Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics (STEM)

at EDUCO - University of Nebraska - Lincoln USA

Architects are creative problem solvers. The primary responsibility of the architectural profession is the design of meaningful, productive environments for human occupation and use. Architects, therefore, must be able to understand the needs and desires of the people who will inhabit and use their creations and effectively synthesize the complex structural, mechanical, constructional components, and cultural references that influence the design of a building. As designers, they must possess creative and aesthetic skills as well as technical knowledge, collaborative ability, and problem-solving agility.

The architecture program seeks to increase students’ desire to learn and to develop a capacity for design-thinking and sound, critical judgment while simultaneously developing their creative potential. Specifically, the curriculum provides the background and means for the student to:

• Analyze and understand society’s needs and desires.
• Translate these needs and desires into a physical form and spatial organization.
• Contribute creatively to the building construction industry.
• Search out new problems and contribute to environmental knowledge through design-research.
• Initiate and review developments in technology and society.
• Participate in the community that makes decisions affecting the physical environment.

What you will learn
Architecture students develop the foundation skills and abilities to create complex built environments. In addition, they confront technical problems, address human needs, and resolve esthetic concerns. Confronting these issues requires a vision for the future that includes zero energy building technologies and more integrated design and building delivery models. Within these emerging realities students will increasingly be required to be creative and adaptable to changes in building culture and the leadership role an architect plays in a community's development. To prepare students for this challenge, Nebraska's architecture program provides a broad understanding of the arts and humanities as well as the specifics of technology.

The global studies major at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln prepares students for a changing and complex world by increasing their knowledge of global issues and developing their skills in critical thinking, communication, and logical analysis. The interdisciplinary program is designed to help students understand the growing connectedness and diversity of interactions at the global level. Global studies provides students with a range of classroom, community, and co-curricular activities both domestically and internationally. It is built on the framework of:

• Being a dynamic and well-integrated interdisciplinary academic program for student learning opportunities and an active partner in the College’s internationalizing the curriculum strategic plan;
• Providing students a variety of well-vetted academic and international/experiential learning opportunities that will enhance their depth of global understanding;
• Collaborating with other internationally-focused programs at UNL to promote interest in and understanding of global events and structures; and
• Developing strong, mutually-beneficial partnerships with relevant community groups and individuals.

Philosophy is the critical study of the fundamental concepts and assumptions involved in all central areas of human experience, including religion, morality, science, and art. The department offers an introduction to philosophy course designed for the general student, as well as introductory courses in logic and current issues.

The basic philosophy curriculum includes courses in the history of philosophy covering the period which begins with the development of rational inquiry by the philosophers of ancient Greece and which concludes with the construction of the modern philosophical systems of the Enlightenment as well as courses in each of the major fields of philosophical study: ethics, which is concerned with the basis of morality; metaphysics, which explores different views about what fundamentally exists; epistemology, which examines the nature and limits of human knowledge; and logic, which studies general methods of reasoned argument and analysis.

A number of courses reflect the role of philosophy in investigating the fundamental concepts and assumptions of other disciplines, including courses in medical ethics, the philosophy of law, the philosophy of science, and the philosophy of mathematics.

Other courses focus on the role of philosophy in the critical analysis of basic evaluative conceptions and assumptions. Courses in political philosophy critically examine the evaluative concepts and assumptions involved in our beliefs about government, individual liberty, and social and economic justice. Courses in the philosophy of religion do the same for beliefs about the nature and existence of God and about the relations between faith and knowledge.

The department also offers courses in aesthetics, the philosophical study of art, music, and literature understood as fundamental forms of human culture and significant expressions of the human spirit.

The interdisciplinary character of philosophy, together with its focus on evaluative issues and its unique emphasis on general methods of reasoned argument and analysis, leads to an unusually broad and intellectually sound major for students preparing themselves for such professions as law, medicine, social work, government service, and the ministry. The philosophy major is indispensable for those who wish to prepare for a career as a philosopher within a college or university setting.

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) offers Nebraska’s only comprehensive program of higher education, research, and service outreach in computer science, computer engineering, and software engineering.

The CSE department offers a unique and challenging baccalaureate degree program in software engineering, incorporating hands-on learning and an integrated computer science and software engineering core curriculum to prepare graduates for professional practice in a wide range of industries and for post-graduate education.

Software engineers work on multidisciplinary teams to identify and develop software solutions and to maintain software intensive systems of all sizes. The focus of this program is on the rigorous engineering practices necessary to build, maintain, and protect modern software intensive systems. Consistent with this focus, the software engineering baccalaureate program consists of a rigorous curriculum of science, math, computer science, and software engineering courses.

Students completing the major will have the ability to:

• Apply disciplined software engineering practices and principles to the design, architecture, development, analysis, testing, and maintenance of complex software systems to meet the desired needs of the stakeholders within realistic constraints.
• Identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems using computational resources.
• Contribute their expertise by effectively collaborating and communicating with other stakeholders in multidisciplinary teams.
• Adapt to rapid advances in computing and software engineering tools, technologies, principles, and practices.

Students will also have:

• The background and perspective for post-graduate education. Studies develop skills in the application of theory, experimentation, and lifelong learning/professional development.
• Insight into the world of practicing professionals for collaborations, mutual support, and representing the profession to government and society. Studies include teamwork, communication, and hands-on experience, plus students are provided with multiple opportunities for involvement in organizations such as ACM, UPE, and IEEE.

The CSE department also offers a degree of bachelor of science in computer engineering through the College of Engineering and a bachelor of science in computer science through the College of Arts and Sciences. All students majoring in the CSE department should see their advisors during the first semester to ensure they understand the differences in the requirements among the three majors. Majors should consult with their advisors each semester for registration advising.

What you will learn
The Software Engineering major is offered through the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. This unique program incorporates an integrated computer science and software engineering core curriculum, hands-on learning and real-world scenarios and experiences. Software engineers collaborate in a diverse team environment to design, analyze, test, and maintain software-intensive systems of all sizes. You'll work in such areas as product testing, game development, mobile apps, business and web apps, and computer systems and software design.

The field of agronomy encompasses the sciences related to crops and soils. It includes crop production, crop breeding, seed production and certification, weed science, range and pasture management, soil management and irrigation, and soil conservation. The agronomy degree program is designed for students who are interested in plants and soils as they relate to economic crop production and environmental protection.

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln agribusiness program is nationally recognized for its innovation and quality. The program is designed to meet the agribusiness industry’s needs for professionals and entrepreneurs who have the educational background to become successful decision-makers in the rapidly changing agribusiness world. Agribusiness students interact with agribusiness professionals through learning and work-related opportunities, both in and out of the classroom.

Majoring in the agribusiness program prepares students for many agribusiness careers, such as:

• Agribusiness Management
• Finance and Lending
• Real Estate Management and Investment
• Commodity Trade and Analysis
• Grain Merchandising
• Market Planning and Analysis
• International Marketing
• Entrepreneurship and New Business Development
• Sales Management
• Information Technology and Analysis
• Production Management
• Food Marketing and Industry Organization

What you will learn
Agribusiness is taking a mix of courses in business and agriculture that provides students with the decision-making framework of business and the technical aspects of agriculture and food systems. This also prepares students for a career in the diverse, rapidly changing agribusiness industry.

Biological systems engineering (BSEN) is one of two engineering degree programs offered in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering. Biological systems engineers need to understand biological phenomena and apply engineering principles to solve challenges faced by society. To solve complex problems, a biological systems engineer needs not only to develop expertise in a specific discipline but also be prepared to work across disciplinary boundaries in diverse professional communities. As such, BSEN students develop both depth through engineering coursework in one of three emphasis areas (biomedical engineering, food and bioprocess engineering, or environmental and water resources engineering) and breadth through purposefully selected coursework in the other areas. Biological systems engineers with an emphasis in biomedical engineering might work on systems to micropropagate tissue culture, design devices for monitoring and correcting heart arrhythmias, or develop biological sensors and imaging devices for detecting diseases in humans. Biological systems engineers with an emphasis in food and bioprocess engineering might advance products and manufacturing practices through the design of equipment and processes for producing foods and biofuels. Biological systems engineers with an emphasis in environmental and water resources engineering might restore streams, lakes and wetlands; manage ecosystems; minimize nonpoint source pollution; or design systems for animal waste management.

The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures offers courses in Arabic, German, Japanese, the Romance Language group (French, Spanish), and the Slavic group (Czech, Russian). Whenever possible, the courses are conducted in the language that is studied. The aim of instruction is reading, writing, aural and oral proficiency, and an understanding of the life, literature, and culture of the country. Lectures and films in the language studied are offered during the school year for the benefit of the students in the department. Language laboratories supplement class work.

Communication studies is a social science and humanistic field of study, research, and application. Communication competencies are among those most highly desired in professional, personal, organizational, and civic arenas. The mission of the Department of Communication Studies is to examine human symbolic activity as it shapes and is shaped by relationships, institutions, and societies. This work concerns how, why, and with what effects people communicate through verbal and nonverbal messages. Through research, teaching, and service, the Department devotes particular attention to understanding the ways in which communication erodes and sustains collaboration within and among local, national, and global communities.

A degree in communication studies will focus broadly on the production and influence of messages across the contexts of public, personal, and professional life. In this course of study, students are immersed in mastering the intellectual capacities to advocate, negotiate, and relate. Students who major in communication studies can choose to fulfill the general requirements of the major or they can opt to complete courses in one of three major emphasis areas: communication, health, and well-being; diversity, culture, and global communication; or communication, public advocacy, and civic engagement.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy offers programs leading to the bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees. Students preparing for either graduate study or a professional career in physics should pursue a bachelor of science degree with a professional option. For students who have special interests, the department offers options in optics and lasers, materials physics, and computational physics.

The courses required for the bachelor of arts degree in physics offer a broader program in science and the liberal arts suitable for a variety of pre-professional curricula and for interdisciplinary studies in areas including biophysics, chemical physics, and geophysics.