Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies

at Grand Valley State University USA

Students can choose a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) or Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), with emphases available in theoretical mathematics, applied mathematics, and secondary certification.

Minors in mathematics are also available, including minors for elementary and secondary certification. Depending on one's major, it may be possible to add a minor in mathematics with only a few additional courses. Speak to your advisor for details.

Why Study Mathematics At Grand Valley?

• Students will develop strong communication, critical thinking, mathematical modeling, and coding skills in courses where they learn by doing, not just by listening. These logical and critical thinking skills developed through a math major or minor are skills that are highly sought after by employers.
• Opportunities to participate in research through funded summer or academic year research programs or coursework and students present research results at seminars and conferences both on campus and at regional and national meetings.
• Special programming for study abroad and internships allow students to earn credit toward major requirements.
• The mathematics department is a recognized national leader in innovative and effective approaches to mathematics instruction. Faculty members are highly trained with Ph.D.s in mathematics or mathematics education and actively focused on continuously improving their teaching.
• National recognition for mathematics teaching emphases by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics/Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

The entrepreneurship major provides students with contemporary business skills. Students learn to identify opportunities, explore targeted customers' problems, build business strategies, test and validate a variety of assumptions, why failing fast and early is critical to success, locate and negotiate funding, execute their plan(s), and launch their new venture, product, or project.

Students who pursue entrepreneurship are required to complete a second business major in a functional discipline. These include accounting, economics, finance, general management, human resource management, marketing, operations management, and supply chain management.

Why Study Entrepreneurship At Grand Valley?

• Grand Valley is a major player within the Michigan entrepreneurial ecosystem. Numerous engagement opportunities are provided within the local, regional, and national entrepreneurial ecosystems.
• The Grand Valley chapter of the Collegiate Entrepreneur Organization is an award-winning group of entrepreneurs and a resource for students.
• Mentoring and support is available from our Entrepreneur-in-Residence, distinguished faculty members, and local entrepreneurial organizations such as Grand Angels, 77 IdeaLab, and StartGarden.
• Students have access to numerous business plan and pitch competitions to gain support and interest in their projects and earn money for their ventures.
• There are opportunities for students to work with consultants to position their new venture to be successful.

The MIS emphasis provides students with an understanding of concepts, principles, and techniques to design, develop, and implement enterprise information systems. These specialized skills equip students with a strong technical background, but emphasizes the business knowledge and analytical skills necessary in today's business environment.

Students will:

• Understand the integrated cross-functional nature of business processes.
• Configure key business processes in an enterprise system.
• Investigate data analysis methods to support business decision-making.
• Utilize enterprise software (SAP S4/HANA) to execute business processes.
• Explore various business intelligence tools to visualize and interpret data.

Why Study Management Information Systems At Grand Valley?

• Current and emerging technologies are integrated into courses to provide unique experiential learning.
• Faculty members have a combination of academic accomplishment and professional experience and represent a variety of backgrounds in the field.
• Local and international companies recruit students from the program for paid internships and entry-level positions.
• The program is well regarded and offers highly marketable skills.
• Students take upper-division courses in the heart of an exciting business environment in downtown Grand Rapids, MI.

Students can pursue an emphasis in ceramics, graphic design, illustration, jewelry and metalsmithing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, and visual studies. The program is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

A studio art minor is also offered, requiring completion of eight courses.

Why Study The Visual Arts At Grand Valley?

• Incorporate creativity with the consideration of broader ethical, historical, scientific, and cultural ideas, fostering work that contributes to the public dialogue about those ideas.
• Work in small classes that ensure individualized attention from faculty at all levels of the program.
• Complete coursework in state-of-the-art facilities that ensure students acquire the skills essential for their chosen media.
• Benefit from a program that encourages collaboration across emphasis areas to support students' individual interests.
• Acquire the expertise necessary for participation in arts communities and for self-advocacy after graduation.

Political Science is the study of politics in its many forms, including law-making and criminal justice, war and international conflicts, protest movements and revolutions, campaigns and elections, political ideas and ideologies, and human rights. Our courses provide the tools to understand these phenomena, and they also develop skills in research, analysis, writing, critical thinking, and speaking.

Students can choose a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. A minor and a teachable minor are also available.

Why Study Political Science At Grand Valley?

• Small class sizes ensure students get personal attention from expert, student-focused professors who are passionate about political science.
• Students can study and intern for a semester or summer in Washington, DC, through our partnership with The Washington Center. Local internships are also available.
• Students gain research, writing, speaking, critical thinking, and data analysis skills valued by graduate programs and employers.
• Studying political science helps prepare students for success in a range of career fields, including nonprofit organizations, international affairs, law, business, education, advocacy groups, and in local, state, and national government.
• We have a strong network of GVSU political science alumni across the country and around the world who are eager to help new graduates find opportunities.

Students are prepared for engineering careers and leadership roles through programs that integrate academic studies with hands-on learning and paid professional experiences in actual engineering companies. Grand Valley also offers a graduate program in engineering for those who want to expand their knowledge and skills.

PDM offers four emphasis areas:

• Design
• Robotics and controls
• Manufacturing systems
• General

Why Study Product Design And Manufacturing At Grand Valley?

• Program accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, abet.org.
• Extensive hands-on and project-based learning in small, student-focused classes.
• Three semesters of paid cooperative-education work experience prior to graduation in recognized domestic and international engineering companies.
• Strong support from industrial partners who fund many engineering scholarships for graduate and undergraduate students, as well as sponsor Capstone design projects.
• A nearly 100-percent placement rate into work or graduate school for our graduates.
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The photography program offers high-quality, student-centered, production and theory courses aimed at developing liberally educated professionals able to thoughtfully adapt and thrive in a variety of professional and creative environments.

A Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree is offered. A minor is also available.

Why Study Photography At Grand Valley?

• A dedication to the education of intelligent image-makers that is neither constrained in a vocational training program, nor a narrow studio art emphasis alone, is what makes the photography program at Grand Valley distinct and valued in the state and region.
• The school has many ties with business, community, and cultural organizations, and has contacts with experts in a variety of areas in communications, which serve as outstanding resources both within the classroom and for internships.
• The diversity of courses offered allows students the opportunity to explore a variety of photographic methods and applications as they develop their personal expertise and interests.
• The program prepares students to engage graduate studies in fine art programs.
• Faculty members in photography have a broad range of professional experience and a dedication to teaching.

We offer major and minor programs in both Spanish and Spanish Education (Elementary and Secondary levels). Spanish major (33-36 credits) and minor (21-27 credits) programs begin at the 300-level, and include courses across a variety of areas, including language study, literature, linguistics, and civilization and culture.

We offer courses on Spanish in a professional setting, including Health, Business, Law Enforcement, and Writing. Students in our program frequently complete portions of their coursework through summer, semester, and full year study abroad programs in countries across the world.

All languages listed below count toward the BA third semester language requirement. We offer:

• Majors in French, German, and Spanish
• Minors in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, and Spanish
• Three years of language and culture courses in Japanese
• Two years of language in Italian

Why Study Spanish At Grand Valley?

• With such a large Latino population in the U.S. and booming economies outside the U.S., there is a huge demand for Spanish-speaking professionals in nursing, construction management, and media, among many other fields.
• Spanish is the second largest native language in the world, with almost 40 million native speakers in the U.S.
• More than 500 million people in the world can speak and communicate in Spanish, with a growing trend that will reach 600 million speakers by 2050.
• Spanish complements majors in many other fields, such as international relations, international business, culture, and political science.
• The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures works closely with the Padnos International Center to make many opportunities for study abroad available.

The photography program offers high-quality, student-centered, production and theory courses aimed at developing liberally educated professionals able to thoughtfully adapt and thrive in a variety of professional and creative environments.

A Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree is offered. A minor is also available.

Why Study Photography At Grand Valley?

• A dedication to the education of intelligent image-makers that is neither constrained in a vocational training program, nor a narrow studio art emphasis alone, is what makes the photography program at Grand Valley distinct and valued in the state and region.
• The school has many ties with business, community, and cultural organizations, and has contacts with experts in a variety of areas in communications, which serve as outstanding resources both within the classroom and for internships.
• The diversity of courses offered allows students the opportunity to explore a variety of photographic methods and applications as they develop their personal expertise and interests.
• The program prepares students to engage graduate studies in fine art programs.
• Faculty members in photography have a broad range of professional experience and a dedication to teaching.

The communications studies program stresses skills, such as the analysis of written and visual communication, designing clear and informative messages, building persuasive appeals, and critically analyzing the persuasive appeals of others. The curriculum covers a wide variety of topics, including courses from other major programs within and outside the School of Communications relevant to communication studies.

It is possible to combine communication studies with other major or minor programs, such as advertising and public relations, business, marketing, health communication, multimedia journalism, writing, photography, philosophy, sociology, political science, digital studies, and more.

Why Study Communication At Grand Valley?

• Communication studies majors have flexibility, options, and electives within their curriculum.
• Faculty members are engaged teachers and active scholars with various and complementary areas of academic and professional expertise.
• There are many opportunities to develop talents and gain professional experience through the campus newspaper (Lanthorn), student-run television (GVTV), and radio (Whale), as well as with the visual and performing arts, and internships in professional settings (PBS/NPR) both on and off campus.
• Coursework trains students to apply communication theories and concepts in a variety of work settings, while demonstrating the ability to think strategically, solve problems, and act ethically and legally.
• Career opportunities are varied and wide-ranging for communications professionals.