Bachelor of Arts in Deaf Studies - Sign Language Interpretation Option

at California State University - Fresno USA

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).

The Bachelor of Arts in Natural Sciences serves as a waiver program for the Single Subject Teaching Credential in Science. With the Science Credential, students are able to teach any introductory science class, i.e. earth, general, life, or physical science along with the courses in their chosen emphasis.

Linguistics is the study of the human capacity for language. Language is the defining characteristic of the human species; without language, there would be no civilization, no culture, no scientific or technological development, none of the achievements and capabilities distinctive to the human species. Therefore, the study of the nature of language is fundamental to the understanding of what it means to be human.

Students and faculty in linguistics investigate the nature of human language, its structure, diversity, universality, acquisition by children and adults, historical change, and its use in society. They study how language is processed in the human mind/brain, and how it relates to other human cognitive faculties. And they study and develop applications of linguistics to teaching, technology, and many other fields.

The B.A. Option in General Linguistics provides a broad background in the scientific study of language, including but not limited to phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, language acquisition, sociolinguistics, and related areas.

Prepare for the future in agricultural sciences, technology, and management with a degree in animal sciences or agricultural education. The Department of Animal Sciences and Agricultural Education offers options in agricultural communications, teacher preparation, science, and production management. The science option has career specialization in the areas of preprofessional animal science and preveterinary medicine. The production management option offers career specialization in the areas of dairy science, equine science, meat technology and livestock, and poultry management. Courses integrate animal evaluation, behavior, disease, environmental management, genetics, health, marketing, muscle biology, nutrition, physiology, production, and reproduction.

The agricultural education major is designed to equip students for careers as agricultural communication specialists or secondary agriculture teachers. Specializations may be developed in agricultural business, animal sciences, plant sciences, or mechanized agriculture.

The Human Resource Management (HRM) Option is one of only 57 programs nationally -- and the only program in the California State University system -- that has been certified by the Association of University and College Industrial Relations and Human Resource programs. The HRM Option has consistently ranked in the top five programs nationally. This ranking is based on the number of students who pass the Professional in Human Resource exam given by the Society of Human Resource Management.

HRM students explore how organizations can best utilize their most important resource - their employees. Among the issues discussed are how to recruit and select the best employees, how to determine fair compensation, how to use benefit and performance appraisal systems that reward high performance, how to comply with federal and state employment laws, and how to negotiate and resolve employment disputes. The courses offered are intended to help those interested in creating a work environment that promotes teamwork and encourages employee excellence.

The B.A. Option in Computational Linguistics is for those students interested in text processing, forensic linguistics, software design, machine translation, and other professions dealing with the interface between computers and humans.

The Department of Public Health offers curricula based on principles of public health practices leading to a Bachelor of Science degree, including a major and minor in health science with options in community health, environmental/occupational health and safety, and health administration.

The Health Science Bachelor of Science curriculum consists of a core of five courses providing a foundation of knowledge and skills critical to the theory and practice of the health professional. In addition, students complete a specialized cluster of courses in an option that provides the depth and breadth for the area. A variety of combinations between and within options is possible to meet professional goals.

The Master of Arts program in History is designed to extend the competence of persons engaged in a wide variety of fields requiring a broad grasp of historical knowledge, techniques, and interpretation. Within this degree program, students may choose to complete either a traditional track or a teaching option. The traditional track, which offers both thesis and examination as possible culminating experiences, best satisfies the needs of those interested in public service, teaching at the community college level, or pursuing advanced graduate study in history. The teaching option best satisfies the needs of those interested in enhancing their teaching of history primarily at the secondary level.

The Graduate Certificate program is most suitable for those teachers who would like to update their professional credentials, those seeking supplemental certification, those seeking to prepare for the CSET, and/or those who would simply like to continue their study of history but who do not require an M.A.

The general objectives for the B.S. in Cognitive Science are to develop and provide a thorough foundation in the study of cognitive science, drawing in perspectives from computer science, linguistics, philosophy, and psychology; to provide a foundation in cognitive science with which students will be able to pursue graduate education in cognitive science, computer science, linguistics, philosophy, psychology, or related fields; and to provide a foundation for the pursuit of jobs in business and industry where a multidisciplinary background is highly desirable.

The primary instructional objectives of the B.S. in Cognitive Science are to give an education in recent approaches to cognition and cognitive science and to give an overview of current methodologies used within cognitive science, including those methodologies used in the core disciplines of computer science, linguistics, philosophy, and psychology.

The theatre arts major and dance major offer you the opportunity to develop your skills in acting, directing, dance theory, research and performance, choreography, playwriting, children's theatre, technical production, scene design, costume design, sound design, stage management, lighting design, history, literature, and teaching. After completing our program, you will have the background that will enhance your ability to pursue either a teaching credential, advanced degree or a professional career.

Our professionally trained instructors will guide you through a program that is not only educational but fascinating. A major or minor in theatre or dance can be one of the more exciting times in your life because it will develop communication and performing skills that will aid you no matter what career you finally decide to pursue. If theatre or dance is what you want, then the California State University, Fresno Theatre Arts Department is ready to serve you.