (e.g., energy, ecology, economic development, quality of life).

5. Analyze how the environment impacts individual lives in the contemporary world and from a historical perspective.

6. Assess the history and legacy of globalization and sustainability.

7. Explore current research being done in the fields of medicine or sustainability practice.

FAQ

Is a Pathway required to complete my core curriculum?

No, Pathways are optional. You can complete your core general education courses without selecting a Pathway.

When will Pathways be available?

Intercultural Affairs and Global Systems & Structures will roll out in the fall semester of 2025. Health & Sustainability and Digital Ethics & Practice will roll out in the fall semester of 2026.

 What documentation is provided to students upon the successful completion of a Pathway?

Once completed, you will receive a credential on your academic transcript.

Can a class I take towards a Pathway requirement also count towards my Major or Minor?

Yes. If your Pathway classes also help you to complete a Major or Minor, that is great.

Can one class count towards multiple Pathways?

No. There is no “double dipping” between Pathways.

Can I take more than one Pathway?

Yes. You can take as many Pathways as your schedule will allow.

How will I receive my credential when I finish a Pathway?

It will appear on your academic transcript. You will also receive a letter, on UA letterhead, from the UA Director of Pathways, attesting to your completion.

Can a transfer student do a Pathway?

Yes. If a course you completed at another university transfers to UA as an equivalent to a course that sits within a Pathway at UA, it will be considered the same as that course. You are also welcome to take a Pathway at any time during your enrollment at UA.

If I have completed all or some of the courses for a Pathway but have not declared a Pathway, can I do it after the fact? 

Yes. You can declare a Pathway at any point during your time at UA. You do not have to declare a Pathway before you start taking the required courses. 

Can I change Pathways?

Yes. The courses you took for one Pathway will most likely not transfer over to another Pathway, but you are welcome to change and embark on a plan to take a different Pathway instead.