Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance

at Grand Valley State University USA

The program engages students in observation, experimentation, and theoretical study of various phenomena of nature. A Bachelor of Science degree with a major in physics is offered. Students can also choose a minor in physics or there is an option for secondary teacher certification.

Most courses can only be taken in sequence. Physics majors should consult with their faculty advisors or the department chair at the earliest opportunity for degree planning.

Why Study Physics At Grand Valley?

• The AIP 2009 report noted the GVSU physics department as being one of the top four universities in Michigan in terms of number of graduates.
• Students can expect an excellent liberal education with student-tailored physics courses and programs.
• Active, enthusiastic, caring, and dedicated faculty members are engaged in excellent teaching, scholarly activities, and service. Smaller size upper-division classes ensure more personal attention.
• Academic research projects with faculty members provide hands-on learning in the areas of acoustics, astronomy, atomic physics, condensed matter physics, nuclear physics, and medical physics.
• Outreach events throughout the year immerse students in learning outside of the classroom and include Michigan's Science Olympiad and the Science Technology and Engineering Preview Summer (STEPS) Camp.

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 Master of Science (M.S.) degree in health informatics and bioinformatics is a Professional Science Masters (PSM) program. The medical and bioinformatics program has strong data analytics, teamwork, business, communication, project management, and ethics components, and includes an intensive health or life science internship.

Why Study Health Informatics And Bioinformatics At Grand Valley?

• One of five professional science masters (PSM) programs at Grand Valley. The demand for professionals working in all of the PSM fields is high, with income and job projections continuing to trend upward in the coming years.
• The program is tailored toward working professionals, offering flexible class schedules with evening meetings.
• Innovative program designed to integrate university coursework with business and health industry internships to educate informatics professionals for the future.
• Access to a high-performance computing lab for health informatics and bioinformatics needs.
• Qualified faculty members with a breadth of industry experience lead in the classroom and collaborate in ongoing research.

Grand Valley's bachelor of science program is unique in that it embeds professional practicum experiences in food service, community, and clinical nutrition with didactic studies of food culture, nutrigenomics, and sustainability.

Why Study Applied Food And Nutrition At Grand Valley?

• The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Education in Nutrition and Dietetics as a Didactic Program in Dietetics, making graduates eligible for further study in accredited internship and graduate programs leading to eligibility to be credentialed as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
• AF&N graduates are eligible to be credentialed as a Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered (NDTR).
• The program provides approximately 400 hours of supervised practice experience consisting of community learning, simulation and internship experiences.
• Opportunities for quality improvement studies and involvement in faculty-led research, as well as collaborative projects.
• Use of the culinary and food laboratory for advanced food management classes and the simulation center for clinical practice.

Students will learn to act ethically and effectively in leading and managing philanthropic and nonprofit organizations, and to transcend traditional boundaries in the pursuit of prosperous, safe, and healthy communities.

The M.P.N.L. degree is for professionals with at least three years of full-time experience in management, and/or employment within the nonprofit sector. It consists of 36 credit hours of coursework. Students can pursue the following emphases:

• Community impact
• Mission advancement
• Nonprofit healthcare
• Customized with approval of advisor

Why Study Philanthropy And Nonprofit Leadership At Grand Valley?

• The program meets the needs of part- and full-time students with evening and weekend courses, workshops, and Web-enhanced learning.
• Grand Valley library's endowed Johnson Collection for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership is one of the country's most comprehensive collections of books, journals, and audiovisuals on the nonprofit sector.
• There are opportunities for students to collaborate with faculty on field-related research projects.
• Students develop skills in effective, ethical leadership and management through real-world learning opportunities.
• Grand Valley's innovative nonprofit leadership curriculum is designed to meet the diverse educational needs of today's job market.

Coursework is in history, economics, geography, and political science as well as in the social studies specific pedagogy.

Students choose from a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Those seeking the B.A. must demonstrate third-semester proficiency in a foreign language.

Students seeking teacher certification also complete the professional program offered by the College of Education. The major meets State of Michigan content standards for teacher preparation in social studies.

Why Study Social Studies At Grand Valley?

• Students study the world from a variety of perspectives, giving them strong interdisciplinary training and skills.
• Our majors are trained to research problems and engage in problem solving through written and verbal communication.
• The curriculum prepares students to teach a complex subject in a changing world.
• Students have the opportunity to work closely with faculty members to learn the theoretical and practical aspects of teaching social studies.
• Social studies majors are highly sought after by schools that want to hire teachers capable of teaching a variety of courses.

The CSAT major combines with one of two majors in the College of Education; it leads to certification in elementary education with one of the following specialized endorsement areas: special education, Spanish (paired with the Spanish elementary education minor), English as a Second Language (ESL) (with the Applied Linguistics-ESL minor), or early childhood (with the Early Childhood Education minor). A Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) may be earned. For certification, the student must:

• Complete both the CSAT major, the education major, and the complementary minor (if required) with a GPA of 2.7 or better
• Have an overall GPA of 2.7 or better
• Pass the MTTC Elementary Education and endorsement-area tests

Why Study Csat At Grand Valley?

• Courses are designed specifically for the major and are taught using best practices identified in research literature.
• The strong pedagogical skills CSAT students develop are valuable in settings outside the school system, where an understanding of effective teaching and learning is important.
• Two of the endorsement areas within the special education major could lead to a master's degree.
• Students have many extracurricular opportunities, such as professional organizations (Student Council for Exceptional Children), service learning in area schools, and becoming active members of the community.
• Elementary education teachers with a Spanish endorsement or an ESL endorsement are in-demand locally and across the country.

Economics is more than a business field. Students will study human behavior to explain and predict how people and organizations interact and why they do what they do. That might involve how managers can increase their profits. It's also about how to feed the hungry; what to do about deforestation in Brazil; and whether minimum wages really help the poor. Economics also looks at societal issues like distribution of wealth and income, health care, education, crime, poverty, pollution, and drugs.

The economics program offers you flexibility to choose between a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree.

The department offers an "Honors" designation if you achieve a minimum 3.2 G.P.A. both overall and in your economics courses. This designation provides you the opportunity to engage in high profile projects and policy courses.

Why Study Economics At Grand Valley?

• Economics stresses well-developed analytical skills, as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills, which are desirable to employers.
• Faculty members work closely with students as they form career goals and select courses to help achieve those goals.
• Networking opportunities include Omicron Delta Epsilon (the economics honor society), economics club, real estate groups, professional development series, and student organizations.
• Internships are available and apply classroom learning to authentic work experiences.
• Campus is located in the heart of an exciting business environment in downtown Grand Rapids, MI.

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.

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.