Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science

at California State University - East Bay USA

The Master of Science degree provides students with advanced training in chemistry and the analytical skills needed to process and critique complex chemical information. The program requires a set of core courses encompassing the different disciplines of chemistry. Students may complete the remaining unit requirements with coursework in chemistry or may choose a biochemistry concentration, with the additional coursework in that area. The degree program mainly serves students in four categories: those seeking opportunities in the chemical industry requiring training beyond the baccalaureate level, employed chemists who wish to enhance their career potential, future teachers of high school or community college chemistry, and individuals contemplating more advanced graduate study.

Because of the rapid progress in the fields of chemistry and biochemistry, the department strives to offer a range of courses that cover not only established principles but also recent advances. Through laboratory-based coursework and research opportunities, students are prepared for new developments in experimental methods and instrumentation. They acquire experience reading and analyzing the chemical or biochemical literature in several courses, as well as through a research-based laboratory or computational project (Plan A) or by developing a written literature review (Plan B).

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.

The Art Department emphasizes study in our Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) Program. This is a professional degree that offers students the opportunity to develop greater expertise through comprehensive and intensive study in a specific area of art or design - a program that leads to successful careers in the visual art and design industries. Students who intend to pursue graduate studies or advanced skills for a professional career typically choose the B.F.A degree.

The B.F.A. professional concentrations require 70 units of study in the Department to complete the major.  There is no application procedure to enter the Bachelor of Fine Arts program beyond declaring as a B.F.A. student with a specific concentration.  The concentrations are listed below under major requirements.

Graphic Design Concentration
In the Graphic Design concentration students build a professional body of knowledge and the skills required for career entry as a visual designer. Projects enable students to acquire refined visual skills in research, aesthetics awareness, humanistic sensibilities, design composition and organization of information. Multifaceted design briefs require individual and collaborative teamwork, greater sophistication of design thinking, and skill sets for working within a broad application of traditional and new media formats. Students develop the ability to respond to more complex communication challenges with creative conceptual solutions and with enhanced technical expertise.

Human Development is an interdisciplinary program that integrates theory and methodology from disciplines such as anthropology, biology, linguistics, psychology, and sociology. The program explores the processes and mechanisms underlying developmental change and stability across the lifespan and the socio-cultural and historical contexts in which development takes place.

The Program’s curriculum aims to develop in students a basic understanding of major research findings and core concepts in human development, the ability to analyze and evaluate theoretical and practical issues in the field, and the skills to apply learning to diverse communities outside the University. The Program strives to create an optimal learning community that values and fosters collaborative learning and dialogue between and among students and faculty from diverse backgrounds.

The Art Department offers three programs of study in the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree. The Art History and Visual Studies concentration develops students’ skills in research, visual analysis, and argumentation, leading to a range of careers in the arts or to graduate study. The concentration in Studio Arts and the concentration in Design provide broad survey art and design practices in preparation for continued professional development or creative and design careers.

The Design Concentration introduces students to processes of design thinking, critical discussion and fundamentals of visual communication. Design projects balance learning of conceptual development with technique and design tools. Students address communication problems with concept-focused solutions that integrate images, text and graphics through hands-on and digital production skills.

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.

The BS in Economics trains students in the tools of economic analysis and exposes them to a great breadth of areas in which those tools can be used to tackle problems, including international trade and finance, labor markets, industry structure, firms’ business strategy and competition, public policy and management, the environment, health care, economic development and income inequality, corporate governance and entrepreneurship, money markets and Federal Reserve policy, and law. The program provides rigorous analytical training and quantitative and programming skills that equip students to correctly formulate (and solve) complex problems in the preceding areas and in the daily decision-making and financial planning of their everyday lives. Economics students learn techniques for critically analyzing and correctly evaluating key issues in public policy, and those skills can also be applied outside the public sector (e.g., to business).

The Liberal Studies Major aims to provide a rich liberal art educational experience through selected courses from a wide range of academic disciplines, while at the same time allowing students to select a field for in-depth study of their own interest.  The broad-based, interdisciplinary nature of Liberal Studies provides a solid well-rounded undergraduate educational experience, integrating knowledge from arts and humanities, social science, and natural sciences, with analytical and communication skills well suited for many careers and professions.

The major consists of a common core and a choice from seven concentrations, designed to meet diverse student interests and needs not only for school teaching, but also for leadership in government, non-profit organizations, and business, and for graduate education in law, counseling, social work and services, public affairs and administration, and educational leadership.

The Master of Arts degree in Music is an intensive program that provides advanced study for students with highly developed interests and accomplishments in music. Students are given the opportunity to improve their musicianship skills, critical skills, and professional insights in preparation for furthering their careers in performing, teaching, composing and arranging, administration, and research. It also offers opportunities for current school and college music teachers to increase their professional effectiveness and provides prospective doctoral aspirants with a sound foundation for advanced graduate study.

Students take core courses in graduate-level music theory and music history, and construct an individual course of study in an area of emphasis that supports their artistic, creative and professional goals. Areas of emphasis include: conducting studies, composition, music theory, jazz studies, music education, music history and world music, and performance.

Students in our program have opportunities to study with leading performers, composers, and scholars, and to partake in the musical and cultural richness of the San Francisco Bay Area. Emphasis is placed upon maintaining small class sizes and close student-to-teacher interactions. The program also provides flexibility for students to explore further study in areas relevant to their career goals and aspirations. Beyond the classroom, the Department of Music boasts a thriving music program that includes numerous classical, electronic and jazz ensembles. Many of our students are actively engaged in performing, teaching, and other musical pursuits while simultaneously completing their degrees.

Area of Emphasis
A minimum of 6 units of coursework in one (1) of the following areas of emphasis is required:

• Conducting Studies
• Composition
• Jazz Studies
• Music Education
• Music History and World Music
• Music Theory
• Performance

The M.B.A. program supports students’ career advancement by preparing them for positions of leadership in an increasingly diverse and globally competitive economy. The program is centered on the rigorous knowledge of the basic functional areas of business, an appreciation of management challenges in a global context, and opportunities to develop students’ interpersonal and executive leadership skills. It also enables students to deepen and broaden their knowledge and skills through elective courses in an area of concentration. The program offers a range of formats to cater to the needs of full and part time students and students seeking an executive style MBA.