Bachelor of Arts in Law and American Civilization

at Shorelight Group - Towson University USA

• Students will demonstrate a fundamental knowledge of the history of art, including artists, titles, and dates of key works, as well as knowledge of the broader artistic circumstances from which those works emerged, and of the interrelationship of those circumstances.
• Students will demonstrate visual literacy (the ability to interpret the visual, formal aspects of an artwork) in the perception and discussion of art.
• Students will demonstrate an understanding of the cultural contexts from which art has emerged.
• Students will demonstrate knowledge of the cross-cultural and multicultural interaction that has influenced the development of artistic forms throughout the history of art and up to the present day.
• Students will prepare for career fields specific to art history, such as teaching, curatorship and preservation.

The program provides advanced study in the theory of writing, writing techniques and style, principles/techniques of editing, and the functions of written communication within the professional/occupational setting. Courses aim to develop the communication skills of people seeking to enter or to advance in occupations requiring extensive writing and/or the analysis and reporting of data. Students choose from tracks in writing for the public and private sectors, technical writing and information design, teaching writing, journalistic writing, scientific writing and creative writing.

The program provides advanced study in the theory of writing, writing techniques and style, principles/techniques of editing, and the functions of written communication within the professional/occupational setting. Courses aim to develop the communication skills of people seeking to enter or to advance in occupations requiring extensive writing and/or the analysis and reporting of data. Students choose from tracks in writing for the public and private sectors, technical writing and information design, teaching writing, journalistic writing, scientific writing and creative writing.

• Students will demonstrate competency in written communication and oral communication.
• Students will use knowledge acquired in family studies and human services courses in field experiences (community service and internship placements) and capstone courses.
• Students will demonstrate comprehensive research skills related to the discipline. Students will demonstrate informational literacy and technological competency.

The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) is designed for individuals with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education, who have no formal teacher training and wish to enter the teaching profession. It is well suited to recent graduates and to those seeking to change careers.

Graduates of the MAT program are eligible for teacher certification in the general education tracks of early childhood, elementary and secondary education.

• Early childhood education prepares students to teach Pre-K through grade three.
• Elementary education prepares students to teach grades one through six.
• Secondary education prepares students to teach grades seven through 12 in biology, chemistry, earth-space science, English, mathematics, physics, or history/social studies. 
• World Languages prepares students to teach Pre-K through grade 12 in French or Spanish.

The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Business Systems and Processes requires a minimum of 120 earned units, which must include successful completion of the university Core Curriculum requirements, the Business Systems and Processes requirements and electives.

Students are responsible for monitoring their own progress toward graduation. Students must consult with their assigned advisers each term to ensure that prerequisite courses are taken in proper sequence to meet the student’s target completion date for the degree. Prerequisites are monitored during registration. Please note that not all Business Systems and Processes courses are offered every term. Students need to create a plan in conjunction with their advisors based on the planned course offerings.

Students may additionally earn an industry certification, SAP Student Recognition Award, as part of completing selected courses in the program.

International students may benefit from the program's STEM designation, which supports an optional practical training (OPT) extension of two years.

Communication Studies courses give students a foundation in communication theories and their interrelated contexts, the application of theories to contemporary issues and the scholarly methods of studying communication. The Communication Studies major has a three-fold function:

1. It allows students a greater understanding of the role that communication plays in shaping culture and identity.
2. It looks at the ways in which the process of meaning-making (whether through the use of words, images, symbols or technology) is used strategically to influence human judgment and actions.
3. It sharpens students’ critical thinking abilities, thus enabling them to become ethical producers and consumers of messages.

This three-fold function is accomplished through a theoretical and practical focus on argument development and through a close examination of the ways ideas are discussed, advocated for, and circulated in public and private life. These emphases give students the opportunity to develop speaking, writing, and analytical thinking skills that will allow them to become better ethical participants in the process of creating, critiquing, and disseminating meaning.

The Jewish Studies M.A. is a liberal arts program that offers students immersion in the history, literature and culture of Judaism as well as comprehension of the scope of the Jewish experience. Graduates of this program typically go on for a Ph.D. or seek employment requiring a depth of Judaic knowledge. The program consists of a five-course core sequence and a concentration in one of five fields: Biblical and Ancient Near Eastern Civilization, Rabbinic Literature, Jewish Thought and Mysticism, Jewish History, or Contemporary Jewish Studies.

The study of animal behavior has received an increasing amount of attention from the public because of the emphasis placed by zoological parks on behavioral biology and the large number of presentations in the media regarding animal behavior and sociobiology.

The Animal Behavior Concentration is designed to offer a solid foundation in the diverse approaches used to study behavioral biology. The program uses a carefully selected combination of courses in biology and psychology to achieve this goal. In addition, students are required to complete either an independent research project or an internship in order to apply their knowledge in an intensive research experience.

Students who complete the program may be qualified for positions at zoological parks, aquariums and nature centers. In addition, they will have the necessary technical knowledge to pursue a career in freelance writing about animal behavior. However, students who are considering attending graduate school will need to complete additional courses in either biology or psychology. Most of the students currently enrolled in the program are also majoring in either Biology or Psychology.

Students who are considering the Animal Behavior Concentration must meet with one of the program coordinators before declaring Interdisciplinary Studies as a major. Students who are also majoring or minoring in Psychology or Biology should contact the respective co-coordinator: Mark Bulmer (Biological Sciences), Paul Pistell (Psychology).