Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies

at EDUCO - University of Nebraska - Lincoln USA

This degree program prepares students for careers in communications, advocacy, and public service roles in the agricultural, natural resources, and environmental disciplines. Degree requirements provide students a broad education combining skills and knowledge in agricultural, environmental, and natural resources sciences; the social sciences; and mass communications. Graduates of this program are also qualified to pursue careers in public relations and public service in government agencies, nonprofit, and private organizations.

A strong mathematics background is essential to an increasing variety of careers. The Department of Mathematics encourages students to select a coherent body of courses in mathematics and in other disciplines that are consistent with their academic and career goals.

Mechanical engineering is a broad field of study that significantly impacts many technologies, including those that expand our energy resources and improve medical care. Mechanical engineers are concerned with all forms of energy conversion and transmission; the flow of fluids and heat; the development, design, manufacturing, and operation of machinery and equipment; material structure and properties; solid and applied mechanics; and transportation processes. The course of study is designed to give the student fundamental preparation to enter the fields of research, design, operation, production, sales, or management.

The mechanical engineering curriculum is structured so that students are well prepared in the fundamental areas of solid mechanics, thermal-fluid sciences, systems and design engineering, and materials engineering. Students can develop an emphasis area of study by concentrating elective courses in specific interdisciplinary areas such as aerospace engineering, automotive engineering, robotics, biomedical engineering, computational methods, manufacturing, nanotechnology and others, depending upon the technical courses available and the interest of the student. Additionally, broader general education requirements are covered through the Achievement-Centered Education (ACE) program (ace.unl.edu); the mechanical engineering curriculum requirements cover ACE areas [1-4,8,10], and students may work with their academic advisor to select courses covering areas [5-7,9].

Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at the University of Nebraska is to impact society locally and globally through our educational programs, research, and service, developing knowledge and sharing our expertise in the best traditions of land-grant universities. We strive for excellence in teaching and learning at both the undergraduate and graduate levels; seek to develop novel educational opportunities; grow our public and private support for research and education; and expand our scholarship, outreach, and service.

What you will learn
Mechanical engineers are considered the "general practitioners" of engineering because they solve a diverse range of problems. At UNL, students will choose among three major areas: thermal-fluid science engineering, systems and design engineering, and materials science engineering. Students will be able to practice what they learn in the classroom by joining clubs like the HUSKER racing team that designs and competes in contests like the national Baja race or NASA's Microgravity University (where UNL teams are chosen to help with NASA research in a zero gravity environment). Students also have numerous interactions with local industry for senior design projects. Companies provide projects for students, providing them real-life engineering problems and access to potential employers.

The Department of Anthropology synthesizes humanistic and scientific perspectives on human biological and cultural diversity as well as the evolutionary trends seen for humankind. Students and faculty bring this integrated perspective to interactions and collaborations with others in a variety of departments and programs in each of the Colleges across the University.

Courses in anthropology acquaint students with the range of human behavior as differentially explored within each of the subdisciplines within anthropology—archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropology. Research or methodological courses outfit students with valuable analytic and research skills in qualitative, quantitative and GIS analysis as well as in content-appropriate analytic protocols, as for the analysis of archaeological and ethnographic materials.

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 merchandising option is planned for those students interested in the buying and selling of textile and apparel products at the manufacturing and retail levels, as well as product development, promotion, and visual merchandising. The program emphasizes textiles and product development and provides an understanding of fashion theory, as well as basic skills and techniques in the apparel and textiles industry and distribution of textiles and apparel in the global society.

We aim to develop both the mindset and skillset that will make our graduates outstanding global citizens who are effective in one of six functional areas, namely: business administration (i.e., general international business), economics, finance, management, marketing, and supply chain management and analytics. Our international business (IB) major is designed to give students a combination of skills in a functional area (i.e., a specialization) and global business.  Therefore, international business graduates pursue careers in one of the six areas they choose to specialize in.

To succeed in international business, one must thrive in unfamiliar and dynamic conditions. Cultural and language barriers, socioeconomic diversity, geopolitical tensions, and unstable legal regimes are some of the constant challenges we prepare our students to face. These conditions are present in domestic and international markets.

Excelling within such conditions requires a high level of understanding, patience, judgment and other social skills.  International Business students are well-grounded and confident even when they face being wrong in order to get it right. Their quest for understanding breeds good judgment and intuition to lead through empathy.

We push students to become aware of cognitive biases that permeate all human interaction and impede understanding and decision making. We give them tools to control their own biases using mindfulness practice. We also nurture skills for framing discussions to avoid biases in others. We study techniques developed in international diplomacy for negotiation in the international context. The ethical dilemmas common to international business and how they appear in everyday dealings are examined.

Our rigorous coursework draws on practical academic disciplines that prepare students to perform different business functions. In addition, we constantly strive to develop students’ skills and feed their intellectual curiosity. We require students to advance their foreign language skills, not simply for practical reasons but to develop empathy and neuroplasticity; and we require an international internship or practicum to develop character and experience. Finally, students immerse within the global context to challenge and develop their skills through our global immersion programs where they work on multidisciplinary projects in established markets (e.g., parts of Europe) as well as in frontier markets, including Africa, Asia, and South America.

What you will learn
The international business major combines the solid base of a bachelor of arts in business administration with advanced language study, international experience and academic studies in international business. Students in international business study the business practices of other nations and learn how international trade laws affect the world economy. They also learn about the culture and management methods that differ around the globe.

The women’s and gender studies (WGS) major is a multidisciplinary academic program with courses that focus on knowledge relating to women, gender, and sexuality.

The program is designed to help students to learn about the historical and contemporary contributions of women and to analyze the construction and representation of gender in the arts, literature, history, psychology, education, contemporary culture, politics, and society. Students are challenged to examine critically assumptions about women and gender held by academic disciplines and to evaluate them based on current research and individual experience. Students also explore sex roles, gender systems, and sexuality in various cultures as they change over time.

The environmental studies major is designed for students who want to make a difference and contribute to solving environmental challenges on a local to global scale. Solutions to challenges such as climate change, pollution, and resource conservation require individuals who have a broad-based knowledge in the natural and social sciences, as well as strength in a specific discipline. The environmental studies major will provide the knowledge and skills needed for students to work across disciplines and to be competitive in the job market. The environmental studies program uses a holistic approach and a framework of sustainability. This framework recognizes the necessity of meeting current resource needs without compromising the environment or the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

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.