Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing

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

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Political Science is a general post-baccalaureate degree that gives students a broad understanding of political science through intensive study of several subfields within the discipline. The Department’s Master’s program is also designed to give students a firm grounding in scientific-based inquiry into problems in politics. Students learn how institutional design, economic and cultural factors shape the distribution of power and patterns of cooperation and conflict in society within and outside of government. The M.A. degree in Political Science allows students to develop a deeper understanding of political ideas and institutions, more sophisticated research skills, a better grasp of governments abroad, and a broader knowledge of international politics.

The BA in Organizational Leadership is an interdisciplinary online degree completion program that provides an accelerated pathway to graduation for those who have an Associate’s degree or have completed some college courses, but have yet to complete their degree. The degree is designed to provide adult students with the knowledge, skills and credentials necessary to advance in a rapidly changing workplace and may be completed entirely online.

This program helps students understand theoretical and practical aspects of leadership across disciplines, while allowing you to focus on a specific Area of Concentration of interest or that advances your career goals.

The master’s degree in Elementary Education is an accredited program appropriate for elementary teachers, specialists, department chairpersons, and those who work in informal learning or international educational settings. Candidates choose electives that will support their personal growth and development as an educational leader to impact the communities with which they work.

Diverse candidates will engage in a learner-centered environment committed to the success of historically marginalized and diverse students, research, and community engagement. Within diverse education settings, candidates will: advance pedagogical knowledge, recognize inequalities in educational opportunity, design differentiated assessments to inform practice, critically examine professional practice, and demonstrate commitment to ethical professional practice.  

It is important that both candidates and advisors plan ahead to ensure courses are taken when they are offered in the schedule. Programs must be planned with an academic advisor and meet the approval of the faculty advisor, adhering to the College of Education and UMSL Graduate School policies.

Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

• Continually and systematically reflect on professional growth to enhance student learning.
• Integrate technology to create meaningful student learning within the context of a global digital society.
• Apply advanced content and pedagogical knowledge to create authentic and deep learning experiences.
• Extend learning science principles to design, implement, and evaluate curriculum based on learning standards.
• Create and foster effective working relationships with students, school colleagues, families, and community members to enhance student learning and well-being.
• Design and establish a safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environment that nurtures the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.
• Utilize equitable frameworks and inclusive practices to expertly create a variety of instructional and assessment opportunities adapted to diverse learners to encourage all students’ critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

The Department of Biology offers three ways of achieving the Master of Science degree. The first is a 30 credit hour 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 32 credit hour Professional Science track that includes a strong business component for students who are interested in learning more about the business aspects of companies. This track may not be appropriate for students who are interested in pursuing a PhD or working primarily as laboratory scientists. The third is a 30 credit hour 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 thesis and non-thesis option may be developed into a final degree program in either of two broad areas in biology:

• Cell and Molecular Biology or
• Ecology, Evolution, and Systematics.

Non-thesis students may also elect to take courses in both areas. Only the non-thesis option is available in the Professional Science emphasis.

The Master of Arts in Political Science is a general post-baccalaureate degree that gives students a broad understanding of political science and a firm grounding in scientific-based inquiry into problems in politics.

Students learn how institutional design and economic and cultural factors shape the distribution of power and patterns of cooperation and conflict in society within and outside of government.

Students master the postulating of cause-effect relationships, and the marshalling of evidence using quantitative or qualitative methods to test hypotheses about problems in politics.

Students learn their skills through intensive study of several fields within the discipline. In the general program it is possible to specialize in urban politics, policy processes and institutions, American political behavior, political economy, public administration, comparative politics, international relations, public law, and political theory. The Master of Arts is useful for students who are already in or planning on a career in secondary education, public policy, or politics. It is also useful for students who are considering doctoral education. It is particularly valuable for students simply interested in learning more about subjects that interest them.

The BS in Secondary Education, with an emphasis in Biology, prepares students to teach in secondary school settings, grades 9-12. This program requires the selection and completion of required coursework in biology and includes field and practicum experiences in high school settings, culminating in Missouri teacher certification.

This program coordinates with the Department of Biology where you’ll be exposed to research and teaching laboratories, field studies, greenhouses and a wide variety of modern research instrumentation. Much of the discipline-specific coursework parallels the BA or BS degree in Biology; however, the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires specific coursework for teacher certification.

The Psychological Sciences Department offers a master's (M.A.) degree with an emphasis in Behavioral Neuroscience (BN). The BN program has adopted an apprenticeship model of graduate training in which each student works closely and continuously with a faculty member within the realm of the faculty member's research interests. In your personal statement, it is important that you indicate the faculty member(s) with whom you would like to work. The research interests of the core faculty may be found on the Faculty page.

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.

• Acquire advanced knowledge of traditional philosophical issues in the western tradition.
• Develop critical thinking skills based on knowledge of the standards governing logical reasoning.
• Acquire familiarity with philosophical issues that arise in some other disciplines (e.g. biology, art, education, etc.).
• Acquire a basic understanding of ethical principles and their role in resolving ethical disputes.
• Acquire the knowledge and skills required to write a paper identifying a philosophical issue and presenting arguments supporting a thesis for resolving it.

The BA in Physics is designed to combine the rigorous study of physics with additional studies of languages and the liberal arts and is tailored to students wishing to preserve the option for specialization in graduate school without sacrificing the advantages of a liberal arts education. This program provides undergraduates with a broad-based education in the fundamental concepts of physics and with the experimental and theoretical skills essential to practicing scientists. This degree is ideal preparation for a career that combines science with other fields, such as science journalism, science policy or patent law.

Students seeking to major in physics are designated as ‘pre-physics majors’ until they have completed both Physics 2111 and Physics 2112 (or equivalent courses) with grades of C- or better.