Undergraduate Academic Accelerator Pathway (2-Term) - Bachelor of Arts in Economic Development

at Shorelight Group - Cleveland State University USA

Several traits distinguish the B.A. in Liberal Studies from majors in specialized disciplines:

• Broad-based liberal education across the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities
• Academic (rather than technical or training) emphasis
• Maximum flexibility in choosing courses across the University curriculum (including technical electives)
• Breadth rather than specialized depth of intellectual experience
• Appropriateness for students who wish to take an active role in shaping their studies

Students majoring in Liberal Studies may create programs that suit their own academic, professional, or other personal goals. For example, some use this undergraduate degree as a foundation for graduate study in Business, Education, or Philosophy. Others use it to take specific prerequisites for professional training in Law, Medicine, or Physical Therapy. Still others pursue Liberal Studies to explore educational experiences for their inherent value and satisfaction.

The School of Health Sciences offers an undergraduate degree program in Speech and Hearing for students who wish to enter the professions of speech-language pathology and/or audiology. These professions are concerned with the identification and treatment of communication disorders across the life span. Speech and Hearing are interrelated fields concerned with speech and language acquisition, and require knowledge of biology, psychology, sociology, and linguistics. Because of interdisciplinary connections, many students find it manageable to minor or double major in Linguistics or Psychology.

An integral aspect of the Speech and Hearing program is the Cleveland State University Speech & Hearing Clinic, an on-campus clinic providing assessment and intervention for individuals across the life span with speech-language-cognitive and audiological concerns.

Information Systems (IS) as an academic discipline encompasses two broad areas:

• Acquisition, deployment and management of Information Technology (IT) resources and services
• Development of IS infrastructure to support the organization’s processes

A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Information Systems prepares you for a career in information systems by focusing on the use of current information technology within the context of an organization. Information Systems as an academic discipline encompasses three broad areas:

• Acquisition, deployment, and management of Information Technology (IT) resources and services
• Development of IS infrastructure to support the organization’s processes
• Development of business-oriented application software

Graduates of the Information Systems major have the necessary managerial skills to solve business problems in functional areas, but also the technical knowledge to develop and support information systems of any scope. Information Systems majors have gone on to careers such as: Systems Analyst, Business Analysts, Software Developer, Software Implementation Specialist, Database Administrator, Information Security Analyst, IT Support, IT Project Manager, Systems Administrator and Web Developer.

The Bachelor of Science in Physics degree prepares students for graduate programs in science and engineering or for careers in technical professions. It provides for a structured and very rigorous education in physics. Many alumni of this program have continued at prestigious research institutions across the country.

The study of physics provides a crucial understanding of the world around us though the study of the fundamental laws governing matter and energy. The field of physics has been instrumental in the development of advanced materials, electronic and optical devices, and medical equipment, impacting every aspect of our way of life. Studying physics fosters critical thinking, quantitative proficiency, and the ability to research and organize information, and infer new ideas.

Cleveland State University's Master of Science in Engineering Mechanics program objective is to train students in the analytical and computational methods of structural mechanics, the analysis of the mechanical behavior of solids, the fundamentals of material science, and the processing of materials. Recent advances in computational solid mechanics with computer-based algorithms have revolutionized the ability to simulate intelligently both linear and nonlinear structural phenomena. The engineering of advanced materials requires expertise ranging from stress analysis to materials science. Due to this diversity, the program is interdisciplinary in nature with contributions from the Chemical, Civil and Environmental, and Mechanical Engineering graduate programs. It also prepares students for continued study in the Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering program.

Two areas of specialization are available:

• Structural Mechanics
• Mechanics and Materials

The Structural Mechanics track considers analytical and computational approaches to mechanics and materials. It emphasizes numerical formulations and computer simulations of basic structural and material phenomena from a stress/strain viewpoint. The Mechanics and Materials track concentrates on the material science aspects of materials, including the laboratory testing and development and investigation of new engineered materials. All students must complete a common set of core courses specified.

This major is designed to give students the opportunity to engage in a multidisciplinary study of the variety of subjects concerned with international affairs. International Relations is the study of interactions among the various actors that participate in international politics, including states, international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, and multinational corporations. Career opportunities include employment in government, think tanks, global businesses, and nongovernmental organizations. An International Relations major also provides excellent preparation for graduate school in the field or in law.

The Urban and Regional Studies major entails the study of America's cities, metropolitan areas, and their people. Students learn about the cultural, political, and historical aspects of urban living and the influence of these factors on the growth and decline of businesses and neighborhoods. Urban Studies is an interdisciplinary program that includes a foundation in urban geography, urban economic and political systems, and social issues.

Concentrations are offered in:

Urban and Regional Planning
Urban planners use their skills in research, design, and development to effect social goals in cities. The urban and regional planning track helps students use the heritage of urban planning to influence urban and regional development. Planners analyze a range of data regarding an area—the economic base, the needs of the people, the available resources, and the effects of change—and make recommendations for action.

Public Management
Public managers develop budgets, strategic plans, policies, and programs for a variety of public and private organizations. The public management track gives students basic management techniques and analytic skills necessary to manage effectively in an urban environment.

Environmental Policy and Management
This track is designed to give students an understanding of the economic, political, and social changes necessary for improving the quality of the physical environment in cities. Courses focus on domestic environmental policies and programs, environmental design, and issues related to sustainable development.

Geographic Information System
A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computerized database management system used for the capture, storage, retrieval, analysis, and display of spatial data. GIS is useful to every discipline that utilizes geographic data and is one of the most exciting and rapidly growing computer technologies.

GIS has spread widely into fields such as land use, transportation, utility management, emergency services, natural resource management, environment, demographics, public safety and public health, market and business location, housing, and real estate. With digital representation of spatial entities and their spatial relationships in GIS database, GIS are used to improve services, assist in managing resources, and provide support for better decision-making and policy-planning activities.

Mathematicians use theory, computational techniques, algorithms and computer technology to solve problems in various fields, including basic sciences, engineering, computer science, economics, business, finance, and social sciences. The study of mathematics is traditionally divided into pure (theoretical) mathematics, which involves discovering new mathematical principles and relationships, and applied mathematics, which develops mathematical techniques for solving practical problems. Statistics is a sub-field of applied mathematics that focuses on data analysis.

Environmental science focuses on ecosystem management, the effects of pollutants on ecosystems, ways to restore polluted environments to their natural state, and effective strategies toward minimizing pollution (preventative management). The Environmental Science major at Cleveland State University provides education in the fundamentals of all the major areas of modern Environmental Science, training in current laboratory skills, as well as environmental policy.

The programs in the Department of Political Science are designed to teach students the fundamentals of contemporary public policy, the importance of politics and democracy, and the means by which government can be influenced to respond to collective needs.