Bachelor of Arts in Social and Behavioral Sciences

at California State University - Monterey Bay USA

In the Psychology major, you’ll develop a solid understanding of human behavior and mental processes using a scientific approach. You’ll explore the ways in which human biology, psychological experience and cultural contexts combine to influence our actions and thoughts.

The Master of Arts in Education prepares strong education professionals to have an informed understanding of complex learning; the knowledge and skills to promote such learning; and the disposition to advocate effectively for the learning, living and growth of students, especially those who bring cultural, linguistic and other diversity to schools. The program coursework challenges educators to analyze and improve their instructional practice to better serve students with diverse ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, as well as students with special needs.

The Master of Arts in Education Program, which has an emphasis in Education Administration, prepares educational leaders with the skills, knowledge, and dispositions to efficiently and effectively lead educational organizations in today's complex and evolving social, political and economic environment. The Department of Education and Leadership allows candidates to complete a MA degree with an emphasis in Education Administration. Students also complete coursework required for the Preliminary Administrative Services credential plus ten units related to research and two seminar courses that guides them through the completion of an action research project. Part time enrollment is optional with advisor consultation.

Cinematic Arts and Technology is a hands-on program that prepares you for careers in film, broadcast, and interactive media across commercial, independent, and community sectors.

You will create narrative, documentary, interactive, and experimental media in a variety of collaborative, independent, and cross-disciplinary projects. Major coursework will help you to develop skills and experience in all facets of media-making, including: directing, writing, producing, editing, sound design, visual design, animation, motion graphics, interaction design, and mobile media.

The ability to communicate with Spanish speakers and appreciate Hispanic cultures gives you a tremendous advantage in a wide range of careers. Whether on the job or in your community, your Spanish language competency and cultural understanding can help you establish valuable connections in the inter-dependent global community.

You will attain an advanced level of proficiency in Spanish according to the criteria of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages(ACTFL) guidelines. You will also acquire a reasonable understanding and knowledge of Hispanic cultures through the study of literature, history, art, social science, philosophy, etc. in a variety of courses taught in Spanish and English. As you plan your program, you will be able to select a specific area of concentration (literature, culture, linguistics) in which to acquire a deeper knowledge relative to your particular interests and goals. Additionally, you will engage in real-life learning via your service-learning experiences where you will have opportunities to work with public and private agencies on projects that integrate your language skills with community needs. Finally, in your Senior Capstone project, you will have the opportunity to demonstrate thorough understanding of a topic of interest to you.

The program prepares you for successful professional careers in teaching, business and technology, travel, tourism, governmental and non-governmental agencies, and for graduate study in Hispanic languages and literatures, Chicano/Latino studies, linguistics, translation and interpretation, TESOL, or focused international disciplines such as policy, management and business.

Statistics is the study of data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation. Statisticians summarize and visualize data in meaningful ways, test hypotheses, estimate unknown quantities in the population, and predict unknown outcomes based on available data.

The Statistics B.S. prepares you (i) to summarize and visualize data, (ii) to analyze data to address research objectives, (iii) to communicate results clearly and effectively in both oral and written forms, (iv) to understand the role of the profession in service of society, and (v) to work in interdisciplinary environments.

Our program is designed for two paths. The first path is for workforce immediately after the B.S. degree such as industry (e.g., business, pharmaceuticals, actuarial science) and federal agencies. The second path is to pursue graduate degrees (M.S., M.A., or Ph.D.) in statistics, biostatistics, data science, and related fields requiring the statistical skills.

The Environmental Studies major provides you with a broad foundation in the environmental sciences, social sciences, environmental economics and policy, environmental history and communication. It also provides you with local, regional and global perspectives on current environmental issues and problems.

You will be able to think broadly on local, regional and global levels, understand and synthesize information from multiple disciplines and perspectives, communicate effectively and ethically, and to use your knowledge and skills to promote sustainable, equitable and healthy human and non-human communities.

The M.S. in Environmental Science offers innovative, interdisciplinary training in science and technology within the context of environmental policy. There are two M.S. degree options: Professional Science Master’s (PSM) and thesis.

Within the PSM option, you will deepen the skills you learn in the classroom through a professional internship. The PSM option gives you flexibility to structure your graduate experience around your professional interests. You will develop specialized skills that will distinguish your entry into a career that requires highly skilled professionals within technology and applied science-based companies, resource management and planning agencies, scientific and environmental consulting firms, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. The thesis option focuses on independent research intended for professional publication, and can launch you into a doctoral program or a professional career in scientific research, resource management, education, and policy.

Located at the nexus of world-class research agencies and institutes, state and regional preserves, the Fort Ord National Monument, and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, CSU Monterey Bay is a prime location for studying watershed, terrestrial, and coastal environments.

The Sustainable Hospitality Management major provides students with a broad foundation in hospitality, sustainablity, leadership and management, operations, marketing, and information technology. The major provides students with local, regional, and global perspectives on current and pressing sustainability issues and problems within the hospitality industry.

The central core of the program focuses on the concept of “sustainability plus,” going beyond sustainability to address issues in terms of the five-dimensioned lens of People, Ethics, Equity, Planet, and Profit. Students can focus in sustainable hotel, resort, and event management or sustainable ecotourism management. Students gain hands-on knowledge and skills needed to pursue careers in hospitality, including hotels, restaurants, resorts, festivals and events, ecotourism, attractions, and eco-recreation with a focus on “green” jobs in business and industry.

The Environmental Science, Technology & Policy major is an applied environmental sciences major emphasizing:

• Strong preparation for careers and graduate study in a wide range of fields including environmental resource assessment and management, environmental consulting, science education and marine science
• A rigorous, interdisciplinary science foundation integrating biology, chemistry, physics and the earth sciences
• Hands-on experience with advanced technologies for collecting, analyzing, visualizing and communicating scientific data
• Active, field-oriented learning through frequent outdoor fieldtrips, field and laboratory experiments, community-based service projects and internships
• Real-world application of science and technology for the benefit of society
• An understanding of the social, economic and political processes that influence when and how scientific information can improve environmental decision making
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, including written, oral, and multimedia communication formats

In the CS program, you will learn fundamental computer science concepts while applying your knowledge to solve real-world problems. Collaboration, team work, and communication skills are infused into the learning experiences with heavily project-based courses in a state-of-the-art technological environment.

You’ll begin by taking a set of common core courses to establish a strong foundation in computer science, followed by coursework in one of four concentration areas: Software Engineering, Network and Security, Data Science, or Game Development. The curriculum provides you the opportunity to learn concepts and develop skills in more than one concentration, helping you to become a well rounded computer science professional.