Bachelor of Arts in Music - Audio Production

at Northwest Missouri State University USA

The environmental geology major teaches students about geology as it relates to human impacts on the natural world. Faculty focus on three core areas: hydrology, natural disasters and geology and natural resources.

Hydrology relates to water and water resources. Students learn where and how water is distributed, the definition of “good” water, and how to retrieve and protect the good water. Students study natural disasters and how human activities influence these disasters. Geology and natural resources is the study of the production of gas, metal and stone, and the relationship between natural resources and modern society.

Chemistry is the study of the science of matter and it’s transformations from one form to another. At Northwest, students majoring in chemistry will gain practical laboratory experience and foundational knowledge in organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, physical chemistry and analytical chemistry.

The medicinal chemistry emphasis focuses on the synthesis of drug substances, the influence of properties and chemical structure on the activity and potency of drug substances, and how different classes of drugs work in the body. The program gives students the flexibility to tailor their curriculum to various career paths in research and development or admission into pharmacy, medical or graduate school.

Physical Education majors at Northwest study physical activities, sports, leadership, team-building, self-confidence and developmental changes and methods to apply their knowledge to teaching. This major prepares students to teach physical education courses at the elementary and secondary education level

Faculty incorporate practical teaching knowledge through which students learn about implementing a curriculum in the classroom, creating a positive classroom environment, methods of effective communication, incorporating technologies and techniques of assessing learner’s progress in the classroom.

Biology/Psychology majors at Northwest study the brain and how it functions and controls human behavior. Faculty focus on three areas: genetics, evolution and neuroscience or the study of the brain. Genetics courses concentrate on the inherited factors that influence behavior such as mental illness and behavioral traits; evolution courses emphasize the significance and benefits of the size of the brain; and courses about the brain focus on the functions, malfunctions and brain disease.

The curriculum is designed to provide the additional education necessary for students with vocational or technical non-transferable certificate/degrees to earn a bachelor's degree.

Students majoring in mass media with an emphasis in applied advertising focus on the tangible media, the visual as well as creative aspects of advertising. At Northwest, students have opportunities to participate in creating and selling advertisements on the award-winning,  student-managed KZLX radio and KNWT television stations, Northwest Missourian newspaper and Tower yearbook as soon as the first semester of their freshman year.

Faculty focus on three core areas: business of advertising, creativity and media sales. In business of advertising, students learn legal and regulatory ethics, operational structure and media planning; the creativity component includes the message strategy, design concepts and knowledge of critical analysis; and media sales provide information about media mix concepts, messaging across sales, understanding media rates and the importance of digital and social media.

A Foods and Nutrition major at Northwest is the study the science of nutrition and how nutrition impacts the human body. Faculty focus on teaching students skills to modify and assess individualized nutrition such as meal plans; nutrition counseling as it relates to human behavior; food science; food preparation; and food service management.

The program is a three-step process. First, students complete Northwest’s accredited didactic foods and nutrition program requirements; second, students apply to and complete an accredited dietetics internship after graduation; and third, students take the national registered dietitian exam.

Writing majors at Northwest learn skills and techniques in composing content that inspires, communicates, solves problems and seeks truth. Students in Northwest’s writing majors work across the spectrum of writing studies—from writing professional reports to writing poems. Northwest students are not canalized strictly into writing for news media like in a journalism program, to courses in fiction and poetry like in creative writing programs or to vocationally focused genres like technical writing programs. Rather, we’ve designed a major to help and challenge students to grow into flexible, effective, communicative writers.

When employers make hiring decisions, they seek smart people who write well. Northwest’s writing major is like cross-training for today’s job market. You will receive professional training without an expiration date—a liberal arts degree that prepares you for your first job after college and every job you decide to do after. We think studying writing is excellent preparation for life as an artist, scholar, citizen and professional—all the things that you should be when you finish a rigorous undergraduate education at a supportive university, and all the things you need to succeed in contemporary life.

Earning a Political Science degree at Northwest prepares students for multiple employment opportunities in public service and private sectors including federal, state and local government, law, criminal justice system, municipal planning, city management, urban affairs, education, non-profit administration, campaigns and elections, public policy analysis and internal development and relations.

The major has three areas of emphasis: the american institutions (formerly criminal justice) emphasis provides an understanding of legislatures, police prosecutors, public offenders and courts and corrections; the public administration emphasis focuses on the decision making process and job opportunities in public organizations and local, state, federal and international agencies; and the global affairs emphasis studies the global trends and events, and enhances intercultural understanding.

Animal Science is the study of the production with livestock. Coursework focuses on three core areas: science, research and experiential learning. Science refers to students learning the anatomy, physiology, hormones and appropriate nutrition for livestock; research teaches students how to conduct research; and experiential learning provides student with opportunities for experience at the R.T. Wright Farm including annual procedures such as pregnancy tests on cows, castration and vaccination.

If students are interested in becoming a veterinarian, the Animal Science (Pre-Vet) program is an option. This is a rigorous program that emphasizes in anatomy, physiology, chemistry, organic chemistry, physics and histology.