On June 5, 2025, the official UW-Eau Claire website shared that the UW System Board of Regents approved three new majors that will be offered come fall 2026.

The three new majors are a philosophy, politics and economics (PPE)  major in the College of Arts and Sciences, a digital marketing analytics major and a professional sales major in the College of Business.  

The only one of its kind within the UW System schools and one of only a handful of universities in the Midwest, the PPE major is an interdisciplinary approach to education. 

With courses covering all three topics mentioned in the title, this major will prepare students with the skills necessary for careers in public policy and government. It will also provide a strong basis for applications to law school. 

Dean Aleks Sternfeld-Dunn of the College of Arts and Sciences spoke on the PPE major.

“I think it sort of speaks to this cool, interdisciplinary thinking about the big world problems out there, where students might really want to be advocates for change,” Sternfeld-Dunn said. “This could be a degree that could help them sort of think about these multidisciplinary ideas.”

Sternfeld-Dunn said the program was developed by professor Sean McAleer, professor of philosophy, along with other faculty in philosophy, politics and economics. 

“What this degree allows is a broad array of jobs lying in front of you,” Sternfeld-Dunn said. “And you just have to know how to speak about what you learned in this program and how it might apply to these different worlds out there.”

The other two majors, digital marketing analytics and professional sales, were previously programs that business majors could declare as emphases but will now be elevated to majors. 

Camille Faber, a fourth-year business marketing student with a graphic design minor, spoke on professional sales being elevated to a major.

“I’m a marketing student, and I took professional sales last year,” Faber said. “I’m surprised that it wasn’t a major before, because when I took the professional sales class last year,  I learned the most I’ve ever learned out of any of my classes.”

Faber highlighted the impact and skills that came with taking a professional sales course. 

“Professional sales really taught me how to be more confident with my speaking, talking to customers and talking to potential clients and I felt like a real businesswoman,” Faber said. 

The digital marketing analytics major is unique among UW-System schools and reflects the opportunities that UW-Eau Claire has to offer its students.  

Jessica Rae, a fourth-year business entrepreneurship student with a minor in marketing, also talked about the skills that a professional sales course provides. 

“I took the professional sales class, and it really made me a better public speaker overall,” Rae said. “A lot of people do that (sales) as a career, so I think that’s a very important major to have.” 

Rae said these two new business majors provide a wider range of majors for new students. 

“I think this would impact business students and the wider UWEC student body by creating more diverse majors,” Rae said. “Overall, adding these two majors will make the College of Business more appealing.” 

Hirata can be reached at [email protected].