Bachelor of Arts in English with Concentration in Creative Writing

at California State University - East Bay USA

Anthropology is the multifaceted study of humanity from an evolutionary, historical, and global perspective. Students in anthropology learn about their own culture as well as those of other peoples as they are shaped by biological evolution, ecological constraints, political history, and sociological conditioning. The Department of Anthropology, Geography, and Environmental Studies offers ethnographic, theoretical and methodological courses in five sub-disciplines: biological anthropology, prehistory and archaeology, linguistic anthropology, sociocultural anthropology, and applied anthropology. Regional courses on major populations of the world, especially the heritage cultures of North and South America, and Asia, form an important component of the curriculum. The B.A. degree program bridges the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, preparing students for multidimensional careers. Fundamentally, the study of anthropology cultivates an appreciation of what all humans share, as well as how humans differ across time and space.

At the undergraduate level, students in the B.A. degree program may choose to focus on special interests in two combined sub-disciplines:

• Archaeology and Biological Anthropology emphasize the study of human biology, variation, evolution, and the reconstruction of past ways of life and cultural systems from material remains.
• Socio-Cultural and Applied Anthropology emphasize the study of social and cultural systems of more recent historical and contemporary populations, and the application of anthropological insights into present-day problems.

The Liberal Studies Major aims to provide a rich liberal art educational experience through selected courses from a wide range of academic disciplines, while at the same time allowing students to select a field for in-depth study of their own interest.  The broad-based, interdisciplinary nature of Liberal Studies provides a solid well-rounded undergraduate educational experience, integrating knowledge from arts and humanities, social science, and natural sciences, with analytical and communication skills well suited for many careers and professions.

The major consists of a common core and a choice from seven concentrations, designed to meet diverse student interests and needs not only for school teaching, but also for leadership in government, non-profit organizations, and business, and for graduate education in law, counseling, social work and services, public affairs and administration, and educational leadership.

Geology is the study of the earth and of life and the natural processes occurring on the planet through time. Students learn about the causes of processes such as earthquakes, volcanoes, the formation of mountains, the effect of erosion and deposition, and the formation of rocks and minerals and their uses. Coursework combined with observations on field trips provide Cal State East Bay students with an understanding of natural processes and the human impact on the environment.

The Geology, B.A. program offers the student a greater degree of flexibility and may be more appropriate for those who do not plan to become certified professional geologists or pursue graduate study. Students wishing to do independent geological work professionally or plan on graduate study should enroll in the B.S. program; see the B.S. program in Geology in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences offers undergraduate study leading to the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Geology, focusing on developing strong foundational knowledge and a broad set of field and laboratory skills in the Earth sciences.

Human Development is an interdisciplinary program that integrates theory and methodology from disciplines such as anthropology, biology, linguistics, psychology, and sociology. The program explores the processes and mechanisms underlying developmental change and stability across the lifespan and the socio-cultural and historical contexts in which development takes place.

The Program’s curriculum aims to develop in students a basic understanding of major research findings and core concepts in human development, the ability to analyze and evaluate theoretical and practical issues in the field, and the skills to apply learning to diverse communities outside the University. The Program strives to create an optimal learning community that values and fosters collaborative learning and dialogue between and among students and faculty from diverse backgrounds.

The university offers the Master of Arts degree in English. Although there is no separate degree offered in creative writing, it is possible to satisfy the thesis option for the M.A. in English by work in fiction, poetry, or drama. Students seeking a degree must observe the general university requirements stated elsewhere in this catalog as well as the specific departmental requirements stated here.

Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes. Many psychologists work primarily with people to understand how they think, respond to stress, learn and forget, develop into unique personalities, and interact with one another. Others study the behavior and nervous systems of animals in order to find general principles that apply across species. Psychologists apply their knowledge to do therapy and counseling, to improve practices in schools, prisons, and rehabilitation centers, and to enhance performance in industrial and business settings.

The B.S. programs are designed for more specialized purposes. Students in the B.S. program must select one of the two concentrations in that program: Industrial/Organizational Psychology or Ergonomics and Human Factors. The concentration in Industrial/Organizational Psychology provides preparation for careers related to business, with an emphasis on personnel management. The concentration in Ergonomics and Human Factors provides preparation for careers in the design of work environments to take account of human limitations and strengths, for example, the design of equipment (computers, aircraft, automobiles) or the design of industrial procedures.

In Physics, one attempts to discover, formulate, explain, and apply the basic laws of nature. Physicists work in areas as diverse as astrophysics, relativity, properties of materials, or the standard model of fundamental particles and interactions. The Principles of Physics provide the foundation for other sciences as well as engineering. Some of the examples of modern technological development from the application of physical principles include radio and television, computers, laser scanners, and communication by fiber optics. In addition, physicists explore problems in astronomy and theories for the origin and evolution of the universe.

At Cal State East Bay students can pursue a Bachelor of Science (B.S) degree. The B.S. degree major program is designed to give students an understanding of the fundamentals of physics including concepts of atomic and nuclear physics, classical mechanics, wave motion and sound, electromagnetism and optics, heat and thermodynamics, relativity, quantum mechanics, and elementary particles and their interactions.

This program is designed to teach students to be linguists who can work with signed and spoken languages and their cultures. The Option to our general BA expands on students’ language and culture training to additionally train them to become interpreters between ASL and English. For admission, students must receive a C or better in all required lower division courses, a 2 or higher on the ASLPI national exam, and have a successful interview with an invitation from the CSULB BA Option admissions committee to join a Fall semester cohort of 20-25 students.

The Department of Computer Science offers graduate study leading to the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science. This program is designed to extend the student’s knowledge in a broad manner beyond the baccalaureate degree major in Computer Science. It will both (1) deepen general understanding of theoretical principles and (2) provide exposure to important applications of Computer Science such as security, software engineering, database, networking, and others. This approach is especially important in Computer Science, where training in specific languages and systems and on specific machines is transitory, as these languages, systems, and machines evolve. In contrast, many of the principles will last, and generally apply to a wide variety of specializations within the field.  The breadth of subject material is important as many students will have a number of different job classifications in their working lives.

The Art Department emphasizes study in our Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Program. This is a professional degree that offers students the opportunity to develop greater expertise through comprehensive and intensive study in a specific area of art or design - a program that leads to successful careers in the visual art and design industries. Students who intend to pursue graduate studies or advanced skills for a professional career typically choose the B.F.A degree.

The B.F.A. professional concentrations require 70 units of study in the Department to complete the major.  There is no application procedure to enter the Bachelor of Fine Arts program beyond declaring as a B.F.A. student with a specific concentration.  The concentrations are listed below under major requirements.

Photography Concentration
The concentration in Photography provides well-grounded studies in the aesthetic and practical areas of contemporary camera-generated imagery with an emphasis on digital technologies. Students take a wide range of classes, including fine art, studio lighting, and advanced digital imaging which culminate in a capstone class designed to prepare the students for a career in photography or to apply to graduate school. The program’s goal is to provide students with the visual, technical, conceptual, and professional vocabulary they need to succeed in their field.