Bachelor of Science in Integrative Studies

at Grand Valley State University USA

The study of women, gender, and sexuality provides an interdisciplinary program grounded in the liberal arts, a culminating academic experience that links the insights of separate courses, and opportunities to apply theory to meaningful research or in internships, fieldwork, and service learning.

Why Study Women, Gender, And Sexuality Studies At Grand Valley?

• Explore the study of feminism, activism, and gender and its global impact.
• Prepare for careers in leadership, social services, and politics.
• Develop a commitment to community through internships, service learning, and volunteering.
• Actively engage in individual and collaborative research projects with impact on culture and society.
• Make an immediate impact on your community through the Gayle R. Davis Center for Women and Gender Equity, Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center, and Office of Multicultural Affairs.

The undergraduate program provides students with foundational knowledge, skills, and experiences in speech, language, and hearing. The major also provides broad exposure to a variety of disorders to communication and swallowing. Priority deadline for fall semester is January 15. Following the deadline, applications are accepted until the program is full.

Why Study Communication Sciences And Disorders At Grand Valley?

• Unique curriculum, including broad exposure to communication and swallowing disorders.
• State-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories on a campus located in the heart of Grand Rapids' medical mile.
• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019-2029) anticipates an 25-percent increase in need for speech-language pathologists due to an aging population, the growing number of autistic children needing communication and social interventions, and improved survival rates for premature infants.
• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019-2029) anticipates a 13-percent increase in need for audiologists due to hearing loss and balance disorders in an aging population, early hearing loss identification in infants, and advances in hearing aid design.
• The coursework provides an outstanding preparatory experience for GVSU students that goes above and beyond what many other institutions provide. It will fulfill the prerequisite requirements of most speech-language pathology and audiology graduate programs and prepare students for graduate study

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 program leads to teacher certification for visual art in the Michigan public schools at the primary and secondary levels. Fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

Why Study Advertising And Art Education At Grand Valley?

The program emphasizes the training of committed artists who desire to work in the field of teaching after their graduation. Art education students:

• Introduce the importance of the visual as a tool for participatory learning across the disciplines and in community settings.
• Receive intensive studio training that enriches students' individual roles as artists and prepares them for diverse teaching environments.
• Experience a comprehensive curriculum that includes educational theory, community-based arts education, and the role of technology in the classroom.
• Benefit from a program that provides opportunities for service learning and for professional development.
• Complete the program with K-12 certification to teach visual arts in the State of Michigan.

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.

Why Study Engineering 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.

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.

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 Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.) degree prepares students for a variety of conditions that limit people's ability to function. Grand Valley graduates are prepared to help such individuals and groups overcome these limitations.

The B.S.W. requires 120 semester credit hours. The program is built on a liberal arts foundation plus 31 hours of cognate and international courses. The required courses complement 48 credit hours of professional social work courses, which emphasize CSWE core competencies and foundation practice behaviors.

Topics include: social work practice, human behavior in context, values and ethics, social and economic justice, diversity, policy, research, and critical thinking.

Why Study Social Work At Grand Valley?

• The social work program provides a foundation curriculum in a high-quality learning environment that prepares students for success in the community social work concentration.
• Through the combined efforts of the faculty, staff, and the advising center, students are provided with the personal advising and support they need to get their degree, pursue a master's degree, or start their careers.
• Students learn from engaged faculty, many of whom are nationally known for their contributions in diverse areas of the social work profession.
• The School of Social Work hosts several faculty-led International programs. These programs are typically two-week-long programs with many opportunities to be involved in the social work process in a variety of settings.
• Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

Majoring in geography provides students with the knowledge and technical skills to find long-term, place-based solutions that are socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable.

Both a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees are offered. In addition to the general geography degree, there are four distinctive areas of emphasis:

• Climate change mitigation, adaptation and resiliency planning
• City and regional planning
• Environment and global development
• Geospatial technology using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and satellite imagery

Why Study Geography At Grand Valley?

• Coursework includes research and community engagement opportunities that provide hands-on, real-world experience and networking connections.
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and planning are in the top 10 hot jobs in the country.
• Students acquire skills in research and analysis using the latest technology, leading to exciting, well-paid jobs both foreign and domestic, all while enhancing graduate school admissions.
• Career preparation and skills for academia, business, government and non-profits.
• The 2019 median pay for a geographer with a bachelor's degree was $81,540 per year and $39.20 per hour.

Students explore the ways interconnected physical, institutional, and cultural systems shape our attitudes and behavior toward the environment. The program emphasizes practical approaches to issues through collaborative problem-solving and involvement in research, internships, and community-based projects.

Students pursuing a major in ENS may choose a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree and complete 35 to 37 credits, plus the B.A. or B.S. program requirements. Students select interdisciplinary coursework from at least one of four focus areas: sustainable food systems, energy, water resources, and culture and the built environment.

The ENS major is designed with the intention for students to easily combine and supplement it with another major, minor, or certificate to further expand knowledge and career options.

Why Study Environmental And Sustainability Studies At Grand Valley?

• Make connections to pursue a career as an environmental and sustainability professional in industry, government, and non-profit organizations.
• Develop skills in communication, advocacy, outreach, education, and research.
• Acquire first-hand experience addressing complex environmental problems through community-based learning, internships, and research projects.
• Engage in campus sustainability activities at Michigan's top-rated green university.
• Gain the broad educational background needed to create positive change as leaders, decision-makers, and citizens.