Bachelor of Science, Major in Community and Regional Planning

at South Dakota State University USA

Conservation Planning and Park Management is an interdisciplinary science that trains students to develop conservation strategies at landscape scales.  This program will prepare students for careers in Park Management, Landscape Conservation Planning, Natural Areas Management, Land Use Planning, and as a Park Ranger, and Interpretive/Naturalist.

Student Learning Outcomes
Conservation Planning and Park Management graduates will:

• Demonstrate understanding of ecological and environmental principles required for management of natural resources for multiple-uses, including (but not limited to) wildlife habitat, water management, ecosystems services, recreation, and livestock production. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis; Critical and Creative Thinking; Information Literacy; Problem Solving; Civic Knowledge and Engagement)
• Describe how natural resource management fits into the context of society and how societal factors (e.g., economics, policy, laws, regulations, attitudes, behaviors, norms) influence natural resource management. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis; Critical and Creative Thinking; Information Literacy; Teamwork; Problem Solving; Civic Knowledge and Engagement)
• Lead and work with others as appropriate to successfully manage natural resources. (Cross-curricular Skill: Teamwork)
• Demonstrate appropriate use of natural resource field & lab techniques as well as contemporary technology.
• Analyze and critically evaluate data and other information. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis; Critical and Creative Thinking; Information Literacy; Teamwork; Problem Solving; Civic Knowledge and Engagement)
• Effectively communicate (both written and orally) with both scientific and non-scientific audiences. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis; Critical and Creative Thinking; Information Literacy; Teamwork; Problem Solving; Civic Knowledge and Engagement)
• Demonstrate an understanding of the professional and ethical responsibility that is necessary for a natural resource manager. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis; Critical and Creative Thinking; Information Literacy; Teamwork; Problem Solving; Civic Knowledge and Engagement)

A major in advertising will prepare students with effective written and visual communication, critical thinking, strategy, design, and research skills. Through coursework and experiential learning experiences, including a required internship, graduates gain experience working on teams to develop solutions for applied projects, clients, and competitive campaigns.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students completing an advertising major will be equipped to:

• Understand and apply the principles and laws of freedom of speech and press, for the country in which the institution that invites ACEJMC is located, as well as receive instruction in and understand the range of systems of freedom of expression around the world, including the right to dissent, to monitor and criticize power, and to assemble and petition for redress of grievances.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the history and role of professionals and institutions in shaping communications.
• Demonstrate an understanding of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and, as appropriate, other forms of diversity in domestic society in relation to mass communications. (Cross-curricular Skill: Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
• Demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures and of the significance and impact of mass communications in a global society. (Cross-curricular Skill: Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
• Understand concepts and apply theories in the use and presentation of images and information. (Cross-curricular Skills: Diversity, Inclusion and Equity, Information Literacy)
• Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethical principles and work ethically in pursuit of truth, accuracy, fairness and diversity. (Cross-curricular skill: Ethical Reasoning)
• Think critically, creatively and independently. (Cross-curricular Skills: Inquiry and Analysis, Critical and Creative Thinking)
• Conduct research and evaluate information by methods appropriate to the communications professions in which they work. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis, Information Literacy)
• Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve.
• Critically evaluate their own work and that of others for accuracy and fairness, clarity, appropriate style and grammatical correctness. (Cross-curricular Skill: Critical and Creative Thinking)
• Apply basic numerical and statistical concepts. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis)
• Apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communications professions in which they work.

Mechanical engineers design devices and systems that efficiently employ the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of society. Mechanical Engineering is an applied science profession based on mathematics, physics and chemistry. Expertise and sound judgment in application of the sciences are gained through a combination of study and practice.

Mechanical engineers have a remarkable range of career options from which to choose. Work is found in design and development of a wide range of machines and systems, in manufacturing and automation, in energy and power production, and in various related fields of research, management or business.

Program Educational Objectives
The Mechanical Engineering program provides a learning environment that prepares graduates to achieve the following career and professional accomplishments:

• Achieve positions of increasing responsibility or leadership with employers, professional organizations, or civic organizations in recognition of professional competence and the ability to function in team environments.
• Complete licensure, certification, short courses, workshops or advanced degrees in technical or professional subject areas as they adapt to contemporary engineering practice and the global business environment.

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completing the Mechanical Engineering program, the student outcomes are:

• An ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics.
• The ability to apply engineering design to produce solutions that meet specified needs with consideration of public health, safety, and welfare, as well as global, cultural, social, environmental, and economic factors.
• An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences.
• An ability to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental, and social contexts.
• An ability to function effectively on a team whose members together provide leadership, create a collaborative and inclusive environment, establish goals, plan tasks, and meet objectives.
• An ability to develop and conduct appropriate experimentation, analyze and interpret data, and use engineering judgment to draw conclusions.
• An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies.

The Global Studies program allows students to investigate and evaluate critical global issues, hone verbal and written communication skills, and develop intercultural competence necessary essential in a global marketplace and society. The interdisciplinary global studies major combines a set of required core courses, a modern language series, an international study abroad or internship experience, and a flexible series of electives from disciplines such as economics, geography, history, modern languages, philosophy, political science, religion, and sociology.  These components are designed to educate students in the complexity of the diverse cultural, environmental, political, religious and social interactions that comprise our modern world and to help them find solutions to the complex global challenges of the 21st century.

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the global studies major, students will:

• Demonstrate a broad understanding of global issues, societies, civilizations, economies, and cultures through an interdisciplinary approach. (Cross-curricular Skills: Intercultural Knowledge; Critical & Creative Thinking; Inquiry & Analysis; Information Literacy)
• Gain verbal and written communication skills essential in a global marketplace and society. (Cross-curricular Skills: Critical & Creative Thinking; Inquiry & Analysis; Information Literacy)
• Speak, read, understand, and write a foreign language at the intermediate-high level with solid narrative skills in the past, present, and future tenses. (Cross-curricular Skills: Intercultural Knowledge; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
• Demonstrate knowledge of intercultural competence and effectively bridge cultural differences and commonalities. (Cross-curricular Skills: Intercultural Knowledge; Critical & Creative Thinking; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
• Articulate the value of their global, cultural, and language studies and apply these skills to future employment. (Cross-curricular Skills: Intercultural Knowledge; Critical & Creative Thinking; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)

Students who successfully complete this 60-credit hour specialization will earn a Master of Science in Counseling and Human Resource Development specializing in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Upon successful completion of the core requirements, and those of the Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization and with the successful completion of the comprehensive written and oral examinations, graduates are endorsed as having constructed appropriate entry level knowledge and as having met appropriate skill acquisition to be recognized as professional clinical mental health counselors. Students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling specialization are also responsible for having taken supporting area courses which supplement or enhance their chosen specialty.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Understand and advocate for positive attention to developmental needs of individuals, families, schools, and communities;
• Promote mental health through well-developed and consistent theoretical study and application;
• Appreciate cultural, ethnic, and gender differences as they relate to perceptions and expectations of counseling;
• Apply ethical, legal, moral, and professional standards to all aspects of professional counseling services;
• Respond to the mental health needs of a variety of individuals and families, through a wide spectrum of services including support, education, assessment, and treatment;
• Understand and be able to appropriately select and apply a variety of service or treatment modalities;
• Understand assessment strategies and the criteria for mental illnesses as well as effective treatments;
• Understand and model healthy community and work relationships; and
• Be prepared to pursue licensure as a professional counselor.

The Master of Architecture (M.Arch.) program prepares professional leaders with specialized knowledge and skills to meet the nation’s needs in design, build, and education.  The aim of the program is to prepare architecture majors to practice in a full range of contexts and settings.

The Master of Architecture degree is comprised of a 48 credit hour, four semester graduate curriculum which rounds out the department’s seven semester NAAB accreditation candidate professional program. (See department website (www.sdstate.edu/arch/) for NAAB Professional Program details.)

Student Learning Outcomes

• Research: Understand the theoretical and applied research methodologies and practices used during the design process.
• Project Implementation: Demonstrate the skills associated with making integrated decisions across multiple systems and variables in the completion of a design project. This demonstration includes problem identification, setting evaluative criteria, analyzing solutions, and predicting the effectiveness of implementation.
• Integrative Decision-Making: Be able to make design decisions within a complex architectural project while demonstrating broad integration and consideration of environmental stewardship, technical documentation, accessibility, site conditions, life safety, environmental systems, structural systems, and building envelope systems and assemblies.
• Mediated Practices: Use a diverse range of mediated practices to think about and convey architectural ideas, including writing, investigating, speaking, drawing, and modeling.  
• Ethics: Understand the ethical issues involved in the exercise of professional judgment in architectural design and practice and understanding the role of the NCARB Rules of Conduct and the AIA Code of Ethics in defining professional conduct.Team Building: Understand the methods for selecting consultants and assembling teams; identifying work plans, project schedules, and time requirements; and recommending project delivery methods.

The Master of Arts in Communication and Media Studies is a broad-based graduate degree for students with an undergraduate degree in communication studies, media studies, or related areas. Coursework emphasizes the intersections of academic and professional approaches to understanding, creating, and evaluating messages across contexts. Core coursework covers the foundations of the communication and media studies disciplines (including relevant theories and methods), explores cross-platform communication, and offers applied coursework in either professional communication or media law.

Students who pursue Option A (thesis) complete an additional 9-12 credits of elective coursework and an independent, theoretically-based study that generates new disciplinary knowledge and prepares them for advanced graduate work. Students who pursue Option B (project) complete an additional 15-18 credits of elective coursework and an independent, applied project that addresses a practical issue using skills related to students’ chosen career fields.

Student Learning Outcomes

A graduate with a specialization in Communication Studies will be able to:

• Demonstrate excellent communication skills across various platforms (written, oral, and digital) that are tailored to the professions, audiences, and purposes they serve. (Transferable Skill: Career Preparedness)
• Conduct research and/or evaluation projects using appropriate qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies.
• Understand the theoretical foundations of the field and generate new, creative insights or contributions to one’s academic or professional field.
• Identify the impact of history, diversity, and intersectionality of social identities on human communication and mass media within personal, professional, organizational, and societal contexts.
• Use current and emerging technologies effectively to adapt fundamental critical thinking and storytelling skills to the interconnected world with digital, networked media.
• Practice professional ethics, as well as principles of freedom of speech and expression, within one’s academic or professional field.

A degree in Studio Art prepares majors for careers as fine artists, graduate study in fine arts, and entry-level positions in art and graphic design. The degree focuses on the breadth of general studies combined with visual arts studies where majors receive certificates in one or more of the following areas: Animation, Art History, Ceramics, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture. A 30-hour visual arts core supports the degree and creates a foundation of success in art related fields.

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Studio Art program, students will be able to:

• Apply the basic principles of visual organization, in two and three dimensions, to the creation and the analysis of works of art. This includes the application of fundamental drawing skills, design concepts, color theory, and studio specific applications. (Cross-Curricular Skills: Inquiry and Analysis; Integrative Learning)
• Generate a body of original works of art in their chosen area of specialization that exhibits a coherent set of artistic/intellectual goals. This includes the application of the relevant technologies and media associated with their area of specialization as well as other studio disciplines. (Cross-Curricular Skills: Foundation of Lifelong Learning Skills; Critical and Creative Thinking; Problem Solving; Integrative Learning)
• Analyze and critically evaluate works of art and design from various cultures and historical periods as well as the ability to apply art historical context to their own work. (Cross-Curricular Skills: Inquiry and Analysis; Critical and Creative Thinking; Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity)
• Articulate, both orally and written, a critical discourse on their artwork and processes, the artwork of others, and art history through the appropriate application of art and design language and concepts. (Cross-Curricular Skill: Integrative Learning)
• Demonstrate the skills required by professional artists in the communication, documentation, and exhibition of their artwork and experience. (Cross-Curricular Skill: Integrative Learning)

Psychology is the discipline concerned with the study of behavior and mental processes. The teaching specialization prepares students to qualify for certification to teach psychology in one of thousands of schools nationwide.  Students pursuing this specialization should contact the College of Education and Human Sciences before their junior year.

Student Learning Outcomes
In the Psychology - Teaching Specialization, students will:

• Express fundamental knowledge and comprehension of major concepts in psychology. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis)
• Apply scientific reasoning to psychological issues/problems. (Cross-curricular Skill: Critical and Creative Thinking; Problem Solving; Ethical Reasoning)
• Show an understanding of diversity and ethical/social responsibility in professional settings. (Cross-curricular Skill: Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
• Write competently in APA style. (Cross-curricular Skill: Information Literacy)
• Demonstrate oral competency. (Cross-curricular Skill: Information Literacy)

The Precision Agriculture major prepares students for careers that bridge the gaps between agronomy, agriculture machinery management, and data sciences caused by the rapid evolution of high-speed sensor technology.

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Precision Agriculture major, students will:

• Demonstrate foundational and specialized knowledge in crop management, environmental stewardships, and precision agriculture technologies and their integrations at local, regional, and global scales. (Cross-curricular Skill: Critical and Creative Thinking)
• Explore complex local, regional, and global issues using a precision agriculture perspective to formulate questions and draw informed conclusions that are based on critical scientific analysis and interpretation of information. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis)
• Demonstrate economic and environmental proficiency in applying the proper principles and technologies of precision agriculture and to address socioeconomic issues in Agricultural sciences. (Cross-curricular Skill: Civic Knowledge and Engagement)
• Demonstrate the ability to collect, organize, analyze, and synthesize accurate digital field maps using specialized software and have the operational knowledge for specialized precision agriculture equipment, computers, and spreadsheet applications to produce meaningful management recommendations (Cross-curricular Skill: Information Literacy)
• Effectively communicate and demonstrate openness to new perspectives and diverse others, and demonstrate the ability to reassess their personal perspective within precision agriculture activities when appropriate. (Cross-curricular Skill: Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)