Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies - Special Option

at California State University, Dominguez Hills - Carson Campus USA

Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) is a broad-based, liberal arts and sciences major that focuses on developing exemplary skills in written and oral communication, textual analysis, critical thinking, research methods, and the ability to bring a wide range of resources to bear in approaching complex problems. Because it combines knowledge systems across the meta-disciplines of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences, an IDS major is great preparation for both the workplace and for entry into graduate or professional schools. IDS is part of a national network of Programs for Accelerated College Education (PACE) that are designed for working, adult students who want to earn a bachelor’s degree in a reasonable period of time while they maintain a full-time job. While all admitted students are welcome, IDS/PACE students are primarily transfers who enter CSUDH with 60 units and junior-class standing.

The Humanities Graduate Program provides post-baccalaureate students the opportunity to study the traditional humanities fields - philosophy, literature, history, music, and art - in the context of contemporary interdisciplinary topics, as well as in courses devoted to the methodology and current concerns of specific disciplines. Courses enable the critical evaluation of the visual and performing arts, as well as the ideas, cultures and individuals which have shaped our society. Program courses are designed around the theme of the city. Skills in advanced writing, research, and presentation are exercised in seminars and in a final research or creative project.
 
Designed for professionals such as teachers for whom the possession of a master's degree has practical as well as personal value, the program also serves the student who is continuing his/her college education for the enrichment of lifelong learning.

Physics is the study of the natural world at its foundation. As such it is the basis of other disciplines such as biology, medicine, chemistry, computer science, geology, astronomy and engineering. Physicists study the world from the smallest particles of matter (quarks and leptons), nuclei, atoms, and molecules; through forces and motions which determine properties of solids, liquids, gases, and plasmas; to descriptions of the behavior of matter on all scales up to stars, galaxies, and even the origin and fate of the universe. Other researchers explore how physics itself can be learned. Physics is also the base of most engineering. The department encourages student-faculty interaction in all these areas.

For students intending to pursue graduate work or employment in Electrical Engineering, the department offers an Electrical Engineering option, intended to facilitate a seamless transition after graduation. An agreement in place with the CSU Fullerton College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science allows students to satisfy all of the course requirements for admission to an MS program at CSU Fullerton.

The Special Education Program is designed to offer candidates both core and advanced specialization in the delivery of special education services from infancy to adulthood. The program meets the needs of college graduates who wish to pursue careers in special education. Candidates can obtain the following: Master of Arts degree in Special Education, Education Specialist Instruction Preliminary Credentials (Mild/Moderate Disabilities, Moderate/Severe Disabilities, and Early Childhood Special Education), Teacher Induction Program (Clear Credential), Early Childhood Special Education Added Authorization, and Assistive Technology Certificate. Credential, authorization, and certificate coursework combines theory, methods, and field experiences that enrich candidates teaching practices. Master degree level courses combine theory, field assignments, and a culminating experience that enhances candidates' professional expertise and specialized knowledge.

The MA program prepares candidates to assume advanced roles in the field of Special Education. Current research and best practices in the field of Special Education underpin the curriculum. The program consists of a core of advanced coursework, electives, and a culminating experience (thesis or comprehensive exam) that support advance study in the field of Special Education. There are 30 units of course work with a minimum of 21 semester units completed in residence. Candidates who apply to both the Master of Arts Degree and the Teacher Induction Program must adhere to the requirements for both programs (e.g., GPA and course grade requirements).

The Bachelor of Science in Chemistry is designed primarily for students who plan to enter graduate programs in chemistry or other closely related sciences. The department is certified by the American Chemical Society (ACS), 1155 - Sixteenth Street, N.W., Washington, DC, 20036. Students graduating with this degree will be certified to the Society and will receive a certificate from the ACS. The Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry fulfills the need of those students who are pursuing pre-medical or pre-dental programs as well as those who plan to enter fields such as business, environmental or patent law, where a background in chemistry can be of great utility.

The Spanish Language has become an important global language and those who hold a degree in Spanish is of invaluable asset in California, across the country and the world. Over 534 million people worldwide speak Spanish as a first and second language. More than 41 million people in the U.S. speak Spanish. The US Census Bureau reports that the population of Latino origin is expected to jump to 119 million by 2060. Moreover, the employment opportunities for Spanish majors continue to grow with both the passage of Proposition 58, which removes restrictions on bilingual education programs for California, and with the Global California 2030 Initiative that calls for the expansion of the teaching and learning of world languages and the number of in more than one language over the next 12 years.

The Master of Social Work (MSW) program at California State University, Dominguez Hills is intentionally designed to address the diverse social service needs, issues and problems particular to a large metropolitan area such as Los Angeles County. Building on the diversity of the various ethnic groups and cultures residing in the area, the program will prepare social work students for contextually competent social work practice, inclusive of the issues of culture, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion, class, sexual orientation and gender. The effects of bias, prejudice and institutionalized racism are examined so that students understand how these issues can affect social work practice, policy development and program implementation. Students learn a variety of perspectives and ways of identifying strategies and interventions for addressing these concerns and other problems in social work practice with individuals, families and communities.

The Department of Social Work promotes a psychosocial, ecological and cross-cultural approach to social work practice with Critical Race Theory and Intersectionality serving as the theoretical framework for contextually competent practice. The curriculum is developed and organized as a coherent and integrated whole consistent with program goals and objectives. California State University, Dominguez Hills offers one concentration: Social Work Practice in Communities (SWPC) and three specializations that students can choose from: Children, Youth and Families, Community Mental Health and Community Capacity Building.

The mission of the CSUDH MS in Occupational Therapy Program is to prepare entry-level clinical practitioners with knowledge, skills, and understanding necessary to practice in traditional as well as emerging occupational therapy roles with an excellent foundation for later specialization and lifelong learning.

The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Program has been planned with enthusiasm to help prepare students for a professional career focused on helping people achieve skills and utilize resources to live independent and meaningful lives. The program is structured towards producing client-centered therapists with enhanced critical thinking abilities. It aims to produce professionals, who can research, develop, implement, and evaluate procedures utilizing a high degree of independent judgment and to consult where appropriate with other members of the health care team.

Graduate studies in Occupational Therapy prepare students for a professional career focused on helping people achieve skills and utilize resources to live independent and meaningful lives.

The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy degree is a full-time Cohort Program. Students within a specific cohort matriculate together and are expected to take the same courses every semester as well complete the requirements of the program at the same time. MSOT students are assigned to specific sections and are given their class schedule by the department. One cohort of 66-70 students is admitted per year, which starts every spring semester.

A total of 7 consecutive semesters (including summer):

• 5 semesters of didactic coursework
• 2 semesters of clinical rotations (Fieldwork II):
  • 3 months each with full-time internship under the supervision of an OTR
  • Students may be required to travel outside the state for completion of FW II
• A comprehensive exam is taken to obtain the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy

Students enrolled in the MSOT degree program must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above. Graduates of the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) degree program will be eligible to sit for the NBCOT examination to become a practicing occupational therapist. Once a successful examination score has been achieved the graduate will be qualified to apply to practice in the state of residence.

Students who have academic or professional goals that are not easily met by one of the regular degree programs at CSU Dominguez Hills may find that the undergraduate Special Majors program is more suitable to their unique needs and interests. Through these programs, students will integrate studies from two (or more) departments or colleges, either concentrating on each equally or choosing one department or option as the primary emphasis with the other(s) as secondary.

Liberal Studies (LBS) is an interdisciplinary undergraduate major for students who intend to become elementary and special education teachers or to pursue related graduate work. Courses leading to the B.A. in Liberal Studies focus on the subject areas taught in elementary schools as well as professional preparation and early fieldwork.