Master of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages

at California State University - East Bay USA

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.S. degree is approved by the American Chemical Society (ACS). A certified degree is a valuable credential that serves as national-level recognition for completing a rigorous academic chemistry curriculum in an ACS-approved department. The extra rigor of an ACS certified degree is valued by both potential employers and graduate schools.

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.

Geography is the study of spatial distributions, relations, processes and outcomes within the human-environment system. Attention is focused on historical and contemporary human activities in the natural and built environment, and on people as the major physical, social, cultural and economic change agents across the Earth’s surface. A curriculum in Geography helps students understand the world’s physical, social, economic and cultural landscapes and how they have been transformed or altered by either the Earth’s natural processes or human modifications, and the future sustainability of our current actions in the light of our past experiences and ongoing trends such as urbanization, globalization and climate change.

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 MS in Early Childhood Education prepares individuals to teach and work with all students ranging in age from infancy through eight years (i.e., grade three). It includes preparation to teach all relevant subject matter. The purpose of this master’s degree is to prepare teachers to understand and deliver strong, vibrant, and relevant instruction and leadership in Early Childhood Education settings.

The MS in Early Childhood Education is specifically designed for the working practitioner to gain professional knowledge about curriculum and leadership for children ages birth to eight years old. This degree emphasizes developmentally and culturally appropriate practices, “hands-on” experiences, evidenced-based instruction, working with families, and innovative ways to build leadership and professionalism.  Education of the whole child, including cognitive, social, and emotional aspects are covered throughout the program’s curriculum.  The program is designed for preschool and T-K through third grade teachers. National, state, and local documents are evidenced in the coursework. The four-semester program includes a field-based practicum and accompanying seminar.

Psychology is the science of behavior and mental processes. Many psychologists work primarily with people to understand how they think, respond to stress, learn and forget, develop into unique personalities, and interact with one another. Others study the behavior and nervous systems of animals in order to find general principles that apply across species. Psychologists apply their knowledge to do therapy and counseling, to improve practices in schools, prisons, and rehabilitation centers, and to enhance performance in industrial and business settings.

The B.S. programs are designed for more specialized purposes. Students in the B.S. program must select one of the two concentrations in that program: Industrial/Organizational Psychology or Ergonomics and Human Factors. The concentration in Industrial/Organizational Psychology provides preparation for careers related to business, with an emphasis on personnel management. The concentration in Ergonomics and Human Factors provides preparation for careers in the design of work environments to take account of human limitations and strengths, for example, the design of equipment (computers, aircraft, automobiles) or the design of industrial procedures.

The Department of Criminal Justice offers an undergraduate degree designed for the development of knowledge and understanding of practices, criminological theory, and concepts of the criminal justice system. Through the examination of crime prevention, forensic science and investigation, corrections and community-based programs, equity and diversity, and impact of victimization students will be provided with a general understanding of the issues facing the criminal and juvenile justice systems. This major will prepare students to be leaders for positive change in the community along with careers in law enforcement, corrections, victim advocacy, law, and community-based programs.

Many local, state, federal and private agencies employ Cal State East Bay criminal justice graduates. Senior majors may qualify for internship placement in criminal justice agencies throughout the Bay Area.

Local level agencies include municipal police departments, county sheriffs’ offices, probation departments, halfway and pre-release houses, group homes, crisis centers, juvenile halls, welfare fraud units, computer crime analysis, and retail and industrial security agencies. State level agencies include: the Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of Motor Vehicles, and Departments of Justice, Fish and Game, and Forestry. Federal level agencies include the Border Patrol; F.B.I.; Secret Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; Internal Revenue Service; National Park Service; Customs; Postal Inspection Service; and Federal Prisons.

Anthropology is the multifaceted study of humanity from an evolutionary, historical, and global perspective. Students in anthropology learn about their own culture as well as those of other peoples as they are shaped by biological evolution, ecological constraints, political history, and sociological conditioning. The Department of Anthropology, Geography, and Environmental Studies offers ethnographic, theoretical and methodological courses in five sub-disciplines: biological anthropology, prehistory and archaeology, linguistic anthropology, sociocultural anthropology, and applied anthropology. Regional courses on major populations of the world, especially the heritage cultures of North and South America, and Asia, form an important component of the curriculum. The B.A. degree program bridges the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, preparing students for multidimensional careers. Fundamentally, the study of anthropology cultivates an appreciation of what all humans share, as well as how humans differ across time and space.

At the undergraduate level, students in the B.A. degree program may choose to focus on special interests in two combined sub-disciplines:

• Archaeology and Biological Anthropology emphasize the study of human biology, variation, evolution, and the reconstruction of past ways of life and cultural systems from material remains.
• Socio-Cultural and Applied Anthropology emphasize the study of social and cultural systems of more recent historical and contemporary populations, and the application of anthropological insights into present-day problems.

Health Sciences is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the application of physical, biological, and social sciences to understand and to improve health in human beings. It is an applied science that focuses on knowledge necessary to practice in both clinical and population health settings.

Our program helps students to understand health at the individual level, the community level and the population level. In addition to the biomedical model of health, we ask students to think critically and to explore health from a variety of perspectives and to understand the role that culture has in constructing health.

The program also emphasizes problem-based learning. Our goal is to help students develop strong critical thinking skills, team work, and strong problem-solving skills rooted in a population perspective.

Our program emphasizes the environmental factors that impact human health. The effects of climate change have an immediate and long-term effect on human health and the communities of California. Our program focuses on helping students develop the skills to face some of these health challenges.

The BS in Health Sciences without a concentration is designed to prepare students to enter directly into careers in health care or to enter into post-graduate professional programs such as medicine, physician assistant, occupational therapy, nursing, radiation technician, and other clinical fields.

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.