Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

at California State University - Fresno USA

The faculty members continue to be recognized for quality hands-on education as well as scholarly contributions to their academic disciplines. Each student is assigned to a faculty adviser to maximize the student's educational experience at California State University, Fresno. The faculty are noted for cooperation and activity within each industry to prepare and place graduates in their chosen career.

The Industrial Technology program at California State University, Fresno is geared towards preparing students for managerial and leadership roles in the industry. The program equips students with the necessary skills to use and manage state-of-the-art technologies in the fields of agricultural information systems, manufacturing, processing and packaging, quality systems and transportation. A blend of lectures, online instruction and hands-on lab activities together with engaged faculty and staff provides students with an environment that nurtures critical thinking and encourages innovation. The undergraduate curriculum includes technical concentrations in the areas of automotive technologies, food processing, and packaging, manufacturing quality and spatial technology which build on the strong foundations of our technology and management core courses.

The program for the Bachelor of Science in Industrial Technology is accredited by the Association of Technology Management and Applied Engineering (ATMAE). The department was awarded the highest possible accreditation, six years which is valid until 2024.

A major in music is designed to prepare students for careers in teaching, performance, or music-related fields. It enhances their knowledge of the musical art and increases their sensitivity to the musical world around them.

The Department of Music provides the following:

• undergraduate instruction in music for those planning professional careers as performers, composers, and studio teachers, as well as those preparing for advanced degrees in performance and composition
• state-approved subject matter preparation required for a California teaching credential in music
• graduate education for students planning professional and academic careers or seeking professional growth as K-12 teachers or junior college instructors
• broad acquaintance with music for the community and non-music majors

The Department of Educational Leadership develops scholar-practitioners and prepares credible and relevant leaders in education committed to advancing equity and excellence in educational leadership for P-12 and higher education throughout the Central Valley.
Our values support leadership in:

• Academic integrity in designing and supporting instructional programs
• Collaboration with school districts, colleges, universities, and communities
• Diversity of backgrounds, identities, and ways of understanding
• Practice informed by research and research informed by practice
• Reflection of the lifelong learning processes 

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior -- including human thought, emotion, and action -- and the application of scientific knowledge to the solution of real-world problems. It includes a wide variety of topics, including perception, learning, memory, thinking, emotion, personality, social interaction, development, and abnormal behavior. Psychologists recognize that understanding behavior in all its complexity requires studying it from multiple perspectives. A thorough understanding of memory, for example, requires knowledge ranging from the neural structures and processes that underlie it to the social and cultural forces that influence it.

Students majoring in psychology take core courses in general psychology, statistics, and research methodology, along with additional courses in each of the primary areas of the discipline. There are also numerous opportunities for students to supplement their coursework with hands-on experience in faculty research labs and in the field under faculty supervision. Advanced and well-qualified students can participate in our senior honors program. These students design, conduct, and present an original research project as a senior thesis.

Psychology majors learn to think critically, write and speak clearly, identify and solve problems, and work effectively both individually and in groups. As a result, the study of psychology provides excellent preparation for graduate study and careers in a variety of fields.

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 Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree program is designed to provide professional education for managers of business, agriculture, education, government, and nonprofit organizations. The M.B.A. program offers elective area courses in special areas of professional practice, such as entrepreneurship, finance, general management, human resource management, international business, management information systems, and marketing. We are committed to developing one of the top applied M.B.A. Programs in the nation. As a result, your studies are complemented by numerous opportunities to solve real world business problems through internships and team consulting projects.

The Master of Science degree in Criminology is a 30-unit, flexible program which provides a solid core in the field of criminology while permitting students to pursue specialized areas of interest. The master’s program is designed to prepare students for service and responsible administrative and professional positions in agencies in the criminal justice system. The master’s program also prepares students for a wide variety of occupations including in-service education; administrative education and management; community college teaching; predoctoral studies; and research.

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.

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.