Bachelor of Science in Economics

at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville USA

If you have diverse academic interests that span the disciplines and would like to turn these interests into a cohesive program, then the integrative studies program could be for you! Working professionals can also earn a baccalaureate degree to better position them for opportunities for advancement where a baccalaureate degree is required.

Integrative studies is an interdisciplinary program geared toward meeting each student’s personal, academic and career goals, as well as providing knowledge and skills to meet the needs of emerging professions. This program provides students the opportunity to embrace their individuality and widen their perspectives by exploring and making connections between different fields of study. Students design their own program of study, in consultation with a professional advisor and a faculty mentor, and in doing so take responsibility for their education and career planning.

What can I do with a degree in Integrative Studies?
Students graduating with an undergraduate degree in integrative studies will be well prepared to pursue career opportunities in a variety of professional settings, such as advertising, public service, military, sales, human services, ministry, sports promotion, higher education, public relations, and youth development, among others. Graduates will also be prepared to pursue a master’s or professional degree in various fields.

The environmental science management program from the Department of Environmental Sciences is a new kind of master’s degree, a professional science master’s (PSM). The PSM is a degree in science or mathematics for students interested in a wider variety of career options than provided by current graduate programs in the sciences and mathematics. This degree program also prepares students for work in fields such as research management and technology transfer.

What can I do with a degree in Environmental Science Management?
The professional science master’s degree in environmental science management is designed to fill a management need for technology-based companies, governmental agencies and non-profit organizations. Graduates can pursue a variety of positions in the public and private sectors seeking scientists with project management skills, such as waste management specialist, environmental policy and technical analyst, environmental project manager for planning and implementation of resource management, remediation, restoration and sustainable practices.

The Department of Mass Communications offers a graduate program leading to the Master of Science in media studies. The media studies program is designed for students who wish to concentrate in professional media practice (media message design, media campaigns, media policy, marketing communications and management) or media studies (media and politics, media influence, media ethics, media literacy, transnational media, and media representation). These concentration areas reflect the expertise of the department’s graduate faculty, and thus enable students to attain high levels of competency in message design and placement, theoretical application, and research design.

What can I do with a degree in Media Studies?
Recent graduates from the program have applied their degree professionally in television journalism, advertising, public relations, sports marketing and public policy, or have gone on to pursue law and doctoral degrees.

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 Master of Science in computer science program in the School of Engineering includes applied and theoretical aspects of advanced computing topics. Courses within the Department of Computer Science include advanced operating systems, computer architecture, computer networks, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, database systems and information assurance. Students who choose to complete a thesis directly engage with faculty to develop a deep understanding of the research topic.

What can I do with a degree in Computer Science?
Graduates with a degree in computer science are prepared for positions such as software developer, consultant, systems programmer, project leader, and application software specialist. Graduates also pursue careers as research scientists, technology infrastructure specialists or technology consultants. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts continued high demand and high salaries well into the next decade for computer scientists and software engineers. Students who choose to complete the thesis program during their course of study will be well-prepared to enter a PhD program.

A Master of Science in kinesiology with a specialization in exercise physiology from the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior is offered as an adult evening program designed in accordance with the American College of Sports Medicine [ACSM] for certification as a certified clinical exercise physiologist. The curriculum in the Department of Applied Health is designed to prepare individuals for careers as exercise specialists directing cardiac preventive and rehabilitative programs, personal training, hospitals, and corporate wellness programs, positions in health and exercise science programs, or further study in graduate programs or allied health programs in medicine or physical/occupational therapy.

Why Exercise Physiology?
A rapidly growing field, exercise physiology uses exercise, nutrition and behavior retention in the treatment of healthy or unhealthy individuals . Exercise physiologists are responsible for the assessment, improvement, and maintenance of health and fitness; rehabilitation of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases/disabilities; and the professional guidance of athletes and others interested in sports training.

What can I do with a degree in Exercise Physiology?
Career opportunities for individuals graduating with a degree in exercise physiology are numerous. The demand for exercise physiologists is outstanding and is expected to remain very strong due to the increasing emphasis on prevention of illness and the use of exercise as a means of promoting good health.

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.

Track Option: Public Relations
Students in the public relations track will study under a model program, designed to meet and exceed national guidelines for undergraduate public relations education described in Public Relations Education for the 21st Century: A Port of Entry, sponsored by the Commission on Public Relations Education. This track stresses written, oral, graphic, and technological applications of communication skills. Elements of the program are designed to keep entry-level students in touch with upper-division students, and past graduates in touch with all students. In addition, students will experience the "paired course" concept, an idea that helps students integrate materials across their sequence of study. And finally, students may join SIUE's award-winning chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), which is affiliated with the national professional association, Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

The graduate curricula provide advanced preparation for professional work as a teacher and/or performer. Students must successfully complete placement examinations in music theory and music history/literature (or the review courses MUS 500a, b) and a performance audition (if required for the student’s specialization). Certificate degrees are designed to appeal to teachers seeking additional professional training and career opportunities. Many students choose to pursue a certificate alongside an MM, with certain courses counting toward both degrees.

The Department of Chemistry, in the College of Arts and Sciences, offers several degree programs and active research opportunities in order to satisfy the diverse career goals of our students. At SIUE, students will learn from faculty members who have earned national and international reputations in their respective areas of expertise. The department also has well-equipped laboratories where students can expect to gain experience in the many different disciplines in chemistry and biochemistry. Through the department’s research programs, students may also gain experience in the most current techniques.

What can I do with a degree in Chemistry?
Students earning a degree in chemistry will be well prepared to pursue a variety of careers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for a chemist with a bachelor's degree was $79,300 as of May, 2020. Chemistry majors work as analysts, environmentalists, criminologists, librarians, patent examiners, production foremen, researchers, writers and teachers. Chemists also find work in sales, and for private companies that produce items such as fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, plastics and semi-conductors. Careers in the public sector can be found in local, state and federal governments, as well as hospitals, high schools, colleges and universities.

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.

Management
The management specialization prepares students for the increasing responsibilities of managerial roles in organizations, and for positions requiring skilled interpersonal interactions. Students can choose from human resources, operations and emerging markets management courses.