Bachelor of Arts in Natural Sciences - Earth Science Option

at California State University - Fresno USA

The Bachelor of Science in Biology is a 120-unit program. Of the total, 49 units are required to satisfy the university's General Education Program and 21 units are required by the Department of Biology to satisfy the biology core. The core curriculum is a sequence of courses required for all biology majors. The core curriculum builds the foundation upon which further learning in biology will be based. Additional requirements are listed below.

The biology degree program prepares students for entry into a wide range of careers, for further academic study at the graduate level, including the department's own M.S. in Biology, and for entrance into professional degree programs. Within the scope of the major requirements and electives, students may focus their studies in areas that best meet their future career needs. Students must consult an advisor for help in selecting courses appropriate to their interests and career objectives. An emphasis on cellular and molecular processes prepares students for the department's professional science Master of Biotechnology.

Students planning for graduate and professional schools should be aware that entrance requirements for those programs will often exceed the minimal requirements for a Biology B.S., particularly in the ancillary fields of chemistry, physics, and mathematics. An advisor should be consulted for specific information on graduate and professional school requirements.

Mathematics and related subjects play important dual roles in our culture. On the one hand, mathematics is a study in its own right; on the other hand, it is an indispensable tool for expressing and understanding ideas in the sciences, engineering, and an increasing number of other fields. As a consequence, employment opportunities for mathematicians have been expanding in recent years. The courses offered by the department are designed to develop skills in, and an appreciation and understanding of, both roles.

Because there are so many different areas in which a trained mathematician can find employment or continue studies, the department offers a large number of electives within the mathematics major. By selecting appropriate courses, students have considerable flexibility to accommodate their individual interests. Students should consult with a department adviser for specific recommendations as to which electives are suited to their career paths.

Electives in pure mathematics prepare students for the pursuit of graduate studies leading to advanced degrees and employment at the college or university level, or research in industry or for government agencies.

The Master of Arts degree program in music is designed to increase the candidate's professional competence, to increase the ability for continued self-directed study, and to provide opportunity for greater depth in the chosen area of concentration within the field of music.

The department offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Administration for individuals who are committed to the recreation and leisure services profession. The major in Recreation Administration prepares students with the knowledge, understanding, ability, and skill necessary to successfully function in professional positions related to the major.

Curriculum
Accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions, the department offers a B.S. and a Minor in Recreation Administration.

Students in the recreation administration major complete a core of courses. These courses are designed to assist students in acquiring competencies related to the principles of recreation, leadership, group dynamics, and leisure behavior. Courses also cover legal and financial aspects of recreation service, advanced program planning, organization and administration of leisure services, evaluation, and professionalism.

Students develop specific skills in the areas of communication, human behavior, youth services, entrepreneurism, and adventure-based recreation and tourism, finance, management, marketing, funding, resources, program planning and supervision, and facility management.

Under the guidance of a practitioner, students in recreation administration are encouraged to acquire 1,000 hours of paid or voluntary hands-on experience in a variety of recreation, clinical, or leisure services agencies. In addition, they complete full-time internships with commercial recreation and tourism enterprises, public recreation agencies, nonprofit organizations, park-oriented agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and other service organizations.

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 B.A. in Interior Design allows students many unique opportunities in the field of design. The interior design major is accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation, formerly FIDER. Students use advanced computer-aided-design (CAD) and animation programs as well as traditional methods in developing sophisticated design solutions for a variety of architectural projects. Interior design students gain an excellent foundation in subjects such as color theory, space planning, presentation techniques, rendering, drawing, building systems and codes, and material and design for special populations. (Internship opportunities are available.)

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 faculty of the Department of Management comprises individuals who have studied and pursued business careers throughout the world. Well over a dozen specializations within the field of business administration are taught, researched, and shared with the business community by these professors. Case studies, experiential exercises, computer simulations, laboratory research, business community projects, guest speakers, and seminar discussions are just a few of the ways in which instructors provide the students with a "real-world" exposure to business. The combination of faculty expertise, teaching skills, research activities, and business experiences assures the student of receiving the best possible management education.

The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences offers an interdisciplinary approach to the natural sciences with an emphasis on biology, chemistry, and geology. This degree is designed for students interested in areas such as pollution abatement, water resources, ecosystem protection, restoration, or management.

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.