Master of Science in Instruction in Language Arts - Secondary Education

at Northeastern Illinois University USA

The Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program provides students with a broad knowledge base in the area of business and management that will prepare them for mid- and upper-level positions in both the private and public sectors, including the manufacturing, service, financial, institutional and government fields. The M.B.A. program offers a challenging and practical orientation to the complexities of modern business management and to the tools necessary for business decision-making. It consists of curricular studies in the Business Core and Elective Curriculum.

The Bachelor of Science in Earth Science prepares students for graduate study, or a wide range of positions in Environmental Geoscience fields, including industry, consulting, or state/federal agencies. In addition to required and elective ESCI courses, additional courses in cognate fields (math and science) are required for completion of the degree program. All students are urged to plan their program with the help of ESCI faculty advising.

The major requires a set of six required Biology courses (including a cornerstone course, BIO-150), five elective courses in Biology, a capstone course in Biology, and a set of cognate courses in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. As such, the curriculum provides broad training in the sciences, allows for students to take a sequence of courses that fit their particular interests within Biology and allows students to prepare themselves for specific careers in Biology.

Students who are seeking to be licensed to teach Biology in secondary schools should consult with both an advisor in Biology and an advisor in the Goodwin College of Education.

Students interested in pursuing graduate studies are strongly encouraged to take one year each of organic chemistry and calculus, and a course in statistics.

Students who are planning to pursue professional training in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and other health professions should contact the professional schools to which they intend to apply in order to determine their specific program requirements. Students should also consult regularly with an advisor in Biology to ensure that they take an appropriate set of elective courses. Finally, these students can receive guidance on recommended courses, graduate-school test preparation and the application process from the Coordinator of Student Services in the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences as well as the Student Center for Science Engagement.

Environmental Studies is an applied major designed to give students knowledge of and the ability to develop solutions to environmental problems. Students can focus on one of two areas:

• Environmental policy and planning, or
• Environmental interpretation / education.

Students in option 1 investigate the causes, results, and solutions to environmental problems from a policy perspective. They study regulations influencing environmental protection and degradation; they also gain practical skills useful in the field.

Students in option 2 specialize in community interaction and will qualify for careers as naturalists with parks and other outdoor agencies and as environmental educators in schools and non-profit organizations.

The program culminates with an internship experience in which the student applies knowledge, gains practical experience; it often constitutes a first job in an environmental career. To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, students must complete 24 credit hours of core requirements and 18 credit hours of approved electives. Up to nine hours of credit from other relevant fields may be accepted toward the major, with advisor approval.

The Urban Community Studies graduate program places intense emphasis on preparing students for scholar/activist work that addresses the interests and issues of urban residents, particularly communities of color. The graduate program is centered on the in-depth examination of social, cultural economic and institutional structures that impact urban communities. Using ethnographic data collection and other action-based research methodologies as a core focus, courses in Urban Community Studies aim to forge culturally relevant understandings of human relationships in urban communities in the Chicago metropolitan area and worldwide. The graduate program seeks to prepare students to acquire employment in administrative, executive and teaching positions in urban educational, human and social service agencies.

Specific Goals of the Master of Arts Degree in URBAN COMMUNITY STUDIES

• Students will identify, deconstruct and decode the existing socio-economic forces that influence urban structures.
• Students will acquire a rigorous grounding in theory and research required to analyze and understand urban dilemmas
• Students will identify and analyze culturally relevant models of behavior to navigate dilemmas faced in urban communities
• Students will examine social movements and the role of scholar-activists in the solutions to address contemporary problems and issues in urban communities

The Community Health (HSCI) program prepares students to work in a variety of settings that include: city, county, and state health departments, hospitals, worksite wellness, college campuses, parks and recreation departments, non-profit organizations (American Diabetes Association, American Cancer Society, YMCA, Boys and Girls Club), and more.  Example programs community health majors work with include: nutrition and exercise, alcohol and other drugs, sexual transmitted infections and contraception awareness, social and emotional health, environmental awareness, disease prevention, health disparities, immunization awareness, and many more. Graduates use their knowledge and skills to focus on how best to reach vulnerable community members and to better allocate resources to under-served populations. They may initiate wellness programs, write policies, implement educational and primary prevention activities, or create resources to promote healthy living.

Community Health students complete an internship. The internship is comprised of a semester-long fieldwork experience and a weekly seminar with assignments. Community Health students complete 200 clock hours of work (typically unpaid) in a community health related agency. Community Health students must be admitted to the Goodwin College of Education to start the internship.  Moreover, it is highly recommended that Community Health students gain admission to the Goodwin College of Education early in the program, as some courses require admittance to the Goodwin College of Education.

The Music Department at NEIU offers a Master of Arts in Music degree in Applied Pedagogy. Pedagogy is defined as the art of teaching. This degree prepares students who already have a Bachelor's degree in music for successful 1) college level teaching, 2) in-service elementary and secondary public or private school teaching, 3) or for continuing into doctoral degree work.

The Music Department at Northeastern offers a Master of Arts in Applied Music Pedagogy. Pedagogy is defined as the art of teaching. This degree prepares students who already have a bachelor's degree in music for successful:

• College-level teaching;
• In-service elementary and secondary public or private school teaching; or
• Continuation into doctoral degree work.

Northeastern is one of the only universities in the region to offer a degree in pedagogy.

The Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (BAIS) is a degree completion program designed to meet the undergraduate needs of experienced adults in a manner compatible with career and family responsibilities.  Students complete graduation requirements through an alternative, self-paced approach to higher education.

The Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies (BAIS) is a degree completion program designed to meet the needs of adult and experiential learners, in a manner compatible with career and family responsibilities. Students complete graduation requirements through an integrative, self-paced approach to higher education.

Interdisciplinary Studies students design a unique curriculum based on personal interests, career, or academic goals. These options include:

• a second academic major
• an academic minor
• an Interdisciplinary Studies Concentration

Northeastern Illinois University is the only four-year public university in the Midwest federally designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and as such our Latino and Latin American Studies Program (LLAS) builds on the University’s commitment to diversity and community partnerships. We strive to combine classroom learning and active involvement in the community. LLAS classes are taught by faculty from an array of disciplines in education, the social sciences and humanities, who are committed to active learning through discussion, research and community engagement.

The major in Special Education is designed to meet state teacher licensure requirements by training students to be knowledgeable and skilled regarding the education of all school aged children and adolescents with disabilities. Majors are selected during October to begin studies during the following Spring semester. Majors progress through the program as a cohort. Most coursework is offered during daytime hours.