Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (STEM)

at EDUCO - University of Nebraska - Lincoln USA

The field of agronomy encompasses the sciences related to crops and soils. It includes crop production, crop breeding, seed production and certification, weed science, range and pasture management, soil management and irrigation, and soil conservation. The agronomy degree program is designed for students who are interested in plants and soils as they relate to economic crop production and environmental protection.

Communication studies is a social science and humanistic field of study, research, and application. Communication competencies are among those most highly desired in professional, personal, organizational, and civic arenas. The mission of the Department of Communication Studies is to examine human symbolic activity as it shapes and is shaped by relationships, institutions, and societies. This work concerns how, why, and with what effects people communicate through verbal and nonverbal messages. Through research, teaching, and service, the Department devotes particular attention to understanding the ways in which communication erodes and sustains collaboration within and among local, national, and global communities.

A degree in communication studies will focus broadly on the production and influence of messages across the contexts of public, personal, and professional life. In this course of study, students are immersed in mastering the intellectual capacities to advocate, negotiate, and relate. Students who major in communication studies can choose to fulfill the general requirements of the major or they can opt to complete courses in one of three major emphasis areas: communication, health, and well-being; diversity, culture, and global communication; or communication, public advocacy, and civic engagement.

The environmental studies major is designed for students who want to make a difference and contribute to solving environmental challenges on a local to global scale. Solutions to challenges such as climate change, pollution, and resource conservation require individuals who have a broad-based knowledge in the natural and social sciences, as well as strength in a specific discipline. The environmental studies major will provide the knowledge and skills needed for students to work across disciplines and to be competitive in the job market. The environmental studies program uses a holistic approach and a framework of sustainability. This framework recognizes the necessity of meeting current resource needs without compromising the environment or the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

The goal of any financial system is to allocate monetary resources to those individuals, companies, and governmental units that have the best ideas for usage. The study of finance focuses on the organization and development of capital markets and financial institutions in achieving the optimal usage of funds. As a finance student, you might want to examine how conflict of interest affects managerial performance, how risk influences investment decisions, or how investor psychology can impact the price of stocks and bonds. The finance faculty offer strong support for the exploration of such topics and the curriculum is designed to prepare students in areas of high employment demand.

The finance major offers coursework in the following areas of specialization:

• Banking and Risk Management
• Investments
• General Finance

Finance students must declare one of these specializations as a formal option within their major. Multiple options cannot be chosen. Students are encouraged to meet with their Business Advising and Student Engagement (BASE) advisors on a regular basis. The department chair is also available to answer questions regarding the selection of courses or other questions related to the finance curriculum.

What you will learn
Students will learn to apply the principles and techniques of time value of money, quantify and interpret risk/reward relationships using a variety of metrics, estimate the fundamental value of traded and non-traded assets, identify resources of risk and implement appropriate risk management techniques and analyze market conditions for strategic planning.

Mechanical engineering is a broad field of study that significantly impacts many technologies, including those that expand our energy resources and improve medical care. Mechanical engineers are concerned with all forms of energy conversion and transmission; the flow of fluids and heat; the development, design, manufacturing, and operation of machinery and equipment; material structure and properties; solid and applied mechanics; and transportation processes. The course of study is designed to give the student fundamental preparation to enter the fields of research, design, operation, production, sales, or management.

The mechanical engineering curriculum is structured so that students are well prepared in the fundamental areas of solid mechanics, thermal-fluid sciences, systems and design engineering, and materials engineering. Students can develop an emphasis area of study by concentrating elective courses in specific interdisciplinary areas such as aerospace engineering, automotive engineering, robotics, biomedical engineering, computational methods, manufacturing, nanotechnology and others, depending upon the technical courses available and the interest of the student. Additionally, broader general education requirements are covered through the Achievement-Centered Education (ACE) program (ace.unl.edu); the mechanical engineering curriculum requirements cover ACE areas [1-4,8,10], and students may work with their academic advisor to select courses covering areas [5-7,9].

Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at the University of Nebraska is to impact society locally and globally through our educational programs, research, and service, developing knowledge and sharing our expertise in the best traditions of land-grant universities. We strive for excellence in teaching and learning at both the undergraduate and graduate levels; seek to develop novel educational opportunities; grow our public and private support for research and education; and expand our scholarship, outreach, and service.

What you will learn
Mechanical engineers are considered the "general practitioners" of engineering because they solve a diverse range of problems. At UNL, students will choose among three major areas: thermal-fluid science engineering, systems and design engineering, and materials science engineering. Students will be able to practice what they learn in the classroom by joining clubs like the HUSKER racing team that designs and competes in contests like the national Baja race or NASA's Microgravity University (where UNL teams are chosen to help with NASA research in a zero gravity environment). Students also have numerous interactions with local industry for senior design projects. Companies provide projects for students, providing them real-life engineering problems and access to potential employers.

We aim to develop both the mindset and skillset that will make our graduates outstanding global citizens who are effective in one of six functional areas, namely: business administration (i.e., general international business), economics, finance, management, marketing, and supply chain management and analytics. Our international business (IB) major is designed to give students a combination of skills in a functional area (i.e., a specialization) and global business.  Therefore, international business graduates pursue careers in one of the six areas they choose to specialize in.

To succeed in international business, one must thrive in unfamiliar and dynamic conditions. Cultural and language barriers, socioeconomic diversity, geopolitical tensions, and unstable legal regimes are some of the constant challenges we prepare our students to face. These conditions are present in domestic and international markets.

Excelling within such conditions requires a high level of understanding, patience, judgment and other social skills.  International Business students are well-grounded and confident even when they face being wrong in order to get it right. Their quest for understanding breeds good judgment and intuition to lead through empathy.

We push students to become aware of cognitive biases that permeate all human interaction and impede understanding and decision making. We give them tools to control their own biases using mindfulness practice. We also nurture skills for framing discussions to avoid biases in others. We study techniques developed in international diplomacy for negotiation in the international context. The ethical dilemmas common to international business and how they appear in everyday dealings are examined.

Our rigorous coursework draws on practical academic disciplines that prepare students to perform different business functions. In addition, we constantly strive to develop students’ skills and feed their intellectual curiosity. We require students to advance their foreign language skills, not simply for practical reasons but to develop empathy and neuroplasticity; and we require an international internship or practicum to develop character and experience. Finally, students immerse within the global context to challenge and develop their skills through our global immersion programs where they work on multidisciplinary projects in established markets (e.g., parts of Europe) as well as in frontier markets, including Africa, Asia, and South America.

What you will learn
The international business major combines the solid base of a bachelor of arts in business administration with advanced language study, international experience and academic studies in international business. Students in international business study the business practices of other nations and learn how international trade laws affect the world economy. They also learn about the culture and management methods that differ around the globe.

The Department of Anthropology synthesizes humanistic and scientific perspectives on human biological and cultural diversity as well as the evolutionary trends seen for humankind. Students and faculty bring this integrated perspective to interactions and collaborations with others in a variety of departments and programs in each of the Colleges across the University.

Courses in anthropology acquaint students with the range of human behavior as differentially explored within each of the subdisciplines within anthropology—archaeology, biological anthropology, and cultural anthropology. Research or methodological courses outfit students with valuable analytic and research skills in qualitative, quantitative and GIS analysis as well as in content-appropriate analytic protocols, as for the analysis of archaeological and ethnographic materials.

An actuary is a mathematically-oriented business person who will most likely be a manager or supervisor at some point in his/her career. Thus, a course of study culminating in a bachelor of science degree in business administration with a major in actuarial science is an excellent educational background for prospective actuaries.

The actuarial science program is designed to prepare students for the current industry demands. Because the demands change on a regular basis, oftentimes the number of hours, the sequencing of courses, and the specific requirements change for this major. Students should continue to consult with the department for the appropriate selection and listing of course requirements.

The actuarial science program is proud to have been named one of the first Centers of Actuarial Excellence by the Society of Actuaries.

What you will learn
The work of an actuary typically involves analyzing the various contingencies (birth, death, marriage, retirement, sickness, and losses due to accidents or negligence), which face society, and their impact on the many types of financial security arrangements, both public and private. A creative aspect of actuarial work lies in the forecasting of events. Actuaries are frequently called upon to make decisions that affect the fiscal soundness of financial security programs well into the future. Quality actuaries are in high demand resulting in a high job placement rate and high starting salaries.

The plant biology major is designed to provide a flexible entry for undergraduate students that have an interest in the plant sciences. Once enrolled in the program, students will take a core of classes that will allow them to continue in the plant biology major or would also allow them to easily transfer to other Life Sciences programs. Students will have the opportunity to interact with the faculty of the Center for Plant Science Innovation as well as other departments and schools for advising and research opportunities.

The goal of the plant biology program is to offer a field of study to students who are interested and talented in the basic sciences and mathematics and who:

• May never have considered applying this knowledge to plants.
• Have always dreamed of this field of study.
• Have always had an interest in plants but are uncertain that this field of study is right for them.

Studying plant biology will allow students to explore and understand plants at molecular, cellular, physiological, organismal, population, and community levels and by taking ecological, evolutionary, agricultural, and horticultural perspectives. This is accomplished through required courses in different scientific fields (e.g., biology, biochemistry, chemistry, agronomy, horticulture) and through different options in the major (ecology and management option and biotechnology option).

The School of Accountancy is separately accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). The School's mission is to provide an exceptional educational opportunity, create high impact research, and engage and collaborate with the community. More specifically, the School of Accountancy community accomplishes its mission in advancing accounting education through:

• Fostering intellectual curiosity, academic excellence, business insights, and accounting expertise
• Creating high-impact, relevant research
• Engaging and collaborating with professional communities

The courses in accounting are designed to give business students a basic proficiency in accounting as an analytical tool for understanding business and public affairs, and to develop essential theory and application for those specializing in the field. Students who complete the College of Business program with a major in accounting and/or the master of professional accountancy (MPA) degree are well-prepared to accept positions in industry, commerce, government service, or public accounting.

Students interested in the accounting discipline are strongly encouraged to work closely with faculty members in the School to understand requirements and options available for those interested in careers as certified public accountants and options to pursue the five-year master of professional accountancy program. Requirements and processes vary with each of these options.

What you will learn
Students gain a solid foundation of accounting technical expertise and business insights, develop research and communication skills, become sensitive to ethical business practices, and interact with accounting and business professional communities. Internships before graduation are also common.