Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts and Performance

at Kaplan Group - Arizona State University - West Campus USA

The MS program in psychology offered by the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences has two main options.

One option is ideal for students who plan to pursue doctoral work or careers that involve psychological research methods such as marketing research, education research analysis, public policy analysis, research project management or program evaluation. The program is intensive and research-oriented, and it culminates in a thesis or applied project. Students receive training in advanced research methodology and statistical analysis, grant proposal writing, laboratory instrumentation, data collection and manuscript development. Students gain first-hand exposure to designing and conducting research, analyzing data and developing presentations and manuscripts. Students are encouraged to present research reports at professional meetings and conferences and to publish as co-authors in faculty-guided research.

The online program option gives students and working professionals an understanding of psychological theory and empirical research findings as they relate to human behavior, cognition, emotion and attitudes. The coursework is designed to help students learn about the various roles of psychologists in society today and discover which they might like to pursue through careers in education, social service, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, management or through additional graduate training.

Elective courses in all options are offered in several areas, including abnormal psychology, affective science, behavior analysis, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, health psychology, legal psychology, psychophysiology and social psychology.

The BA program in community advocacy and social policy focuses on advocacy strategies through an in-depth exploration, analysis and comparison of social service systems and policies from an empowerment perspective.

The program's emphasis is on examining the needs of historically under-served individuals, families and communities. Policy analysis and social change are critical themes in developing an advocacy knowledge base as are the equally important themes of prevention and social well-being. Students complete courses in two core areas: diversity and oppressed populations and social issues and interventions.

While the Bachelor of Arts in community advocacy and social policy program is fully accredited regionally under the North Central Regional Higher Education Association, it is not accredited through the Council of Social Work Education because this degree is not a BSW degree. Therefore, the Bachelor of Arts in community advocacy and social policy degree would not fulfill a professional licensing requirement that requires a Bachelor of Social Work degree from a CSWE-accredited Bachelor of Social Work program.

The BS program in computational forensics is a multidisciplinary degree program that encompasses areas of physical, biological and social sciences with an additional focus on statistics and computation.

Students investigate specific forensic problems using statistics, computing and mathematics with the main goal of advancing their forensic science knowledge and capabilities. Students study and develop the quantitative and computational methods that assist basic and applied research efforts in forensic science, establish or prove scientific basis in investigative procedures and support forensic examiner casework. Through modeling, computer simulations and computer-based analysis and recognition, students gain an in-depth understanding of the forensic science discipline, the scientific method and the systematic approach to forensic science.

Forensic psychology is the application of psychology to the law. The concentration in forensic psychology within the BA program in psychology combines general training in psychology with specialized coursework in criminal law, criminal behavior, the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders and legal decision-making.

When courts are faced with cases in which a psychology-related question arises, they may turn to psychologists for help with the case. For example, psychologists might assist the court in understanding a criminal's mental state at the time of a crime or in determining whether a particular jury might have been biased against a defendant based on his or her race. This is the realm of forensic psychology.

This program teaches students about the various roles for psychologists in the legal system and helps them discover which roles they might like to pursue through careers in mental health, criminal justice or through graduate training.

The Bachelor of Arts degree differs from the BS degree in that it does not require two additional lab science courses.

The School of Social and Behavioral Sciences offers a BS in political science in the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.

Political science is the study of governmental practices, politics and theories. Coursework in the political science program covers American institutions, international relations, political theory and world affairs. This program helps students gain a basic understanding of the assumptions underlying political science and to develop the necessary research skills for analyzing complex sociopolitical issues. In addition to coursework, students learn through internships, service-learning and research opportunities. The Bachelor of Science degree differs from the BA degree in that it requires an additional statistics course and a methods course.

Graduates of this program are prepared for work as analysts or aides in local, state or national legislative offices, among other roles. Many graduates go on to law school or graduate programs in political science, social science, urban planning or public administration.

The BS program in health care coordination prepares students to effectively coordinate resources to optimize individual health outcomes.

Through coursework, students build a thorough understanding of health care systems, community and public health, community resources, health education and health advocacy.

The program emphasizes patient advocacy and education, the resources available from community and public health services, and the role of health policy and financing in modern health care.

Graduates of the program are prepared to work with an interdisciplinary team to utilize resources, provide health education and advocate for the patient when it is needed the most.

This degree program uses the same prerequisites as the nursing major; therefore, students may transition seamlessly to this program and obtain a bachelor's degree in a health-related field.

Forensic psychology is the application of psychology to the law. The concentration in forensic psychology within the BS program in psychology combines general training in psychology with specialized coursework in criminal law, criminal behavior, the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders and legal decision-making.

When courts are faced with cases in which a psychology-related question arises, they may turn to psychologists and ask for help with the case. For example, psychologists might assist the court in understanding a criminal's mental state at the time of a crime or whether a particular jury might have been biased against a defendant based on his or her race. This is the realm of forensic psychology.

This program teaches students about the various roles of psychologists in the legal system and helps them discover which roles they might like to pursue through careers in mental health, criminal justice or through graduate training.

The Bachelor of Science degree differs from the BA degree in that it requires two additional lab courses and advanced statistical training. The Bachelor of Science program provides a greater depth of knowledge in the biological and neuroscientific aspects of psychology that are becoming increasingly important both for research and clinical forensic practice. In addition, the advanced statistical training further prepares students for careers and graduate training involving psychological research, clinical research and legal policy research.

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 BA program in philosophy, religion and society comprises historical, theoretical and practical perspectives on philosophy, religion and social ethics, and it emphasizes social and political concerns by putting the studies of philosophy and religion into action.

This interdisciplinary degree program offers three areas of concentration: applied ethics, continental philosophy and religious studies.

The MA in communication studies is a cutting-edge degree program designed for students who wish to pursue a wide range of today's communication professions.

With special emphases on both advocacy and social technologies as defining themes, students can tailor the program to their personal goals, focusing on topics such as interpersonal, organizational, sport, environmental, social media politics and global or technology-mediated communication.

Students use multiple perspectives to explore a variety of topics and issues in communication.

These include how individuals and collectives participate effectively in personal relationships, organizational settings and public dialogues across cultural contexts, and the impact and effects of media, mediated representations and new technologies. They also learn to use communication strategically to advocate for others.

Graduates are prepared to pursue doctoral work or careers in a variety of communication-driven fields such as public affairs, public relations, employee development, strategic communication, community relations and grassroots movements through exposure to a variety of research methods, theories and practical applications.