Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications, Specialization in Journalism

at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville USA

The business administration program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, and provides a broad education in the functional areas of modern business, the behavior of organizations and decision-making processes, as well as analytical methods for solving basic problems affecting commerce and business practices. Our students find that the combination of knowledge acquisition and skill development is appealing and rewarding. Students in the School of Business will also learn about the ethical and global issues facing today’s businesses, while refining their communication skills and abilities. They will also learn to make leadership decisions based on quantitative data using analytical tools.

What can I do with a degree in Business Administration?
Graduates of the business administration program are well prepared to become business professionals who understand the environment in which business operates, and can analyze how business operations are impacted by economic, social, political and legal environments. Graduates of the program are prepared 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 and practices is required. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in business and financial operations occupations is projected to grow 5% through 2029.

Computer Information Systems
The computer information systems specialization is designed to prepare students to work with business computer technology. Students learn to design information systems to support decision making and the operation of business and organization functional areas. The design process includes the specification of hardware, software, and personnel requirements. Students must maintain a GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale in all CMIS courses.

The newly redesigned secondary education program in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior focuses on anti-racism and social justice. In response to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, this program utilizes the brand new Culturally Responsive Teacher and Leader Standards as they join Illinois in their collective effort to have the teaching force reflect the demographics of students in K-12 in the next four years.

What can I do with a degree in Secondary Education?
Students pursuing most majors in the College of Arts and Sciences and Professional Educator Licensure through the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior are presented with two career pathways; that of their major area of study, and that of a career educator. According to the U.S. Bureau of Education and the Illinois State Board of Education, the employment outlook for 2016-2026 is strong for high school teachers, both nationally and within the state. As is the case with all teacher education programs at SIUE, the secondary education program has an exceptional record of preparing highly effective teachers.

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.

Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
The bachelor's in biological sciences with a specialization in ecology, evolution and conservation at SIUE prepares students for positions that require the application of ecological principles to the solution of environmental problems. The specialization also prepares students for advanced study in all areas of biology, including wildlife ecology and forestry. Students selecting this specialization will take a planned sequence of courses that includes basic biological sciences, ecology, evolution, and environmental science. This study may include laboratory and field research. A variety of elective courses are available to allow students to pursue special interests such as plant or animal ecology, environmental management, and evolutionary biology, at either the organismal or cellular level. Students should consult their advisor to devise a course schedule to fit their specific talents and interests.

The business administration program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, and provides a broad education in the functional areas of modern business, the behavior of organizations and decision-making processes, as well as analytical methods for solving basic problems affecting commerce and business practices. Our students find that the combination of knowledge acquisition and skill development is appealing and rewarding. Students in the School of Business will also learn about the ethical and global issues facing today’s businesses, while refining their communication skills and abilities. They will also learn to make leadership decisions based on quantitative data using analytical tools.

What can I do with a degree in Business Administration?
Graduates of the business administration program are well prepared to become business professionals who understand the environment in which business operates, and can analyze how business operations are impacted by economic, social, political and legal environments. Graduates of the program are prepared 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 and practices is required. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in business and financial operations occupations is projected to grow 5% through 2029.

Human Resource Management
The human resource management (HRM) specialization provides students with the general and technical knowledge and skills for entry-level positions and careers in the personnel or human resource management function of organizations. Courses emphasize both the general theory of HRM, the expanding role of HRM in organizational effectiveness, the development and effective use of human resources in organizations, and the technical areas of selection, compensation, labor relations, training, and performance appraisal. The specialization prepares students for professional careers in a wide variety of organizations.

The Master of Science in accountancy (MSA) in the School of Business provides an advanced professional plan of study designed to prepare individuals for careers as professional accountants in public accounting, industry, or nonprofit and governmental sectors. Through the Department of Accounting, students learn the skills and knowledge needed to enter the accounting field and to form a foundation for advancement to the highest levels of the profession. Completion of this program will provide, in most cases, the educational qualifications required to sit for the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination. Upon completion of the MSA, candidates should have acquired the technical knowledge that will serve as a basis for preparation for the relevant professional examination required for certification as a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Management Accountant or Certified Internal Auditor.

What can I do with a Master's Degree in Accounting?
MSA graduates qualify to sit for the CPA exam in Illinois and have rewarding careers in public accounting as auditors, tax specialists or consultants. Graduates who work in corporate accounting may be employed as managerial accountants, internal auditors, income tax specialists, systems experts or management consultants. In the nonprofit sector, accountants play important roles in governmental entities, healthcare organizations and charitable agencies. Based on their wide range of business exposure and knowledge, many accountants ultimately move into high-level management positions.

The mass communications program in the College of Arts and Sciences at SIUE prepares students to succeed in careers in one of the fastest growing and most dynamic areas: the mass media.

The Department of Mass Communications at SIUE is accredited by the highly selective Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). This means our students get one-on-one attention from their instructors due to small class sizes and curriculum that keeps with changes in the media industry. Our students have access to state-of-the-art facilities and faculty members who dedicate themselves to serving the professional and intellectual needs of the students.

The Department of Mass Communications offers three sequences: journalism, media production, and advertising and strategic media. While most of the curriculum is a shared experience by all majors, students take advanced courses specific to their chosen sequence. This approach is in keeping with the converged nature of today’s media industries. At its heart, our department is all about teaching students how to tell stories, whether in the form of advertising campaigns, news stories, documentaries, or any of an almost limitless use of this major. Students who major in mass communications but choose not to enter the media industry will be well-prepared, thoughtful and effective communicators.

What can I do with a degree in Mass Communications?
Graduates of the Department of Mass Communications choose various career paths. Our graduates have become reporters, editors and photojournalists for newspapers, magazines, and online publications. Others work in radio and television, for advertising agencies, and in marketing and communications positions at major corporations and non-profits; many become the social media experts in their positions. Some graduates take an entrepreneurial approach and create careers as independent videographers, event planners, graphic designers, web developers, and freelance communications specialists.

The SIUE School of Engineering offers a Master of Science in industrial engineering within the Department of Industrial Engineering. There are four areas of concentration: systems optimization, manufacturing engineering design, enterprise and production control, and quality engineering. Core courses are offered in the areas of engineering optimization, quality control, production planning, and manufacturing design.

What can I do with a degree in Industrial Engineering?
More professionals are earning graduate degrees, adding to the competitive nature of the marketplace. It is imperative to explore graduate education as an avenue to achieve a higher level of career success. Whether students want to move up the ladder, find a niche teaching in higher education or pursue consulting opportunities, they can leverage themselves with a graduate degree in industrial engineering from SIUE. Companies like The Boeing Co., Emerson Electric and Covidien hire many SIUE graduates. A graduate degree places students in a network of highly skilled and educated professionals who work in the region, across the country and around the world.

At SIUE, we have a graduate student-to-faculty ratio of two-to-one, so our students receive personalized attention from faculty recognized for outstanding teaching and excellent research. The Department of Mathematics and Statistics at SIUE provides learning and research opportunities in many areas and students are exposed to various cultures from diverse faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences.

What can I do with a degree in Mathematics?
Professionals holding positions as mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries consistently rank their careers at the top of surveys on job satisfaction and security. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook in these fields remains strong, and growth is projected at 25% over the next 10 years.

The mission of the environmental sciences graduate program is to cultivate students’ perspectives of environmental issues and provide students with refined knowledge of environmental issues at the local, regional and global scale. The program will increase the student’s technical competence in addressing and analyzing these issues, their origins, ramifications and resolutions. The environmental sciences graduate program at SIUE is designed to enhance and promote professional education and career opportunities in a wide area of interests.

What can I do with a degree in Environmental Sciences?
Students completing the graduate program in environmental sciences have career opportunities with governmental agencies, private industries, consulting firms and educational institutions. Areas of responsibility may include environmental field or laboratory research and analysis, environmental policy and law, environmental remediation, solid and hazardous waste management, groundwater pollution control, water management, air quality management, environmental and ecological risk assessments, and restoration environmental engineering.

The Department of English Language and Literature offers a Master of Arts in English with the option to specialize in literature, teaching English as a second language or teaching of writing. Students will be well prepared for a variety of careers.

Literature
A master’s degree in English, with a specialization in literature, from the Department of English Language and Literature prepares students for advanced graduate work, secondary and college teaching, and a variety of careers in nonprofits and the private sector that require excellent writing and critical-thinking skills. The literature specialization's vibrant curriculum in the College of Arts and Sciences allows students to study a range of literary texts, from the contemporary U.S.A., to world diasporas, to Chaucer's England.

The program of study is designed with flexibility in mind so students can take courses and create an exit plan crafted for their own literary and career interests. Our innovative exit options allow students to complete a traditional thesis, create an action research project, develop a public humanities program, or study the digital humanities, making this MA an excellent choice for students who wish to prepare themselves for a variety of careers after graduation. Students interested in this degree often go onto further advanced graduate study or teach at the community college level.