Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology

at Shorelight Group - Southwestern University USA

With its wide scope and its status as the foundation for many scientific disciplines, physics enables you to understand all forms of mass and energy and their interrelationships. You will explore how the universe works—from the subatomic and molecular levels to the scale of solar systems and galaxies—through systematic observation, theoretical modeling, and experimentation. And fulfilling Southwestern’s innovative Paideia approach to education, physics gives you the tools to make connections between seemingly unconnected phenomena in technologically innovative and artistically creative ways. How is DNA related to the dust swirling about a star? How does the strumming of a guitar or the darkly dramatic register of a tenor trombone behave like a wave traveling within the depths of the ocean or the tremors of an earthquake? You will develop the intellectual and philosophical curiosity to understand first physical principles—foundational concepts that lead to the scientific discoveries that shape our world and drive the technological advances that help improve our lives.

With specialties in geophysics, atmospheric physics, mathematics, and quantum physics, our award-winning faculty offer a rich array of courses, including earth and climate science, classical mechanics, and quantum physics. If your passion is for engineering, you can explore the field in our three-year, dual-degree Applied Physics Pre-Engineering Pathway. You will also have the remarkable opportunity to use the Fountainwood Observatory for research and coursework. Thanks to a generous gift by Max Allen, a local engineer, builder, and amateur astronomer, our observatory houses a research-quality reflecting telescope complete with a digital CCD camera that enables you to for view and process images on your computer.

The Theatre Department provides academic, production and laboratory experiences designed to help students develop their artistic potential and to become well-rounded theatre artists. We work to educate students who are well prepared for graduate schools and advanced theatre training programs and for work in the professional theatre. We are also dedicated to empowering individuals who will use the analytical, critical, practical and artistic skills inherent in the theatre discipline to entertain, educate, enlighten and contribute to their communities and the world in insightful and celebratory ways.

The Theatre Department offers a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) The degree is designed to provide students with a solid grounding in all areas of theatre studies including history, dramatic literature, performance, design, management, and technical theatre. Students who choose the Bachelor of Arts option often combine their work in theatre with work in other disciplines, are interested in graduate education focusing on research and scholarship, or are certifying to teach.

For students who are Work Study eligible as part of their financial aid package, there are numerous jobs in the area of the theatre, such as faculty assistants, box office staff, and backstage crew. Students interested in these positions should inquire through department head of the desired area.

The Classics major exposes students to both languages of the Graeco-Roman world, plus a range of courses in ancient history, philosophy, culture, art, and archaeology.

The major and minor in Latin enable students to study the literature and culture of the Roman world, from the formative years of the Republic to the expansion and power of the Empire.

At the head of Greek literature stand the Homeric epics, followed by equally fascinating literature of the archaic, classical, and Hellenistic periods.

The Classics Program has broad goals, embracing cultural and social issues, critical thinking, language skills, and advanced research skills. Classics majors also have the opportunity to conduct advanced research at the side of a professor. For example, one recent graduate, working in collaboration with Dr. Haskell, produced a paper on the topic of the arrival of Greeks on Crete (published in Athens the following year). Another student “read” and classified a sequence of pottery sherds at an archaeological site in Turkey.

Kinesiology, the study of human movement, can be traced to the ancient Chinese, Egyptian, Indian, and Greek civilizations. Kinesiology has evolved to become a discipline focusing on movement as it relates to physical activity, health and disease prevention, exercise, and sport.

The Kinesiology Department at Southwestern University is committed to developing students into active participants in their community and the world. We offer a selection of courses to fulfill requirements for Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees, with a major or a minor in Kinesiology.  The Kinesiology major includes courses that are pre-requisites for graduate study in the discipline and professional programs in clinical and health-related fields. These courses are also required for teaching certification.

The Kinesiology Department also offers Fitness and Recreational Activity classes in which students develop the knowledge, skills, and physical abilities that contribute to their enjoyment of various sports and activities throughout their lives.

Environmental Studies at Southwestern is one of our premier interdisciplinary programs. It is designed to expose students to a wide range of perspectives and disciplinary orientations to understanding ‘the natural environment’ and human-environment interactions and connections. Students graduating with Environmental Studies pursue a wide variety of careers in government, NGOs, the sustainability sector, environmental law, or go on to graduate school to deepen their knowledge.

Through speaking and listening comprehension, you will acquire strong communication skills and explore how the Spanish language works: How do words, concepts, and metaphors vary across languages? How does Spanish help us understand the world in a different way? By also immersing yourself in cultural works of the Spanish-speaking world, you’ll develop the ability to analyze and critically evaluate works of literature, film, and other artistic representations while thinking about how cultural practices differ from country to country and even between regions where different dialects of Spanish are spoken. Whether you are brand new to the language or grew up speaking Spanish in the home, we have courses that will fit your interests and needs.

At SU, you will improve your linguistic fluency and enhance your cultural immersion through various high-impact experiences led by our award-winning faculty. Our transformative study abroad programs in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Granada, Spain, empower you to practice your language skills while conversing about culture, politics, and current events with native speakers. Internships in Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, and throughout Europe provide you with valuable language-study and career-training opportunities. And through community-engaged learning, our partnerships with local organizations and school districts enable you to volunteer in immigrant support services, participate in dual-language classrooms, and teach or tutor ESL.

True to the Paideia spirit, students studying Spanish at Southwestern often double-major or minor in other fields, such as business, Latin American and Border studies, education, biology, communication studies, political science, and international studies. By making connections with other disciplines and expanding your oral and written communication skills, you will be prepared to pursue a number of careers beyond graduation. Our alumni have gone on to work as marketing professionals at a Chilean vineyard, doctors in Hispanic communities, coordinators for tourism bureaus, researchers and teachers in selective graduate programs, and so much more!

Art history is a gateway to other cultures and encompasses almost all human activity. The study is highly interdisciplinary, engaging with topics from politics, economics, and social structures to religion, history, and philosophy.

Southwestern University’s Art History Department is defined by four teacher–scholars who are immersed and actively pursuing research in international environments. Collaborating with faculty whose expertise lies in the art, archaeology, and architecture of the classical Mediterranean, East Asia, pre-modern Latin America, and modern Europe and America, you will become adept at synthesizing a wide range of worldviews. You’ll learn how to think visually, exploring how form, shape, and color can influence or even manipulate one’s thoughts and emotions. You’ll also think verbally, developing well-honed arguments about the design and effects of art in various contexts. Because art history requires both visual and verbal thinking, you’ll acquire superior communication skills and the ability to think about familiar things in innovative ways.  

Fulfilling Southwestern’s commitment to promoting lifelong learning while preparing students for the careers of tomorrow, art history teaches you how to think outside the box in a surprising number of professions. Art history’s emphasis on both visual analysis and written communication prepares students to design their own careers as well, from fine-arts consulting and costume design to art therapy and sustainable design.

In the spirit of making connections and supporting innovation and exploration across the disciplines, Southwestern University empowers you to design your own independent major, leading to a bachelor of arts. You’ll have the opportunity to propose your own course of study, choosing classes from various departments to expand your knowledge of a coherent intellectual theme or hone your skills in preparation for a specific career goal. Interested in urban studies? Combine classes in government, sociology, architecture, and design thinking. Pursuing a future in global health? Consider linking an internship shadowing a cardiothoracic surgeon with coursework in cancer biology, gender and sexuality, sustainable food and agriculture, and health psychology.

To design your academic curriculum, which will include a high-impact capstone project, you’ll consult with the chairs of the relevant departments and programs and present your proposal to the Curriculum Committee for final approval. Pursuing a unique field of inquiry requires strong initiative and self-discipline, but by interweaving coursework, research, and internships from a range of subjects, you’ll get to pursue your passions, enhance your creativity, and develop a distinct and wide-ranging perspective on complex real-world problems.

The Anthropology major is designed to develop a critical awareness and understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures, and of the relevance and application of anthropological perspectives and methods to contemporary issues. The program specializes in the Caribbean, Latina/o’s in the U.S. and the U.S-Mexico Borderlands, and is anchored by a faculty member each in Anthropology and Feminist Studies. Courses cover issues central to our contemporary global society: questions of race, class and gender; environmental (in)justice; and the making of religious and spiritual forms and identities. Additionally, contributing courses from Political Science and Religion address politics and social change in Latin American and Caribbean societies, gender in/and religions, spiritual traditions in native America, pilgrimages and more. Anthropology majors acquire solid grounding in both the social and cultural theory employed and generated by anthropologists and the ethnographic methods that define our discipline and conduct and present a paper based upon their own independent research.

Students seeking a major in Anthropology complete the requirements for the BA degree. Students are required to complete a period of in-depth ethnographic research during which they collect data for their capstone. This research period must be completed by end of the fall semester of their senior year and must entail a minimum of four weeks of intensive research or its equivalent. Students are encouraged to conduct this research during a study abroad experience with an appropriate study abroad program (see approved list of study abroad providers). Students may also complete this research through extending a project begun in the Theory and Method course, or otherwise developing a project. 

Fulfilling Southwestern’s commitment to interdisciplinary learning, the Math Department empowers you to discover new ways of seeing and engaging with the world around you, from predicting national healthcare expenditures and determining the best position for viewing a painting to analyzing traffic accidents and visitations to a national park. With the guidance of faculty mentors and the ability to complement your studies with interdisciplinary minors such as data science and design thinking, you will have the flexibility to tailor your elective courses to suit your career goals.

As a math major or minor at Southwestern, you will be empowered to make a positive difference in the world. You will hone your critical and creative thinking through such courses as Graph Theory and Real Analysis. And you will have multiple opportunities to combine your interests in math with your passion for the arts or community service. Our recent students have

• Used hyperbolic geometry to crochet models of Texas coral reefs
• Analyzed the structure of the Choose Your Own Adventure series using graph theory
• Composed a musical performance modeling how the HIV virus proliferates through the body

Collaborating one on one with our award-winning faculty on innovative research is just one advantage of the SU experience. As mentors and advisors, our professors will also encourage your engagement with the broader mathematics community: many of our current students and alumni have showcased peer-reviewed presentations and posters at regional, national, and international conferences; earned awards; and coauthored journal publications. You will also get to participate in exciting national competitions, such as the Mathematical Association of America’s Putnam Competition, the Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications (COMAP) Mathematical Contest in Modeling, and the Binance Dexathon. Our alumni have gone on to premier graduate programs as well as fulfilling careers in a range of fields, from finance and programming to education and data analysis.