Bachelor of Science in Philosophy

at EDUCO - University of Nebraska - Lincoln USA

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.

Forensic science includes any science that is conducted for use in the legal system. The need for science in the courtroom has greatly increased as a result of legal rulings and the positioning of forensic science in popular culture. The forensic science degree program provides students with an education in the use of science, mathematics, and statistics in legal proceedings. There are four options of study:

• Forensic Biology Option
• Crime Scene Investigation Option
• Forensic Chemistry Option
• Pre-Law Option 3-3 Program

The microbiology major is an interdepartmental major that offers educational opportunities in various areas of microbiology leading to a bachelor of science degree in microbiology. The training offered is suitable for a professional career in microbiology, which may lead to employment in the food industry, clinical microbiology, biotechnology, 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. The program is also suitable as preparation for graduate studies leading to academic careers and professional careers in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, and health-related fields.

Geography is a comprehensive discipline that, via spatial patterns analysis, reveals the intricate attributes and connectivity of human cultures and the natural environment. As such, geography is critical to understanding the complexities of global change. Students may specialize in one of many areas, including climate and weather, cultural/human geography, geographic information systems, historical geography of the Great Plains, natural resources, physical geography, pre-community and regional planning, regional studies, or remote sensing.

An education in geography prepares students for careers in government agencies as well as those involved with foreign service, land management, tourism, health care delivery systems, environmental assessment, transportation development, land use planning, air traffic control, and GIS and cartographic analysis, and in a wide variety of businesses, particularly those concerned with environmental mapping, geographic information systems, and planning. A geography major also prepares students for graduate-level degrees in geography, law (especially environmental law), international business, urban and regional planning, and teaching at all levels.

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 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.

A major in sociology within the College of Arts and Sciences provides students with vital intellectual and occupational skills. This includes analytical thinking; creative problem solving; effective written and oral communication; collecting, analyzing and interpreting data; and gaining expertise regarding the impact of social and cultural dynamics on individual and societal trends. Students may pursue broad training in sociology, or they may pursue a specific Focus Area, such as Crime/Deviance, Family, Health, Social Inequality, or Social Research. We also encourage students strongly to seize the opportunities provided for internships and a variety of research experiences, which play a key role in helping students define their career trajectory and build a resumé.

Our majors pursue careers in a variety of fields that reflect their substantive expertise, such as:

• Social-Justice Related Activism
• Law and Criminal Justice
• Education and Social/Human Services
• Research—especially public health and medicine, public opinion research, market research/marketing, as well as occupations requiring data collection, analysis, and project direction skills (e.g., nursing, policy work, journalism, engineering, computational sciences)
• Public Service/Government and Administration
• Private-sector for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations
• Management and Human Resources

We also encourage students to combine their interest in sociology with one of the many interdisciplinary programs/certificates offered in the College of Arts and Sciences and beyond. This includes but is not limited to Conflict Resolution, Environmental Studies, Ethnic Studies, Global Studies, Human Rights, Humanities and Medicine, Public Policy, Women’s and Gender Studies, plus the Center for Great Plains Studies and the Center for Civic Engagement.

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 computer engineering program is administered by the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the bachelor of science degree program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET.

Mission
The mission of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) programs on the Scott Campus (in Omaha) at the University of Nebraska is to develop and maintain programs of excellence in teaching and research which meet the educational needs of its constituents, which will support the state of Nebraska in its development as a leading center for high-technology computer/electronics/telecommunications industry and which will support national needs for well-educated ECE professionals.

Program Educational Objectives
The Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) for the computer engineering program are a statement of what its graduates are doing or are capable of doing three to five years after graduation. The students in the computer engineering program receive a strong foundation in engineering science and design that not only enables them to pursue productive careers in the computer engineering field but also in other areas such as business, management, and medicine. Typical industries in which computer engineering graduates are employed include microprocessor/embedded system design, digital design, hardware/software integration, and computer architecture and parallel processing.

The Program Educational Objectives for the computer engineering program are that graduates will be:

• Employed in business, academia, or government.
• Successful engineers who have established productive careers in their field and have contributed to improve and provide innovative and effective solutions in computer engineering or related fields.
• Demonstrating technical and decision-making processes and the human interactions necessary to produce viable, responsible, and sustainable technological solutions.
• Engaging in lifelong learning, which may include postgraduate education, to successfully adapt to technological, industry specific, and cultural changes and to foster adept functioning in society.
• Performing engineering practice in a context that reflects awareness of the ethics of their profession and of the impacts of their work on the profession and society at large.

These Program Educational Objectives were developed with input from the program’s educational objectives constituency consisting of employers (including ECE Industry Advisory Board), graduates of the program, and faculty of the department.

A degree in agricultural education is designed to prepare students with the necessary communication and interpersonal skills, leadership training, and knowledge of technical agriculture to be a teacher of agricultural education at the secondary or postsecondary level, or accept employment in agribusiness leading to positions in training and/or development. The degree provides good preparation for work in agricultural extension, positions in foreign service, and agricultural educators in business and industry. Many students graduate with a dual degree in agricultural education and another degree in the College. Agricultural education students may elect to follow the teaching options or the leadership option.