Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications

at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville USA

Students who like solving problems creatively and expressing their point of view should think about pursuing a degree in theater and dance at SIUE. Theater is the study of literature, history and production of live theatrical performances. Students pursuing a degree in theater and dance from SIUE will complete an intense curriculum that will prepare them to take the next step in their professional careers or go on to graduate school. Students explore and build on their artistic talents - not only as actors and dancers, but as casting agents, box office managers, choreographers, set and lighting designers, and theater managers.

The theater and dance program in the College of Arts and Sciences at SIUE is known for its small class sizes and the artistic freedom afforded to its students. Faculty members encourage students to take risks to discover their creativity, and performance opportunities are ample. Each year, the department offers four theater productions, a dance concert, two student productions, a one-act festival, summer stock theater productions, an annual dance festival and a four-day experimental theater festival in the spring. The Department of Theater and Dance encourages a diverse mix of students and a well-rounded education with a solid liberal arts foundation.

What can I do with a degree in Theater and Dance?
Students with a degree in theater and dance find careers as actors, playwrights, screenwriters, directors, production designers, dancers, choreographers and critics. Theater and dance students obtain the skills to pursue a wide range of career paths within and outside the arts.

Dance
At SIUE, the dance program cultivates artistry, creativity and critical thinking in a supportive learning environment. Using a liberal arts approach, students are provided with professional development skills that lead to lifelong careers within the field of dance. Students also complete the necessary coursework to pursue a graduate degree if they choose to do so. Our program is known for its small class sizes, individual artistic freedom and emphasis on injury prevention. Along with courses in dance techniques, students can explore courses in choreography, dance pedagogy, dance science, dance history and dance management.

The study of communication involves the development of theories and research tools to analyze, explain and improve human interaction. The applied communication studies program is offered in the College of Arts and Sciences through the Department of Applied Communication Studies. Departmental courses focus on two-person interaction, small-group decision making, communication patterns in organizations and other complex systems, public relations, and speaker-audience interaction in public speaking.

What can I do with a degree in Applied Communication Studies?
In America, employers increasingly recognize the need for more effective communication. As a result, job opportunities for graduates trained in applied communication studies are prevalent in business and industry, government agencies, educational systems, nonprofit organizations, and community-based resource centers. Graduates often have several career choices. Examples of communication careers departmental graduates have entered are: teaching and administration; management, training and consulting in organizations; public relations; human relations and employee assistance programs; sales; and government service. Graduates find employment in various types of for-profit and nonprofit organizations locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Applied communication is also an in-demand minor for students majoring in areas such as, business, mass communications, political science and sociology. Our graduates are also well-prepared for graduate school.

Criminal justice studies at SIUE, offered through the Department of Criminal Justice Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, is a multidisciplinary degree program with a strong academic foundation in the liberal arts. Among the general topic studies are theories of crime and delinquency; the origins and development of criminal law and procedure; the functions and operations of criminal justice agencies in America, including the criminal justice response to juvenile offenders; the prevention of crime and delinquency; privatization in corrections and policing; the nature, meaning and purpose of criminal punishment; the nature and impact of criminal justice policy; and the relationship between criminal justice and human diversity.

The undergraduate social work program in the College of Arts and Sciences focuses on the knowledge, values and skills needed for social work practice. Its primary purpose is to prepare graduates for entry-level direct practice in social work. The Department of Social Work prepares BSW students for advanced standing in MSW programs. The undergraduate program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

The social work program prepares generalist social workers for many types of practice, and offers opportunities to explore specific interests through the selection of electives and the field placement setting. The primary professional purpose of social work is to promote social functioning and enhance social development at all system levels. The social worker acts as a facilitator of change with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities; promotes improvement in social conditions; serves as an advocate for people who are subject to discrimination or social or economic injustice; and provides individuals access to needed resources and services. In addition to completing on-campus course work, social work students engage in field work in local social service agencies in several courses.

What can I do with a degree in Social Work?
The bachelor’s degree in social work qualifies graduates for practice in entry-level positions in a wide range of social service settings. Most graduates work in child welfare, family service, mental health or health agencies. The bachelor’s degree from a CSWE-accredited program qualifies graduates to take the licensed social worker (LSW) examination, as stipulated by the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation. In addition, many graduate social work programs offer advanced standing to qualified students with a bachelor’s degree in social work from a CSWE-accredited program.

Faculty in the Department of Music believe students in undergraduate academic programs in music should receive a comprehensive musical background that includes cultural knowledge through the general education program, individual performance, ensemble performance, scholarly studies in music theory and history/literature, and where applicable, teacher education courses. The intent is to develop skilled and informed musicians, able scholars, and excellent and enthusiastic teachers.

The Bachelor of Music curriculum prepares students for professional careers and advanced graduate study in music performance and music education. The Bachelor of Arts, designed for students who wish to specialize in music within a liberal arts curriculum, may serve as the foundation for advanced studies in music.

Music Theory and Composition
The theory and composition specialization at SIUE allows students to gain experience in creating their own music and in understanding and explaining the principles and structures of music. In addition to the core curriculum, students specializing in theory and composition take advanced courses in analysis, arranging, and modern music, as well as private lessons in composition. Over four years, our students build a portfolio of their music while working directly with faculty and guest artists, and receive opportunities every semester to hear their music performed. Classes in music theory and composition are taught exclusively by full-time professors, and composition lessons are always one-on-one with a professor.

The focus of this specialization is to prepare students for graduate study or immediate employment, with a nearly 100% placement rate. The rigorous curriculum emphasizes fundamentals of form, harmony, orchestration, notation and musicianship applicable to any style or genre of music, from traditional concert music to film and game music.

The environmental sciences undergraduate program, in the College of Arts and Sciences at SIUE, is interdisciplinary, and is designed to cultivate students' perspectives of environmental issues, and to provide them with refined knowledge of environmental issues on a local, regional and global scale. The curriculum within the Department of Environmental Sciences will increase students’ technical competence in addressing these environmental issues, their origins, ramifications and resolutions. The program will promote experiential learning and professional education to prepare students for career opportunities in a wide variety of workplaces.

What can I do with a degree in Environmental Sciences?
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment of environmental scientists and specialists is projected to grow 8% through 2028, which is faster than the average for all occupations in the U.S. Graduates with a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts with specializations in environmental health, environmental toxicology and environmental management will have career opportunities in their areas of interest. For example, a licensed environmental health practitioner can be employed for inspection, sampling and reporting for sanitary, food safety, sewage and waste disposal, drinking water, pest control, or industrial hygiene.

Environmental Management
The environmental management specialization prepares students for careers in management and protection of natural resources, and for providing services related to environmental quality and sustainability. The curriculum offers an interdisciplinary approach to deal with various environmental management issues, including:

• Pollution control
• Regulations
• Remediation
• Hazardous waste disposal
• Sustainability

The program also includes hands-on technical training, such as geographic information systems (GIS) and environmental risk assessment. Examples of careers for graduates include environmental consultants; environmental educators; social and environmental impact analysts; resource policy analysts; natural resource planners; managers of wildlife, parks, forests and rangelands; conservation officers; watershed managers; soil conservationists; and sustainability officers.

The SIUE School of Engineering is one of the most comprehensive engineering schools in the region, offering a broad collection of professionally accredited engineering programs. In the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, courses are offered in the areas of fluid mechanics and thermal sciences, structural mechanics and vibrations, nonlinear dynamical systems, as well as mechatronics, robotics and control systems.

What can I do with a degree in Mechanical Engineering?
Students with a graduate degree in mechanical engineering will be well-prepared to pursue a career in a wide range of industries, including aerospace, manufacturing, energy, automotive, bioengineering, robotics and automation and computer-aided design and engineering. Recent SIUE graduates have earned positions in the private sector and governmental agencies. Some graduates also choose to pursue their doctoral degree.

The Master of Business Administration (MBA), accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, is designed to develop the professional capabilities of managers working in business. The central objective of the curriculum in the School of Business is to enhance quality and innovation in the analysis, interpretation, and use of information for formulating, communicating and implementing managerial decisions in business organizations. The ethical management of resources in a global environment is emphasized through the curriculum. Required courses in quantitative analysis, and decision making will sharpen the ability of students to apply models and skills, and integrate knowledge across disciplinary areas. Students can select a specialization in business analytics, healthcare administration, management information systems, project management, or a general specialization comprised of four elective courses that will fit their specific career objectives.

What can I do with an MBA?
Students completing the program should be prepared to engage in managerial careers leading to advancement through middle-and upper-level positions in business and nonprofit organizations. Additionally, graduates of the program are qualified for careers in administration or management of business firms; in banking and insurance; and in federal, state and local government agencies, as well as a variety of other settings where knowledge of business functions is required.

Healthcare Administration
The healthcare administration specialization prepares students for effective management in healthcare settings. As healthcare delivery systems undergo rapid change, managerial responsibilities increase in scope and magnitude. The healthcare administration specialization includes focused healthcare courses in finance, policy and economics courses that help managers be effective in organizational innovation and change. In addition, customer relationship management is a growing area for healthcare delivery systems to improve provider-patient connections.

The biological sciences encompass the study of all life on Earth. Biological sciences programs are offered through the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. At SIUE, our diverse programs of study include specializations that allow students the opportunity to pursue any areas that are of interest to them. Students can customize their academic program in order to better prepare them for their chosen career.

What can I do with a degree in Biological Sciences?
Many careers are available for people with basic or advanced training in biology. There are opportunities in botany, ecology, education, fisheries, forensics, forestry, genetic engineering, horticulture, medical technology, microbiology, molecular biology, parasitology, physiology, wildlife management and zoology. Technical and supervisory positions are available in federal, state, industrial and university laboratories. Environment and health-related occupations almost always require sound, basic training in biology. Most students entering schools of medicine, dentistry, optometry, osteopathy, veterinary science, chiropractic and podiatry are biology majors. Basic training in biology is essential for careers in allied health sciences, including nutrition, pharmacy, occupational therapy and physical therapy.

Medical Technology
This specialization is designed for students who wish to become medical technologists certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists. Medical technologists should have a firm understanding of the theory behind the diagnostic tests they perform in the clinical laboratory.

Their responsibilities encompass all clinical laboratory disciplines, such as clinical chemistry, urinalysis, hematology, serology, immunology, blood and organ banking, microbiology, parasitology, and nuclear medicine. As self-motivated, inquisitive scientists, medical technologists contribute to the development of new methods and laboratory instrumentation that aid physicians in preventing and curing disease. Most medical technologists are employed in hospitals, but private laboratories, physicians' offices, government agencies, industrial and pharmaceutical laboratories, and university research programs offer growing opportunities for employment advancements.

The environmental sciences undergraduate program, in the College of Arts and Sciences at SIUE, is interdisciplinary, and is designed to cultivate students' perspectives of environmental issues, and to provide them with refined knowledge of environmental issues on a local, regional and global scale. The curriculum within the Department of Environmental Sciences will increase students’ technical competence in addressing these environmental issues, their origins, ramifications and resolutions. The program will promote experiential learning and professional education to prepare students for career opportunities in a wide variety of workplaces.

What can I do with a degree in Environmental Sciences?
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment of environmental scientists and specialists is projected to grow 8% through 2028, which is faster than the average for all occupations in the U.S. Graduates with a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts with specializations in environmental health, environmental toxicology and environmental management will have career opportunities in their areas of interest. For example, a licensed environmental health practitioner can be employed for inspection, sampling and reporting for sanitary, food safety, sewage and waste disposal, drinking water, pest control, or industrial hygiene.

Environmental Toxicology
The environmental toxicology specialization provides students with the knowledge to work as environmental toxicology specialists, and prepares students for careers in teaching, research or other related professional fields. Environmental toxicology students study toxic pollutants and their effects on the physical and biological environment, such as identifying and investigating potential sources of pollutants in the environment and minimizing their toxic effects on humans and other organisms. Toxic pollutants in the environment include different organic and inorganic chemical compounds, such as pesticides, industrial waste and heavy metals. Occupations that use environmental toxicology include:

• Risk assessment
• Pharmaceutical development
• Food additive toxicity testing
• Managing regulatory compliance
• Residue or forensic analysis
• Pest control
• Monitoring and field sampling
• Industrial hygiene
• environmental health and safety

Examples of careers for graduates with a specialization in environmental toxicology include environmental toxicologist, staff toxicologist, environmental health, and safety specialist.