Students may take advantage of the minors in Humanities or Philosophy or Speech Communication to enhance their academic study. By adding course work from various disciplines in the College of Arts and Humanities, students gain an opportunity to: develop critical thinking skills and ethical and moral decision making; foster an appreciation of music and cultural diversity; and strengthen communication skills. The Certificate in American Studies creates a link between course offerings in American history and in related American arts and humanities areas. The certificate provides a significant, though not certifiable, area of study for developing student teachers and creates a distinct and defined area of intellectual pursuit for students not seeking teacher certification.