Bachelor of Arts in Geology with Concentration in Geoscience Education

at California State University - East Bay USA

Geology is the study of the earth and of life and the natural processes occurring on the planet through time. Students learn about the causes of processes such as earthquakes, volcanoes, the formation of mountains, the effect of erosion and deposition, and the formation of rocks and minerals and their uses. Coursework combined with observations on field trips provide Cal State East Bay students with an understanding of natural processes and the human impact on the environment.

The undergraduate degree programs consist of required courses plus electives designed to meet the needs of students with objectives including employment at the Bachelor’s degree level, preparation for a secondary school teaching credential, and graduate study in Geology. The Geology, B.S. program is the primary professional degree program in Geology offered by the department, and serves as preparation for employment in the field, usually in a technical capacity.

The Department of Statistics and Biostatistics offers graduate study leading to the degree Master of Science in Statistics. The program is flexible in order to serve the needs of students with varying backgrounds (including statistics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, business, economics and other quantitative fields) and with different career objectives. The program includes concentrations in in Actuarial Science, Applied Statistics, Data Science, and Mathematical Statistics. All students are expected to master a wide variety of applied statistical, computational, and probabilistic techniques and the theoretical foundations upon which these techniques are based. Students are expected to be familiar with recent developments in the field and to be able to use the statistical literature to learn new techniques and theories throughout their professional careers. In addition to the general requirements stated elsewhere in this catalog, students must satisfy the departmental requirements stated in the following paragraphs.

Reach your full potential in the field of engineering and realize the future you envision with an undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering from California State University, East Bay. As a graduate of the Bay Area’s latest engineering degree program, you’ll qualify yourself for a high potential career in designing and building semiconductor hardware and software systems. Computer engineers are involved in all aspects of computing, from the design of individual microprocessors, personal computers, and supercomputers, to circuit design, as well as the integration of computer systems into other kinds of systems (a motor vehicle, for example, has a number of subsystems that are computer oriented). Common computer engineering tasks include writing embedded software for real-time microcontrollers, working with sensors, designing mixed signal circuit boards, and designing operating system.

The Department of Computer Science offers graduate study leading to the degree of Master of Science in Computer Science. This program is designed to extend the student’s knowledge in a broad manner beyond the baccalaureate degree major in Computer Science. It will both (1) deepen general understanding of theoretical principles and (2) provide exposure to important applications of Computer Science such as security, software engineering, database, networking, and others. This approach is especially important in Computer Science, where training in specific languages and systems and on specific machines is transitory, as these languages, systems, and machines evolve. In contrast, many of the principles will last, and generally apply to a wide variety of specializations within the field.  The breadth of subject material is important as many students will have a number of different job classifications in their working lives.

The Recreation degree prepares students for leadership positions in public recreation and leisure services agencies. Such work enhances the quality of life for millions of people each day across the nation. Specializations available in the degree include the Sustainability Concentration, Youth Development Programming Concentration, and a Recreation Therapy Concentration that prepares students to sit for the state RT licensing exam.

Potential jobs in this rewarding field include program coordinators, supervisors and directors in a variety of areas including day camps, sports, youth, teen and older adult activities and classes and naturalist, park ranger positions. Many graduates from our program are leaders in leisure services organizations including Concord, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton, San Ramon, and the East Bay Regional Park District.

Speech pathology and audiology are clinical professions with a goal of screening, assessing and treating children and adults with disorders of speech, language, hearing, cognition and swallowing. Speech-language pathologists and audiologists have varied career interests and pursuits including working in healthcare, special education settings, in higher education, in public service, or private industry. Basic and applied research, codes of ethics, and a commitment to evidence-based and culturally competent practice form the backbone of these professions. These professions contribute to our understanding of typical and atypical communication, as well as the influence of culture on communication, and on strategies that enhance quality of life for persons affected by communication disorders and differences.

The majority of students select this degree program for professional training in speech pathology and/or audiology. Others select this major because it supports the development of a strong skill set in basic and applied science, professional conduct, and writing skills while engaging critical thinking, creativity, planning, and decision making. Coursework in the discipline draws from academic disciplines as biology, physics, psychology, statistics, linguistics, sociology, anthropology, medicine and law. The strength of the program is its rich, interdisciplinary nature that emphasizes a powerful combination of science with liberal arts, humanities, and the social sciences while providing clear depth in the major. Many of our undergraduate majors successfully pursue careers other than speech-language pathology, in fields of education, special education, health care administration, public health, social work, recreational therapy, applied behavior analysis, counseling, and case management.

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry provides a strong education in chemistry and biochemistry that prepares its students to function and thrive in our society. The department attempts to increase the problem solving and critical thinking skills of all students. Non-science students learn about the scientific and chemical aspects of everyday life that allow them to understand issues related to the environment, energy production, disease prevention, and nutrition. Students of the sciences learn the fundamentals of chemistry that control the interactions of elements and molecules. Chemistry majors receive extensive instruction in predicting chemical reactivity. Building on an understanding of mathematics and physics, chemistry majors receive a background in the major disciplines of chemistry including inorganic, analytical, organic, physical, and biochemistry. Students learn the protocols and techniques for working safely with chemicals. The department recognizes the importance of the pursuit of new knowledge in the development of skilled scientists and productive members of society, and encourages its students to participate in research projects and cooperative educational opportunities.

The Chemistry, B.A. degree prepares students for work as chemists in a variety of careers in industry or government. The Chemistry, Chemistry Education Concentration, B.A. program is designed for students interested in teaching at the high school level but also prepares graduates to work as chemists in industry or government.

Students who pursue a degree in History come to understand the major issues facing the contemporary world through a historical lens, and understand how actions and actors of the past have created the political, social, and environmental circumstances faced by civilization today. Their studies afford them entree to the riches of the recorded past and understanding of the process of historical change. At the same time, a History major enables them to develop critical reading and writing skills that are valuable in life and crucial in any employment field they choose to enter.

Ethnic Studies offers an interdisciplinary major, providing a comparative approach to the study of people of color in the United States.  Our Ethnic Studies curriculum has a strong social justice focus. Through a systematic study of the cultures, histories, and social realities of communities of color in the US, our students finish our program prepared to work effectively in multiracial, multiethnic, multigender communities.  

Biology is concerned with living matter in all its forms, responses, and interactions. It deals with the study of anything that has been or is alive: microbes, fungi, plants, “protists” and all animals, including humans. The science of biology includes a large number of highly integrated sub-disciplines such as microbiology, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, evolutionary biology, physiology, systematics, and behavior. Biologists must draw upon a wide variety of academic disciplines to make observations and form conclusions, and well-trained biologists have solid backgrounds in chemistry, mathematics, computer science, statistics, physics, and the humanities, as required by graduate programs and professional schools, to meet the demands of professions in the life sciences.