Master of Arts in Spanish

at California State University - Fresno USA

The department offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Administration for individuals who are committed to the recreation and leisure services profession. The major in Recreation Administration prepares students with the knowledge, understanding, ability, and skill necessary to successfully function in professional positions related to the major.

Curriculum
Accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions, the department offers a B.S. and a Minor in Recreation Administration.

Students in the recreation administration major complete a core of courses. These courses are designed to assist students in acquiring competencies related to the principles of recreation, leadership, group dynamics, and leisure behavior. Courses also cover legal and financial aspects of recreation service, advanced program planning, organization and administration of leisure services, evaluation, and professionalism.

Students develop specific skills in the areas of communication, human behavior, youth services, entrepreneurism, and adventure-based recreation and tourism, finance, management, marketing, funding, resources, program planning and supervision, and facility management.

Under the guidance of a practitioner, students in recreation administration are encouraged to acquire 1,000 hours of paid or voluntary hands-on experience in a variety of recreation, clinical, or leisure services agencies. In addition, they complete full-time internships with commercial recreation and tourism enterprises, public recreation agencies, nonprofit organizations, park-oriented agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and other service organizations.

The communication major is designed to provide broad-based competencies in oral and written communication, critical analysis of human discourse, and social scientific and humanistic research methods. The major also emphasizes how this theoretical knowledge is applied in specific contexts ranging from personal relationships to business management to public advocacy.

Our aim is to prepare students to understand and provide leadership in a competitive communication-oriented society. We offer a balance of humanistic and scientific instruction in communication skills people need to function effectively in teaching, business, law, nonprofit organizations, public service and administration, public relations, government, and management. Outside the workplace, these skills will also enhance students' ability to be active in civic engagement and community service.

Our program requires a comprehensive understanding of the breadth and depth of the communication discipline, as well as its major theoretical frameworks and research methodologies. The major and minor emphasize how this theoretical knowledge is applied in specific contexts ranging from personal relationships to professional organizations to public advocacy. Students investigate problems in diverse cultural settings, which make the San Joaquin Valley - with its tremendous ethnic diversity - an ideal location for study.

The Communication Skills for Professionals Certificate program recognizes development in such areas as presentational speaking, problem solving and decision making, leadership, and interpersonal communication.

Our program offers a variety of exciting activities to enrich students' educational experience. We have an active student organization, the Communication Club, and a debate team that participates in competitive intercollegiate tournaments and hosts public debates on campus. Our annual Peach Blossom Festival brings more than 5,000 elementary-age students to campus to present prose and poetry.

English is a general major or minor designed to give proficiency in skills that traditionally have been among the most highly prized by society: an ability to read with comprehension and critical judgment; to communicate accurately and clearly both orally and in writing; to grasp difficult ideas and think logically; to do research and organize materials; to make ethical and moral judgments from an historical and humanistic framework; and to appreciate literature and the arts.

The core of the English major consists of four basic kinds of courses in the upper division: literary history courses, literary genre courses, literacy seminars, and writing courses. The masterpiece courses apply to the minor and may meet General Education requirements. The department also offers courses in mythology and folklore, methods of research, film, and women's studies.

The Subject Matter Program for teaching credential candidates contains a number of specific prerequisites and special required courses, some of which are outside the Department of English. For specific program requirements, consult with the credential adviser each semester.

The Master of Arts degree program in psychology may be arranged to include interest areas such as general experimental, as well as special master of arts programs for individuals. The General Experimental program is a 30-unit degree program is intended primarily to prepare graduates for entry into doctoral programs in general experimental, developmental, social, neuroscience, cognitive psychology, perception, decision making, data analytics, or clinical psychology, and may serve as preparation for community college teaching or professional employment requiring a master's degree.

The special option for the Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration provides an opportunity for students who are well grounded in the core areas of study required for the undergraduate degree in Business Administration to individualize a course of study not accommodated by any of the ten standard areas of specialization.

The B.A. in Art History is designed to provide students with the communication skills, research techniques, and methods of critical inquiry that have become a vital part of contemporary life. Course offerings cover a wide range of topics in world art, encouraging students to become responsible citizens through an understanding of the aesthetic, cultural and ethical choices inherent in human development. Students successfully completing the B.A. in Art History are eligible to compete for admission to M.A. and Ph.D. programs and for entry-level positions in the art world and related fields.

The Department of Information Systems and Decision Sciences prepares students for the rapidly growing fields of Information Systems and Technology and Data Analytics for Decision-Making. Producing new intelligence from raw data, collected by computer-based information systems, can help businesses enhance products and services, and organizations to meet their strategic goals. Computer-based data analysis and information-sharing lead to better, more informed decisions. In addition to traditional methods of classroom instruction and guest speakers, students in these options are exposed through hands-on experiences to new developments in computer technology, software, and applications.

Data Analytics (DA) uses powerful tools and techniques to derive meaning and value from data. As companies are becoming more data-driven, data analytics is now being viewed as an essential area of expertise and as a distinguishable career path. Students learn to analyze data and find patterns to enhance business effectiveness and problem-solving. These skills are essential to make informed decisions to drive business forward and achieve strategic goals. Students learn to become problem-solvers and skilled to analyze data that unlock business opportunities and solutions while keeping the “big picture” in mind. Critical thinking and effective communication are complementary skills developed in this option. Topics covered in this option include decision analysis, data mining, modeling, prediction, artificial intelligence, and machine learning.

Mechanical engineering is the use of basic science in the design and manufacture of components and systems. This requires the application of physical and mechanical principles in the development of machines, energy conversion systems, materials, and equipment for measurement and control. Knowledge of mathematics, physics, and chemistry lies at the core of this field. Application of this knowledge uses engineering technology -- a disciplined way of thinking, modeling, and testing that enables development of new systems despite incomplete information and uncertainty.

The graduate program in mechanical engineering provide basics and advanced studies in design, advanced materials, alternative energy and sustainable systems, thermo-fluids, engineering mechanics, mechatronics and controls. All areas include statics, dynamics, materials, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and experimental methods. Application areas in design include mechanics of materials, applied mechanics, structural and manufacturing aspects of producing equipment, and vibrations. Application areas in thermal and fluid mechanics focus on energy conversion and include combustion, heat engines, refrigeration, and fluid flow.

The Bachelor of Science in Construction Management is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education, the professional accreditation organization of the construction industry.

Students in construction management (CM) are exposed to a wide variety of topics, ranging from courses in management and administration of construction companies, projects, people, and equipment to courses focusing on specific techniques for project planning and control work improvement and estimating. The Construction Management program also provides opportunities to develop a strong background in computer applications in construction. Computer skills combined with a solid management and technical background are major assets of the construction management graduate.

The Master of Science in Viticulture and Enology is a 30-unit program designed to provide advanced studies and in-depth knowledge in the fundamentals of plant physiology, microbiology, and grape and wine chemistry, as well as technical writing and formal presentation of research reports.