Master of Public Administration

at Wright State University USA

The Master of  Organizational Studies comprises the core courses for the current Organizational Studies Educational Doctorate (Ed.D.) program. Students who are admitted into the Organizational Studies Ed.D. program will receive the M.S. in Organizational Studies once they have satisfactorily completed the Ed.D. program core courses, which includes the internship. The M.S. degree will permit all students to receive the master’s degree. The core courses provide an interdisciplinary approach to the study of topics, theories, and research critical to the success of leaders in a variety of organizational settings. These courses reflect a scholar-practitioner oriented program for working professionals, grounded in systems theory, adaptive leadership change, decision making, structure, personnel roles and functions, external relations, planning, program evaluation, and organization theory. The program is for those working in community, government, public service, business, non-profit, and education organizations.

Program Outcomes
The focus of the master’s program is to develop scholar-practitioners committed to exploring and expanding research related to the practice and processes in organizations. Graduates will deepen their understandings related to leadership and change within organizations. The participants will gain the knowledge and skills to conduct robust research, to strengthen practices in organizations, and to establish networks for education, psychology, urban affairs, and health and human services, to name a few. The following six principles (Fullan, 2005) form the conceptual framework of the proposed program:

• Commitment to changing contexts at all levels
• Lateral capacity building through networks
• Intelligent accountability and vertical relationships encompassing both capacity building and accountability
• Deep learning at all levels of the system through collaboration
• Dual commitment to short and long-term results
• Leadership that produces leaders.

You will study feminist activism and theory related to women and other marginalized groups within a multicultural and global context, including experience and identity related to gender and sexuality. You will gain excellent written and oral communication skills, research skills, and strong critical thinking skills. You can go on to work in a variety of fields including psychology, health, education, nonprofits, and other organizations and businesses.

The program in selected studies allows students to pursue a self-designed course of study. It is intended for students with a definite educational objective that is not met by the majors presently offered by the College of Liberal Arts. While the program is free from several traditional requirements, students must meet other requirements and procedures to obtain the degree.

Students are eligible for the program after they complete 33 credit hours. With the help of program sponsors, students formulate a contract outlining their study goals and reserving at least 32 credit hours for courses that help accomplish those goals. The contract is evaluated and approved by the program committee.

The Department of Human Services in the College of Education and Human Services offers a Bachelor of Science completion degree in sign language interpreting (SLI) designed for students who have previously completed an associate degree in sign language interpreting.  

To enter the program, you must: 

Today's interpreters work with a variety of deaf consumers – those who acquired American Sign Language (ASL) as their first language, those who communicate through a form of visual English, and those who use a contact variety of English and ASL. Hard of hearing, deaf, and blind consumers are also specialty populations you will encounter in your work placements. You may also work with a variety of hearing consumers, some of whom are familiar with American deaf culture and the process of interpreting, and some who are communicating with a deaf person for the first time. 

SLI courses cover a variety of topics and are designed to enhance your current knowledge and skills, building on the foundation formed during your associate-level programs. 

The Value of a Bachelor’s Degree in Sign Language Interpreting 

• Continue your personal and professional growth as an interpreter for the deaf 
• Discover individual idiosyncrasies and methods of work 
• Take the opportunity to network with other working interpreters 
• Discuss language issues and the profession 
• Consider working world situations and dilemmas 
• Receive immediate feedback from peers and instructors on interpreting work and discussion topics.

Crime and justice studies (CJS) is an interdisciplinary and incredibly varied field of study. Knowledge specific to the discipline relies upon research from fields as varied as sociology, law, history, psychology, and political science. It encompasses analysis of federal, state, and local entities that seek to understand, control, and deter crime. The principal agencies charged with these responsibilities are law enforcement, the judiciary, and corrections. More fundamentally, however, crime and justice studies examines questions of social justice—concerns related to equality, fairness, freedom, security, and social order. If you are interested in understanding the causes, responses, and consequences of crime for the individual as well as the larger society, consider this program.

Crime and justice studies is a liberal arts degree and therefore, our focus is on providing you with a well-rounded, critically engaged, and scientifically informed understanding of the field. While practical experience is a vital component of our curriculum, our larger mission is that, when you graduate, you will be an innovator and leader in your chosen occupations and will utilize scientific reasoning and sharply honed analytical skills on your path to success. You will be prepared for positions in a variety of occupations, including local and federal law enforcement, probation and parole, civil, criminal and juvenile courts, research, corrections, teaching, forensics, and a variety of other fields.

While crime and justice studies is an exciting and challenging major, it is not for everyone. Unfortunately, if you have a prior criminal record or a drug or alcohol dependency it will be difficult for you to obtain employment in the field once you graduate. Further, it is a field that generally requires not only keen analytic and technical skills but also the ability to empathize, establish strong interpersonal boundaries, and, most importantly, maintain fundamental respect for the rights and dignity of others.

Sociology is concerned with social relations:

• How people relate to each other as individuals, in families, and in other groups
• How they interact within various social institutions, including the workforce and government
• How their behavior is judged socially acceptable or deviant by others

The Bachelor of Arts Program in sociology trains you to observe and analyze social interactions, predict likely outcomes, and determine how we can develop programs
for the good of individuals and society.

To help prepare for future work and service, you will be required to take five or more upper-level courses designed to develop your writing and critical thinking skills.

Continue your education with a Master of Science degree with a focus on computer science. You can explore the subject by choosing our thesis or non-thesis options.

Areas of study include

• Data science and big data
• Machine learning and artificial intelligence
• Visualization and analytics
• Databases and data mining

We have a mixture of courses that can be taken during the day, evening, or online, giving working professionals a pathway to an advanced degree. When you graduate, you will be able to use current computer science techniques to solve a broad range of problems.

Program strengths include

• Faculty expertise
• Well-equipped laboratory facilities
• A curriculum that combines theory, software, and hardware
• Opportunities to work with faculty members on research projects

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 Bachelor of Science degree from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology focuses on preparing students for careers in fields including, but not limited to, medicine and health, drug manufacturing and design, agriculture, forensic science (crime lab science), academic/industrial research and development, and scientific writing.

The teaching and research programs of the department are conducted in modern, well-equipped classrooms and laboratories. Our curriculum fosters the development of active learning, teamwork, critical thinking, scientific reasoning and communication skills, as well as, relevant content knowledge in both biochemistry and molecular biology. Within the curriculum there are many opportunities for students to be associated with cutting-edge research through independent studies and undergraduate research projects.

The Bachelor of Arts in physics degree is designed for students who wish to couple a solid foundation in physics to a non-technical and creative arts field, such as writing, philosophy, political science, or other College of Liberal Arts majors. Likewise, students can obtain technical background in physics along with obtaining a background in business for those interested in business development opportunities.

The Department of Physics offers programs leading either to a Bachelor of Science degree or a Bachelor of Arts degree in physics. Students in secondary education may earn the Bachelor of Arts degree in physics and enter the Professional Year Experience program of the College of Education and Human Services for licensure in physics.