Bachelor of Science in Geography with Concentraiton in Spatial Techniques

at California State University - East Bay USA

Statistics is the science of learning from data. Majors study collecting and analyzing a variety of data, and reporting the results of the analysis.  Designs of Experiments are used to plan data collection in experimental settings, such as in medical research.  Surveys are used to collect opinions from samples in populations, such as in political polling.  Observational data is collected commonly by business as part of standard business processes, such as in website analytics.  Statistical methods are used to process data into easily read visual displays, and into summary statistics for interpretation, decision making, and reporting.

Statistics has been a rapidly growing science for many years and has many uses in other fields, such as Business Analytics, Machine Learning, Visualization, Econometrics, Biostatistics, Psychology, and many others.  Statistics is widely used by businesses and government organizations to understand changes in the economy and to make forecasts about future events based on past patterns in their data. Statistics is used to model relationships between variables and to predict future values of output variables from input variables.  Statistical methods draw accurate inferences about large groups on the basis of a representative sample from the group or population.  Descriptive Statistics are used to summarize and visualize the collected data.

The methodology of statistics can be adapted to many types of problems. Due to the extensive development of computers and the collection of large databases, the need for statistical techniques has greatly expanded in recent years.  A society like ours, which has become increasingly dependent on its data, has a growing need for statisticians.

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 Department of Biological Sciences offers a diversified curriculum in the life sciences. Courses are designed for biology majors with specific degree objectives, for students seeking applied technical training, and for non-major students with general interest in biological subjects. Undergraduate programs will prepare students for both graduate work and for a diversity of careers. Biology majors may enter specialized or general careers in life science and find themselves working in laboratories, offices, the field, administrative posts, academic institutions, industry, government agencies, private foundations, botanic gardens, wildlife preserves and zoos.  Simply put, biologists study the living planet.

The new program is ideal for students looking to increase their quantitative skills for jobs in economic consulting, data science, policy analysis, and finance, or for Ph.D. programs in economics.  The program combines economic theory with cutting-edge training in econometrics, machine learning, simulation, and optimization, for analyzing real-world data.

Highlights

• Prepare for the needs of the future economy right where it’s created – halfway between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, in the beautiful East Bay.
• Innovative program and outstanding faculty at low Cal State costs.
• Finish in as little as a year, or suit your personal timetable and work schedule.
• Non-economics majors are eligible for admission, no work experience is required.

An undergraduate major in mathematics is one of the best preparations not only for studying advanced Mathematics, but also for graduate work in Computer Science, Statistics, Operations Research, Actuarial Science, and the Natural Sciences.  Math majors are encouraged to pursue a minor or double major in another discipline that supports their goals or interests.

Mathematics is an intriguing, interesting and beautiful subject.  It is also challenging and rigorous.  Students are drawn to mathematics because of its clarity and the joy of discovering solutions to difficult problems.  The Department of Mathematics offers a strong Bachelor of Science degree that includes a variety of courses intended to prepare students for a career in any mathematics related field or other areas that value quantitative and problem-solving skills.  The program allows flexibility in breadth and depth where students can choose among courses with applied and pure emphases. The faculty are committed to creating a welcoming environment and providing opportunities for undergraduates to explore mathematics within and beyond the classroom.  There are scholarships available for math majors to support their studies while at CSU East Bay.

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences offers graduate study leading to the Master of Science degree in Environmental Geosciences, focusing on near surface and environmental geology, seismic hazards and Bay Area tectonics, and water and soil characterization and remediation.

This program is designed to prepare students for:

• Employment as geologists and environmental scientists in government (city, county, regional, state, and federal) and private consulting firms (environmental, engineering, and geotechnical firms, mining and oil companies, etc.);
• Professional licensing requirements;
• Doctoral study in environmental science, geology, geochemistry, and geophysics; and
• Teaching at the Community College level

The department also provides continuing education for professional geologists, engineers, planners, etc.

Our M.S. program is unique in the bay area in that many courses are offered in the evenings, and augmented by field experiences. Graduate seminars address diverse subjects; for example, geochemical evolution of groundwater, natural tracers of geologic processes, tectonic geomorphology, earthquake hazards, bay area tectonics, near-surface geophysics, and modern depositional environments. We maintain strong connections with East Bay Regional Parks, the California Environmental Protection Agency, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, NASA Ames, the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

Candidates for the M.S. degree will engage in significant, guided, individual research. Recent M.S. thesis and project research topics include near surface geophysics, groundwater dating, groundwater nitrate source identification, local catchment characterization, surface water-groundwater interaction, geologic mapping, slope stability, geochemistry, Bay Area structural geology, engineering geology, and neotectonics. Prospective candidates should determine whether their research interests coincide with those of the faculty members before applying to the program. We invite interested persons to contact the department faculty directly for more details on the program. The Graduate Coordinator provides guidance that enables students to complete the requirements for advancement in the graduate program.

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 Department of Public Administration offers a program of study leading to the degree of Master of Public Administration, with concentrations in public management and policy analysis (PMPA) and health care administration (HCA). The program is designed to assist full and part-time students in preparing for professional careers in positions of administrative leadership in public and quasi-public organizations, for teaching positions in the community colleges, and for advanced doctoral studies in public administration.

Through inclusive and rigorous creative inquiry, the Department of Theatre and Dance provides comprehensive training for performance, creativity, reflection, diversity, collaboration, mentorship, community engagement, and social justice.

Through a combination of core classes with a concentration, the program provides comprehensive pre-professional training in the areas of performance (Acting, Dance, Inclusive Performance (Applied Social Justice), and Musical Theatre) and production (Stage Technology and Design). Our primary goal is to develop artists whose performance skills and creativity are supported by a firm background in history, literature, and aesthetics. In an environment designed to encourage creativity and self-expression, students perform regularly in a variety of theatre and dance productions. The culmination requirement offers an opportunity to direct, choreograph, perform, write, intern, or design.

Theatre Arts program encourages majors to acquire a range of skills to expand their career options. Many have entered advanced studies in nationally recognized universities and conservatories. Some have chosen careers in teaching, while others have gone directly into theatre or dance performance. Alumni perform on professional stages around the world, including Broadway and Hollywood, where they have won Tony and  Emmy Awards, as well as other professional recognitions. Employers in business and public service professions desire Theatre Arts graduates for their team skills, their imaginative approach to problems, and their ability to communicate creatively.

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).

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.