Master of Art in Communication

at MSM Group - University of Missouri-St. Louis USA

The BES, with an emphasis in Park and Museum Programs, prepares students to gain skills and insights that can be applied as innovative educators, program managers, activity directors and as curriculum developers in these informal learning settings. BES students in the Park and Museum Programs emphasis will be prepared for employment opportunities in organizations such as museums, science centers, children’s museums, national parks and a variety of cultural institutions. Through the BES program, students have the opportunity to earn specific credentials, as needed, and to pursue academic minors related to their individual career goals. This degree program does not lead to Missouri teacher certification.

The BS in Actuarial Science is an interdisciplinary degree designed to provide students with solid preparation to take exams needed to begin a career as an actuary by providing students with the quantitative skills used by actuaries. Students are required to complete courses offered by the College of Arts & Sciences as well as the College of Business Administration. Students take coursework in calculus, financial mathematics, statistics, economics, econometrics, accounting and finance.

To become an actuary students must meet specific requirements of the Society of Actuaries (SOA) including: Pass the exams and requirements administered by the SOA, fulfill Validated Educational Experience (VEE) courses offered outside the SOA, and undertake additional professional training provided by the SOA.

The Chemistry and Biochemistry department has a strong research emphasis as well as a dedication to teaching, but is of medium size allowing substantial interaction between faculty and students. There is an international make-up to the faculty and postdoctoral fellows, and there are graduate students presently in the department from the United States and abroad. The department is very well equipped with modern instrumentation and computing resources. These include outstanding NMR, microscopy, X-ray and mass spectrometry facilities, with two 300 MHz and one 600 MHz NMR spectrometers, two single-crystal and one powder X-ray diffractometers, a Bruker Maxis Plus and GC-MS facilities. Areas of research specialization include the traditional areas of inorganic, organic, physical, and biological chemistry, as well as organometallic, supramolecular, surface chemistry, computational chemistry, laser spectroscopy and the study of new materials. Former graduates are employed in research positions in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, in academic positions, and in other areas such as high-tech computer applications.

The BS in Mathematics provides a substantial background in mathematics, statistics and computer science to produce graduates who can work as mathematicians. The BA in Mathematics provides a broad grounding in different areas of mathematics, giving students the depth necessary to pursue graduate studies or other career choices like market research and business. Optional courses enable students to focus on areas of interest like pure or applied mathematics.

Students seeking to major in mathematics are first designated as “pre-mathematics majors” until they have completed both Math 1900 and Math 2000 or equivalent courses with grades of C or better.

The BA in Political Science provides students with knowledge about politics and policy while developing sought-after and transferable skills, such as information-gathering and processing, analysis, research, decision making, and oral and written communication. Areas of concentration include American politics, international and comparative politics, urban politics, public law, public policy and administration and gender and politics. In addition to formal coursework, internships are available providing students with the opportunity to apply classroom learning and gain practical field experience.

The BS in Elementary Education, with an emphasis in Special Education, focuses on engaged, experiential learning that introduces and supports instructional opportunities that orient and improve the development of sound learning communities and support classrooms of diverse student populations and abilities. Students are exposed to a variety of course content platforms, opportunities for student research and community collaborations and partnerships. Educator candidates actively engage in unique practicum experiences in the studio school model for clinical practice.

The Special Education endorsement may be added by passing the appropriate area exam. You’ll also have the opportunity to earn an additional credential in second language learning (TESOL) that will make you highly qualified and marketable.

The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies provides a flexible, individualized program of study for the self-directed learner. Individual students work closely with professional advisors and faculty from different academic disciplines to design their individual degree proposal. Approved programs of study are well-designed, coherent, structured to meet the student’s unique educational goals and not readily available under any other UMSL degree program. Interdisciplinary Studies students have designed individualized majors in areas as varied as art therapy, gender studies, gerontology, international studies, nonprofit administration and more.

The Department of Biology offers two ways of achieving the Master of Science degree. The first is a non-thesis option suitable for those who may already have extensive research experience, for educators who seek to upgrade their academic skills but do not require research experience, or for those who need to broaden their biological background. The second is a traditional apprenticeship in research leading to a written thesis. All students admitted to the graduate program are considered to be in the non-thesis program unless they have been accepted into an individual faculty lab. Starting with a common core, both the non-thesis or thesis option may be developed into a final degree program in either of two broad areas in biology: 1) Cell and Molecular Biology or 2) Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics.

The BA in History is designed for curious and analytical students who want to study the past in order to understand people and societies and how societies came to be. It provides the skills to seek connections between the past and the present.

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to build historical knowledge; develop research methods; recognize that historical knowledge is complex, sometimes ambiguous and subject to ongoing re-examination; apply historical thinking skills to evidence that is often incomplete, complex and contradictory; create and communicate historical arguments and narratives; and use historical perspective as central to active citizenship.

The studio arts area offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in one of six concentrations: Drawing, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Graphic Design and General Fine Arts. Since 75% of the classes required for the B. F. A. are within art, the degree is considered a professional degree program in art, as well as traditional preparation to pursue graduate studies in the field. The department also offers a Minor in Studio Art and a Certificate in Photographic Studies. Classes are taught in the newly renovated Fine Arts Building. UMSL has a transfer agreement with the St. Louis Community College District, which offers a direct transfer to upper division BFA courses to students who graduate with an AFA degree from one of the three SLCC schools.

Studio art faculty are dedicated teachers and committed artists. They exhibit regularly in exhibitions of regional, national and international significance, have developed impressive client lists and are sought after to give workshops and oral presentations on their work. Faculty have received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ford Foundation and been honored by a variety of national and international arts organizations. Their work is included in important public and private collections, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Library of Congress, Museum of Contemporary Photography, McDonnell Douglas Corporation and Emerson Electric.