Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Studies

at Shorelight Group - Towson University USA

• Use a working critical vocabulary to do textual and ethnographic analyses of cultural phenomena, showing an understanding of both verbal and visual texts, students own everyday experience, and the inter-relatedness of social, political, historical, and economic components of their worlds.
• Through writing, convey an understanding of a variety of critical strategies (e.g. semiotics, content analysis, structuralism) applicable to cultural studies cross-disciplinary core.
• Acquire the habits and attitudes of an inquiring mind, for looking into questions of culture in ways that resonate with students’ lives and finally even beyond these lives, into an awareness of ethical, cognitive, and emotional issues that may at first seem foreign to their own systems of cultural values.
• Evaluate critically the sources and content of information. This goal is listed among the Middle States Commission on Higher Education Expectations Regarding Information Literacy and Technological Competency.
• Understanding and applying relevant discipline-specific methodologies and strategies of inquiry.
• Engaging intellectually and seeking to understand the experiences and views of people with different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, whether in their own country or abroad.

Students interested in teaching Middle School students (Grades 4-9) should contact the Department of Secondary & Middle School Education. Middle School Education majors must select two content areas from the following: English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies/History, which leads to Maryland State Teacher Certification in Middle School in both of the content areas selected. The Pass (PS) grading option may not be used for any of the courses listed below. 

The M.Ed. in Art Education is designed to provide opportunities for artistic and scholarly inquiry and specialized research for the practicing art educator. Emphasis is placed on each graduate student customizing a program of study from a wide array of courses that are significant to the contemporary field of art education. The program encourages professional development as artist / teacher / researchers in becoming more effective practitioners and leaders in the field of art education. 

The field of Health Education and Promotion (HEP) explores the complexities of human behavior and identifies ways to promote healthy behaviors. Health Education and Promotion prepares students to educate and empower the public to understand their health, to make healthy choices, to improve their quality of life, and to reduce disease and disability. Health educators design, market, implement and/or evaluate health education and health promotion programs. The settings in which community health educators work include, but are not limited to health departments, voluntary health agencies, hospitals, universities, nonprofit organizations, government agencies and schools.

The Health Education and Promotion major gives students the foundation needed to be effective health professionals based on principles from the behavioral, biomedical and social sciences. Through coursework and a 12-unit internship, students will graduate with a solid foundation in a variety of health topic areas including public health, health education theory and practice, and program planning and evaluation.

The Masters of Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts Infusion (MAIAI) is a one of a kind, graduate program designed for classroom teachers, arts specialists, teaching artists, administrators and arts entrepreneurs. The program deepens and extends the skills and techniques of the arts disciplines through a unique blend of professional development course work and advanced, trans-disciplinary arts practice. 

MAIAI builds upon the successful work of our Arts Integration Institute and the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate that Towson has been offering since 1999. MAIAI reflects an interdisciplinary approach to arts education integrating a variety of art forms (theatre, dance, music, visual arts) into PreK-12 classrooms and beyond. This program is consistent with Towson University’s mission to provide programs that enhance teaching skills and professional development for educators. Graduates will be collaborators equipped to lead a transformation in teaching, learning and school reform through arts integration.

In addition to the Core Curriculum requirements, Foreign Languages majors in the French Concentration must complete 30 units with a grade equivalent of 2.00 or higher in French beyond the intermediate level. Of the 30 units, at least 15 units must be taken at Towson University.

The Asian Studies Concentration within the Interdisciplinary Studies major is designed to offer students an interdisciplinary program of study of various dimensions of the Asian world. Students may plan a course of study that concentrates on a particular aspect of Asian civilization or on a particular sub-region of Asia. One might, for example, focus on the art and philosophy of various Asian peoples, or instead, one might concentrate on Chinese, Indian or Japanese civilization, studying both the traditional and modern society, its physical setting, and its political and economic development. In order to build a sound program of study, which meets both the individual student’s needs and the Interdisciplinary Studies requirements, it is essential that students work closely with an adviser in planning the program and selecting courses.

Students in the Art Education program are eligible to apply for certification by the Maryland State Department of Education enabling them to teach art in Maryland in grades PreK-12. In addition to meeting the Core Curriculum requirements, students complete art education and professional education requirements. The entire program is approximately 138-139 units and takes five years to complete. The art education block is taken in the last three terms of the program.

• Demonstrate an understanding of the physical, social, economic and political factors that shape the development of metropolitan areas.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the array of current challenges facing metropolitan areas.
• Critically analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of policies designed to address the challenges facing metropolitan areas.
• Conduct and present sound research on metropolitan issues.

The Master of Science program provides students with a broad knowledge in applied mathematics with an emphasis on areas with the highest demand in business and industry. Among the areas stressed in the program are mathematical modeling, numerical computations, operations research, financial mathematics and statistical analysis. Numerical, computational and algorithmic approaches to problem solving are stressed throughout the program. Graduates of the program will be qualified to work in such fields as operations research, stochastic modeling, financial data analysis and statistics, among many others. Graduates of the program will also be prepared for further work at the doctoral level.

The main objectives of the program are:

1. To prepare individuals to apply advanced mathematical skills to problems in areas of science, business and industry;
2. To develop the students’ abilities to integrate, in a meaningful way, the use of technology in their everyday professional practice;
3. To give educators an opportunity to satisfy their in-service requirements and simultaneously enhance their knowledge of technology and enrich their mathematical backgrounds;
4. To supply students with the mathematical competency necessary for advancement to a more professional role;
5. To educate students to solve problems, to work in teams and to communicate in an interdisciplinary setting;
6. To familiarize students with the recent advances in applied mathematics;
7. To prepare students for further graduate work at the doctoral level in applied mathematics; and
8. To enrich the academic culture by providing opportunities for interaction of mathematical and industrial research.