Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences (STEM)

at EDUCO - University of Nebraska - Lincoln USA

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.

A political science major combines the analytical and communication skills of a liberal arts degree with an in-depth understanding of governments and political processes. Your political science major prepares you for virtually any career path—from government to law, journalism to business. Courses in political science examine government and politics in the United States and around the world.

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.

A major in management at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln equips students with the essential skills to effectively manage people and resources in today’s business systems and organizational structures. Our management curriculum prepares students for careers in leadership and supervision of employees in the workplace, project management, starting up and managing a business, and utilizing the critical role of information in strategy and operations of the business world.

What you will learn
Management and entrepreneurship are critical to the future of the United States and other nations around the world. At the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, we equip students with the essential skills to effectively manage people and resources in today's business systems and organizational structures. Our curriculum prepares students for careers in leadership and supervision of employees in the workplace, starting and managing business ventures and analyzing information and data to create effective business strategies.

The Department of Biochemistry offers studies leading to bachelor of science (BS) in biochemistry. There are two options available for the undergraduate program: Standard Biochemistry Option, which is the traditional biochemistry major, and the Computational and Systems Biochemistry Option, which integrates concepts and skills from the core biochemistry requirements with additional study in mathematics, statistics, and computer science. The training offered through both options is suitable for a professional career in biochemistry, which may lead to employment in various industries involved in the manufacture or processing of chemicals, foods, feeds, and pharmaceuticals or federal agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Public Health Service, and Environmental Protection Agency. Both options are suitable as preparation for graduate studies leading to academic careers in biochemistry and professional careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and health-related fields. The Computational and Systems Biochemistry Option aims at preparing students to address questions using quantitative and multidisciplinary approaches in fields such as health, agriculture, and biotechnology. The Department is accredited by the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), meaning seniors who sit for the ASBMB certification exam are recognized as earning a certified degree if they receive a qualifying score.

What you will learn
Biochemistry is the study of chemical reactions within a living cell. We study the molecules that make up life. Our students take a variety of biology, chemistry, physics, and math courses in addition to very specific biochemistry classes. Students can do actual research in faculty labs or pursue internships at local biomedical companies.

The field of marketing includes many different career opportunities such as advertising, distribution, marketing research, customer relationship management, merchandising, marketing communication, retailing, product management, professional selling, and sales management. The management of activities related to the flow of both goods and services from producer to consumer has become increasingly important in this age of consumer-oriented production. This importance has increased the demand for well-qualified persons, both as specialists in technical aspects of marketing and as general marketing managers. New developments are appearing in quantitative analysis of marketing problems, use of social media, in studies of consumer behavior, in international marketing, and in the social responsibilities of marketing. These developments hold exciting promise for the future.

Academic preparation for some careers is best achieved by combining marketing courses with courses in other departments of the University. For this reason it is important for the student to consult with a faculty member in the Department of Marketing before deciding on a particular course of study. Courses within the department include those from the following disciplines: Marketing, Marketing Communication, Distribution Channels, Retailing, Sales Management, Marketing Research, Professional Selling, Marketing Information Systems, Digital Marketing, Consumer Behavior, and International Marketing. Outside the College, courses in psychology, sociology, journalism, mathematics, communication studies, art, and geography may be helpful.

Food technology for companion animals is a cooperative program between the Department of Animal Science and the Department of Food Science and Technology. Students will be prepared for positions of responsibility in the pet food industry, one of the fastest growing industries in North America. Many pet foods are similar to human foods in how they are processed, but they are designed to meet the specific nutritional needs of different companion animals. Graduates of this program will be uniquely prepared to find employment with manufacturers and providers of pet foods and related products in areas such as research and new product development, processing technology, production management, and quality assurance.

Students build on a strong foundation in the basic sciences by completing extensive coursework in food chemistry and analysis, food microbiology and safety, food engineering and processing, and quality assurance. These courses are coupled with courses in companion animal nutrition and management. This curriculum also fits well for students in pre-professional programs, especially those considering a professional program in veterinary medicine.

What you will learn
Food Technology for Companion Animals combines food science with the nutritional and physiological demands of companion animals; the furry, feathery and scaly members of the family.

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 mechanized systems management (MSYM) major prepares students for delivery, management, and technical support of engineered systems for agriculture, food, energy, and water. Students will develop technical, systems analysis, and management skills. This major is ideal for students interested in working with machinery and equipment systems from a practical perspective. The MSYM program includes hands-on coursework in power and machinery systems, processing and handling equipment, and sensors and controls combined with coursework in business, management, agriculture, and natural sciences that prepares students for a wide range of careers in a variety of industries related to agriculture, food, energy, and water. The program offers four options for specialization:

• Production Option
• Business Option
• Technical Option
• Processing Operations Option

Students in the MSYM major benefit from small classes and personalized faculty advising. Students have the opportunity to work part-time in the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory and numerous departmental research projects. Students are encouraged to participate in student clubs such as the Mechanized Systems Management Club, the Tractor Restoration Club, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Quarter Scale Tractor Team.

The Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences offers both the bachelor of science and the bachelor of arts degrees in geology. The bachelor of science program is designed for those who expect to continue in graduate work and become professional geoscientists. Undergraduate training in geology is also beneficial in many other fields such as teaching at the pre-college level, urban planning, law, civil engineering, environmental studies, and museum work. Students preparing for these or similar areas are advised to take the bachelor of arts program, which is strong in fundamental geology but does not emphasize the ancillary courses required for admission to many graduate programs.