Bachelor of Arts in Comparative Cultural Studies with Emphasis in Comparative Study of Religions

at Northern Arizona University - Flagstaff Campus USA

The Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology consists of a series of Life Science foundation courses followed by advanced courses that survey a range of microbiological sub-disciplines.  These include courses focused on the interaction between microorganisms and human disease, such as infectious diseases, medical microbiology, and immunology but also courses that investigate the role of microbes in the environment including environmental microbiology, microbial ecology and industrial microbiology and biotechnology. From bioremediation to virology, students will develop an understanding of biological and chemical systems of microorganisms — and develop a foundation for a career in a range of professions that involve microbiology.
 
The Life Sciences Core is designed to provide the student with a strong grounding in biology, chemistry and mathematics. The student, in consultation with an academic advisor and using a basic course schedule as a guideline, may select from elective microbiology courses relevant to a range of disciplinary areas and career fields, such as Immunobiology, Medical Microbiology, Microbial Ecology, Bioinformatics, and Virology; or design his or her own set of electives approved by one of the program academic advisors.

The Environmental Science program at NAU constructs an interdisciplinary base of knowledge and skills to explore and develop real-world solutions to environmental problems.

Our program provides a firm grounding in the natural and social sciences to ensure all students understand how chemical, physical and biological processes maintain life, and the complex relationships among humans and the environment. Students work together and individually in the classroom, field and laboratory to practice applying the scientific method to address environmental problems and explore creative solutions that apply cutting-edge technologies.

The broad range of emphases available within our program allows students to delve deeper into a specific knowledge base, then work individually and often together in Environmental Science courses to solve problems by applying the perspectives and knowledge they developed in their emphasis with students from other emphasis areas. To culminate the learning in the program, students develop an individually designed research project or internship addressing an environmental issue of importance to them, which in turn, is expected to further prepare students for a range of professional or graduate opportunities.

Biology Emphasis

• Quantify selected aspects of biological systems using foundations of mathematics and physics.
• Explore core concepts in biological sciences such as the unifying molecular, cellular, ecological and evolutionary principles for life on Earth. Gain appreciation for the importance of multiple scales of biological diversity. Understand the foundations of ecology and the principles of conservation biology. Practice collaborations with those of other disciplines and viewpoints, apply this information to generate sustainable solutions to environmental problems.

The purpose of the Northern Arizona University Bachelor of Business Administration Program is to provide excellent business management and related higher education using the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award standards for education as applied through the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) accreditation. We seek to be a premier provider of Baldrige-Quality business management and related higher education with an emphasis on value and accessibility. We focus on core business competencies within a global context.

Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to:

• Think creatively, analyze and synthesize data from multiple perspectives
• Analyze and use financial information
• Solve problems using decision-making tools and theories,
• Engage others through effective interpersonal skills
• Communicate effectively in oral and written formats,
• Work well in team settings
• Design and implement effective strategies for the global marketplace, and
• Discern the underpinning ethical issues in local and global business decision-making, including those involving social responsibility, environmental sustainability, and profitability.

The global context for the core competencies will be addressed in all relevant classes across the curriculum. We provide online and hybrid classes for learning through the application of technology, as well as opportunities to study as part-time students. We provide opportunities for students to apply leadership skills through Phi Beta Lamda, as well as competitive challenges involving other business programs in Arizona and nationally. We collaborate with other universities globally and within the region to provide direct international experience. We facilitate regional business development through our innovative incubator program.

The core of the educational mission of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice is to provide both undergraduate and graduate students with the theoretical, methodological, and analytical skills to think critically and systematically about the nature of crime, the meaning of justice, and the efficacy of crime control policies and practices.
 
The Master of Science in Applied Criminology is an integrated program of study designed to provide graduate students with the theoretical perspectives, substantive knowledge and practical research skills needed to engage in independent, critical investigation of social justice and criminal justice issues, problems, and policies. The MS degree prepares students for professional employment in applied local, national, and international justice contexts or to pursue further education at the doctoral level.
 
The program’s core courses are designed to ensure that students acquire a graduate-level understanding of advanced theory and methods in criminology, justice system processes, and contemporary policy debates regarding crime and crime control. The graduate curriculum examines justice-related issues from a variety of criminological, social justice, and global perspectives and emphasizes three broad substantive areas of specialization:  transnational crime and justice, communities, health, and justice, and law, policy and social change.  Throughout the curriculum, students are expected to apply their core methodological and theoretical knowledge to analyze real-world justice challenges
 
The applied nature of the MS program is particularly emphasized in the diverse completion options available to students. Depending upon their career goals, our program facilitates experiential learning and the development of subject area expertise via a student designed project focused on research, teaching, or an internship in a justice agency. The opportunity to complete an independent project offers student-centered flexibility while also preparing students for their chosen professional career within the field of criminology. Applied Criminology graduates are critically informed citizens who value diversity and social justice and apply their methodological and theoretical knowledge to advance the cause of justice.

The Bachelors degree in Communication Studies offers coursework that enables students to construct, convey, and interpret communication in diverse contexts. The major prepares students to enter professions requiring proficiency in relational, group and public communication. Courses combine theory and practice to enhance the student's ability to communicate well in both career and personal life. Students develop their capacities in ethical and critical thinking, improving their abiility to articulate and defend their opinions as engaged citizens in a diverse world.

This bachelor of science degree in Strategic Communication offers a strong core of advertising, public relations, and communication courses, to engage students in a variety of professional communication environments. Students may pursue one of two emphases to allow deeper skill mastery in advertising or public relations.

Communication develop an understanding of communication theory and how messages are spread among groups of people. They apply analytical skills to the development and evaluation of communication plans. They also master practical skills needed for the implementation of those communication plans.

Upon graduation, students emphasizing one area of strategic communication will often find themselves working closely with other professionals focusing on skills in other areas of Strategic Communication. However, the emphasis areas tend to differentiate from each other in the following broad ways.

Public Relations focuses more on the use of earned and owned media for the development and maintenance of ongoing relationships with important publics. Courses tend to focus on understanding the dynamics of group communication and developing strategies for building strong relationships between organizations and important publics. Coursework tends to focus on writing and oral communication skills for digital and analog channels, as well as communication analysis skills necessary for planning and evaluating communication efforts.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Arts degree encompasses knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are in demand from an array of creative fields—including but not limited to medical, entertainment, and design—in addition to the skills needed to be studio artists. Studio artists work in a variety of different occupations that require a combination of hand skills, an understanding of a variety of material applications, and creative problem solving. Upon graduation, students are expected to exhibit the strong critical thinking, aesthetic design, and conceptual thinking skills needed to participate effectively in a competitive creative arts market.
 
Beyond the skills of artistic creation, students develop business practices for artists including graduate school application, grant application, gallery representation, self-promotion through web and print media, and maintaining a sustainable and safe studio practice. Studio Arts students learn how to apply their skills beyond traditional studio art applications to other industrial and non-industrial fields outside the world of art.

School of Art faculty teach students to apply critical thinking and analysis, innovation and creative solutions, as well as technical artistic processes towards the production of art while building an open mind to criticism respect for public opinion. All Studio Arts majors are required to complete a Foundation year which includes drawing and basic 2D, 3D, and 4D design coursework. Eventually, students work primarily in one of five emphases: Ceramics, New Media, Painting, Printmaking, or Sculpture.  Classes are studio-based and include classroom critiques and discussions about work produced in class, review of professional artwork and artists, and professional practices of an artistic practice. Each Studio Arts student works towards a senior thesis which reflects the student’s experiences and research the student has completed throughout the program.

Emphases Learning Outcomes  
Ceramics
Through a detailed curriculum, students learn all of the making and firing processes in ceramics, to understand sound craftsmanship, and to think critically in design decisions. The curriculum also provides a thorough education in the technical aspects of ceramics, such as an understanding of ceramic materials through glaze calculation and the practical knowledge of kiln design and construction.

The mission of the Northern Arizona University undergraduate Finance Program, is to educate skilled and well trained finance professionals. The graduates with a major in finance will be well positioned to understand important issues and tools in the fields of investments, corporate finance and international finance. They will be prepared for their first position in the field of finance and prepared to continue to progress throughout their careers. Consistent with this goal, the Finance Area seeks to continuously improve the curriculum to ensure that our graduates possess those core competencies which are most closely aligned with the values of finance professionals. These competencies support the concept of learning as a continuum that begins in an academic setting and continues with life-long professional education and experience. This core competency framework focuses on skills and is not necessarily structured around traditional subject areas. While knowledge requirements will change with time, these core competencies have long-term value and will support a variety of career opportunities in the fields of Investments, Corporate Finance and Banking.

The accelerated MBA program is focused on students with a core business education seeking graduate studies in management theory and practice and those seeking accounting certification. Our primary goal is to prepare students to make valuable contributions to their chosen profession and their communities. Our secondary goal is to provide high-quality, business-related training, education, consulting, and information to the Arizona community.

In pursuit of these goals we commit to the following:

• Foster a sense of community and promote diversity among our students, staff, faculty, and alumni,
• Offer a rigorous, current, AACSB-accredited curriculum,
• Integrate advanced technologies into the curriculum,
• Support and encourage our faculty in their creative and personalized delivery of our curriculum and their counseling of our students,
• Maintain and nurture an ongoing faculty commitment to a broad array of intellectual contributions that includes pedagogical research, contributions to practice, and discipline-based scholarship.

Accounting Concentration

The Accounting Concentration prepares you to take portions of the CPA exam.  The applied management concentration focuses on developing consulting skills.

You might work with businesses to provide real solutions to problems that actually make an impact. In the past our students have worked with the Hopi Tribe on an economic development plan, with a hard apple cider company, and with a beverage company

Our goal in offering the B.A.S. degree is to provide you with a general knowledge of management, organizational, and policy issues and to advance your communication, computer, and quantitative skills. This degree also offers you the opportunity to complete a specialization that will broaden your career horizons, promote life-long learning, and enrich your life. Northern Arizona University offers this degree at selected campuses throughout Arizona.