Bachelor of Arts in Dance Studies

at Kent State University USA

The Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology teaches design, operation, installation, maintenance and analysis of machinery. The program prepares students to become highly technical professionals in current and emerging fields using mechanical and computer-aided engineering. Students learn to develop innovative solutions to problems encountered in manufacturing.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Use the techniques, skill and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.
• Apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering.
• Design a system, component or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints, such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturability and sustainability.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in German provides instruction designed to develop competence in oral and written communication; insights into language form, usage and meaning; and knowledge of German literature, cultural history and contemporary issues. Additionally, students will be introduced to basic skills in German-to-English translation.

The flexibility of the major makes it easy to combine with a second major, such as the History, International Relations or Political Science major or another foreign language major.

Students wishing to teach may combine the German major with the Education minor to prepare for multi-age (K–12) teacher licensure in Ohio.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Perform language tasks at intermediate high and advanced low levels of proficiency as described by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines. Proficiency, in ACTFL terms, is understood to describe a range of qualities rather than an absolute norm and will vary according to task type, language function, topic, skill (listening, speaking, reading, writing) and so forth.
• Contribute to most informal and some formal conversations with sufficient accuracy, clarity and precision to convey their intended message without misrepresentation or confusion.
• Read a wide variety of texts written for native speakers of German and not edited or adapted for non-native speakers.
• Compose routine social correspondence and write cohesive summaries, narratives and descriptions of a factual nature in German.
• Demonstrate an historical knowledge of German history and culture and understand the diverse nature of culture throughout the ages.
• Discuss cultural differences, distinguishing between fact, opinion and stereotypes.
• Communicate effectively and sensitively to diverse ethnic and cultural groups.
• View concepts, issues, events and themes from the perspectives of diverse ethnic and cultural groups.
• Esteem diversity.
• Maintain an ongoing assessment of their own cultural values and behaviors.

The Master of Science degree in Physics consists of graduate coursework and a research project taking one or two semesters. The research project should result in a written report. Students may choose to complete a thesis, to be defended orally. This degree provides entry-level qualifications for team research employment or a high school teaching career.

Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate cognitive skills important to a physicist, including the following:
  • Think critically and analytically;
  • Define and solve problems in physics; and
  • Conduct quantitative research in a contemporary area of physics.
• Demonstrate a core knowledge and understanding of the foundations of physics.
• Communicate results of their work to peers, to various target groups within the physics community, and to people outside the discipline. Teaching skills also come under this heading.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Africana Studies covers a broad spectrum of the global African experience, which allows students to investigate African connections and influences among and with other ethnic groups in the United States and other parts of the Americas and the world.

The Africana Studies major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Community Activism, Strategy and Development concentration focuses on both historical and contemporary efforts to effect change in communities of color. It examines ways in which diasporic communities and individuals have coordinated political and social strategies for survival and development in spite of racism and socio-economic challenges. The concentration prepares students to work in areas such as education, law, public service, social work, research, business, grant-writing and community organizing and development. It also provides a good foundation for those interested in graduate studies.
• The Global and Government Systems concentration focuses on historical and contemporary culture and politics of people of African descent in Africa and throughout the world. Using an interdisciplinary and comparative approach, this concentration prepares students to function in a diverse, global and multicultural environment, working in areas such as education, law, research, public health, international studies, political science, justice studies, foreign service and business.
• The Race, Gender and Sexuality concentration focuses on the intersection of race, sex and/or gender primarily, though not exclusively, from the perspective of people of color. It examines issues of identity for both the individual and community. This concentration prepares students to work in areas such as education, advocacy, social work, counseling, multicultural programming and student support services; it is also a good foundation for graduate study.
• The Arts in Culture and Society concentration focuses on the study of people of African descent in Africa, the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and the Middle East through the study of literature, arts and culture, with some emphasis on popular as well as non-literary cultural expressions. This concentration provides insights into the challenges black communities face as well as their creativity. Career opportunities include such areas as the arts, museums, writing, multicultural programming and administration and theatre work. This concentration also provides a good foundation for those interested in continuing to graduate school in ethnic studies, art, education, comparative literature and global and world studies.

Study abroad opportunities exist at the University of Ghana, University of Cape Coast, and the West African Research Center in Senegal.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to

• Understand at the advanced level of the core, the historical experiences of people of African descent.
• Interact with diverse communities and be informed and engaged global citizens.
• Relate current political and social issues facing the Africana world to global historical events.
• Read, analyze and critically articulate the contemporary socio-economic, political and cultural issues facing people of African descent.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology provides broad training in the theories and methods that sociologists use to understand contemporary social issues and problems. Students are encouraged to think critically as they examine issues ranging from small group behavior to global social movements. The core curriculum focuses on social inequalities, social psychology and health and illness. In addition, the program offers courses on a variety of topics that include urban living, deviant behavior, religion and family.

Sociology students are increasingly interested in courses that prepare them for meaningful careers that change the world (Seemiller and Grace 2016). One only needs to look at Black Lives Matter or the Sunrise Movement to see evidence of this generational disposition. Sociology, as a discipline, provides students with rigorous coursework on social inequality and social change, and helps students find careers in government, teaching, community organizing, non-governmental organizations and social work.

Sociology students may apply early to the M.A. degree and double count 9 credit hours of graduate courses toward both degree programs. See the Combined Bachelor's/Master's Degree Program policy in the University Catalog for more information.

The Sociology major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Family and Life Course Sociology concentration introduces students to the cultural, political and historical realities and changes in families across the lifespan. Courses examine issues such as gender socialization, dating and romance, cohabitation, marriage, divorce, parenthood, domestic violence, death and dying, family diversity and family policy. This concentration is relevant to students interested in careers in health care promotion, public health, family counseling, long-term care institutions, program planning, community education and policy analysis.
• The General concentration is for students who either choose not to pursue a specialization within the major or wish to pursue an individualized program of study (through sociology electives) that does not align with the substantive concentrations.
• The Medical Sociology concentration introduces students to the relationship between society and health. In this concentration, students study the impact of social, cultural, political and economic factors on health (and vice-versa). Courses in this area examine issues such as health behavior, physical and mental illnesses, doctor-patient interaction, medicalization, health care reform, health care delivery and health policy. This concentration is relevant for students interested in careers in administrative and program planning related to medicine, mental health, social services, patient advocacy, mental health facilities and nursing homes.
• The Social Change and Social Justice concentration trains students to recognize the conditions and contexts of social stasis and social upheaval; promote understanding of how and why social movements succeed or fail; and cultivate an interest in public sociology. Students in the concentration are encouraged to pair traditional course work with an internship or other experiential learning opportunity.
• The Social Inequalities concentration examines how social structural factors, such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, social class and sexuality relate to power, social status, wealth, income, health and morality. Courses in this area examine issues of poverty, race and ethnic inequality, sexism, age discrimination, neighborhood segregation, labor market processes and income disparity. This concentration is relevant for students interested in careers related to human or social services, nonprofit and community organizations, research and government agencies and human resources.
• The Social Problems, Deviance and Crime concentration examines a variety of social problems with special emphasis on types of behavior that are inconsistent with social norms, challenge to social order and are illegal. This concentration also examines the role of morality, public opinion, politics, government, law, and institutions of social control in the definition of, as well as the response to, social problems, deviance and crime. While containing some overlap with other concentrations in the Criminology and Justice Studies major, the sociological perspective here suggests important commonalities across the studies of crime, deviance and social problems, as well as the relevance of broad sociological themes, including critical inquiry, empirical research and increased awareness of social context. This concentration provides relevant preparation for students interested in further study in the areas of public safety, social policy, social services and civil service and graduate studies in law or social science. It can also be a convenient and constructive resource enabling a double major between Sociology and Criminology and Justice Studies.
• The Sociological Social Psychology concentration introduces students to the sociological approach to social psychology. Courses in this area examine theoretical perspectives that link structural factors such as gender, social class and race to individual factors and behaviors such as self-concept, identity, deviance and mental health. Courses typically include an overview of specific sociological topics such as socialization, emotions, social influence, group conflict and decision-making, prejudice and discrimination, status and power and interpersonal relationships. This concentration provides a foundation for students interested in careers or graduate work that focus on the many connections between individuals and the groups to which they belong.

The Master of Education degree in Cultural Foundations, offered fully online or on campus, explores education through a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives: philosophy of education, history of education, sociology of education, comparative/international education, anthropology of education, gender studies, multicultural studies and religious studies. Students examine the social contexts of education, with particular emphasis on structural inequalities, issues of access and the distribution of educational opportunity, normative considerations about the purposes of education, and the transformative potential of education.

The degree program promotes students' responsibilities as change agents in a range of educational settings, including schools, cultural and religious institutions and civic associations. Graduates of the program have the knowledge and skills to interpret and critique educational policies and practices and to promote innovative practices in a variety of educational settings, domestically and worldwide.

The Master of Liberal Studies degree provides students with a unique opportunity to study at the graduate level in fields that are of interest and use to them. Under the guidance of the program's director, students select courses from across disciplines in the university to form their own individualized and integrated program of study.

Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Bring together the different fields in which they have been working
• See the advantages of doing so.
• Continue to pursue the knowledge they entered the program to acquire.

The Master of Arts degree in Biology is for students wishing to gain additional knowledge in any area of the biological sciences. This is a non-thesis master's degree designed for secondary school science teachers, individuals looking for additional background or preparation for professional school (e.g. medicine, dentistry or Ph.D. programs) and those seeking employment in life science industries in a non-research capacity.

The Biology major includes the following concentration:

• The Environmental Biology concentration provides students with a balance between better understanding the relationships between organisms and the environment and how this balance can be sustained through environmental management and conservation.

Students who declare the Biology major with no concentration will select their area of specialization in consultation with an academic faculty advisor.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Understand advanced biological concepts beyond the scope of the typical undergraduate degree and to increase the depth of their knowledge through coursework and hands-on experiences.
• Apply scientific principles and appreciate work outside of their particular field.
• Effectively communicate about science with colleagues as well as those outside of the student's area of expertise.
• Develop the necessary laboratory skills that will allow testing of hypotheses.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Insurance Studies provides students with the academic background for career entry in the insurance industry. The insurance studies degree program offers a well-rounded core of business and social science courses including management technology, professional writing, and human communications.

Building on this core curriculum are courses that provide the opportunity to explore all lines of insurance, including personal lines, commercial lines, life and health insurance. Students also take on an internship during their third year to reinforce their insurance industry knowledge and gain real-world experience.

The knowledge gained in the insurance program permits students to join any organization within the insurance industry with a solid understanding of applicable products, regulations, operations and policy contracts. Students graduate with knowledge of several specific insurance industry facets, such as property and casualty insurance, life and health insurance, insurance company and agency operations, insurance regulation, insurance finance and risk management.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the insurance industry
• Possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills to identify and critically assess problems facing the insurance industry
• Identify and assess legal and ethical issues surrounding insurance industry decisions
• Work effectively in a team-based environment

The Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering Technology provides students with the opportunity to study computer systems and software-hardware interface so that they are capable of analyzing the problems in the computer and networking industry and producing computer engineering, networking and software solutions. The major's curriculum includes materials necessary for students to be eligible for industry certifications (e.g., Cisco, Microsoft, CompTIA) for career advancement.

Computer engineering technologists focus on hardware or software issues. When companies need custom applications and network systems designed, they call the computer engineering technologist. In this age of heavy computer usage, with companies using computers for a large variety of functions, the computer engineering technologist is invaluable in keeping equipment running, updating software, maintaining connectivity and interfacing with users.

Computer engineering technologists typically work for large companies, installing, testing, operating and maintaining the computer network ins. They may also find employment with companies that sell computers, at computer repair stores or at independent emergency repair facilities. Other common work locations include computer and peripheral manufacturing facilities, computer distribution facilities, computer research facilities and educational institutions.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• A general understanding, and a depth of knowledge in core computer engineering concepts, principles and applications.
• An understanding of recent, current, and upcoming trends and related applications in computer engineering.
• An acknowledgement of necessary design steps involved in making complex computer systems; and a practical understanding of the skills necessary to analyze existing systems.
• A practical knowledge of tools and techniques to design innovative solutions from requirements specifications.
• An understanding of the ethical issues involved with the use of computer engineering related technologies; and a clear desire to strive for the best practices.