Master of Social Work

at Grand Valley State University USA

Most courses are offered in the evenings, making it ideal for working professionals and those who are considering the pursuit of a Ph.D. Students can complete the program in the standard two years. Visit gvsu.edu/grad/english for admission requirements.

Why Study English At Grand Valley?

The M.A. program at Grand Valley State University has many advantages:

• Award-winning teachers committed to academic rigor.
• Courses are taught by professors who are active scholars with strong publication records.
• Small classes (with a limit of 15 students) ensure intensive student-faculty collaboration.
• Evening courses on the Allendale and Grand Rapids campuses accommodate part-time students.
• Flexible programming makes it easy for students to pursue their own interests.

The program provides a broad and rigorous curriculum, including field, laboratory, and classroom experiences with an emphasis on inquiry instruction to best prepare students to be effective teachers.

Why Study Earth Science At Grand Valley?

• In addition to knowledgeable, accomplished faculty members, the Geology department provides an excellent learning community and invaluable learning experiences outside the classroom.
• Students often conduct field studies and educational research where they can apply their earth science knowledge in real-world situations.
• Individually mentored educational, curriculum, or geologic research opportunities are available to undergraduate students, a rarity among similar programs at other universities.
• Students routinely attend and/or present their work at national, state, or regional professional meetings.
• The student-run Geology Club meets regularly and organizes events such as on-campus speakers, field experiences, and attendance at local, regional, and national conferences.

In addition to studying artists and their work, art historians study the interpretation of visual material and how it changes over time. The program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

Why Study Art History At Grand Valley?

• Examine the roles of visual media from diverse cultures and historical periods to gain an understanding of context and a global outlook that are necessary in our changing world.
• Learn in small classes that ensure individualized attention from faculty members at every level of the program.
• Benefit from a flexible, interdisciplinary curriculum that allows students to pursue a minor or double major while at GVSU.
• Develop the analytical abilities that are fundamental for the world of work and for engaged citizenship.
• Acquire the skills of self-advocacy essential for life after graduation.

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

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.

Grand Valley's unique combination of practical skills training within the context of a liberal arts education prepares graduates for a wide range of careers. The following degrees are offered to criminal justice majors:

• The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
• The Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
• Minor in Juvenile Justice or Criminal Justice

Why Study Criminal Justice At Grand Valley?

• Grand Valley has one of the largest criminal justice programs in the country and faculty who are nationally recognized for contributions in the discipline.
• Students have the chance to complete an internship in the agency or organization of their choosing.
• Faculty members bring diverse interests and practical experiences in the profession to the classroom.
• There are opportunities to assist faculty with fieldwork, gathering and analyzing data on community issues and programs.
• Grand Valley is known as a leader in the state for police academy training and continually sets the bar for law enforcement education.

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.

The Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB) degree is for students with a passion for the life sciences who want to gain extensive research experience as an undergraduate. CMB focuses on determining how cells develop and function, and how biomolecules, such as DNA, RNA and proteins, interact under normal and pathological conditions. CMB also explores the applications of this knowledge in fields such as biotechnology, medicine/pharmacology, and genomics.

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in CMB consists of a series of high impact laboratory and computational courses. Each student has the opportunity to choose an independent research project to study a variety of cell and molecular processes that are relevant to human disease or agriculture. Together, coursework and research prepare CMB students to enter the workforce in fields such as forensics or biotechnology or to pursue graduate training in the life sciences or professional school programs (eg. medical, dental, or genetic counseling).

The CMB department also offers a minor in CMB, a combined degree program (B.S./M.S.) and undergraduate and graduate certificates in bioinformatics and genomics.

Why Study Cmb At Grand Valley?

• The CMB graduating class is consistently ranked in the top 10 percent of life science programs in the country by the Educational Testing Service.
• The degree incorporates extensive research experience into the curriculum. Most students work on their independent research projects for two or more semesters and present their research data at scientific meetings. Employers and medical school officials agree this experience is one of the most important considerations for hiring in the life sciences or admission to medical school.
• Faculty members are actively engaged in research with students, taking advantage of Grand Valley's state-of-the-art research equipment.
• Campus is located in West Michigan, which is quickly developing into an important center for biotechnology research, industry, and education.
• Rewarding internships are available at the Van Andel Research Institute, Karmanos Cancer Institute, area hospitals, biotech start-ups, Walter's Greenhouses, and other area organizations.

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.

• The Bachelor of Arts degree in music promotes the study of music within the context of a liberal education curriculum.
• The Bachelor of Music is designed for students with exceptional ability and particular interest in performance.
• The Bachelor of Music Education prepares students to teach music and meet certification requirements for Michigan's elementary and secondary schools.
• A minor in music is also available.

Why Study Music At Grand Valley?

• Studying music at GVSU, within the context of a liberal education foundation, prepares students to answer the call of a rewarding career and life.
• As an undergraduate-only program, our students have greater opportunities to learn and perform.
• Small class sizes allow students to engage directly with faculty members who are committed to understanding and encouraging each student's unique talent and needs.
• Professors are performers, international competition winners, conductors, composers, theorists, scholars, and acclaimed teachers.
• Grand Valley is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music.