Programs of Study / Minors

Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree have the option of completing a minor, which can complement a student’s major, help them develop another area of professional expertise, or enable them to pursue an area of personal interest. Completion of a minor is formally designated on the baccalaureate transcript, which serves to highlight this accomplishment to employers and graduate schools. In contrast to the optional minor, as part of their bachelor's degree requirements, students must complete an immersion—a concentration of three courses in a particular area. View full list of RIT minors and immersions.

Please note: A minor is a related set of academic courses consisting of no fewer than 15 credit hours. The following parameters must be met in order to earn a minor:

  • At least nine credit hours of the minor must consist of courses not required by the student’s home major.
  • Students may pursue multiple minors. A minimum of nine credit hours must be designated towards each minor; these courses may not be counted towards other minors.
  • The residency requirement for a minor is a minimum of nine credit hours consisting of RIT courses (excluding “X” graded courses).

Not all minors are approved to fulfill general education requirements. Please check with an adviser in regards to minors approved to fulfill these requirements.

The construction management minor broadens the learning experiences and professional opportunities of students who have an interest in building construction, bid development, management of construction projects after a successful bid, and the business, management, and technical aspects related to construction.

Learn More about the Construction Management Minor 

The flexible packaging minor addresses flexible containment systems, one of the fastest growing segments of the packaging materials industry. The manufacturing and use of flexible containment systems requires specific expertise and knowledge of appropriate technology for implementation. Flexible pouches and containment systems are considered more sustainable for replacing glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles, and metal cans. They use materials more efficiently and reduce the weight and costs associated with physical distribution activities.

Learn More about the Flexible Packaging Minor 

The manufacturing systems minor provides students with a foundation in the professional study and practice of manufacturing operations. Students develop a required foundation of manufacturing processes and statistics, then they select three advanced manufacturing courses to fulfill the following requirements: quality engineering principles, engineering economics, lean production and supply systems, integrated design for manufacturing and assembly, or electronics manufacturing.

Learn More about the Manufacturing Systems Minor 

The media arts and technology minor provides students with a five-course sampling of the media arts and technology major. After completing the required course, students may customize their selection of elective courses from diverse offerings related to media production, media architecture, media strategy, and media management.

Learn More about the Media Arts and Technology Minor 

The packaging science minor offers courses covering a broad range of packaging activities, including development/design, testing, marketing, and production. Related legal, economic, and environmental/sustainability concerns are also addressed. Students from majors such as engineering, engineering technology, multidisciplinary studies, management, marketing, international business, industrial design, and print media could all benefit from the packaging science minor.

Learn More about the Packaging Science Minor 

The plastics engineering and technology minor provides students with a foundation in the professional study of plastic materials and their applications. This minor provides a broad perspective in plastics and polymer engineering/technology including the preparation of polymeric materials and polymer composites, their characterization, and the design and processing of these materials into useful products. The minor also includes a plastics characterization laboratory experience.

Learn More about the Plastics Engineering and Technology Minor 

The robotics and automation minor provides students with a foundation in the professional study and practice of programming, using, and working with industrial robots and the industrial automation systems used in the manufacturing environment. It provides a broad perspective that includes automation components, automation systems (hardware and software), industrial robots (hardware and software), and specific issues to implementing industrial robotic systems in the electronics manufacturing environment. It also includes learning and practice in developing automation/robotic code to accomplish specific functions across the major industrial automation software tools.

Learn More about the Robotics and Automation Minor 

The structural design minor creates a focus on the different types of structures and materials used in design. It also introduces related design codes. The minor is designed to accommodate students majoring in mechanical engineering technology or mechanical engineering.

Learn More about the Structural Design Minor 

The surface mount electronics manufacturing minor provides students with a foundation in the professional study and practice of the manufacturing of electronic circuits with components placed directly on printed circuit boards (surface mount technology). This minor provides a broad perspective that includes surface mount devices, assembly, lean production, and quality topics. It also includes learning and practice in electronic component layout, placement, high volume production, materials, circuit board design for manufacturability (design for manufacturability - DFM) and process controls.

Learn More about the Surface Mount Electronics Manufacturing Minor 

The water resources minor broadens the learning experiences and professional opportunities of students in technical disciplines who have an interest in courses related to water treatment, wastewater treatment, hydrology, the environment and society.

Learn More about the Water Resources Minor