Ivan Allen College students eager to solve complex problems, understand and effectively communicate science policy, or craft creative works will have new course choices this Fall.

The new offerings include the Minor in Collaborative Social Innovation, the Minor in Science Communication and Policy, and the Minor in Creative Writing.

Minor in Collaborative Social Innovation

This program, offered by the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School of Public Policy, is designed to help prepare students to be “agents of change.” The project-based curriculum combines policy, design thinking, and team dynamics, and it complements any major.

“The Collaborative Social Innovation minor helps students move from idea to impact — preparing them to lead teams, create change, and design solutions that matter. It’s about turning your education into action,” said Ilya Gokhman, an academic professional in the School of Public Policy.

Students must take two or more courses with a micro focus, such as PUBP 1142 – Teams and Collaboration or PUBP 4140 – Foundations of Leadership. They also must select at least two courses with a macro focus, just as COE 1201 – Design Thinking and Innovation for Grand Challenges, PUBP 4200 U.S. Health Policy, or PUBP 4416 – Critical Issues in Science and Technology.

Minor in Science Communication and Policy

The Carter School is also partnering with the School of Literature, Media, and Communication (LMC) to offer the Science Communication and Policy minor. This program offers an in-depth look at how science is communicated to the public, how policy shapes research, and how science communication affects society. It’s open to students in all majors.

The interdisciplinary program is designed for humanities students interested in careers in health and science, media, technical communication, or public relations, as well as STEM majors seeking to develop their human-centered communication skills.

Students must take LMC 3310 – The Rhetoric of Scientific Inquiry and PUBP 4410 – Science, Technology, and Public Policy and also choose three electives from a list of courses that includes LMC 3412 – Communicating Science and Technology to the Public, LMC 3318 – Biomedicine and Culture, and LMC 4406 – Contemporary Issues in Professional Communication.

A unique feature of this minor is the optional study-abroad experience in Dublin, Ireland, on storytelling and AI in journalism, offered in partnership with CNN.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Georgia Tech students to learn how policy shapes and is shaped by how we talk about science and to learn how scientific advances are communicated by professionals to different public audiences,” said 
LMC Chair Kelly Ritter.

Minor in Creative Writing

Finally, LMC is offering another new minor, in Creative Writing, for students who are particularly interested in improving their communication skills for careers and life.

The minor is open to all Georgia Tech students except for those already majoring in LMC. The primary focus of the program is on poetry, but it also includes other genres.

Students must take LMC 3234 – Creative Writing; two writing electives, which include courses on poetry and stage and screen writing; and one literature elective, with options ranging from LMC 2060 – Introduction to Literary Studies to LMC 3214 – Science Fiction.

“This minor gives students the opportunity to showcase their skills in the literary arts and fosters a community of writers who will support and inspire them,” said JC Reilly, director of Creative Writing Curricula. “It’s a perfect outlet for students to embrace all aspects of their expressive selves.”

Other Notable Minors

IAC students also will have the opportunity to take the new Minor in Business of Sports and Entertainment offered by The Scheller College of Business and including classes taught by IAC faculty.

The minor is meant for those interested in careers in sports management, live events, media, or entertainment law, among others.

IAC courses available for credit as part of the program include HTS 2015 – History of Sports in America, HTS 3073 – Sociology of Sports, and HTS 3089 – Science, Technology, and Sports.

Also, the Carter School and the School of Economics also offer the fairly new Minor in Economics and Policy of Environmental Sustainability.

The minor is available to any student who wants to better understand how economics and policy shape our environment, climate, and energy resources.

Courses include the required PUBP 3600 - Sustainability, Technology, and Policy and ECON 4440 - Economics of Natural Resources and the Environment, as well as electives such as ECON 3300 – Economics of International Energy Markets, PUBP 3350 – Energy Policy, and INTA 3042 – Energy and International Security.