Bachelor of Science, Major in Public Administration

at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth USA

The Department of Civil Engineering offers a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with a concentration in environmental resources engineering. Engineers in this field apply civil engineering principles and processes to solve problems relating to air pollution, water pollution, solid waste and hazardous waste management, renewable energy, and water resources engineering.

The environmental resources engineering concentration emphasizes:

• Assessment of the environmental impact of new or existing products or processes
• Methods for solving problems resulting from pollution
• Management of energy and resources in order to minimize pollution

Your program of study will provide in-depth knowledge of environmental engineering and an awareness of potential social, economic, political, and environmental impacts of environmental engineering practices.

You will be prepared to:

• Analyze and design environmental resources engineering systems
• Apply multidisciplinary approaches to manage the competing social, political, economic, and technical goals of environmental problems and solutions
• Work in multidisciplinary teams to solve environmental resources engineering problems

UMass Dartmouth's liberal arts major offers an intellectual challenge, encouraging you to pursue your interests across a variety of academic fields.

You'll develop your creativity, critical thinking skills, and sense of independence while you explore concentrations across the humanities, social sciences, and interdisciplinary programs:

• The humanities: art history, English, foreign languages, history, philosophy
• The social sciences: anthropology, economics, political science, policy studies, sociology, women's and gender studies
• Interdisciplinary programs: sustainability, urban studies, women's and gender studies

Recent studies have shown that a degree in liberal arts provides a strong foundation for professional careers and scholarly work. You'll develop the qualities that future employers prize most: strong communication skills, the ability to assess a situation and develop a course of action, and the confidence to work independently.

As a liberal arts major, you will design your own interdisciplinary path as you choose two concentrations and bring them together to create new ways of seeing, knowing, and expressing your academic and research interests.

Liberal arts majors find careers in business, communications, education, government, human resources, museums, non-profit organizations, public policy, and social work. You'll be prepared for graduate study in the fields you'll explore as you select your liberal arts concentrations.

Massachusetts is one of the world's hubs for digital technology. UMass Dartmouth's animation and game arts program integrates digital art, design, and technology to advance the quality of digital communication and create a more understandable world.

You'll concentrate on digital animation and interactive multimedia while exploring 2- and 3-dimensional design, web design, and virtual reality. As you explore the potential of various digital media technologies, you'll engage in consistent, hands-on experimentation, working with faculty members who have considerable expertise in the field.

Your BFA in Art + Design: Animation + Game Art will prepare you to meet the design and communications challenges of the 21st century with careers in areas such as art direction, advertising, animation, broadcasting, creative direction, education, environmental design, game design, interface design, multimedia, scientific visualization, software application design, special effects, video editing, virtual reality and web design.

The BFA is a professional degree with concentrated areas of specialization, so you will take more art courses than you would in a BA program. At UMass Dartmouth, you also have the advantages of a university education where you can diversify your studies and expand your career opportunities.

The Physics department offers a bachelor's of science degree in physics with a concentration in astronomy and astrophysics.

Explore your interests in the universe, and uncover the mysteries of nature. Probe the far reaches of space and the depths of the ocean, and meet our planet's environmental challenges. You'll learn the observational and analytical methods astronomers use to study the cosmos, as well as the physics behind celestial phenomena.

The powerful array of technical skills you'll acquire as a physics major will prepare you for a career in many areas of theoretical and applied science. You'll be ready to assume leadership roles in industry, business, and government or explore the fields of materials science, biophysics, geophysics, oceanography, and medical physics.

As a physicist, you can investigate the structure of the atom, design and program computers, solve environmental problems, and develop new manufacturing materials. Physicists lead some of the world's major technology companies and research institutes, paving the way for technological innovations such as lasers, solar cells, electric cars, medical diagnostics, and computers.

Philosophy will appeal to your sense of curiosity about the world, as you explore topics such as justice, knowledge, reality, and truth: the ideas that have shaped our world over time.

Yet the study of philosophy also prepares you for many challenges, as you analyze and evaluate the ideas of others, and clarify and defend your own ideas.

You will develop problem solving abilities, communication skills, persuasive powers, and writing skills—skills needed to develop a rewarding career and a meaningful life.

With its emphasis on logic, analysis, and clarity of thought, philosophy is an excellent preparation for professional fields such as artificial intelligence, business, communications, government, information sciences, law, medicine, public relations, and writing—as well as graduate study in philosophy, theology, and many other disciplines.

The Master of Science in Healthcare Management (MSHM) provides you with the knowledge and tools to help improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery and become an agent for positive change. Professionals working in healthcare and those interested in influencing the field learn how to save time and money, improve quality of care, redesign organizational processes, and reduce implementation errors.

Throughout the program, you will strengthen your managerial skills, which you’ll be able to immediately apply to the workforce. You’ll also learn how to analyze and measure health systems' performance, improve processes and productivity, and use data to guide improvements and support patient care delivery.

The Mechanical Engineering department offers a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering with a concentration in manufacturing: the transformation of raw materials into useful products through the use of the most effective methods.

Manufacturing engineers determine the equipment, tools, and processes required to convert the design of a product into reality. They apply analytical skills to discover the optimal combination of machinery, materials, and methods needed to keep production costs and time low.

Mechanical engineers design and develop anything that can be thought of as a machine, as well as the tools and processes necessary to make man-made products. Encompassing a wide range of fields, the discipline includes the study of energy transformations, manufacturing, mechanical systems, and material science.

With a degree in mechanical engineering, you'll have the ability to work in a diverse range of careers including scientific research, product manufacturing, product design, power generation, military analysis, and operations of complex systems such as nuclear reactors. Mechanical engineers are also increasingly finding opportunities in medical research fields and in biofuel applications.

Focus your studies on international affairs. The Political Science Department offers a BA degree in political science with a concentration in international politics.

The International Politics Concentration promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity with respect to international politics; it enables students to address global issues and contribute to the public good.

Building on a strong foundation of American and comparative politics, international relations, and political theory, the international politics concentration provides you with the knowledge and analytical skills to understand politics within other countries and politics among countries.

Through experiences in and out of the classroom, you’ll learn to address critical global issues and contribute to the public good. You’ll acquire proficiency in writing, communication, advocacy, and comparative analysis: all vital skills in today’s global workplace.

You’ll be prepared for careers in international business, development, and diplomacy, and to continue your education at the graduate level.

Build a solid foundation for your career through knowledge of marketing fundamentals and a variety of hands-on experiences, in the classroom and in the field. As a marketing major, you'll explore all phases of marketing and distributing products and services throughout the global economy—with a focus on understanding consumers and acquiring information for decision-making.

Learn how to:

• Identify potential markets
• Develop marketing and pricing strategies
• Estimate the demand for products and services
• Integrate e-commerce and social media into marketing strategies
• Conduct primary and secondary marketing research
• Lead marketing communications and sales presentations
• Perform statistical analyses

The major in communication provides students with 21st century written, oral, and visual communication knowledge and skills grounded in rhetorical theory and critically engaged with diverse social, environmental, and technological perspectives.

Students develop important skills and gain experiences that will support their learning and professionalization during their time at UMass Dartmouth and beyond. Students will apply communication concepts and theories to real-world problems and issues within one or more communication industries.

Upon completing the degree, students will be able to:

• Create written texts using appropriate supporting materials and theories in communication and rhetoric
• Communicate ideas orally within multiple contexts
• Use information design principles to produce texts appropriate for an audience, purpose, and context
• Summarize and apply key concepts in communication and rhetorical theory
• Evaluate the historical and/or cultural contexts of communication practices and describe their ethical, social, or environmental implications
• Evaluate messages from a variety of media and technologies using methodologies in communication and rhetoric