Master of Arts in Art and Humanities in the City Option

at California State University, Dominguez Hills - Carson Campus USA

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.

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 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.

Physics is the study of the natural world at its foundation. As such it is the basis of other disciplines such as biology, medicine, chemistry, computer science, geology, astronomy and engineering. Physicists study the world from the smallest particles of matter (quarks and leptons), nuclei, atoms, and molecules; through forces and motions which determine properties of solids, liquids, gases, and plasmas; to descriptions of the behavior of matter on all scales up to stars, galaxies, and even the origin and fate of the universe. Other researchers explore how physics itself can be learned. Physics is also the base of most engineering. The department encourages student-faculty interaction in all these areas.

For the traditional physics baccalaureate degree, the department offers a General Physics Option, which provides access to advanced theoretical and technical careers. In addition, students may gain experience by participating in research projects (e.g. neutrino experiments, nuclear physics experiments, and Physics Education Research).

Psychology is about people's behavior and about people's experience. Psychologists teach and do research or applied work on subjects relating to the social and behavioral sciences. In order to discover more about behavior, psychologists study both humans and animals. Psychology covers a wide range of topics, from the way our social environment influences us to the inner workings of our bodies. This diversity of topics is reflected in the psychology curriculum.

The Department of Psychology sees its mission as offering a solid foundation in the theories and scientific methods of psychology to diverse and nontraditional students who choose to study Psychology at the undergraduate and graduate level. The department offers courses in aspects of the empirical knowledge base of scientific psychology and applied psychology for psychology majors and graduate students. Furthermore, the department helps meet the needs of those studying other subjects, such as Human Services majors, Liberal Studies majors, people minoring in Psychology, and other individuals. The department sees its mission as offering these educational experiences within a framework which values and encourages diversity. Within this broad mission, the department develops, evaluates, and alters, as needed, a set of specific goals and objectives for the psychology major.

The department publishes its goals and objectives for all Psychology students to review. It also engages in an ongoing Outcomes Assessment program to evaluate its success in achieving these goals and objectives. Psychology majors are required to participate in the Outcomes Assessment program in order to evaluate both the effectiveness of the department and student competencies.

The Bachelor of Science in Public Administration is designed to provide professional preparation for administrative or managerial positions in public service organizations. The degree program requires:

• Completion of a set of core courses common to all public administration students;
• A concentration and
• Two additional courses for breadth.

The Bachelor of Science in Public Administration Degree is a single-field major, which means that students are not required to complete a minor for graduation.

The Bachelor of Science in Public Administration is designed to provide professional preparation for administrative or managerial positions in public service organizations. The degree program requires:

• Completion of a set of core courses common to all public administration students;
• A concentration and
• Two additional courses for breadth.

The Bachelor of Science in Public Administration Degree is a single-field major, which means that students are not required to complete a minor for graduation.

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry offers majors leading to a Bachelor of Arts Degree.

Students graduating with this degree will be certified to the Society and will receive a certificate from the ACS. The Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry fulfills the need of those students who are pursuing pre-medical or pre-dental programs as well as those who plan to enter fields such as business, environmental or patent law, where a background in chemistry can be of great utility.

Orthotics and prosthetics is a specialized health care profession, which combines a unique blend of clinical and technical skills to care for patients who have neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disorders and/or patients who have a partial or total absence of a limb. Orthotists and prosthetists provide treatment that allows these individuals to lead more active and independent lives by collaborating with other members of the health care team. This work requires substantial clinical and technical judgment.

The principles of biomechanics, pathomechanics, gait analysis, kinesiology, anatomy and physiology are crucial to the practitioner's ability to provide comprehensive patient care and a positive clinical outcome. Patient assessment, treatment and education are part of the practitioner's responsibility and require collaborative communication skills.

In addition to performing orthotic and prosthetic procedures, the orthotists and prosthetists are involved in clinical decision-making and patient education. The scope of practice for orthotists and prosthetists includes, but is not limited to:

• Patient Assessment- Perform a comprehensive assessment of the patient to obtain an understanding of the patient's orthotic/prosthetic needs.
• Formulation of the treatment plan- Create a comprehensive orthotic/prosthetic treatment plan to meet the needs and goals of the patient.
• Implementation of the treatment plan- Perform the necessary procedures to deliver the appropriate orthotic/prosthetic services, which include fabrication of the devices required.
• Follow-up treatment plan- Provide continuing patient care and periodic evaluation to assure/maintain/document optimal fit and function of the orthosis/prosthesis.
• Practice management- Develop, implement and/or monitor policies and procedures regarding human resource management, physical environment management, business/financial management and organizational management.
• Promotion of competency and enhancement of professional practice- Participate in personal and professional development through continuing education, training, research and organizational affiliations.

The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration program, is designed to accomplish two objectives. The first of these is to prepare students for lifelong professional careers in commerce, finance and industry, as well as for management careers in the public and not-for-profit sectors. A second objective is to provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to obtain professional, entry level positions in one functional area of the business enterprise, or in some particular field of business.