Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with Concentration in American Studies

at Shorelight Group - Towson University USA

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).

The Master of Science in Health Science is designed to meet needs within the state of Maryland for graduate-trained professionals to work in health care, community, worksite, and nonprofit settings. The program is intended both for people with academic or work experience in the health sciences or related fields as well as those seeking to expand their expertise to include the field of health science. It is particularly well suited to people who have been in the work force and now wish to receive additional education to enhance their performance as well as their competitiveness on the job.

Students may select a concentration in Community Health or Health Administration. Students may also elect to take a dual concentration.

A graduate of the Community Health concentration might pursue a career as a health education specialist in a variety of public or private sector organizations. Students holding current credentials in pharmacy, nursing, dentistry, dietetics and other professions may wish to combine their skills from prior training and redirect their careers toward community health. A graduate of the Health Administration concentration, on the other hand, is prepared for positions in a variety of settings that require a sound background in the business and organizational aspects of health care.

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 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.

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. 

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 Master of Music is an applied professional degree designed to develop a high level of musicianship, creative development and research skills within the discipline. Admission requires expertise in the area of concentration equivalent to having earned a Bachelor of Music degree in the area of specialization. Students are expected to have completed sufficient undergraduate courses to meet the requirements for admission.

Towson University offers an undergraduate degree program leading either to the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in Gerontology. The course work is multidisciplinary and provides students with an understanding of the scope of gerontology, the issues that are central to the study of aging, and a perspective from which students may understand the phenomenon of human aging and its implications for families and society. The program is designed to prepare students for entry-level professional positions in the field of aging, social services, and aging policy, as well as provide the knowledge and skills necessary for graduate and professional schools.

• Marshal and arrange appropriate historical evidence from primary and secondary sources to support historical arguments.
• Demonstrate command of a body of historical knowledge related to major political, economic, social, and cultural events and issues in Western culture.
• Demonstrate command of a body of historical knowledge related to major political, economic, social, and cultural events and issues in non-Western cultures.
• Demonstrate information literacy, which includes technological competency.

The Master of Science degree in Supply Chain Management and the embedded Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Supply Chain Management are designed to develop professionals who can manage, analyze, and control activities across the entire supply chain, from upstream procurement to downstream distribution channels. The types of employers targeted by this program include companies, consulting firms, and government agencies that need to achieve competitive advantage and cost efficiencies by improving their supply chain performance. This program has been designed by benchmarking content and courses against industry credentialing offerings so that graduates of the program can proceed to professional certification based on the knowledge gained in the program.

Students have the opportunity to complete courses in a combination of face-to-face, online and blended formats. Statistics proficiency for the courses can be achieved by (1) completing a department approved online or in-person course in introductory statistics, (2) providing a transcript that shows exemplary performance in an introductory statistics course within the last five years or (3) successfully completing the department's Statistics Qualifier Exam.

Graduates with a supply chain management background can pursue careers as purchasing specialists, contract administrators, procurement officers and managers, supply chain management professionals, business analysts, demand managers and more. In fact, the majority of U.S. jobs fall somewhere in a supply chain, whether it is procurement, logistics and operations, marketing, or sales and service. International students may benefit from the program's STEM designation, which supports an optional practical training extension.