Bachelor of Arts in English

at State University of New York College at Brockport USA

An in-depth understanding of mathematics is of great importance to many careers in our technologically complex society. Moreover, the study of mathematics promotes analytical and critical thinking skills, and therefore is a valuable part of any program of study. The major in mathematics is designed to provide the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue graduate study or to support career goals in a range of professions. Recent graduates who have majored in mathematics have found rewarding careers in business, teaching, computing, government, law, engineering, actuarial science and medicine. A study of mathematics is a natural complement to the study of physics, chemistry, biochemistry, biology, earth science, business, economics, computer science, philosophy, and the social sciences. Mathematics is also a fitting major for pre-law and pre-med students.

To complete a major in mathematics, students take 10 required courses that provide a thorough foundation in several central areas of mathematics, a computer science course that emphasizes the design of algorithms, and a minimum of three advanced courses chosen to give special depth in at least one area.

More details concerning the mathematics major, including sample programs of study and information on advisement for majors, student awards, computing facilities, library holdings, and the Mathematics Club, can be found in the department website.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Discuss and utilize mathematics as an intellectual discipline, including its problems, algorithms, and applications.
• Carry out the creative and explorative processes of mathematics, including conjecture, generalization, and the construction of mathematically rigorous proofs.
• Use mathematics to model and analyze real world problems, and utilize technology as appropriate to help solve mathematical problems and judge the reasonableness of results.
• Communicate mathematics effectively.
• Actively engage with mathematics beyond the classroom.

Meteorology majors must earn a minimum of 43 credits in required core courses, and complete three semesters of calculus and differential equations, two semesters of calculus-based physics, and one semester each of chemistry and computer programming.The major in Meteorology prepares students for careers in weather forecasting, atmospheric research, environmental consulting and air quality management. The strong physical science orientation of the program allows students to compete in related fields, such as environmental and computer science, hydrology, and alternative energy utilization. The major meets the federal guidelines for meteorologists, enabling graduates to begin careers in federal, state and private employment.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Explain the manner with which variables and data, relevant for meteorology, are properly collected using a discipline-appropriate methodology (fieldwork, instrumentation, remote sensing, or derived products from models).
• Properly interpret meteorology data using discipline-accepted qualitative analysis.
• Properly interpret meteorology data using discipline-accepted quantitative analysis.
• Define a scientific question and develop a methodology for answering it.
• Locate, evaluate, and interpret primary source scientific literature.
• Effectively express meteorology concepts and research results following the accepted written format for the discipline
• Explain meteorology concepts and communicate research results following the accepted oral format for the discipline

Geology majors must earn a minimum of 42 credits in required core courses and complete two semesters each of physics, calculus and chemistry. This major offers sound training in the study of the earth and its resources, and equips the student for pursuit of careers in geology leading to professional licensure, and for graduate studies in geochemistry, petroleum exploration, paleontology, hydrogeology, ground water, environmental geology, or sedimentology/stratigraphy.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Explain the manner with which variables and data, relevant for geology, are properly collected using discipline appropriate methodology (fieldwork, instrumentation, remote sensing, or derived products from models).
• Properly interpret geology data using discipline-accepted qualitative analysis.
• Properly interpret geology data using discipline-accepted quantitative analysis.
• Define a scientific question and develop a methodology for answering it.
• Locate, evaluate and interpret primary source scientific literature.
• Effectively express geology concepts and research results following the accepted written format for the discipline.
• Explain geology concepts and communicate research results following the accepted oral format for the discipline.

Exercise science is the study of how the human body responds and adapts to exercise. In practice, exercise scientists are responsible for designing and implementing exercise programs for a wide breadth of populations. They work to improve the health and performance of individuals by conducting physiological assessments and using that information to design effective exercise programs. In addition, exercise science is a terrific undergraduate-level foundation for students looking to pursue graduate school in an allied health care field.

Exercise science students have the opportunity to match their area of interest with one of two concentrations within the major. Hence all students must select either: 1) The Exercise for Health Promotion Concentration, or 2) The Strength and Conditioning Concentration. All majors take the set amount of core courses before branching off into their concentration.

Exercise for Health Promotion Concentration
Students who pursue this concentration enjoy working with the general population and/or have an interest in clinical exercise science, such as cardiac rehabilitation. This concentration is designed to prepare students to sit for the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Exercise Physiologist Exam.

Strength and Conditioning Concentration
Students who pursue this concentration enjoy working with athletes and have a strong interest in resistance training. This concentration is designed to prepare students to sit for the National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• The student will be able to describe the core principles of exercise physiology and related exercise science for the general population.
• The student will be able to independently evaluate the five components of fitness of a client and then design an appropriate, safe, and effective training program to meet the client's needs.
• The student will identify the principles of clinical exercise physiology, as well as describe the pathophysiology of disease and their associated risk factors.
• The student will describe the principles of nutrition and physical activity behavior change in order to promote healthful living.
• The student will identify and explain the issues of safety, injury prevention, emergency procedures and program administration related to exercise program development and implementation.
• The student will apply the principles of exercise science in a practical learning environment.
• The student will describe the ethical demands/challenges of the exercise science related professions and the human/social context in which graduates will work.
• As a result of preparation by our curriculum, students will be prepared for, and participate in, a national credentialing exam (i.e. ACSM HFS, NSCA CSCS, etc.).
• Our undergraduates will complete their B.S. degree in Exercise Science and will be employed and/or accepted to graduate school within a year of graduation.

The study of History promotes the knowledge, breadth of perspective, intellectual growth, and skills essential to achieving career success, leading a purposeful life, and exercising responsible citizenship. History majors develop strong critical thinking, research, communication and problem-solving skills that prepare them to succeed in a wide range of rewarding careers, including law, teaching, business, entrepreneurship, public administration, journalism, information technology/library science, publishing, urban and regional planning, social work, and government.

The Department of History offers students a comprehensive range of courses that covers the world across all time periods and features a diverse array of topics. In addition, it offers professional development courses that help students reflect on how the study of history can help serve their personal and professional goals after graduation. The History major is flexible, allowing students to select classes that match their interests, and at 36 credits enables students to complete other majors or minors that complement the History degree. This flexibility also allows majors the opportunity to broaden their horizons through study abroad and to explore future career paths through internships coordinated through the Department of History.

Students who want to teach history at the middle or high school level should enroll in the Social Studies Inclusive Education (SSI) major, which leads to certification as both a Social Studies and Special Education teacher, or the Social Studies Education (SSE) major, which leads to certification solely as a Social Studies teacher. 

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Articulate a thesis in response to a historical problem
• Advance in logical sequence principal arguments in defense of a historical thesis.
• Provide relevant evidence in defense of a historical thesis.
• Evaluate the significance of a historical thesis by relating it to a broader field of historical knowledge.
• Express themselves clearly in writing that forwards a historical analysis.
• Use disciplinary standards (Chicago Style) of documentation when referencing historical sources.

As the nations of the world become more interconnected and interdependent, proficiency in other languages is a vital skill that allows you to engage with the world in a more immediate and meaningful way. French language and culture studies prepare you for future opportunities to compete and succeed in the global economy. Through interdisciplinary instruction and the development of intercultural understanding, our curriculum is designed to help you become proficient in French and prepares you to reach your career aspirations in your chosen field of interest. We encourage our students to double major and to participate in study abroad programs in French-speaking countries sponsored by the Center for Global Education and Engagement.

The French major consists of 33 credits and enables students to acquire an advanced level of proficiency in the language. Literature and culture courses are designed to provide a historical, political and social overview of the French-speaking world. All courses are taught in French unless otherwise noted. As with all other undergraduate degrees, students in this major must also complete the General Education program requirements.

Recent Modern Languages and Cultures' graduates have gone on to highly competitive Master's and PhD programs in Higher Education Administration, TESOL, French Literature, and Counseling at recognized research universities. Others have joined the workforce as Bilingual, French, and Spanish elementary and high-school teachers in Rochester and around NY state, ESL teachers for adult learners, translators, interpreters for defense attorneys, social workers, law enforcement officers, and health professionals.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of a baccalaureate degree in French, graduates will be able to:

• Narrate and describe using a variety of time frames, extended discourse, and specialized vocabulary.
• Deliver oral presentations on a wide variety of topics, using a variety of strategies to tailor the presentation to the needs of their audience.
• Narrate and describe in all major time frames with good control of aspect and a range of general vocabulary in writing for personal and professional needs.
• Identify the main facts and many supporting details in conventional narrative and descriptive oral texts.
• Identify some of the essential points of argumentative texts in areas of special interest or knowledge.
• Explain key perspectives of some French-speaking cultures within a comparative framework and connect them to cultural products and practices.
• Interpret and synthesize ideas and critical issues from a wide range of historical and contemporary cultural artifacts.

Physics is the study of the physical properties of the universe and of the fundamental properties and interactions of matter and energy. Physics has applications in every field of pure and applied science, such as engineering, optics, materials science, space science, and medicine.

The major in Physics Adolescence Inclusive Education is intended for students who want to become certified to teach both high school Physics and Students with Disabilities (SWD). It includes 53 credits in the Physics Content Core and 43 credits of Pedagogy Content offered by the Department of Education and Human Development (EHD). Because of the large number of required credits in this major, students should plan their time at Brockport carefully and consult with their advisors in both Physics and EHD.

The Physics Adolescence Inclusive Education major leads to initial dual certification (see 'Certification' below) under the 'Adolescence Physics Inclusive Generalist' category as outlined by the New York State Education Department (NYSED):

• Adolescence Physics, 7-12
• Adolescence Physics, 5-6 Extension
• Students with Disabilities, 7-12, Generalist

What You’ll Learn

Physics pursues answers to how the Universe works on scales both large and small. High school teachers get to share these answers with their students and spark their curiosity about the natural world.

Your Physics Inclusive Education degree will provide you with the content and skills necessary to become an outstanding educator in Physics and prepare you to teach in today's diverse classrooms. Our program stands apart from those at other schools because you will leave with an initial dual certification in teaching Physics and Students with Disabilities.

Anthropologists study human behavior and thought in both the past and the present with the goal of improving our world. We holistically draw on sociocultural, archaeological, and biological approaches to engage with humanity’s current challenges: the outcomes of the humanity-environment relationship; human rights abuses and the need for social justice; and the complexities of human heritage and identities. Whether through ethnographic fieldwork, archaeological excavation, biological lab work, or visual and material cultural analysis, our students and faculty collaborate closely to learn and improve our knowledge of human variation. This is an invaluable resource for our students as they prepare for a more complex future.

The Anthropology Major consists of 24 required course credits plus 12 elective credits that allow students to augment their education with a dual major or minor in another field applicable to their goals and needs.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Knowledge base. Students gain an understanding of the broad knowledge base of human biocultural diversity through time and across cultures, as provided through archaeology, biological and cultural anthropology.
• Methods. Students gain knowledge and skills in the different anthropological research methods used in the sub-fields of archaeology, biological or cultural anthropology.
• Theory. Students learn to define and describe anthropological theory as used in current and past practice by anthropologists, in archaeology, biological and/or cultural anthropology.
• Critical Thinking. Students develop the ability to question, reflect and critique the data and arguments upon which evaluations of human diversity, behavior and change are made.
• Analysis. Students learn to apply theories and methods to explain or interpret anthropological problems, including cross-cultural patterns of social behavior, human evolution, and social change over time and space.
• Ethics. Students learn the appropriate procedures and protocols for obtaining informed consent or access permissions, in order to avoid harm or wrong to one’s human or non-human subjects and descendants.

Environmental problems are among the most urgent issues facing our civilization. In order to manage Earth's environment well, we must understand the processes that shape its surface; control the chemistry of its air, water and soil; and produce and maintain biological and other resources upon which humans depend. We must also understand the ecological interactions of animals, plants and other living organisms with their physical and chemical environments.

Through a curriculum with a common core in biology, ecology, chemistry and geology, and a track with a more specialized focus, Environmental Science majors develop the conceptual knowledge and technical skills necessary to address environmental problems.

Six tracks are offered in the Environmental Science major: aquatic ecology/biology, terrestrial ecology/biology, combined aquatic and terrestrial ecology/biology, wetland ecology, environmental chemical analysis, and earth science.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Explain basic environmental science topics and policies, biological processes, and ecological principles.
• Design scientific studies and quantify and characterize natural phenomena using laboratory and field equipment.
• Summarize, analyze, and interpret scientific data, using relevant quantitative skills and applying major environmental concepts.
• Summarize, organize, and communicate scientific data and analyses in oral/or written formats.
• Employ decision-making and problem-solving skills, such as evaluating competing explanations or applying scientific knowledge to environmental problems.
• Develop professional skills necessary to succeed in the environmental science and ecology fields.

The Master of Science in Biology provides students with a solid and comprehensive background in the field of biological sciences, including molecular biology, cell biology, physiology, genetics, microbiology, human biology and developmental biology. Upon completion of the program, students are prepared to enter a PhD program, medical or dental schools; work in academic, industrial or government research laboratories; or teach biologically related courses at the community college level or at the K-12 grade level (providing the student holds the appropriate New York state teaching certificate). Small class sizes and close working relationships with the advisor and advisory committee are ideal for students seeking a rigorous graduate education in a small-college atmosphere. A limited number of graduate teaching and research assistantships are available.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Use appropriate biological terminology to clearly communicate scientific results in oral presentations and written reports targeting for a variety of audiences.
• Develop a testable hypothesis and design appropriate experiments to solve biological problems.
• Critically evaluate and interpret experimental results.
• Solve quantitative problems that are routinely encountered in research laboratories using basic mathematical and statistical skills.
• Competently employ common laboratory equipment and develop an understanding of relevant theory, strengths and limitations for techniques.
• Integrate concepts in cellular and molecular biology to explain higher level biological systems.