Master of Education in Research, Measurement and Statistics

at Kent State University USA

The Bachelor of Arts degree in American Sign Language presents American sign language as a culture- and community-based language that interacts with other world languages. Through techniques—including immersion and bilingual-bicultural comparison classes, community interaction, research, lab activities and use of digital video technology—students gain documented proficiency in American sign language, validity within the deaf community and networking within the professional community.

The Master of Public Health degree in Public Health is designed to help students develop real-world knowledge and skills needed to pursue success in the public health industry.

The Public Health major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Biostatistics concentration prepares students in the quantitative science of health data collection, storage, retrieval, analysis and interpretation. Graduates are equipped to use statistical methods to design and analyze health-related surveys and experiments for improving health. The college’s faculty research interests include applying biostatistical analysis to understand critical health problems. Graduates in biostatistics are in demand at hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, state and local health departments, federal health agencies and biotechnology companies to analyze the effectiveness of new drugs and interventions, identify risk factors for disease and develop effective prevention strategies.
• The Epidemiology concentration prepares students to analyze the distribution and determinants of disease, disabilities and death in populations. Graduates are able to apply quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate disease outbreaks, determine causal relationships between environmental and biological factors, and conduct studies to project health trends in populations. Students benefit from public health faculty research agendas in bio-preparedness, public health surveillance systems, chronic disease, cancer and infectious disease epidemiology. Career opportunities for graduates include research positions in universities, medical schools and pharmaceutical companies; disease prevention specialists in hospitals; and surveillance managers in state and local health departments.
• The Health Policy and Management concentration prepares students to address public health risks and develop effective health services delivery models. This concentration incorporates health services research, health policy analysis and health care planning and management. Given the active research of the college’s faculty in identifying service gaps and in developing evidence-based practices and policy analysis, students emerge with strong skills in health services management, alternative models of service financing and strategies for improving services. Career opportunities for graduates include administrative and management positions in hospitals, clinics, state and local health departments, nursing homes and mental health facilities; policy analyst positions in health planning organizations and governmental agencies; and planning and management positions in health maintenance organizations and health insurance companies.
• The Social and Behavioral Sciences concentration provides students with an interdisciplinary approach to improve health in populations across the life course. Students learn to apply theoretical principles to design, implement and evaluate effective programs that include behavioral and environmental approaches. Graduates are able to design and evaluate public health interventions intended to improve health for families, workplaces, communities and other settings. The active research of the college’s faculty—particularly in the areas of childhood obesity, violence and injury prevention, substance abuse prevention and chronic disease prevention—provides students the opportunity to work on large-scale externally funded prevention research. Students are prepared for careers in health promotion; program design and evaluation; and prevention program development for state and local health departments, workplace health promotion programs, hospitals, international health agencies, mental health centers and non-profit organizations.

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

• Explain public health history, philosophy and values
• Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Services
• Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population’s health
• List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the US or other community relevant to the school or program
• Discuss the science of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc.
• Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge
• Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health
• Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health
• Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population’s health
• Explain the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities
• Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease
• Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health and ecosystem health (eg, One Health)
• Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice
• Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate
• Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice
• Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings
• Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels
• Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health
• Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs
• Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention
• Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management
• Select methods to evaluate public health programs
• Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence
• Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
• Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations
• Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity
• Apply principles of leadership, governance and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration and guiding decision making
• Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges
• Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors
• Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation
• Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content
• Perform effectively on interprofessional teams
• Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Architectural Studies is a liberal arts program that exposes students to the theory and processes of design and prepares them for directed graduate study and careers in a variety of design-related disciplines.

As the only liberal arts degree in Kent State's College of Architecture and Environmental Design, the Architectural Studies major allows students to pursue dual degrees, double majors and/or multiple minors in related fields such as art history, business, construction management, fashion, geography, history, marketing, music, physical/life sciences, studio arts, urban studies, visual communications design and others. The program includes required design studios; lecture/studio hybrid courses; and seminars on architectural history, theory/criticism, urban issues and theories of sustainability. Additionally, students take architecture electives, which allow them to explore digital design processes, landscape architecture and urban design, or to pursue a minor in architectural history or historic preservation.

Students have the option of graduating with a streamlined dual degree, the B.A. degree in Architectural Studies and the B.S. degree in Construction Management.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate understanding of the language, logic and rhetoric of design, and ability to deploy this understanding in design projects, research, analysis and critique.
• Demonstrate abilities in design thinking, visual thinking, critical thinking and design discourse.
• Demonstrate skills in research and apply these skills to the design of the built environment.
• Recognize the value of cultural diversity and a broad range of historical traditions.
• Demonstrate understanding of the interconnectedness of the allied design disciplines, and the ability to articulate relationships between these professions and other areas of study
• Appreciate a wide range of contrasting perspectives on sustainability, recognize the relationship between these perspectives and the design of the built environment, and advocate for specific positions
• Utilize and interpret literature and data related to environments and their design.
• Demonstrate leadership skills in cross-disciplinary settings

The Master of Arts degree in Sport Administration provides students a knowledge base in management theory and application in sport settings. The program culminates with an internship, research project or thesis.

Students have the opportunity to complete a dual degree program with the M.B.A. degree in Business Administration and the M.A. degree in Sport Administration.

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

• Demonstrate the knowledge and experience necessary to become successful as a professional in the sport industry.
• Apply theoretical and practical knowledge of the industry in a professional career.
• Engage and expand the number of international promotional, scholarly and educational research/presentation opportunities in the profession.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Cybersecurity Engineering prepares future professional engineers in the broad field of cybersecurity. The program provides students with a working knowledge of analysis and evaluation of components and systems with respect to security and to maintaining operations in the presence of risks and threats, with an emphasis on engineered systems. Students gain the understanding and skills necessary to address security issues pertaining to stakeholder needs and requirements (from a system engineering perspective) considering the lifecycle of the system from the outset. Design and development of systems, their components and associated networks to increase trustworthiness is a driving concern.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Identify, formulate and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science and mathematics
• Apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental and economic factors.
• Communicate effectively with a range of audiences
• Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in a global, economic, environmental and societal context.
• Function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks and meet objectives.
• Develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
• Acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

The Bachelor of Science degree in American Sign Language/English Interpreting prepares students to work with deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in both educational and community settings, including schools and universities, businesses, medical and mental health agencies and social service offices, among others.

The coursework and nationally certified instructors guide students in developing interpreting expertise, sign language fluency and professional ethics. Coursework encompasses interpreting process models and their application; analytical approaches to professional and ethical decision-making; and interpreting comparative analyses of English and American Sign Language through the study of linguistics, discourse structures and features, pragmatics and sociolinguistics. Students learn self-assessment strategies for lifelong learning and gain 500 hours of practicum and experience with interpreter mentors.

Graduates may apply for licensure from the State of Ohio to interpret from pre-kindergarten to grade 12. They also have preparation toward the National Interpreter Certification (NIC) and the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA).

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate native or near-native fluency in spoken and written English (80% of the time as per the NCEIC), American Sign Language, Deaf and non-Deaf cultures
• Effectively interpret audio and video texts, as well as live presentations, across a variety of genres and be able to adapt interpretations to consumer modality preferences
• Demonstrate appropriate interpersonal skills and professionalism across all classroom/program-related settings, while interacting with others, with an awareness of linguistic, cultural, contextual and personality differences
• Make appropriate and effective ethical decisions, both in practical and authentic interpreting situations in alignment with RID's Code of Professional Conduct and Kent State University's Code of Student Conduct
• Demonstrate adaptability and teachability
• Articulate the impact of interpreting models, theories and best practices and how they inform one's work
• Recognize substantive linguistic and paralinguistic cues from others from a distance of 3-10 feet in a variety of environments

The Master of Engineering Technology degree offers a curriculum that provides students with advanced technical and management knowledge and skills that meet the needs of the technical workforce in industry and business.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology is for students who are interested in the biological sciences, but who also want a degree with a strong liberal arts component. This program provides a basic background in biology while offering the opportunity to take a wide range of classes in other disciplines.

Biologists work in a variety of settings, and career opportunities are available in government agencies, privately owned companies and non-profit groups. Graduates may also choose to further their education beyond a bachelor's degree by attending graduate or professional school. The Department of Biological Sciences has several mechanisms to help students prepare for their future careers.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Understand the fundamental biological principles.
• Acquire the fundamental skills necessary for laboratory and field investigations.
• Conduct proper experimental design, analyze biological data and communicate research results.
• Know and appreciate the role that biology plays in societal issues, such as those related to the environment, biodiversity, ethics, human health and disease.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Laboratory Science allows students to combine three years of study at Kent State with 12 months of professional training at an approved hospital. Medical laboratory scientists are trained to perform complex chemical, microscopic and microbiological procedures. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Board of Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists Exam.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Be certified as professional medical laboratory scientists.
• Perform assays of clinical samples in a hospital or laboratory setting.
• Demonstrate an understanding of human physiology and familiarity with human health issues.
• Interpret chemical and molecular data for clinical diagnosis.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience offers a broad-based study of the mechanisms of brain function from the cell and molecular level through cognition and behavior. This major is for students interested in medicine, other health professions, research and graduate studies in biology, neuroscience and psychology. The major will also prepare students for careers in industries, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, research administration and policy, science communication, teaching and other science-related businesses.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of fundamental principles of neuroscience.
• Acquire fundamental skills necessary for laboratory investigations into central nervous system function.
• Demonstrate an understanding of proper experimental design, data analysis and communication of research results.
• Demonstrate a greater knowledge and appreciation of the role neuroscience plays in societal issues, such as those related to neurological disorders, mental health, medicine and human and animal behavior.