Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

at California State University - East Bay USA

This degree program, offered through the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, provides the opportunity for students to acquire a practical and theoretical education in the marine sciences to prepare them for careers as marine specialists, scientists, and teachers. The program at Moss Landing provides interdepartmental work and a field facility for advanced study in the marine sciences which cannot be duplicated on the Cal State East Bay campus.

Program Learning Outcomes
Students graduating with an M.S.in Marine Science from Cal State East Bay will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental concepts in a particular category of oceanography and marine science and
  • be able to synthesize and integrate across all of these fields, yet achieve a depth of understanding in the student’s individual specialty or field of study (MLML specialties include Physical Oceanography, Biological Oceanography, Chemical Oceanography, Geological Oceanography, Marine Phycology, Marine Ichthyology, Marine Turtle, Bird and Mammal Ecology, and Marine Invertebrate Zoology.)
• Demonstrate the ability to critically analyze scientific research, whether the student’s own research, or that performed by others.
• Pose relevant scientific hypotheses or questions that may then serve to guide thesis research.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the design and implementation of experiments or data collection methodologies to address specific hypotheses/questions.
• Master the skills and tools of data collection and analysis (including analytical and statistical techniques as appropriate) specific to the student’s scientific field of study.
• Demonstrate the ability to place ones own research within the larger context of relevant field of scientific study and to clearly identify the implications of this research for that field.
• Demonstrate proficiency in oral and written communication by being able to present research clearly and concisely. This includes thoughtful and thorough oral and written presentation of their thesis and their responses to questions. 

Through inclusive and rigorous creative inquiry, the Department of Theatre and Dance provides comprehensive training for performance, creativity, reflection, diversity, collaboration, mentorship, community engagement, and social justice.

Through a combination of core classes with a concentration, the program provides comprehensive pre-professional training in the areas of performance (Acting, Dance, Inclusive Performance (Applied Social Justice), and Musical Theatre) and production (Stage Technology and Design). Our primary goal is to develop artists whose performance skills and creativity are supported by a firm background in history, literature, and aesthetics. In an environment designed to encourage creativity and self-expression, students perform regularly in a variety of theatre and dance productions. The culmination requirement offers an opportunity to direct, choreograph, perform, write, intern, or design.

Theatre Arts program encourages majors to acquire a range of skills to expand their career options. Many have entered advanced studies in nationally recognized universities and conservatories. Some have chosen careers in teaching, while others have gone directly into theatre or dance performance. Alumni perform on professional stages around the world, including Broadway and Hollywood, where they have won Tony and  Emmy Awards, as well as other professional recognitions. Employers in business and public service professions desire Theatre Arts graduates for their team skills, their imaginative approach to problems, and their ability to communicate creatively.

The Mathematics Department offers graduate study leading to the degree of Master of Science in Mathematics. The department prides itself on providing excellent instruction in advanced mathematics and maintaining a supportive learning environment for graduate students. Students in the program will be exposed to the fundamental areas of pure and applied mathematics and have the opportunity to explore specialized areas in depth. The completed program prepares students for careers in community college teaching, positions in industry that require knowledge of mathematics beyond the undergraduate level, as well as for advanced study toward a Ph.D. degree in mathematics or a related field.

The M.S. program features small classes that allow for close contact between students and faculty. Students interested in the M.S. degree program in Mathematics should speak with the Mathematics Graduate Coordinator.

The Communication Department features the integration of theories and criticism with the essential skills for media production, professional engagement, and meaningful research. Graduates will be able to make a positive, professional, and important contribution in communication theory and research, Strategic Communication, Multimedia Journalism, and Communication and Media Studies. Students will study, research and analyze the perspectives that will lead to their becoming inclusive, ethical, and effective leaders and participants in global and local communities. They will acquire skills in critical analysis, speaking, writing, and visual presentations across all media. They will learn about the changing world of today’s and future media as well as the long history of the relationship between communication, self, and society and they will be prepared for a broad array of careers or graduate studies. All undergraduates must complete 32 units in 8 core courses in communication and elect one of three concentrations: Multimedia Journalism emphasizing digital journalism for social justice that converges print, audio, visual, and video; Strategic Communication that converges the study of Advertising, Public Relations and Organizational Communication; and Communication and Media Studies that is designed to give students maximum flexibility in the 21st century job market while providing ample depth for those wishing to pursue graduate study.

The Master of Science degree provides students with advanced training in chemistry and the analytical skills needed to process and critique complex chemical information. The program requires a set of core courses encompassing the different disciplines of chemistry. Students may complete the remaining unit requirements with coursework in chemistry or may choose a biochemistry concentration, with the additional coursework in that area. The degree program mainly serves students in four categories: those seeking opportunities in the chemical industry requiring training beyond the baccalaureate level, employed chemists who wish to enhance their career potential, future teachers of high school or community college chemistry, and individuals contemplating more advanced graduate study.

Because of the rapid progress in the fields of chemistry and biochemistry, the department strives to offer a range of courses that cover not only established principles but also recent advances. Through laboratory-based coursework and research opportunities, students are prepared for new developments in experimental methods and instrumentation. They acquire experience reading and analyzing the chemical or biochemical literature in several courses, as well as through a research-based laboratory or computational project (Plan A) or by developing a written literature review (Plan B).

Statistics is the science of learning from data. Majors study collecting and analyzing a variety of data, and reporting the results of the analysis.  Designs of Experiments are used to plan data collection in experimental settings, such as in medical research.  Surveys are used to collect opinions from samples in populations, such as in political polling.  Observational data is collected commonly by business as part of standard business processes, such as in website analytics.  Statistical methods are used to process data into easily read visual displays, and into summary statistics for interpretation, decision making, and reporting.

Statistics has been a rapidly growing science for many years and has many uses in other fields, such as Business Analytics, Machine Learning, Visualization, Econometrics, Biostatistics, Psychology, and many others.  Statistics is widely used by businesses and government organizations to understand changes in the economy and to make forecasts about future events based on past patterns in their data. Statistics is used to model relationships between variables and to predict future values of output variables from input variables.  Statistical methods draw accurate inferences about large groups on the basis of a representative sample from the group or population.  Descriptive Statistics are used to summarize and visualize the collected data.

The methodology of statistics can be adapted to many types of problems. Due to the extensive development of computers and the collection of large databases, the need for statistical techniques has greatly expanded in recent years.  A society like ours, which has become increasingly dependent on its data, has a growing need for statisticians.

The M.B.A. program supports students’ career advancement by preparing them for positions of leadership in an increasingly diverse and globally competitive economy. The program is centered on the rigorous knowledge of the basic functional areas of business, an appreciation of management challenges in a global context, and opportunities to develop students’ interpersonal and executive leadership skills. It also enables students to deepen and broaden their knowledge and skills through elective courses in an area of concentration. The program offers a range of formats to cater to the needs of full and part time students and students seeking an executive style MBA.

The MS in Educational Technology is designed for educators and e-learning developers with a focus on integrating current technologies into educational curricula. The emphasis on integrating technologies in both K-16 and business settings is a strength of the program, along with the focus in each course on 21st Century skills demanded by the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the New Generation Science Standards (NGSS), e.g., collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication.

The program includes instruction in the foundations of educational technology, instructional design theories, computer applications, using technology for assessment, multimedia instruction, web-based instruction, distance education, and designing and producing educational software and materials. Students in this program gain knowledge in emerging technologies, instructional design, e-learning development, learning theories, multimedia production, and collaborative production. Students also gain a deep understanding of adapting to the demands of the ever-changing nature of technologies.

The Department of Social Work offers graduate study leading to the Master of Social Work (M.S.W.). This program trains social workers for leadership and direct practice positions in social work and is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The program has a multicultural focus, preparing graduates to work in both non-profit and public agencies and to be proficient in serving diverse populations in urban communities.

The mission of the California State University, East Bay Master of Social Work program is to graduate culturally responsive urban social workers in the areas of Children, Youth, and Families and Community Mental Health. Social work graduates are prepared to address individual, family, group, and community needs caused by inequalities of class and identity including race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, immigration status, religion, caste, and other forms of social injustice. Advocacy and social change around these injustices form the core of the MSW program.

The Environmental Studies Undergraduate Major is characterized by its focus on equitable, just, and sustainable environmental solutions. Environmental professionals who emerge from the program are generalists who can identify and synthesize the ecological, social, ethical, economic, technical, and behavioral dimensions of critical environmental problems. Using qualitative and quantitative problem-solving concepts, approaches, and tools, our students are prepared to synthesize and communicate appropriate environmental solutions.

Majors are typically involved in campus and community sustainability projects such as greenhouse gas assessment, water resource and sustainability assessment, climate action and sustainability planning, and urban restoration projects. The program engages actively in collaborations across the campus, locally, and internationally. The Major benefits by close association with the Geography Program, providing students access to training in the spatial analytical tools that can greatly leverage their expertise for careers as sustainability directors and environmental resource managers. The program also benefits from aggressive regional and state programs to promote environmental sustainability and social justice that make the San Francisco Bay Area a national hotspot for environmental careers.