Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations

at Global University Systems (GUS) - Webster University - St. Louis Campus USA

The bachelor of arts (BA) degree with a major in music is designed for a broad understanding of the music discipline through the study of performance, music theory and music literature. The BA program allows a student to investigate diverse areas of music within a flexible curricular framework.

All students in the BA music degree program must complete a senior thesis or lecture/recital.

The BA in animation offers students the opportunity to learn core principles and techniques focusing on storytelling, motion, drawing, performance and expression through traditional and digital forms. Each student will undertake an intensive course of study including character animation, experimental concepts, fine art techniques and diverse applications, building a strong, global foundation before embarking upon an eventual area of concentration.

Learning Outcomes

Successful graduates of the animation program will be able to:

• Create animation with fundamental and technical proficiency.
• Express visual concepts artistically.
• Integrate storytelling and performance.
• Synthesize theory and practice creating animation from a global perspective.

The management (BA) with an emphasis in marketing prepares students for a broad spectrum of careers in marketing, including branding, product development, advertising, digital marketing and customer relationship management. Students learn how organizations create value through the various marketing activities: customer behavior, pricing, promotion, product development, distribution and marketing research.

Learning Outcomes

• Analyze, understand and evaluate how legal, social, economic and global issues affect business.
• Integrate key theories to manage people, processes and resources in a diverse organization.
• Use appropriate tools and technology to critically analyze and interpret key business information.
• Apply concepts regarding ethics and corporate responsibility and how they impact managerial decisions.
• Build upon ambiguous and incomplete information to draft, support and defend innovative solutions to complex managerial challenges.
• Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how to identify and utilize relevant information in order to make effective marketing decisions.
• Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to make and defend decisions regarding the various marketing mix elements for value creation in a way that reflects the needs and characteristics desired for organizational success and meaningful relationships among and between stakeholders.
• Students will demonstrate personal skills (i.e. ethics, teamwork, effective communication, critical thinking) which are important keys to having a successful career in marketing.
• Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of mutually interdependent relationships of all the major functional areas of a business enterprise. 

This curriculum is designed for individuals who are seeking a graduate degree with a broad general management and leadership perspective. The MA in management and leadership is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the management and leadership program will be able to:

• Demonstrate proficiency with group dynamics, collaboration, interpersonal relations and leading individuals, teams and organizations.
• Analyze and organize proficient solutions for complex business problems and demonstrate logical reasoning and idea generation for making effective business decisions.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the functional areas of business, such as finance, accounting, marketing operations and human resources, as well as the capacity to synthesize and apply this functional knowledge.
• Construct solutions to management problems using facts, concepts, principles and analytical techniques, quantitative skills and theories used in the study of management.

The field of finance blends economics, accounting and other business disciplines with the goal of making financially sound business decisions. Financial tools and methodologies are of crucial importance for both small and large businesses. Important areas of finance include raising capital, making investments and understanding financial markets.

In addition to completing the core business curriculum requirements, students taking a major in finance will study the three general areas of finance: corporate finance, investments and financial markets and institutions. Students will complete at least one advanced course in each area after completion of the principles-level course. After completion of the finance core, students have choices to tailor their program according to their interests and career outlook. Students desiring to take advanced certification, such as the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) or CFP (Certified Financial Planner), are encouraged to take Financial Statement Analysis, International Finance and Advanced Investments. All finance majors will complete the business school's common core capstone course.

The BS in finance is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

The Educational Studies major focuses on both the art and science of instruction across a broad range of contexts. The influence of philosophy, sociology and psychology are examined to understand their impact on community engagement in today's world. This degree does not lead to K-12 teacher certification but focuses on a scholarly examination of learning and informal learning environments in classrooms, as well as informal educational settings within the larger community. This major is also appropriate for individuals interested in pursuing an emphasis in sustainability studies, international human rights, entrepreneurship or leadership.

Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate familiarity with the major philosophical and sociological perspectives concerning schooling.
• Understand and apply principles of developmental psychology to learners in formal and informal educational settings.
• Demonstrate familiarity with current issues in education.
• Understand and use research to evaluate educational practices.
• Explore options for applying their educational knowledge and skills in professional/occupational pursuits.

In this major, students engage not only with the aesthetics dimensions of literature, but also with the values, views and dynamics of a given and historical context. In small classes and seminars, students are given multiple opportunities to develop their skills in literary analysis, critical writing and oral expression. Outstanding student essays are selected by faculty to be published each spring in our literary journal, The Mercury.

Through the curriculum for the BA in photography at Webster University, students learn to be technically proficient, versatile, imaginative and capable of working in a variety of photographic fields and technical environments. Photography majors graduate with a solid grounding in the aesthetic and the communicative aspects of the medium. Students take courses in a variety of formats (small, medium and large), materials (black/white and color) and technical environments (chemical and digital). Students become familiar with a variety of approaches (journalistic, commercial/editorial and scientific), while concentrating on one.

Learning Outcomes
Successful graduates of this program will be able to demonstrate:

• Technical and aesthetic proficiency in the principles of photography.
• Technical proficiency with professional camera types and their applications.
• Technical proficiency with software as currently used in the profession.
• Familiarity with a variety of photographic approaches and careers.
• Expertise in the chosen field of specialization.

The Bachelor of Science degree in computer science with an emphasis in cybersecurity is designed around identified core knowledge areas of computer science. Students will also study foundational cybersecurity concepts. The program includes theoretical and practical approaches to prepare students entering the cybersecurity workforce or to continue their education in a professional graduate degree program.

Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate mastery of computer science in the following core knowledge areas:
• Software development
• Algorithms and data structures
• Computer organization, hardware, and architecture
• Data and information management
• Describe how technological advances impact social issues and professional practice
• Write and orally communicate technical material effectively and professionally
• Apply problem-solving skills and the knowledge of computer science to solve problems
• Demonstrate an understanding of the vocabulary of cybersecurity terms and phraseology
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of cybersecurity threats to IT systems
• Describe the roles, responsibilities and tools of a cybersecurity professional

This curriculum is designed for individuals who are seeking a graduate degree with a broad general management and leadership perspective. The MA in management and leadership is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the management and leadership program will be able to:

• Demonstrate proficiency with group dynamics, collaboration, interpersonal relations and leading individuals, teams and organizations.
• Analyze and organize proficient solutions for complex business problems and demonstrate logical reasoning and idea generation for making effective business decisions.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the functional areas of business, such as finance, accounting, marketing operations and human resources, as well as the capacity to synthesize and apply this functional knowledge.
• Construct solutions to management problems using facts, concepts, principles and analytical techniques, quantitative skills and theories used in the study of management.