Master of Arts in American Studies

at Kaplan Group - Arizona State University - Tempe Campus USA

The BA program in earth and environmental studies provides a foundational understanding of the evolution of the earth system with an emphasis on the planetary context for sustainable human societies.

The degree program includes broad training in the physical sciences, especially process-oriented geosciences that focus on Earth's life-sustaining surface environment. Advanced courses focus on topics including:

• Climate change
• Earth's water, energy and material resources
• Impact of land-use change on human civilization
• Physical, chemical and biological process interactions that define Earth's evolution

This is designed as a liberal arts program with an emphasis on basic scientific literacy, not as a preparatory degree program for graduate study in the natural sciences.

The big data systems concentration under the MS degree program in computer science is designed for graduate students who want to pursue a thorough education in the area of big data systems. The program has a thesis and nonthesis project portfolio option.

The goal of this concentration is to provide students with the knowledge, skills and advanced research expertise in designing scalable systems (parallel, distributed and real-time) for acquiring, storing, processing and accessing large-scale heterogeneous multisource data and in using analytical tools to mine information from the data.

Graduates are able to choose and deploy the appropriate data management processing and analysis systems with a suitable structured or unstructured data model that a particular task and domain application needs.

The MUD is a transdisciplinary post-professional graduate program in The Design School which provides students with actionable knowledge of urban systems that enables them to lead socially just urban transformations for community resilience.

Students study and apply newly emerging design knowledge from architecture, landscape architecture, creative place-keeping and place-making, urban planning, community development, civil engineering and real estate development. Students also draw from critical works in nondesign disciplines including climate science, social justice, sustainability science, urban ecology, urban climate, smart city, law, and systems theory.

Program studio projects are run as service-learning studios whenever possible. This approach partners students with cities and communities to exchange knowledge and learn from each other. Recent studio topics have covered the climate crisis, urban watershed design, indigenous design knowledge and practice, social justice, community health, the integration of wildlife corridors in compact urban development, and smart city approaches to rapid technological change.

The Master of Urban Design curriculum is built around the analysis and understanding of these dynamic urban systems specific to rapidly urbanizing and arid regions of the world. The program leverages a number of local factors --- the rapidly expanding Phoenix metropolis, the arid climate and the area's cultural diversity --- in the development of responsible global initiatives and innovative design strategies for urban environments.

This program addresses the urban design transformations that are needed in order to build just, sustainable and resilient communities that can address a multitude of crises.

The neurobiology, physiology and behavior concentration serves students in the BS program in biological sciences with a broad yet rigorous education.

While it might seem that neurobiology, physiology and behavior are quite separate fields, the three interact extensively in living organisms to achieve common goals. By studying neurobiology, behavior and physiology from the perspectives of molecular and cellular biology, evolution, organ systems (neural, endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, immune, etc.) and the environment, students gain insight into how these aspects work together in a variety of ways. Students in this concentration also learn to apply principles from mathematics, chemistry and physics. Discoveries are made at the laboratory bench and in the field, and students in the concentration are encouraged to participate in research projects in the labs of our faculty members.

The BA program in film with a concentration in film and media studies is an innovative program in the study of film, television and digital media.

The program provides students with the analytical, creative and communication skills to interpret and produce media texts, empowering them to be critical scholars, consumers and practitioners of media culture.

The BAE program for elementary education with a concentration in educating multilingual learners offers students a firm grounding in current research and critical pedagogy for English language learners, accompanied by professional experiences that expose students to more ways of teaching and learning.

Students in this program are prepared to nurture and develop languages other than English in dual-language settings and to value the rich linguistic resources that are present in any classroom to support student learning. Students take several courses that focus on developing teachers for linguistically and culturally diverse settings. These courses include topics such as language diversity, dialectal variation, funds of knowledge, and practices that value cultural and community engagements.

Understanding the challenges that emerging bilinguals face instructionally, coupled with understanding the implications of language policy in various learning contexts is imperative to student experiences and coursework. Students learn processes for identifying English language learners as well as developing and supporting the needs of students with individual language learning plans. Students also receive preparation in teaching academic content areas including math, language arts, computer literacy and science with a specific focus on meeting the academic and linguistic needs of English language learners.

The program requires six credit hours of a foreign language or its equivalent and enables students to work with second-language learners.

The elementary education EML teacher certification program is clinically embedded during the junior and senior years. During this time, students are intentionally and directly implementing course learning and theory to practices in the classroom. Strategies within the EML program focus on foundations of second language acquisition, biliteracy, culturally relevant pedagogy, effective language instruction and prepares pre-service teachers to develop critical perspectives that allows them to advocate for bilingual children and families.

The School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies offers an MA degree program in traditional and contemporary philosophy. General areas of research include ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, epistemology, philosophy of law, philosophy of science, feminist philosophy, philosophy of language, experimental philosophy and the history of philosophy.

Members of the faculty are involved in interdisciplinary work in a variety of fields and enjoy close ties with the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics, the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, and a number of other graduate programs at ASU. The philosophy program sponsors an active colloquium series and regular philosophical conferences on diverse topics. The Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics also sponsors a wide range of activities, including large-scale conferences, distinguished visitors and support for graduate study.

The program seeks to maintain a balance between course offerings in the traditional areas of philosophy and opportunities for study of current philosophical developments.

The electrical engineering faculty in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering offer a professional program leading to the MSE in electrical engineering.

Graduate courses and programs are offered in six areas of specialization:

• control systems (not an option for the online degree but available to on-campus students)
• electric power and energy systems
• electromagnetics, antennas and microwave circuits
• electronic and mixed-signal circuit design
• physical electronics and photonics
• signal processing and communications

The MS program in materials science and engineering prepares engineers for doctoral study or industrial positions that specialize in research, project management and product innovation in materials science and engineering.

The program stresses a sound foundation in technical fundamentals, communication and professionalism. To this end, a broad-based curriculum is offered in thermodynamics, structures and mechanical properties; kinetics; optical and magnetic properties; materials characterization; and energy production and storage.

The MA program in theatre introduces students to graduate study in the field of theatre and performance studies and provides a broad base of knowledge in the areas of history, theory, dramaturgy, research methods and practice.

Students have the opportunity to tailor their plan of study to specific research pathways and artistic subject areas such as performance studies, history and historiography, theory, dramatic writing, theatre for youth, performance as research, technology in performance, drama for teaching and learning, dramaturgy, devising, directing, civic engagement and performance.

The program is designed for those who wish to ultimately enter a doctoral program, for K-12 educators seeking to expand and amplify their expertise, and for those seeking to advance their knowledge of theatre and performance studies.