Global Gateway Program - International Year (2-Term) - Bachelor of Arts in American Studies

at Study Group - Baylor University USA

Baylor's Bioinformatics undergraduate program was one of the first of its kind when it was created. The Bioinformatics major is a combination of computer science, life sciences, mathematics and statistics. The goal of the program is to produce students competent across multiple disciplines. Upon graduation, they should know enough computer science ot know what is computable and enough of life science to know what needs to be computed. Available courses include:

• Genomics and Bioinformatics
• Data Structures
• Organic Chemistry
• Introduction to Operating Systems
• Molecular Genetics and Genomics

 Because of the broad-reaching nature of the program, students majoring in this area can expect any number of career opportunities after completing the degree, including database design, library science, data warehousing, forensics, anthropology and agriculture. Students also commonly continue their education in medicine, pharmacological studies and computer science.

The Environmental Studies major explores the interactions between human societies and the environment. The coursework investigates a variety of systems is the study of human interaction with the environment. The coursework discusses a variety of systems - political, economic and ecological - and their connections with the environment. The issues range from pollution and regulation to urbanization, agricultural development and climate change. Available courses include:

• Environmental Law
• Energy and the Environment
• Environment and the Political Processes
• Wildlife Management
• World Food Problems
• Ecosystem Planning & Management

The Environmental Studies major is offered with concentrations in either Environment and Society or Natural Resources Management. Students are encouraged to take part in internships and research opportunities with faculty. Graduates are well prepared for positions in environment consulting firms and regulatory agencies. Other graduates pursue postbaccalaureate study in law, environmental planning and natural resources management.

The International Year program is designed especially for international students. It is the first year of study at Baylor University, where students study a combination of English language courses and credit-bearing academic courses. So they can earn credits towards their degree from the beginning.

Environmental Science
The Environmental Science major combines laboratory and field work, internships and classroom study. This program is for students interested in a variety of fields including water resources and air quality, wildlife management and biodiversity conservation, and environmental toxicology and chemistry. The coursework includes basic and applied science. Available courses include:

• Applied Ecology
• Watershed Assessment
• Environmental Chemistry
• Fundamentals of Toxicology
• Conserving Biodiversity

As a discipline, anthropology studies human diversity across time and space, attempting to understand the human past, present, and future using tools and techniques from various sub-fields like biological anthropology, archaeology, and sociocultural anthropology. It utilizes a comparative approach between people/populations and among different species to understand the forces that have shaped their ways of life.

We aim to educate students to address real-world problems through a combination of classroom learning, seminars and hands-on field and laboratory research opportunities. This can include, for example, examining fossil casts or modern human bones, studying at the zoo or in villages in developing countries, and digging for artifacts in the fields or just facts in the library.Our faculty pursues research in disease diagnostics and other biomarkers, Global and One Health, ecological anthropology, forensic anthropology, fossil excavation, modern Mayan cultures, DNA analyses, GIS, and both historic and prehistoric archaeology. Research sites include Central and Latin America, the Caribbean, West, East, and South Africa, near Eastern Mediterranean, and Texas. All of these projects offer excellent opportunities for students to participate in primary research working alongside their professors.

The Economics major is offered in three different degree programs, as a Bachelor of Business Administration (designated as a pre-major), a Bachelor of Arts (BA), or a Bachelor of Science (BS). Each degree program is a slightly different variation of the core curriculum based on the degree requirement differences between the College of Arts and Sciences and the Business School. Available courses include:

• Business Cycle and Forecasting
• Labor Economics
• Economics of Poverty and Discrimination
• Law and Economics
• International Economics

Choosing an Economics major in the Business School (BBA) provides the opportunity to take classes targeted toward four different career positions: consultant, public agency analyst, international economist or corporate business economist. Other possibilities for students graduating with an Economics degree include taking a position as a product risk analyst or risk and control advisor. A Bachelor of Arts in Economics is ideal for students wishing to attend graduate or law school while the Bachelor of Science in Economics is ideal for those wishing to work in the medical or scientific field.

The Theatre Arts program provides classroom instruction and experience outside the classroom as well as holistic education of the theatre and allows room for focus in a variety of disciplines. The required hours are ideal for a student desiring to include a minor or secondary major. Courses available include:

• Acting Realism: Scene Study
• Theatre History
• Directing
• Auditioning and the Business of Acting
• Costume Draping and Patterning Elements

The department produces about 8 full productions each year. The productions vary from Shakespeare to pop musicals. All productions are performed in full by theatre students. The majority of sets and scenery are also created by the students. This hands-on experience develops the participants’ skill and experience.

The Theatre Department also offers a summer study abroad program every other year. This programs gives students the opportunity to experience theatre in different cultures. Graduates can choose different routes after the completion of this degree. Some go to graduate school and others go to work in the entertainment industry.

The International Year program is designed especially for international students. It is the first year of study at Baylor University, where students study a combination of English language courses and credit-bearing academic courses. So they can earn credits towards their degree from the beginning.

Theatre Performance
The Theatre Performance major is ideal for students wanting to pursue professional careers in acting and directing. The curriculum provides holistic training in all aspects of theatre arts with an added primary focus on performance. Courses will provide a comprehensive experience of the collaborative work and artistry required to create a theatrical production. Available courses include:

• Creative Dramatics
• Voice for Musical Theatre
• Acting for the Camera
• Acting: Shakespeare
• Directing

The International Year program is designed especially for international students. It is the first year of study at Baylor University, where students study a combination of English language courses and credit-bearing academic courses. So they can earn credits towards their degree from the beginning.

Education - Elementary Education
The Elementary Education program is ideal for individuals who are passionate about making a difference through teaching young children and want to become change agents in education. The program prepares highly qualified teachers for work in diverse school settings in Early Childhood through Grade Six. Graduates of the Elementary program earn a Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S. Ed.) and prepare for the Elementary Generalist certification. Supplemental certification may be added in English as a Second Language or Gifted and Talented Education or Special Education.

The International Year program is designed especially for international students. It is the first year of study at Baylor University, where students study a combination of English language courses and credit-bearing academic courses. So they can earn credits towards their degree from the beginning.

Mechanical Engineering
The Mechanical Engineering major (designated as a pre-major) helps students build a strong engineering foundation by studying thermal/fluids, materials/mechanical systems and design. In addition to foundational mechanical engineering courses, students can further specialize by choosing electives that will improve their ability to apply fundamentals and to design machines and energy systems. Available courses include:

• Mechanical Vibrations
• Thermodynamics
• Composite Materials
• Heat Transfer
• Biomechanics

The International Year program is designed especially for international students. It is the first year of study at Baylor University, where students study a combination of English language courses and credit-bearing academic courses. So they can earn credits towards their degree from the beginning.

Spanish
The Spanish language, a romance language, is now the second most prevalent language spoken globally. Baylor offers a Bachelor of Arts major as well as a minor in Spanish that gives students the opportunity to study the language, culture, literature and history of various Hispanic nations.  Available courses include:

• Professional and Literary Translation
• Methods of Foreign Language Teaching
• Hispanic Literature
• Spanish Civilization
• Spanish Drama of the Golden Age

Spanish is a useful asset to any field of study.  Many students choose to pick up a Spanish minor or secondary major to support their first major. Because Spanish is such a widely-spoken language, occupations utilizing Spanish are not hard to find. Many students have gone on to complete graduate studies, teach or work in international affairs.