Bachelor of Science in Biology/Psychology - Pre-Physical Therapy

at Northwest Missouri State University USA

The digital media major at Northwest is an interdisciplinary program involving an emphasis in computer science, art or mass media. The courses offer a cross-section of skills in design as well as written and visual communication. The major produces graduates who are proficient in art, photography, design, communication, computer programming and legal or ethical considerations as they relate to media.

The new media emphasis focuses on content creation, coding and design. Students learn HTML, CSS and study methods businesses use to create winning digital strategies like social media, search engine optimization and digital advertising sales.

The Middle School Education major at Northwest is a state-certified program that prepares students to teach grades five through nine. Faculty focus on ensuring students are proficient and highly qualified in content areas and understand how kids learn. Graduates of the program are equipped with the best methods to incorporating technology into the classroom, understand the development and psychology of middle school students, and know how to use assessment to improve learning outcomes.

Media studies majors at Northwest learn skills to communicate clearly and effectively. Faculty focus on teaching students theories and ensuring students are proficient in written and oral communication and the ability to think critically. With broad-based knowledge of how mass media functions, this major prepares students to advance their education in graduate school.

Art majors with the emphasis in sculpture learn about traditional and non-traditional approaches to the sculptural process. Faculty challenge students to think about space and objects in different ways. Students learn professional vocabulary to methodically discuss their art in terms of principles and elements of design and for the purpose of writing an artist statement.

Students learn technical skills that include welding, basic woodwork, and medal and mold-making. Students use traditional and new processes.

The Business Technology major is a unique combination of business and cutting-edge technology courses. Professors provide a strong foundation in business and technical skills that teach the most up-to-date techniques. Students complete the common professional component and high-demand courses that ultimately prepare them to be marketable and competitive for employment in a technology-driven environment.

Students in the mathematics major will recognize, represent, and use patterns to creatively address problems in a wide variety of settings. At Northwest, students will see and explore the beauty and utility of mathematics from a diverse faculty of highly qualified and nationally recognized mathematicians.  Upon graduation, students will be able to compete successfully for jobs in business, industry, and government or continue in graduate studies.

Geography is a holistic discipline that studies the relationship between humans, the unique cultures of construct and the environments in which they live. This major prepares students for a wide range of careers in varied areas of geography and culture. This major offers three different areas of focus:

• Culture and Society
• Environmental Geography
• Geographic Information Science

Each emphasis allows students to specialize in one of these fields and tailor classes within that emphasis to fit their interest beyond the core courses within the program.

As a student majoring in geography at Northwest, you learn the importance and impacts of space, the uniqueness of places and regions, and how humans and environment interact.

The major focuses on culture and regional geography with a wide range of tropical and regional courses available. Students will develop physical geography expertise in areas like geomorphology, atmospheric processes and sustainability. The major also teaches skills in analyzing, planning and critical thinking to prepare you for success in your career.

Finance majors at Northwest focus on three areas: financial services, corporate finance and finance management.

• Financial Services prepares students for the financial services industry. This comprises the professions of brokerage, insurance, real estate, and banking. In this business sector the students will need to understand the products customers purchase and how to relate this information to the customer.
• Corporate Finance provides students with the tools to work within the corporate structure under the chief financial officer, where accounting and financial information is used to make corporate decisions. Students will communicate with both the financial and accounting personnel and identify accounting information and financial models for decision making.
• Financial Management permits students to prepare for a position in management rather than a staff position in finance under the corporate treasurer. This option blends the knowledge of finance and management so the student is prepared to make management decisions that require an understanding of finance. Almost all decisions in business require a balance of interests from all functional business areas, using the decision-making process and the tools of finance to guide the corporation to the achievement of its goal.

Recreation majors at Northwest is the study of play and leisure in an individual’s life and methods to improve quality of life. Student can emphasize in:

• Recreation and Park Management which prepares students for program leadership and development, and budget and facility management;
• Corporation Recreation/Wellness which involve programs related to a person’s physical well-being;
• Therapeutic Recreation which prepares students with the skills to assess and evaluate the needs for individuals with special needs; and
• Sport Management prepares students for leadership roles in professional, collegiate and community sports organizations.

The five degree programs of the Discipline of Art and Design provide students with the skills needed to accomplish the tasks of their professions and to awaken them to that intellectual level of existence which will cause them to lead fuller, more rewarding lives regardless of the professional area they enter.

Study in these programs offers students the opportunity to learn to communicate ideas effectively, to develop analytical skills, to synthesize ideas, to evaluate implications of present actions against historical perspective, and to develop discriminating aesthetic judgments.

The Discipline of Art has among its quality objectives: (a) to provide an environment conducive to learning and creative production, (b) to develop an understanding and sensitivity to the visual arts of the past and present, (c) to prepare students for careers in the visual arts and design including the teaching of art and design, (d) to furnish the students with sufficient mastery of technical skills to allow for future independent development and creative production, and (e) to prepare students for advanced study in the visual arts.

In addition to the academic programs, the Exhibitions Program and Visiting Artists Series assist in broadening the learning experiences of all students. The exhibitions are shown in the Gallery of the Olive DeLuce Fine Arts Building and are drawn from national as well as regional sources. The Visiting Artists Series brings outstanding artists and art historians to the department where they conduct workshops, give demonstrations, hold discussions, and give slide presentations and lectures that are open to all persons in the University and regional community.