Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies

at California State University - Fresno USA

Join the leader in science, technology, and management. Students majoring within the Department of Food Science and Nutrition are prepared for a wide range of professions in the food industry — the largest single industry in the United States. California State University, Fresno is centered in the greatest food production and processing area in the world.

Some of the largest and best dairy and food companies cooperate with the university to provide students with a view of commercial realities in this industry. There is strong demand for dietitians and nutritionists by the health care and food­ service industries.

Chicano and Latin American Studies (CLAS) is an interdisciplinary department that has been successful in presenting a highly informed, active, and challenging view of the Chicanx/Latinx experience in the United States, Latin America, and U.S./Latin American relations. Chicano and Latin American Studies provides an opportunity for a pluralistic exchange of ideas in an interdisciplinary academic setting, where faculty, students, and visiting scholars can share experiences and create a dynamic, intellectual environment.

The Chicano and Latin American Studies Department is designed to meet the following objectives:

• To promote an awareness of the historical and cultural roots of Chicanx/Latinx people in the United States
• To enhance an understanding of Latin America
• To cultivate an appreciation of ethnic and national differences among all people
• To critically analyze the Chicanx and the Latin American experience in terms of significant issues, theories, current problems, and solutions, and
• To provide students with a set of important professional skills to be utilized as they interact creatively and constructively with Chicanx/Latinx communities and multicultural society at large.

The department emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of family life, history, politics, culture, and the arts of Chicano and Latin American communities. The courses reflect an integrated approach in providing students with greater knowledge and understanding of the social reality and diversity of Chicanxs and Latin Americans.

Audiology, speech-language pathology, deaf education and interpreting are concerned with many issues related to speech, healing, and language. Professionals in audiology and speech-language pathology ?elds are devoted to providing diagnostic, rehabilitative, and educational services to children and adults with communicative challenges. Professionals in deaf education and interpreting ?elds are devoted to providing educational services and community-related services to children and adults who communicate in American Sign Language and/or other communication modalities.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Communicative Sciences provides the students with a liberal arts foundation integrated with courses designed to provide a basic understanding of speech, language, and hearing development and communicative problems. Students pursuing deaf studies have three options: deaf education, deaf studies, and sign language interpretation. Students majoring in deaf education and speech-language pathology can continue their options in our graduate program.

Deaf Education. Our deaf education program gives you a broad background in bilingual-bicultural education, total communication, and cued speech philosophies along with speech, language, auditory training, deaf culture, and American Sign Language. This program includes all of the essential elements of a good education for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. The program is nationally accredited by the Council of Education of the Deaf (CED).

Contemplating a vibrant career in media, communications or journalism? Check out the MCJ Department. An exciting array of options awaits students, including advertising, broadcast journalism, film and media arts, digital journalism and public relations.

Graduates of the MCJ Department work for many of America’s leading print and digital news outlets, radio and television stations, broadcast and film production companies, advertising agencies, public relations firms, corporations, government agencies, and community-based organizations.

Digital journalism. The written word remains one of the most powerful forms of human communication, both in physical publications and on the web. Digital journalism graduates are working for leading news outlets, including The New York Times, USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle and The Fresno Bee, along with TV stations running their online operations. Alumni have also embarked on literary careers and include award-winning non-fiction authors. The Collegian, Fresno State’s award-winning student-run news organization, serves as a key laboratory classroom and allows students to get hands-on experience covering local news.

The Department of Linguistics offers an M.A. in Linguistics with an option in General Linguistics and an option in Teaching English as a Second Language. At California State University, Fresno, students may also get a Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus on Computational Linguistics or Cognitive Science. Department faculty will assist students in planning such a program. For specific requirements, see Degree Requirements below; for general requirements see Division of Research and Graduate Studies.

The Master of Arts degree program in Linguistics assumes a baccalaureate degree major in an appropriate field and at least three upper-division courses in linguistics as prerequisites. Graduate students are required to complete at least 30 units of courses with a minimum of 21 units of graduate level courses, and to pass a comprehensive examination or complete a thesis.

Chicano and Latin American Studies (CLAS) is an interdisciplinary department that has been successful in presenting a highly informed, active, and challenging view of the Chicanx/Latinx experience in the United States, Latin America, and U.S./Latin American relations. Chicano and Latin American Studies provides an opportunity for a pluralistic exchange of ideas in an interdisciplinary academic setting, where faculty, students, and visiting scholars can share experiences and create a dynamic, intellectual environment.

The Chicano and Latin American Studies Department is designed to meet the following objectives:

1. to promote an awareness of the historical and cultural roots of Chicanx/Latinx people in the United States
2. to enhance an understanding of Latin America
3. to cultivate an appreciation of ethnic and national differences among all people
4.  to critically analyze the Chicanx and the Latin American experience in terms of significant issues, theories, current problems, and solutions, and
5. to provide students with a set of important professional skills to be utilized as they interact creatively and constructively with Chicanx/Latinx communities and multicultural society at large.

The department emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of family life, history, politics, culture, and the arts of Chicano and Latin American communities. The courses reflect an integrated approach in providing students with greater knowledge and understanding of the social reality and diversity of Chicanxs and Latin Americans.

The Master of Arts degree program in psychology may be arranged to include interest areas such as general experimental, as well as special master of arts programs for individuals. The General Experimental program is a 30-unit degree program is intended primarily to prepare graduates for entry into doctoral programs in general experimental, developmental, social, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, perception, decision making, data analytics, or clinical psychology, and may serve as preparation for community college teaching or professional employment requiring a master's degree.

The Management Option develops skills, knowledge, attitudes, and abilities necessary for effective leadership in a wide variety of organizations. Graduates are prepared for entry-level leadership positions in today's rapidly-changing workplace through a dynamic curriculum combining theory, skill development, and practical experience, including internships in the student's area of interest. Courses develop those leadership abilities demanded by employers that include written, oral, analytical, and people skills. The option also provides a strong foundation for the M.B.A. Students may choose one of the following three tracks:

Organizational Leadership - Courses in this track prepare students for positions as project leaders, team leaders, and business managers. Courses emphasize leadership issues such as self-directed work teams, performance improvement, negotiating, vision and goal setting, and change management.

Production/Logistics Management (PLM) - This track provides students with a foundation for a variety of management career opportunities in manufacturing and distribution. With total quality management as a common basis, the PLM curriculum combines the two integrated disciplines of production/operations (transformation of resources into high quality products and services) and logistics (management of supply and distribution activities). Emphasis is placed on complementing the student's knowledge of PLM subject matter with hands-on, industrial experience gained through internship programs with local firms.

Special Management Applications - This track is designed for Management Option students who have a professional interest in a particular industry chosen by the student (agriculture, fashion merchandising, health science, industrial technology, recreation, theater, etc.) Students take business and organizational leadership courses and then, with approval of the department chair, select courses in their specific areas of interest.

The Department of Mathematics offers a Master of Science (M.S.) in Mathematics. A bachelor's degree is required in order to be admitted to a graduate program at California State University, Fresno.

In order to be admitted to classified graduate standing, applicants must have undergraduate preparation comparable to a California State University, Fresno mathematics major and have a 3.0 grade point average in their upper-division mathematics courses. Applicants lacking the above preparation may be admitted conditionally. These students will become classified after meeting additional requirements as set by the graduate coordinator. Coursework taken to achieve classified standing may not be applied towards credits for the graduate program.

The communication major is designed to provide broad-based competencies in oral and written communication, critical analysis of human discourse, and social scientific and humanistic research methods. The major also emphasizes how this theoretical knowledge is applied in specific contexts ranging from personal relationships to business management to public advocacy.

Our aim is to prepare students to understand and provide leadership in a competitive communication-oriented society. We offer a balance of humanistic and scientific instruction in communication skills people need to function effectively in teaching, business, law, nonprofit organizations, public service and administration, public relations, government, and management. Outside the workplace, these skills will also enhance students' ability to be active in civic engagement and community service.

Our program requires a comprehensive understanding of the breadth and depth of the communication discipline, as well as its major theoretical frameworks and research methodologies. The major and minor emphasize how this theoretical knowledge is applied in specific contexts ranging from personal relationships to professional organizations to public advocacy. Students investigate problems in diverse cultural settings, which make the San Joaquin Valley - with its tremendous ethnic diversity - an ideal location for study.

The Communication Skills for Professionals Certificate program recognizes development in such areas as presentational speaking, problem solving and decision making, leadership, and interpersonal communication.

Our program offers a variety of exciting activities to enrich students' educational experience. We have an active student organization, the Communication Club, and a debate team that participates in competitive intercollegiate tournaments and hosts public debates on campus. Our annual Peach Blossom Festival brings more than 5,000 elementary-age students to campus to present prose and poetry.