Bachelor of Arts in Communication

at Kaplan Group - Arizona State University - Downtown Phoenix Campus USA

The BA program in communication is a broad-based program that trains individuals to speak and write competently, manage relationships well, problem-solve effectively and understand the role and function of communication in public forums, organizational settings, relational exchanges and intercultural situations.

The curriculum provides an extensive understanding of the practical, theoretical and professional distinctions of today's field of communication. Utilizing the nationally recognized CommLabASU, students perform in-depth study of what contributes to and detracts from effective human communication, recognizing that the art of communication is far more nuanced than simple speaking and writing prowess.

Students may pursue one or more focus areas that are designed to amplify their academic and professional preparation in specific contexts.

The School of Public Affairs offers a concentration in criminology as part of the BS in public service and public policy.

Criminology continues to be a highly sought-after area and it presents broad policy implications for future public sector professionals. This program introduces students to the fundamental foundations in criminal justice and criminology by preparing them to think critically, contribute to society and enhance public safety.

The program prepares competent, entry-level recreational therapists with the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities needed to improve functional outcomes and increase participation in life activities for individuals experiencing health conditions. It is designed for students who want to learn to conduct assessments, develop service plans, implement therapeutic interventions, and evaluate and document outcomes of care. They gain skills to effectively provide comprehensive therapeutic recreation services that include program design and evaluation, individual and group service provision, and advocacy. The required fieldwork component of the program facilitates the development of competencies to provide quality recreational therapy services.

Students who choose this degree program are committed to improving people's lives and contributing to their communities. This degree program is one of two such programs in Arizona, both offered by the School of Community Resources and Development. This program has a heavier emphasis on healthcare settings such as hospitals and human service agencies while the Bachelor of Science in parks and recreation with a concentration in therapeutic recreation prepares students to provide recreational therapy services in community settings such as youth programs, adaptive sports, or parks and recreation.

Want to develop and implement innovative policy solutions to environmental problems facing society? Through this top-ranked specialty within the MPP program (#5 in Environmental Policy and Management, U.S. News & World Report), you will gain the analytic skills required to address environmental challenges from local pollution to global climate change.

The MPP program equips students with the analytical tools needed to understand and address public policy issues. Students also develop skills in managing the process of policy development, approval, implementation and evaluation.

Through a focused set of electives, the MPP concentration in environmental policy deepens student expertise in specific areas and issues, such as the greening of local governments and policy evaluation of public and private partnerships, and builds the knowledge base and skills to bring sustainability solutions to the government, corporate and nonprofit sectors. At the conclusion of the master's degree program, students are prepared to apply sustainability principles and approaches to careers in a variety of fields that address environmental and, inevitably, human challenges.

Biomedical informatics is a multidisciplinary field that involves the generation, acquisition, management and analysis of biomedical and health data and its translation into information and knowledge for improving individual and population health.

The BS program in biomedical informatics curriculum includes biomedical informatics, computer science, biology, chemistry, mathematics and statistics. Students learn approaches to acquiring data, data management and knowledge representation, modeling and machine learning and using these capabilities to address problems in the biomedical and health domains. Students have the opportunity to do research alongside faculty who are experts in bioinformatics, imaging informatics, clinical informatics and population health informatics.

Students are offered the opportunity to learn best practices from a broad array of industry experts (providers, regulatory agencies, government payers, and others) within the medical industry, giving graduates options from which to channel their career in health care compliance.

This program is ideal for anyone interested in the ethical, regulatory and business sides of the health care industry. Program areas of emphasis include:

• Industry standards for accreditation and auditing
• Data privacy, security, and analysis concepts
• Revenue cycles, including current billing and coding procedures
• Local and federal compliance policies, laws and regulations

Become a global leader with a higher purpose. Build on Thunderbird's No. 1-ranked MGM degree (Times Higher Education/Wall Street Journal, 2019) with a concentration in integrated health care. Learn to develop, implement, evaluate and sustain integrated care programs in diverse health care settings globally to respond to increasing worldwide demand.

The World Economic Forum reports that empathy and collaboration are two critical abilities for a global manager's success. These skills are equally critical for those seeking careers in integrated health care. Capacity for these key abilities relies on the development of social capital. This program is designed to develop social capital through field-based action learning, team-based projects and stretch assignments. Students become experts in building sustainable, trusting relationships --- the basis of social capital --- with others from diverse parts of the world by mastering intercultural empathy, the skill set to have an interpersonal impact and the business acumen to act with diplomacy.

Delivering care with global reach
The MGM program in global management with a concentration in integrated health care is designed for current or aspiring managers in health care who would like to develop, implement, evaluate and sustain integrated care programs in diverse health care settings globally. Students gain perspectives on both global management and integrated health care in this program.

Doing well by doing good with a specialized master's degree
Students in this program master the ability to apply foundational business concepts and analytics of health care and integrated care to transform health care management practices. Students learn to leverage key aspects of health care systems, organizational cultures and populations, and workforce issues necessary to implement, evaluate and sustain integrated care delivery globally. Graduates position themselves to enter the workforce in leadership roles in which they can make a difference. Graduates achieve a demonstrated proficiency in cross-cultural leadership, interdisciplinary teamwork, change management and health care technologies, empowering them to develop innovative clinical, operational and financial strategies and techniques.

Thunderbird School of Global Management has produced unique leaders for more than 70 years, leaders in every sector capable of tackling the world's greatest challenges. The alumni network comprises 45,000 graduates and 170 chapters around the globe.

The BS program in public service and public policy prepares students for work in government at all levels and in nonprofit organizations through comprehensive coverage of topics in public policy, public leadership and management, and urban studies.

Students discover the challenges of management and learn how to lead a public organization and understand the process of policy development. This program examines the public sector and addresses, in a practical way, the challenges facing the public. The program is unique because it enables students to study public service, policy and administration with a professional focus.

Students select one of the following concentrations areas to supplement their core courses, including; American Indian studies, business, criminology, emergency management, health policy, law and policy, nonprofit leadership and management, parks and recreation management, public leadership and management, science and technology, social services delivery, sustainability, or urban and metropolitan studies.

The MS program in science of health care delivery focuses on the study and design of systems, processes, leadership and management approaches used to optimize health care delivery and health for all. This degree program is for individuals interested in a career in the health care industry. It provides students with the knowledge and competencies they will need for contributing in a patient-centered, safe and cost-effective health care system.

The curriculum is centered on achieving high-value care through leadership, population health, informatics, systems engineering, health care management, and health economics and policy. Students learn Lean Six Sigma principles and apply them to health care delivery issues.

The program challenges students to work on innovative solutions to improve the U.S. health care system by simultaneously improving the health of the population, enhancing the patient experience and reducing per capita cost of care. Students apply concepts through case studies and team-based projects to facilitate integration of knowledge and competencies. Participating students work in a cohort through the program and are able to complete the degree in nine months (one academic year). Students are paired with leading health care delivery organizations to complete an applied capstone project during the program.

A BS in kinesiology provides students with a deep understanding of how the human body works. The program prepares students for graduate study in physical or occupational therapy, physician assistant programs, medicine and other health-related professional programs.

In kinesiology, all aspects of human function are studied from the perspective of human movement. The rigorous curriculum provides a scientifically inclusive approach to human movement, studying mechanical, anatomical, neural, developmental, physiological and psychological mechanisms. This gives students in the program a well-rounded understanding of all aspects of human function as it pertains to movement and exercise.

Students in the program have opportunities to work one-on-one with faculty.