Bachelor of Arts in Communication

at State University of New York at New Paltz USA

The Ceramics program cultivates the conceptual, technical, and professional growth of its graduate students by providing an environment balanced among pragmatic skill development, critical and theoretical dialogue, and intensive studio research geared toward a process of making and thinking, resulting in innovative and dynamic outcomes. We encourage students to have a strong sense of responsibility, self-reliance, and confidence. Faculty guide students in independent research and individual approaches to their practice. The curricular structure challenges students to critically evaluate their work within a material-specific and an interdisciplinary framework, as well as in theoretical and professional contexts. Students are encouraged to work with methodologies that explore the boundaries of the field while demonstrating an understanding of historic and contemporary ecologies. With private graduate studios within the program's expansive 10,000 square foot facility and access to a broad range of traditional and contemporary technologies, the program provides students with the resources and the latitude necessary to develop an authentic, significant contribution to the field.

Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling serves both students looking to become licensed as mental health counselors and those seeking to eventually proceed into doctoral programs. The curriculum covers mental health counseling practice and research, in addition to necessary coursework in human growth and development, social and cultural foundations, helping relationships, group work, career and lifestyle development, appraisal, research and program development, and professional orientation. Practicum and internship experiences provide unique, varied, and intense hands-on mental health counseling training experiences under the supervision of licensed professionals.

Accepted students enter as prospective candidates for the Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in visual arts or as a pre-major in art education. Upon completion of the art foundation core and basic studio classes in a particular medium, students in the BA or BS program may choose to apply to one of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree programs. Entrance into a BFA program is by portfolio and interview; the student applies directly to the specific program of interest.

The Department of Mathematics offers undergraduate majors in Mathematics, Adolescence Education Mathematics and Early Childhood & Childhood Education Mathematics. Graduates with the Mathematics major go on to do graduate work in mathematics and other fields requiring strong quantitative and reasoning skills. Those graduating from the Adolescence Education program have a depth of knowledge that underlies the courses they will teach. Early Childhood & Childhood Education majors go on to become mathematics specialists within the primary schools.

The Department of Digital Media & Journalism represents disciplines that combine methods from both the humanities and social sciences in the study of how people share and represent ideas through the mass media. Building upon a solid liberal-arts foundation, students in our programs develop theoretical and practical knowledge through challenging and engaging coursework and hands-on experiences that will support their intellectual and professional growth and prepare them for careers and graduate study.

The Speech-Language Disabilities concentration comprises 64 credits and is recommended for students who wish to earn TSSLD certification and do not already have the NYS initial teaching certificate. This concentration leads to New York State teacher certification as a Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD), New York State licensure, and ASHA certification.

Environmental Geochemical Science is an interdisciplinary undergraduate degree program leading to a Bachelor of Science. The program is administered by the Department of Geology and focuses on the environmental aspects of Geology and Chemistry. Through formal courses, laboratories, and research projects, students develop an awareness of the geological and chemical processes that impact society and the environment. Both a major and a minor in Environmental Geochemical Science are offered.

The Psychology Graduate Program offers a 39-credit Master of Science degree in Psychological Science.  This research-based program exposes students to research in a variety of fields including social, cognitive, developmental and applied psychology. In addition, students learn advanced statistical and experimental and non-experimental methodological skills. The degree may serve as preparation for entry into a doctoral program or as additional training for those who plan to enter or continue work in applied areas of psychology with an emphasis on research.

The nationally accredited MFA program offers varied and extensive opportunities for graduate study in a unique setting. Our location is just 90 minutes north of New York City in the historic Hudson River Valley, allowing access to cutting-edge artists, historians, critics, and curators. The campus features expansive facilities, private and semi-private secure studios, and extensive computer labs and digital fabrication technologies. Additional exhibition spaces complement the prestigious Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art.

Metal - Specialization
The Metal program is an active area of study that engages a wide variety of ideas, objects, images, and modes of making toward critical and dynamic outcomes. Students and faculty form a community of inquiry that seeks to expand the field’s discourse. The rigorous curriculum provides opportunities to explore the technical, aesthetic, and conceptual aspects of contemporary jewelry and metalsmithing in a state-of-the-art facility with faculty who are actively engaged artists and who exhibit and lecture internationally. The 10,000 square-foot studios supply equipment for working in a range of traditional and contemporary methods, instruction and access to expanding digital technologies, and designated private studio spaces for each student.

Chemistry at New Paltz offers both undergraduate and masters degree programs. Three undergraduate programs leading to liberal arts degrees are available: the general chemistry major, the American Chemical Society (ACS)-approved chemistry major, and the chemistry major with biochemistry emphasis.

A student who obtains an ACS-approved degree is eligible for employment as a chemist in industry or government. The ACS-approved program also prepares students for graduate study and for professional training in medicine, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. Course offerings allow chemistry majors to obtain a broad background in several areas of chemistry.

The biochemistry emphasis is designed for the student interested in biochemistry or health-related sciences requiring a substantial background in chemistry. This program provides excellent preparation for health professional training, as well as for graduate study in clinical chemistry, physiology, and medicinal chemistry. Students take core courses in chemistry and biology and complete the year-long biochemistry sequence.