Bachelor of Arts in Art - Design Option

at California State University, Dominguez Hills - Carson Campus USA

Interdisciplinary Studies (IDS) is a broad-based, liberal arts and sciences major that focuses on developing exemplary skills in written and oral communication, textual analysis, critical thinking, research methods, and the ability to bring a wide range of resources to bear in approaching complex problems. Because it combines knowledge systems across the meta-disciplines of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences, an IDS major is great preparation for both the workplace and for entry into graduate or professional schools. IDS is part of a national network of Programs for Accelerated College Education (PACE) that are designed for working, adult students who want to earn a bachelor’s degree in a reasonable period of time while they maintain a full-time job. While all admitted students are welcome, IDS/PACE students are primarily transfers who enter CSUDH with 60 units and junior-class standing.

The field of Child Development is dedicated to understanding how individuals change over time from conception through adolescence. Knowledge of developmental processes and the factors that influence development is essential for effectively working with children and for making sound decisions regarding their welfare and for promoting individual success. The program in Child Development includes in-class and field experiences to prepare students to become knowledgeable and effective child and family professionals. Foundational coursework prepares students to master the basics of development across different developmental periods. As students advance through the program, they take specialized courses to develop a deeper understanding of the factors related to development, its study, and its application.

The Chicana/Chicano Studies (CHS) major emphasizes preparation for those interested in teaching; specialists in bilingual and cross-cultural education; majors in other academic fields who wish to include an additional scope in their field; students pursuing advanced degrees (M.A., M.S.W., Ph.D., or J.D.); and those entering a variety of occupations such as business, communications, urban affairs, government, social work, school administration, counseling, criminology, law, foreign services and other related fields.

In addition, the CHS Department sponsors an extensive public programming calendar throughout the academic year, including the annual Chicana and Chicano Studies Department Lecture Series. The CHS Department also co-sponsors the annual campus-wide Día de los Muertos celebration and the annual Dolores Huerta Graduation Celebration. In support of student organizations, Chicana and Chicano Studies faculty members serve as advisors and work closely with the following student organizations: MEChA, Espíritu de Nuestro Futuro, Hermanas Unidas, and Latina/o Greek organizations.

The Department of Africana Studies in the College of Arts and Humanities offers a major and a minor in Africana Studies. Africana Studies is primarily a peoples- and culture-based discipline that investigates Africana peoples’ experiences. These experiences range from earliest human civilizations through the tragic era of enslavement, colonization, uprootment, to the forced migration and displacement of African peoples. The intellectual framework that sets Africana Studies apart from other disciplines is that it explores the subject area from the perspective of Africana peoples’ interests, aspirations, possibilities, and envisioned destinies. The foundation of the discipline rests on an understanding and appreciation of African peoples’ worldview and philosophy of life as the starting point for all Africana intellectual inquiry.  The BA degree and minor program offered by the department emphasize an examination of the theoretical and empirical characteristics of the African world experience from both a contemporary and historical perspective.

The Master's Program in Computer Science is a two-year program in which a student must complete a required core of courses and additional concentration and general computer science elective courses. The curriculum for the Master of Science in Computer Science requires 36 semester credit units, and offers both a thesis option (30 semester credit units of coursework and 6 semester units of a thesis) and a non-thesis option (33 semester credit units of coursework and 3 semester credit units of a project). Students may choose to obtain the degree in Computer Science with specialization in Software Engineering or Distributed Systems and Networking.

The academic program is expected to culminate in a master's thesis or project. During the first semester of the program, the student should choose a major advisor who will assist him or her in the choice of elective courses. The major advisor will chair the student's advisory committee for the thesis. Two additional members of the students graduate advisory committee will need to be selected.

The graduate program can provide a strong background for future study in a doctoral program. It also provides graduate training as preparation for professional applications. Students with a master's degree in computer science are also prepared for a career in teaching and/or research.

A majority of graduate classes are scheduled to accommodate late afternoon and evening students.

The Philosophy department offers a major and a minor in Philosophy and a minor in Religious Studies. The program provides a strong foundation in the history of Western thought and deals with a variety of ongoing philosophical and religious issues, tracing them from their origins in early Greek and other historical sources to current theories and disputes. The department offers a variety of courses in contemporary philosophy, including phenomenology and applied ethics. The department recognizes the importance of cultural diversity and through its course offerings addresses multicultural concerns.

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is designed to provide quality professional education for persons entering or working in public service professions. The MPA program prepares students for careers as professional managers of public sector or nonprofit organizations, as well as for research, consulting, and teaching careers. The MPA curriculum provides a theoretical foundation for the practice of public management.
After meeting prerequisite requirements, students can finish all other program requirements in two and a half academic years if they complete two courses per semester and two summer courses (depending upon summer scheduled courses). The MPA program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), the professional association responsible for evaluating the quality of MPA degree programs. NASPAA is located at 1029 Vermont Ave., N.W., Ste. 1100, Washington, DC 20005-3517.

MPA Criminal Justice Policy and Administration Concentration
This program is designed to provide criminal justice agency professionals with coursework in policy-making, administration, and the managerial operations of the criminal justice system. The curriculum offers students who may be new to the field the insight and background needed to begin successful public sector careers, while preparing experienced professionals to assume positions that demand additional responsibility.

Liberal Studies (LBS) is an interdisciplinary undergraduate major for students who intend to become elementary and special education teachers or to pursue related graduate work. Courses leading to the B.A. in Liberal Studies focus on the subject areas taught in elementary schools as well as professional preparation and early fieldwork.

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program is designed to provide quality professional education for persons entering or working in public service professions. The MPA program prepares students for careers as professional managers of public sector or nonprofit organizations, as well as for research, consulting, and teaching careers. The MPA curriculum provides a theoretical foundation for the practice of public management.
After meeting prerequisite requirements, students can finish all other program requirements in two and a half academic years if they complete two courses per semester and two summer courses (depending upon summer scheduled courses). The MPA program is accredited by the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration (NASPAA), the professional association responsible for evaluating the quality of MPA degree programs. NASPAA is located at 1029 Vermont Ave., N.W., Ste. 1100, Washington, DC 20005-3517.

MPA Public Management Concentration
The Public Management concentration is designed to provide the Master of Public Administration program with an emphasis in the structure, functioning, and skill competencies required for contemporary managers in the public and nonprofit sectors. This concentration offers our students a program that addresses the social, political, and economic landscape of the public sector, and its history and role in American Society. This concentration provides a broad examination of theoretical perspectives, the environmental context, and management functions that can be used to analyze organizations and to improve organizational effectiveness. The concentration combines applied and conceptual readings and provides students with opportunities to apply concepts and techniques to issues experienced in various workplace settings.

Liberal Studies (LBS) is an interdisciplinary undergraduate major for students who intend to become elementary and special education teachers or to pursue related graduate work. Courses leading to the B.A. in Liberal Studies focus on the subject areas taught in elementary schools as well as professional preparation and early fieldwork.