Master of Arts in History - Teaching Option

at California State University - Fresno USA

Because of increasing mobility in our modern world, it takes no time at all to travel to places where people speak a language other than English. If you visit or go to work in another country you will quickly learn the fallacy of the phrase, "Everyone speaks English there; don't worry!" Even in California, scarcely a day goes by that you do not hear people conversing in a language other than English, because the United States has a wealth of different heritage languages. Whether you travel overseas or stay in the United States, you will be more culturally sensitive if you are bilingual and bicultural. For example, agricultural, health, and music professionals benefit from knowing another language. It is never too late to acquire another culture and language.

The goal of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures is to encourage multiculturalism and multilingualism in the Central Valley. That includes preparing students for communication in some of the important heritage languages of the area: German, Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese. These are also important languages of Mexico, Central and South America, and the European Union, so students are able to travel or work overseas with greater ease. The department also offers Greek and Latin, as well as Classical Studies and Humanities.

The department has programs for those who wish to be middle and high school teachers of French and Spanish. We offer courses to prepare those who wish to be bilingual/ cross-cultural teachers in elementary schools. We also offer courses in Italian, Portuguese, and other languages to the surrounding community. The department offers a major and a minor in French and Spanish, a minor in German, a minor in Humanities, and a minor in Classical Studies. We collaborate with the Department of Linguistics to offer the B.A. Option in Language Studies.

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).

Anthropology is concerned with everything that is human, in all parts of the world, both present and past. It is unique among the social sciences in its scope. Most disciplines focus only on modern civilization or concentrate on single aspects of life, such as government or the economy. Anthropology is interested in all human societies and views life as a complexly integrated whole that is more than the sum of its parts. It is the human experience as a whole that anthropology seeks to understand.

The breadth of anthropology is reflected in its four subfields. Biophysical anthropology concerns the biological aspects of humanity, including human evolution, genetics, forensic anthropology, and primatology. Cultural anthropology explores the diversity of human culture to understand both differences and similarities among human groups. Archaeology explores the human past far beyond the range of written records, using specialized techniques to probe human prehistory. Linguistic anthropology investigates the nature of language and the critical role it has played in the development of human behavior. The central concept in anthropology is "culture," and it is this vital idea which binds the subfields into an integrated discipline.

The mission of the Liberal Studies Program is to provide rigorous and relevant subject matter preparation for elementary teaching that is committed to equity and social justice.

The Liberal Studies Program has received an Elementary Subject Matter Authorization from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. This authorization permits graduates from the program to satisfy the Subject Matter Proficiency requirement for the Multiple Subject Credential Program through completion of required coursework.

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.

The Master of Science in Viticulture and Enology is a 30-unit program designed to provide advanced studies and in-depth knowledge in the fundamentals of plant physiology, microbiology, and grape and wine chemistry, as well as technical writing and formal presentation of research reports.

The Bachelor of Science in Geology prepares students for employment in petroleum geology, mineral exploration, land-use planning, environmental assessment, hydrology, and engineering geology, or for teaching earth science or physical science at the secondary level. The Master of Science program provides a graduate degree for students who want to work in industry or government on the professional level, for students who want to teach earth science in junior college, or for students who wish to pursue further graduate study.

Philosophy is one of the fundamental domains of human thought. It grows out of basic life questions, including questions of ethics, religion, politics, and science. The study of philosophy has had an historic role in the core of sound education, because it helps sharpen skills of careful, independent thinking and aids people of all ages in defining their most important values and beliefs. The examination of great philosophical ideas, and the emphasis on clear reasoning and personal development that are involved in philosophy serve as a strong foundation for life, regardless of one's career objectives.

The Department of Philosophy offers students the following opportunities for a rich and rewarding undergraduate experience: the traditional B.A. philosophy major, the prelaw option, the religious studies option, and the philosophy minor. The department provides ample opportunity for individual attention and student participation in its activities, e.g., student Philosophy Club, symposia, colloquia, etc.

The Religious Studies Option offers objective methods for exploring the vast and complex human experience known as religion. This study is done with an appreciation for the variety and diversity of religious beliefs and expressions. This option provides students with an academic approach to religion in personal, social, historical, and global contexts.

The Biology Department offers a research-intensive Master of Science in Biology with the opportunity for specialization in several areas of study. Among these areas are ecologically oriented field studies in fresh water, terrestrial, and marine environments; molecular, cellular, and developmental biology of plants, animals, and microbes; physiology of microbes, plants, and animals; entomology; microbiology; parasitology; botany; zoology; systematics; and animal behavior. The program also prepares candidates for teaching biological science disciplines at the secondary and community college education levels. The master's program provides a strong foundation for those seeking advanced education at universities offering the research doctorate (Ph.D.) or other professional degrees. The Biology Department has further informational materials available on request.

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.