Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Science (STEM)

at Kaplan Group - University of Connecticut - Storrs Campus USA

Geography is a multidimensional discipline that analyzes the interactions between people and their environments. Our geographers teach courses and engage in research on a wide range of relevant and timely topics such as urban sprawl, the nature and impact of migration, globalization of the economy and international trade, the spatial prevalence of disease, regional development, global climatic change, environmental degradation and restoration, watershed and landscape change, and the analysis and display of spatial data using geographic information systems (GIS) technology.

Coursework in geography enables graduates to find employment in the private and public sectors while providing both the regional and global perspective required of informed citizens. B.A. students have gone on to work as urban and regional planners, marketing specialists, environmental program managers, location analysts, and transportation planners.

The B.S. degree prepares students to pursue a technologically oriented career as geographic information systems specialists. Students with an undergraduate degree in geography are also prepared to move on to graduate school to pursue M.A. and Ph.D. degrees that enable them to teach at the college level or to secure higher ranking positions in the public and private sectors.

The Department of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages offers courses in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Spanish, Classical Languages (Ancient Greek, Latin, and Biblical Hebrew) and selected critical languages. Students may major in Chinese Studies, Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies, French and Francophone Studies, German Studies, Italian Literary and Cultural Studies, Judaic Studies, and Spanish Studies. A student may double major in two of the above majors. Students will gain knowledge of the Literature, Culture, and applied Language skills that are required for teaching, business, diplomatic or governmental work, and research in graduate or undergraduate study of the culture and literature that is associated with these languages.

Education Abroad is required (or strongly encouraged, please see descriptions) for the majors in modern languages for at least one semester or approved equivalents. The department sponsors University of Connecticut programs in France; Italy; Spain; Germany; and Tianjin, China. Many other programs are available in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Europe through Education Abroad. Such coursework is normally most valuable during the junior year, but qualified sophomores and seniors are also eligible Students interested in Education Abroad should consult with their advisors.

Digital Media and Design majors must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.7 for all graded coursework at the University of Connecticut. Digital Media and Design majors must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 based on all courses required within the Digital Media and Design majors.

At the end of each semester, students with a grade point deficiency will be placed on departmental scholastic probation. During the subsequent semester, the student will have the opportunity to improve their standing. In the event that the student’s standing does not rise to the minimum level, they will be subject to dismissal from the Digital Media and Design major.

Geographic Information Science (GIScience) is the scientific discipline that conducts spatial analysis to examine economic, environmental, physical, and social phenomena. The study of spatial data structures and computational techniques to capture, represent, process, and analyze geographic information are essential to GIScience. GIScience overlaps with and draws from many research fields such as computer science, statistics, mathematics, and psychology, and contributes to progress in those fields. GIScience also supports research in many academic disciplines such as natural resource management, environmental science and engineering, geosciences, agriculture, marine sciences, sociology, history, public health, business, and anthropology.

Courses in GIScience enable students to develop capability in spatial thinking and gather in-depth knowledge in geospatial technology. Geospatial technology is a term used to describe the range of modern tools contributing to the geographic mapping and analysis of the Earth and human societies, e.g. geographic information systems (GISystems), remote sensing, the global positioning system (GPS), spatial statistics, web mapping and navigation technologies.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, graduates with skills in geospatial technology are in extremely high demand and are one of the highest growth areas in the federal government. Students have employment opportunities in many corporate and government entities. Students with an undergraduate degree in GIScience are also prepared to move on to graduate school to pursue M.A, M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in many fields that enable them to pursue academic jobs or to secure higher ranking positions in the public and private sectors.

The Arabic and Islamic Studies major requires a minimum of 24 credits of Arabic (ARAB) and Arabic and Islamic Studies (ARIS) courses, plus a minimum of 12 credits of related courses from programs other than Arabic and Islamic Studies. A minimum of 12 major credits must consist of Arabic and Islamic Studies courses taken in residence. Only six may be transfer credits. AP credits may not be used toward the major.

The Department offers both Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Arts degrees in Mathematics, Applied Mathematical Sciences, Mathematics-Statistics, and Mathematics-Actuarial Science, and Mathematics-Actuarial Science-Finance, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics-Physics. The Bachelor of Science program provides in-depth training in Mathematics as preparation for graduate study or for participation in scientific and engineering teams in government, industry, or research laboratories. The Bachelor of Arts degree is designed to provide training in contemporary mathematics without the depth and concentrated specialization required for the Bachelor of Science program. To satisfy the writing in the major and information literacy competencies in the Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, the Bachelor of Arts in Applied Mathematical Sciences, and the Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematical Sciences, all students must pass one of the following courses: MATH 2705W, 2710W, 2720W, 2794W, 3670W, 3710W, or 3796W.

Undergraduate education in business is designed to impart a broad base of general knowledge within which students pursue additional knowledge to become exceptional managerial and business leaders. The curricula seek to expand capacities, perspectives, and skills of students who wish direct preparation for careers in either business firms or the public service.

In addition to the business programs leading to the Bachelor of Science, a Management and Engineering for Manufacturing bachelor’s degree program is offered jointly with the School of Engineering and is described at the end of the list of business majors in this section of the Catalog.

In collaboration with the School of Engineering, the German Section offers Eurotech, a carefully structured five-year, double-degree program enabling students who have been admitted to the School of Engineering to earn both a B.A. in German and a B.S. in Engineering. The program includes German language courses specially designed to include engineering content, engineering courses partly taught in German, and a six-month internship in a German-speaking company. There is a special emphasis on environmental engineering and pollution prevention. Eurotech students may substitute a combination of all three one-credit courses GERM 3220, 3221, and 3222 for one of the three-credit courses in category three.

Majoring in Applied and Resource Economics will prepare you to think analytically about solving problems in the production and marketing of products and the management of natural resources and the environment. The program awards a B.S degree in Applied and Resource Economics, has a highly flexible curriculum, and caters to individualized interests while helping you develop highly marketable skills and pursue interests from the major areas of study and concentrations.

The undergraduate major in Urban and Community Studies is an interdisciplinary program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with a focus on educating citizens on the multiple dimensions of urban and community life and preparing students for careers in public and community service as well as graduate study in social work, public administration, law, planning, public health, or other related areas.

The major has three parts. First, students receive a broad education in the study of cities, suburbs, neighborhoods and communities through core courses in three fields drawn from Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Public Policy, Sociology, and Urban and Community Studies. Second, students acquire a solid foundation in analytical techniques such as statistical analysis, survey research, geographic information systems, qualitative methods, or archival research. Finally, students take additional electives in order to broaden their academic training or to develop a deeper specialization in selected areas.