Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry

at Shorelight Group - University of Kansas USA

Welcome to American Studies, undergraduates! We are one of the best majors at KU for those students seeking a critically engaged and socially relevant area studies program. As an interdisciplinary department, we take an integrative approach to the study of the United States in relationship to the broader world, using history, literature, philosophy, popular culture, psychology, religion and sociology. In our department, undergraduates study hipsters to hip hop, old and new media, labor movements and changing work habits, popular media and music as an expression of American identity, local communities and globalization, social justice movements and changing cultural mores in American politics on race, gender, religion and sexuality covering the gamut from conservatives to left wingers. Our aim as an interdisciplinary department is not to indoctrinate students. It is our goal to teach you to use analytical tools for understanding our country and world and assist you in articulating your vision of leadership in it.

Civil engineering, the oldest and broadest of the divisions of engineering, implements a range of public and private projects for improving society’s physical infrastructure and the environment. Civil engineers specializing in environmental engineering integrates scientific principles with engineering experience to plan, design, and construct environmental pollution control systems, storm water systems, and  water purification and distribution systems that maintain, protect, and enhance the quality of life. Like all civil engineers,  those specializing in environmental engineering are trained to consider the societal effects as well as the physical and environmental factors that constrain the planning, design, construction, and operation of their projects. 

The undergraduate program gives students the theoretical background, instruction in the engineering application of scientific principles, and professional attitude to serve the public. It typically leads to entry-level positions or to graduate work in technical specialties, business administration, or other professions.

In addition to environmental pollution control and water resources systems, courses that address the behavior and design of steel and reinforced concrete structures, foundations, and surface transportation systems are integrated into the curriculum, culminating in a series of senior-level professional design courses. These simulate the design processes used in the major areas of civil engineering and prepare students for entry-level positions. Most faculty members are licensed professional engineers. KU graduates have successful records in professional practice, research in academic institutions, government and private laboratories, and in managing firms and corporations of all sizes.

To study with the KU School of Music’s Theory and Composition (MTHC) Area is to engage the passions, both musical and intellectual, of six composers and scholars who have each earned national and international recognition for their contributions to the discipline.

Working with faculty in the division, you will be able to pursue a wide range of scholarly interests and musical styles. Our specialists in music theory research and teach a wide breadth of approaches on diverse subjects. In addition to critical assessment of the standard common-practice and contemporary repertoires, students have the opportunity to learn about specific fields of faculty expertise, including film music, philosophy and critical theory, rhythm and meter, and modern rock music.

Our composers in the division are also skilled teachers who can help you refine your craft and develop your unique compositional voice. Among their vast and varied portfolios, they have each made significant contributions in producing new music for a wide range of genres, including works for wind band and orchestra, opera and choral music, instrumental and vocal chamber music, music for film, and electronic music (particularly involving live performance).

The B.A. in Music degree is a general music degree intended for students desiring a broad study of music with the flexibility to take elective coursework in other disciplines. This degree program includes private applied study in an instrument or voice, ensemble performance, and coursework in music history and music theory.

In the Department of Visual Art, you get the best of both worlds. You will work side by side with world-class, practicing artists. Small classes provide time for directed and individual instruction and space for developing big ideas. You can explore all seven studio areas to create an education as individual as you are.

The Bachelor of Arts in Visual Art is a four-year, 120 credit hour degree program. The B.A. in Visual Art is a more traditional liberal arts undergraduate degree, requiring only 24 credit hours in Visual Art beyond the Foundations, as opposed to the 49 required by the more art intensive B.F.A. Because of this, students interested in pursuing a double major may find it easier to pair the B.A. with other more traditional undergraduate degrees. Popular double majors in Visual Art include: Visual Art/Psychology; Visual Art/Chemistry; Visual Art/Museum Studies.

The first year is spent in Foundations where students focus on the development of their creative and technical skills.

The Bachelor of Arts course work blends theory and practice. We offer a comprehensive array of classroom opportunities, including courses in film/video and production.  There are two emphases to choose from.  Production, with a focus on film and video production, will prepare you for a career in the film industry with the addition of study in quantitative reasoning.  Culture and Studies will allow you the opportunity to not only work in film production and study quantitative reasoning but also explore the impact of film in various cultures and societies as well as the prospect of what the future holds for the development of new forms of media.

Film/Media projects originate in our media production courses. Many of these student works have won honors at regional, national, and international competitions. The Fiske Guide to Colleges has listed KU as one of the "Major Universities Strong in Film/Television" placing us with other film schools such as the University of Southern California and New York University.

The Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology provides students with a broad understanding of biological systems at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. The MCDB degree includes study of genetics, cell biology, developmental biology, cancer biology, and neurobiology. Students have the option of elective courses in these areas for an advanced, in-depth learning experience.

Through our Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures, KU offers six languages: Chinese, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Tibetan, and Uyghur. Languages are supported by a variety of interdisciplinary courses ranging from literature and art history, sociology, anthropology, political science, business, and economics, to name but a few. KU students from all majors and professional schools are encouraged to explore East Asian studies.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Industrial Design program is a four-year interdisciplinary course of study. Graduates of KU’s Industrial Design program are particularly attractive to potential employers because of our well rounded and rigorous curriculum. Our students find career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines including product design, furniture design, exhibit design, package design, human factors, design research and product planning. Check out a selection of student work.

The variety of products and systems that fall within the potential scope of an industrial designer's work is extremely broad. Examples range from household appliances to aircraft interiors and from furniture to major electronics equipment, transportation vehicles, and myriad other product areas. Consequently, some industrial designers choose to specialize in particular area, e.g., automobile or furniture design, while others prefer to divide their efforts among several product areas that fall within their own design interests.

Practice is directed toward the creation and development of concepts, designs, and specifications, that optimize the value, function, convenience, safety, utility, and appearance of manufactured products and systems for the mutual benefit of both users and manufacturers of those products.

Anthropology is a science of humankind. It studies all facets of society and culture. It studies tools, techniques, traditions, language, beliefs, kinships, values, social institutions, economic mechanisms, cravings for beauty and art, struggles for prestige. It describes the impact of humans on other humans. With the exception of the Physical Anthropology discipline, Anthropology focuses on human characteristics generated and propagated by humans themselves.

Anthropologists are concerned with the origin, history, and future of our own species, so the field is as diverse as people are.

What can I do with a degree in anthropology?
Anthropology students learn to have a highly flexible perspective toward the similarities and differences among peoples and cultures. A degree in anthropology will prepare you for graduate work or for employment in community services or the business sector. KU anthropology graduates work at universities and museums across the nation and with such federal agencies as the National Park Service and the Peace Corps. But as an anthropology major, you need not be limited to such work. Because anthropology is so diverse a discipline, it is excellent preparation for an advanced professional degree in such areas as business, medicine, or law. More and more, employers are seeking students with degrees in the liberal arts for management positions. They want people who can deal with concepts and abstractions, who are imaginative and creative - just the skills that studying anthropology will help you develop.