Master of Science in Actuarial Science (STEM)

at Kaplan Group - Arizona State University - Tempe Campus USA

The MS program in justice studies is an innovative, interdisciplinary program that prepares students to work, research, and advocate on behalf of social justice. Students study a wide range of topics at the local, national and international levels, gaining the training needed to analyze social, economic, cultural, political and legal inequalities and promote pathways to more just societies.

The MA in English education is a one-year, intensive program designed to prepare practicing and transitioning teachers for careers as exemplary educators, teacher-researchers and leaders in English language arts instruction.

Students in the program develop a deep understanding of the English language arts by learning how to access, analyze and apply research and best practices for teaching secondary students (grades 7-12). This program balances the refining of disciplinary knowledge with pedagogical application of that knowledge in classrooms. Students take a variety of dynamic, cutting-edge methods courses, including advanced methods courses in research in English education, methods of teaching writing and text, teaching postcolonial young adult literature and teaching writing in an era of standardization.

This innovative course of study culminates with an inquiry project related to English language arts instruction in secondary classrooms. The program empowers students to employ teacher research and inquiry to address questions they have about their own students' learning and their own teaching practice.

The BA program in business with a concentration in public service and public policy combines strong business skills with topics in public policy and public administration. Students become familiar with leading a public organization and the process of policy development. They also examine the public sector through multiple lenses and address its challenges in a practical way.

The BFA program in art with a concentration in painting and drawing offers a dynamic environment for creative, intellectual and technical growth that leads students to a quality studio art practice and a professional career in painting and drawing. The program's curriculum encourages a wide spectrum of innovative approaches to contemporary painting and drawing.

Working from a variety of sources and subjects, students develop technical proficiency through experimentation with a wide range of materials and processes. In addition, students develop the ability to critically assess imagery through written and verbal analysis. Through concentration courses, and especially preparation for their senior exhibition, graduates leave the program with a body of work created with an individualized approach to form and content.

Students declare their Bachelor of Fine Arts concentration at the time of ASU admission. Following admission, if students wish to change their concentration, they may meet with their School of Art academic advisor.

The BS program in biological sciences with a concentration in biology and society focuses on training biology students to understand the social context of their science and to ask how and why a biological problem has been and should be studied. Students explore the ways in which policy decisions shape and are shaped by biological research and they investigate the meaning and significance of the life sciences in understanding our complex world.

The biology and society curriculum is highly individualized. This unique degree is home to world-class researchers and teachers in diverse fields, including bioscience ethics, history and philosophy of science, science communication, science education and science policy, all brought together under one program. Students have the opportunity to work with many renowned scholars in independent study and research projects.

The transdisciplinary MS program in construction management and technology allows students with a bachelor's degree in construction or a related field such as architecture, business or engineering to broaden and improve their professional capabilities in construction. This meets the growing need for professionals with advanced technical, management and applied research skills in the construction industry.

The program allows a candidate's plan of study to reflect individual interests and career goals. Courses are offered in several areas, allowing a student to tailor their degree to their interests:

• construction management --- project, program and company management
• commercial and residential areas --- various types of real estate development
• facilities management --- maintenance, operation, renovation or decommissioning of existing facilities
• heavy construction --- infrastructure development
• specialty construction --- mechanical and electrical systems

This program is facilitated by the faculty of the Del E. Webb School of Construction.

The MA program in educational policy is suited for individuals who want to deepen their understanding of how to translate research to policy and practice, communicate and engage with stakeholders and propose effective research-based policies. Students also develop fundamental skills in analyzing and interpreting educational data.

This program is formatted as a cohort model. It provides a supportive environment for students to take a sequence of core courses with their peers, and to learn from professors who are experts in their fields. The program also provides students with the flexibility to select elective courses and individualize their experience to suit their unique interests and aspirations.

In the culminating experience in the final semester, students design and execute an individual or group project that utilizes their new knowledge and applied research skills.

The MS program in actuarial science emphasizes broad awareness and appreciation of current issues faced by insurance industry practitioners as well as innovative resolutions provided by actuaries.

Students to advance their knowledge base by applying mathematical and statistical concepts and data analytics to the disciplines of risk management, finance and insurance. It also includes a new focused set of professional learning outcomes aligned with the needs of the ever-evolving insurance industry, while keeping the core technical learning outcomes in place. These guide students' development of professional competencies through coursework, independent projects and opportunities outside of the classroom, while remaining firmly based on a strong foundation of scholarly technical work in actuarial science.

Actuaries must pass a series of intensive professional exams to become credentialed. Program graduates are prepared for the examinations required to become credentialed professionals by the Society of Actuaries or Casualty Actuarial Society and to be competitive employees in the insurance and finance industries.

The BSE program in electrical engineering prepares students for positions as electrical engineers.

Following initial coursework in mathematics and sciences, the foundation classes build a solid base of engineering knowledge. The electrical engineering curriculum includes a number of required upper-division electrical engineering and technical elective courses in such areas as circuits; communication, signal processing and control systems; computer engineering; electromagnetics; power; and solid-state devices.

Approved technical elective courses provide students with an opportunity either to broaden their background in electrical engineering or to study in greater depth the technical subjects in which they have special interest.

The MA program in learning sciences proceeds from an understanding that learning happens in many places, not just in schools.

This program focuses on the power of design thinking to improve educational systems and provides students with a blend of theoretical insights and practical tools that prepare them to shape learning environments and experiences. The systems-level approach includes cognitive, social and contextual factors and the interactions among them.

Graduates of the program are equipped to design effective learning and teaching systems in a broad range of formal and informal settings that include museums, libraries, workplaces and schools and are well-prepared to become leaders in the development, integration and improvement of these systems.