Manhattan University Launches Six New Academic Programs for the Digital Age

RIVERDALE, N.Y. This fall, Manhattan University introduced six new academic programs built for fields being reshaped by technology: a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity, a Bachelor of Science in Data Science, a Bachelor of Science in Computational Neuroscience, a Bachelor of Science in Integrated Marketing Communication, a Minor in Artificial Intelligence and a Minor in Sustainability Studies.

Developed by faculty across the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences, the O’Malley School of Business and the School of Engineering, the programs reflect a shared commitment to graduating students who are technically skilled and prepared to lead with judgment and integrity.

“These programs speak to who we are as a University,” said Frederick Bonato, PhD, President of Manhattan University. “We are not simply teaching students to use new technologies. We are teaching them to ask hard questions about how those technologies should be used. That is the kind of leadership our graduates have always brought to their fields, and it is more necessary now than ever. Manhattan University’s new programs continue to position the school at the forefront of higher education and career preparedness.”

Whether defending systems from cyberattacks, teaching a machine to learn, finding insight in data, decoding how the brain gives rise to thought and behavior, building campaigns that reach audiences on every platform or solving real-world sustainability problems, the six programs share a common thread: technical skill means little without the judgment to use it well.

Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity

Housed in the Computer Science Department of the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences, the 128-credit program offers a dedicated path to securing networks, information systems and digital infrastructure. It complements the University’s existing cybersecurity concentration in Computer Engineering, which focuses on hardware design, and broadens a growing slate of computing and data programs for students who want to build the technologies that power today’s world or protect the systems and data behind them.

Students build programming and mathematics foundations before applying them to cryptography, web security, blockchain, network security, and cyberlaw and ethics, with lab work analyzing real systems and how attackers exploit vulnerabilities. In a senior capstone, student teams design, build and evaluate a complete cybersecurity solution for a real-world scenario. The program is open to first-year and transfer applicants.

Minor in Artificial Intelligence

Open to students in every major, the minor was developed by faculty in computer science, computer information systems, business analytics, accounting, law and engineering across all three schools. It offers interdisciplinary instruction in how intelligent systems work, where their limits lie and how to apply them responsibly. Coursework spans machine learning, data mining, deep learning and generative AI, image processing, and AI in business and engineering design, with pathways for students with or without prior programming coursework.

Bachelor of Science in Data Science

Also drawing on all three schools, the program builds a rigorous foundation in mathematics, statistics, programming and machine learning, with electives in data mining, applied machine learning, big data technology and data policy. Seniors complete a capstone applying data science and AI techniques to real-world problems in health care, finance and public policy, and examine the privacy, bias and transparency questions those applications raise. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 34% job growth for data scientists from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Bachelor of Science in Computational Neuroscience

The 123-credit program explores brain and cognitive function through experiment and theory. Drawing on the departments of Biology, Psychology, Mathematics and Physics, Computer Science, and Electrical Engineering, the major examines how neural systems give rise to perception, cognition and behavior, and how computational and mathematical models explain biological and behavioral data.

Students build a foundation in the natural sciences, mathematics, statistics and programming while studying the brain from neural circuits to cognition and behavior. Core coursework in behavioral, systems and computational neuroscience pairs laboratory study with modeling, simulation and data analysis, and electives reach into physiology, sensation and perception, neurobiology, machine learning, image analysis and neurotechnology.

A senior seminar and capstone project complete the major, preparing graduates for advanced study in neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology and biomedical fields, or for careers in neurotechnology, artificial intelligence, data science and the health professions. True to the University’s mission, students also engage the ethical and societal dimensions of neuroscience and neurotechnology, including mental health, human-machine interaction and the responsible use of data-driven models of the mind.

Bachelor of Science in Integrated Marketing Communication

Offered jointly by the Department of Marketing and Management in the O’Malley School of Business and the Department of Communication, Sound and Media Arts in the Kakos School of Arts and Sciences, the 132-credit program prepares students to design, implement and evaluate integrated communication strategies that connect marketing strategy, storytelling, media production and emerging technologies. Fewer than two dozen universities nationwide offer the degree, and few pair an AACSB-accredited business core with hands-on communication and media production.

Coursework spans consumer behavior, digital marketing strategy, brand communication, social media strategy and campaign development. Students choose one of two tracks: Content Creation, which emphasizes multimedia storytelling, design and production in the George I. Alden Trust Creative Media Hub, or Artificial Intelligence in Marketing and Communication, which builds competencies in marketing analytics, AI-assisted marketing strategy and predictive consumer analysis.

In a capstone, students develop a full integrated marketing communication campaign, from market research and audience analysis to multimedia messaging and performance analytics, preparing them for careers in marketing, advertising, public relations, social media management, brand strategy, content creation and marketing analytics.

Minor in Sustainability Studies

Open to undergraduates in all three schools, the 15-credit minor equips students with the knowledge and applied skills to address complex environmental, economic and social challenges. After Introduction to Environmental Science and Sustainability, students take two sustainability courses in their home school and one in another, choosing from options such as Environmental Law, Energy Management and Sustainable Development.

The minor culminates in the Urban Sustainability Consulting Capstone, where interdisciplinary teams tackle a real sustainability challenge for a campus, community, nonprofit, public agency or corporate partner, then deliver a professional consulting report and public presentation.

As industries evolve, Manhattan University is ensuring its graduates are ready to lead, not just keep pace. For more information on each program, visit manhattan.edu/academics/programs.

Media Contact

Robert Cole
Executive Director of Marketing and Communications
Phone: 718-862-7993
Email: rcole01@manhattan.edu