Bachelor of Arts in International Studies

at Wright State University USA

To study religion is to understand ourselves. We learn how different peoples have imagined their world, their place in it, and the ideal ways of living in it. We explore how religion unifies and divides human communities; shapes political views and gender roles; produces great intellectual achievements and horrific acts of violence. We study how religion has influenced our history, culture, values, and beliefs, and read the great texts that define different faith communities.

Why Choose Comparative Religion?

• To learn more about the history of your own religious tradition.
• To learn about the religious beliefs and practices of diverse traditions.
• To study how religion shapes human society and culture.
• To study how religion informs human values.
• To study how religion shapes American politics and foreign policy.
• To understand the global community in which we live.
• To develop the skills of critical thinking and effective writing employers demand.
• To develop the cultural awareness necessary to succeed in a global economy.
• To prepare for graduate school in religion at a university or seminary.

The program’s strengths include a unique blend of faculty expertise, well-equipped computer science and engineering laboratory facilities, and a balance of theory, practice, hardware, and software. The M.S. degree in Cyber Security, and its NSA/DHS certified CyberDefense Concentration, are designed for individuals who want to develop skills to identify and resolve cybersecurity threats.  The degree is focused on developing knowledge and skill applicable to protecting computer systems and computer networks. Students with backgrounds in computer science, computer engineering, information systems or electrical engineering may apply to the program. Professionals working in the industry who have a strong technical background and related work experience are also encouraged to apply.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• The ability to integrate and apply graduate cybersecurity knowledge to solve complex cybersecurity issues and challenges.
• The ability to understand and integrate new knowledge within the field of cybersecurity into their professional activities.
• The ability to recognize the need for, and engage in, life-long learning.
• A deeper understanding of the breadth and depth of cyberspace and the inefficiencies and shortcomings of our existing evaluation systems to deal with cybersecurity threats.
• An understanding of the unique characteristics of cyberspace and how these unique characteristics affect/influence cybersecurity threats.
• The ability to identify social, political, and economic factors/impacts of cyber threats and be able to identify and discuss ethical issues related to cybersecurity and privacy.
• Recognition of the basic concepts of cybersecurity defense and be able to use software tools for malware identification and elimination, data encryption and transmission, and key-based authentication.

Studying one of the modern languages at Wright State will help you improve your ability to read, write, and speak in another language, study how that language is used in a social context, and become a more enlightened citizen. You will also learn about the history, politics, culture, media, and literature of your chosen country and study their economic and educational systems.

New technologies have increased global opportunities, and studying a modern language prepares you to work with people all over the world. Government and non-governmental agencies have discovered a critical need for college graduates with foreign language skills.

If the idea of studying abroad excites you, no other degree field offers as many opportunities for you to immerse yourself in a different culture while improving your language skills.

Statistics is distinct from mathematics as a field of study, yet is founded upon the theory of probability—the mathematics of chance. The Bachelor of Science in Statistics is a degree program emphasizing statistics both as a science unto itself and as a service science, with powerful applications in such disciplines as biology, medicine, sociology, chemistry, agriculture, education, engineering, economics, psychology, and quality control. Graduate from this program, and you should be well qualified for employment in the many corporations and government agencies for which statisticians design experiments, conduct surveys, and analyze data. Also, the Bachelor of Science in Statistics prepares you for graduate study in statistics (or in a science in which statistics plays a decisive role), after which you will have even greater employment possibilities.

During your study of how cultural, historical, political, and economic forces affect international relations, you will gain a greater understanding of yourself and others. The major fosters civic engagement and social responsibility and promotes learning and scholarship while serving the community at the local, state, national, and international levels by preparing you to be an informed global citizen.

A degree in international studies has helped our graduates land jobs with the U.S. government, with international organizations such as the United Nations, and with nongovernmental organizations like Doctors Without Borders, just to name a few

Students graduating with the B.A. in international studies will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the value of diversity and multicultural competence in today's global environment.
• Communicate effectively in writing.
• Speak and write proficiently in a foreign language.

Exit interviews with graduating seniors and alumni surveys indicate very high levels of satisfaction with the major. Most of the courses for the IS major are small (between 15 and 30 students) and many are taught seminar style, featuring discussion, collaboration, and research papers. Respondents say they appreciated the diversity of courses to choose from and gave high scores to their professors’ teaching. In a recent survey, every respondent agreed the coursework they took for their IS degree not only provided them with marketable, transferable skills, it enhanced their ability to understand world affairs and their understanding of other cultures. In exit interviews, 100 percent expressed satisfaction with the program overall and 100 percent reported that they felt prepared to obtain acceptance to a graduate or professional school.

The Master of Music in Music Education degree is a professionally oriented program. It is designed to serve music educators from primary to postsecondary levels. Though all courses are pertinent to terminal degree programs, they are equally valuable for students who plan to study at the doctoral level. A variety of program options allows students to design programs that suit their professional goals and take into account their backgrounds and experience.

Program Outcomes

• Be able to perform with a high degree of musicianship, technical security, and artistry.
• Be familiar with a wide range of repertoire appropriate for their instrument or voice.
• Be able to perform in both solo and ensemble settings and be familiar with successful rehearsal techniques appropriate to each setting.
• Be aware of appropriate pedagogical strategies and techniques to enable them to function as studio teachers.
• Acquire a proficiency in current research methods and trends including all forms and technologies available for the study of music.
• Develop the ability to sight-read music of diverse styles and genres, as well as to learn appropriate use of improvisation within historical context.
• Enhance collaborative skills through performance with chamber music (duets, trios, duo-piano, etc.
• Demonstrate (where degree appropriate) ability and proficiency in operatic singing.

Course work in the Bachelor of Arts in Earth and Environmental Sciences, Earth Sciences Concentration program combines lecture, lab, and field experiences with geology and the broader earth sciences, which include subjects such as water, soils, and atmosphere. Students pursuing the B.A. have wide latitude in their choice of coursework that allows them to supplement required courses with a broad sampling of other courses or to earn an additional credential such as a second major, a minor, or a certificate program.

A degree in economics provides you with a solid foundation for a career in business, government, or nonprofit sector. Economists are vital in helping predict and study responses to changes in policy and the market and our program boasts a placement rate or nearly 100 percent in occupations requiring a master’s degree. You will study research methods and how social factors influence and shape our economy and apply those analytical skills to working in business, government, and nonprofit sectors.

This program develops professional economists who can solve contemporary problems with a unique skill set created by a curriculum that bridges the gap between research and the application of research. Our curriculum stresses applied research using traditional and nontraditional methods and takes advantage of our faculty’s diverse teaching and research activities. You are encouraged to develop and evaluate new approaches to economic problem solving while building the skills to work in business, government, and nonprofit sectors or continue your education.

Program Outcomes
If you complete this program, you will graduate with a Master of Science in Social and Applied Economics. This graduate program equips you to solve contemporary economic problems with a unique set of skills created by a curriculum that combines applied economics with social economics. This program bridges the gap between research and the application of research in business, government, and nonprofit sectors. In this program, you will be encouraged to develop and evaluate new approaches to economic problem solving.

Help design your own degree program—one broad in scope, narrow in concentration, and flexible enough to draw courses from all of the departments and programs in the College of Liberal Arts. The liberal studies degree is ideal if your interests encompass more than one liberal arts field and you desire greater flexibility in your program. If you want to change your major but still graduate in a timely manner, or if you are a transfer student who might benefit from an interdisciplinary curriculum, consider liberal studies.

Geography is the study of the location and interrelationships of human and physical phenomena on the earth’s surface. Because of its emphasis on spatial organization and distribution of these phenomena, geography has a broad cross-disciplinary base. Such topics of study as cartography, climatology, land form analysis, photogrammetry and remote sensing, settlement theory, spatial interaction, and urban morphology indicate the breadth of contemporary geography. The undergraduate major in geography includes the study of cultural, economic, physical, and regional geography, as well as cartography, quantitative methods, and field work. Backgrounds in the natural and social sciences, humanities, statistical methods, and computer programming are useful to the geography major.

The Bachelor of Science program in geography emphasizes technical skills and logic. Courses in physical, economic, and social geography and in cartography, remote sensing, and geographic information are emphasized in the program. These courses are complemented by courses in mathematics, philosophy, and computer science.

Geography may be selected as an academic major, as a secondary teaching concentration in a social science or earth science program, or as part of an elementary teaching major. Students majoring in geography may qualify for licensure at the secondary level by meeting the minimum requirements in professional education courses for licensure by the state of Ohio. Because of sequential requirements and prerequisites, students are strongly urged to consult with a geography advisor before registering. Students in any major may also minor in Geography.

Geography majors should participate in the department’s internship program if they do not have professional experience in the field. The internship is designed to complement geography students’ class work and gives them experience in the actual work environment. Students interested in the internship should contact the department internship coordinator or their advisor.