Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

at California State University - Fresno USA

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.

Two options are offered within the MA. in Music program: Performance and Music Education.
Emphases within the area of Performance include: choral conducting, composition, instrumental conducting, instrumental performance, and vocal performance.

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.

Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is an approach that places women in the center of inquiry. The primary mission of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies is to analyze gender. Students acquire both a local and global perspective on gender. Attentiveness to diversity, privilege and power, and women's unique creative contributions to human experience are central aspects of this training. More than simply a body of knowledge, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies encourages students to apply their learning to transform their lives and their communities. Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies offers a vital perspective everywhere gender impacts our world.

The Master of Science (M.S.) in Plant Science is a 30-unit program designed to provide advanced studies and in-depth knowledge in the fundamentals of plant science, as well as experimental design, technical writing, and formal presentation of research. Coursework provides a broad understanding of crop production and physiology, and thesis research allows for specialization. Areas of specialization include agronomy, pomology, horticulture, weed science, entomology, plant pathology, soils and irrigation, and mechanized agriculture. Graduate courses are offered in the late afternoon or evening permitting students to earn a degree within two or three years when working closely with an adviser.

English is a general major or minor designed to give proficiency in skills that traditionally have been among the most highly prized by society: an ability to read with comprehension and critical judgment; to communicate accurately and clearly both orally and in writing; to grasp difficult ideas and think logically; to do research and organize materials; to make ethical and moral judgments from an historical and humanistic framework; and to appreciate literature and the arts.

The Master of Arts program in English, Rhetoric and Writing Studies Option, serves several categories of students: those teaching high school and community college, those anticipating doctoral studies, those studying creative or expository writing, and those simply interested in extending and intensifying the knowledge acquired in their undergraduate studies.

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.

Mechanical engineering is the use of basic science in the design and manufacture of components and systems. This requires the application of physical and mechanical principles in the development of machines, energy conversion systems, materials, and equipment for measurement and control. Knowledge of mathematics, physics, and chemistry lies at the core of this field. Application of this knowledge uses engineering technology -- a disciplined way of thinking, modeling, and testing that enables development of new systems despite incomplete information and uncertainty.

The undergraduate and graduate programs in mechanical engineering provide basics and advanced studies in design, advanced materials, alternative energy and sustainable systems, thermo-fluids, engineering mechanics, mechatronics and controls. All areas include statics, dynamics, materials, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and experimental methods. Application areas in design include mechanics of materials, applied mechanics, structural and manufacturing aspects of producing equipment, and vibrations. Application areas in thermal and fluid mechanics focus on energy conversion and include combustion, heat engines, refrigeration, and fluid flow.

Students should consult with their advisers to select the proper courses that emphasize their areas of interest.

Attainment of Engineer-in-Training (EIT) and Professional Engineering (PE) licensure are strongly recommended as first steps in professional lifelong learning.

Mechanical engineering is the use of basic science in the design and manufacture of components and systems. This requires the application of physical and mechanical principles in the development of machines, energy conversion systems, materials, and equipment for measurement and control. Knowledge of mathematics, physics, and chemistry lies at the core of this field. Application of this knowledge uses engineering technology -- a disciplined way of thinking, modeling, and testing that enables development of new systems despite incomplete information and uncertainty.

The graduate program in mechanical engineering provide basics and advanced studies in design, advanced materials, alternative energy and sustainable systems, thermo-fluids, engineering mechanics, mechatronics and controls. All areas include statics, dynamics, materials, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and experimental methods. Application areas in design include mechanics of materials, applied mechanics, structural and manufacturing aspects of producing equipment, and vibrations. Application areas in thermal and fluid mechanics focus on energy conversion and include combustion, heat engines, refrigeration, and fluid flow.

The Criminology major is designed to prepare students for beginning professional work in criminal justice and to provide preparation for graduate work including law school. Criminology courses at the undergraduate level include integration of theoretical and applied materials of an interdisciplinary nature. The corrections option is designed for students interested in careers in probation, parole, correctional institutions, and other affiliated forms of work. The law enforcement option is designed for students interested in careers with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, or law enforcement careers within the private sector. The victimology option is designed for students interested in careers in domestic violence programs, rape counseling programs, victim/witness programs, or other victim-related programs at the local, state, or federal level; these programs can either be criminal justice based or community based. An internship course is required in the corrections, law enforcement, and victimology options. The Forensic Behavioral Sciences major prepares students interested in the application of other behavioral sciences — such as psychology, anthropology, social work, and linguistics — to the criminal justice system. However, it is also designed to prepare students interested in traditional criminal justice careers. 

The B.S. in Biomedical Physics is an interdisciplinary program developed with the assistance of the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering to motivate students pursuing careers in applications of physics in medicine. The curriculum provides fundamental groundwork in physics, mathematics, and biology.