Master of Science in Environmental Science

at California State University, Dominguez Hills - Carson Campus USA

Women’s Studies explores the experiences of women in cultures and societies around the world. Students in the program acquire the knowledge and skills to understand the history and structures of gender inequalities and how to advocate for women’s rights and freedoms.

CSUDH’s Women’s Studies Program examines the social construction of gender and sexual difference. Through feminist theory and interdisciplinary methods, Women’s Studies explores the ways gender relates to and intersects with ethnicity, race, social class, religion, sexuality, nationality, globalization and other factors that have shaped women’s and men’s lives.

Students in the Women’s Studies Program acquire the knowledge and skills to advocate for social justice and change, learning the importance of interconnecting local and global communities.

The program leading to the Master of Arts Degree in English is a 30-semester-unit curriculum. Opportunities for emphasis in Teaching English as a Second Language exist in a flexible curriculum.

Within the graduate program leading to the Master of Arts, students may choose to complete a concentration in either the Teaching of English as a Second Language (TESL) or Rhetoric and Composition. Graduate students also may elect to do all of their work in the study of literature. The program is designed carefully to offer both breadth and depth and will give students a solid understanding of their discipline.

The Master of Arts in English Option in the Teaching of English as a Second Language (TESL) is a 30-unit program of study designed for graduate students planning careers in TESL/TEFL at the secondary school or college level in this country or abroad. This program combines upper-division and graduate-level coursework in English and linguistics.

The Spanish Language has become an important global language and those who hold a degree in Spanish is of invaluable asset in California, across the country and the world. Over 534 million people worldwide speak Spanish as a first and second language. More than 41 million people in the U.S. speak Spanish. The US Census Bureau reports that the population of Latino origin is expected to jump to 119 million by 2060. Moreover, the employment opportunities for Spanish majors continue to grow with both the passage of Proposition 58, which removes restrictions on bilingual education programs for California, and with the Global California 2030 Initiative that calls for the expansion of the teaching and learning of world languages and the number of in more than one language over the next 12 years.

The Bachelor of Science in Chemistry is designed primarily for students who plan to enter graduate programs in chemistry or other closely related sciences. The department is certified by the American Chemical Society (ACS), 1155 - Sixteenth Street, N.W., Washington, DC, 20036. 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.

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 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.

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.

Since many physics majors find their niche in teaching, the department offers a Physical Science Option tailored to meet education standards and satisfy waiver requirements for a single subject teaching credential. The Physics faculty are committed to teaching excellence, and to teacher education in the sciences. The department provides essential laboratory hands-on experience in understanding and demonstrating science.

The department offers an established graduate program leading to the Master of Arts in Sociology. The program is designed to provide all students with a strong foundation in sociological theory and research methodology. The graduate program is designed to allow for a substantial degree of student choice. Students may choose a macro- or micro-based program of study and select from several areas for further specialization or experience. These areas include, but are not restricted to, such concentrations as social research and computer applications; sociology of education; community and clinical sociology; law and society; criminology and deviance; and general sociology. Students are expected to select a major advisor who can best facilitate their specific interests in the program. Finally, students may choose one of the following options to complete their program of graduate study: comprehensive exam, thematic project or thesis. Students with an interest in teaching and administrative applications of the degree are encouraged to complete via examination. Those with research interests or who may wish to pursue advanced graduate study toward a doctoral degree are encouraged to opt for the thesis or thematic project options.

The Department of Sociology has an established record of success in graduate education. Many of the department's graduates have found careers in research, teaching and a wide range of other fields. Special emphasis is placed on practical and policy-relevant research participation by graduate students in the Urban Community Research Center. Students are encouraged to take an active role in the department, the discipline and the wider community. Students may apprentice in one or more of the many advanced forms of social scientific research, including evaluation research, social impact analysis, ethnographic field research, etc. Students who wish to pursue advanced study beyond the M.A. degree may elect to take additional work necessary to acquire the Graduate Certificate in Social Research.

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.

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.