Associate in Science - Diagnostic Medical Sonography

at Foothill College USA

The Social Science major is recommended for transfer students as it provides a basic foundation for subsequent specialization in many liberal arts fields of study. The value of the degree is now recognized by business and industry as it requires a variety of skills demanded in business, education, health, law and government, as well as the social services.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to identify connections and linkages between specific fields of study, events and ideas and larger studies of specific themes, developments and topics in anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology.
• Students will be able to critically analyze a variety of primary and secondary sources in the fields of anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology and draw scholarly interpretations from them.

Sports Medicine is a multi-disciplinary educational experience. Instruction emphasizes injury prevention, emergency care and rehabilitation through the principles of anatomy, physiology, pathology, biomechanics and psychology. Hands-on experience is available to the student intern through the Athletic Treatment Center from an array of Sports Medicine professionals. Students interested in medicine, athletic training, physical therapy, chiropractic, nutrition or other allied health fields are candidates for this program.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Students will demonstrate entry-level knowledge and skill in a variety of sports medicine disciplines, including athletic training, physical therapy, strength and conditioning and emergency medical care.
• Students will be able to provide quality medical care for Foothill College intercollegiate athletic teams.

Computer programming, algorithms, data structures, and languages play an increasingly important role in academic, science and business careers. The Associate in Science degree satisfies the transfer requirements of many disparate 4-year colleges and universities. Our up-to-date curriculum is also valuable for enhancing the career opportunities of working professionals.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to use standard software engineering tools to create reusable code.
• Students will be able to design a large program that takes advantage of existing code libraries.
• Students will be able to organize a complex program in a logical way, enabling the extension of the program.
• Students will be able to comprehend user requirements and produce code and documentation in an industry-accepted style that satisfies those requirements.
• Students will be able to develop software that solves problems in a variety of fields, including math, physics, chemistry, biology, astronomy, business, and the Internet.

The major in Biological Sciences is primarily intended for students who plan to transfer to a four-year institution to earn a bachelor's degree. This major prepares students for careers in the health professions, teaching, forestry, agriculture, environmental protection and conservation, wildlife biology, biotechnology, basic research and many other fields.

Students with an interest in biology who do not intend to transfer to a four-year institution and earn a bachelor's degree are encouraged to look into some of the other programs offered by the Biological and Health Sciences Division, which are: dental assisting, dental hygiene, diagnostic medical sonography (ultrasound), environmental horticulture, paramedic, pharmacy technician, radiologic technology, respiratory therapy, veterinary technology and/or veterinary assistant.

The department also offers a Certificate of Achievement in Bio-Health Diversity and Inclusion Leadership. Medical schools, healthcare employers, and biological research organizations specifically seek out candidates with an understanding of how issues of diversity impact their work. These organizations and employers understand that attending to diversity is critical for patient health and for excellence in research. This certificate provides a pathway for biology and health science students to gain certification in diversity, equity, inclusion, and service in their fields, such that students are more competitive for transfer and job applications. In earning the certificate, students will complete their major biology courses for their field alongside at least one service-learning course focusing on service in bio/health fields.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• The biology majors sequence prepares students to use the scientific method to formulate questions, design experiments to test hypotheses, interpret experimental results to draw conclusions, communicate results both orally and in writing, and critically evaluate the use of the scientific method from published sources.
• The biology majors sequence prepares students to apply evolutionary theory at the molecular, cellular, organismal and population levels to explain the unity and diversity of living things.

The Art History program offers an Associate in Arts degree and a Certificate of Achievement and provides students with an awareness of art, economic, political, religious and social history. Students leave the program with an increased sensitivity to art-related issues and the ability to think critically about art and art history. Knowledge of art history engenders a heightened understanding of history, a familiarity with the major issues in human cultural development and the exposure to the artistic expression of varied cultures and civilizations. This guided program assists students in developing specialized art theory necessary to apply and transfer to art programs at local universities.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to collect and assess primary and secondary source information and successfully analyze and comment on that information in the form of a reasoned term paper.
• Students will be able to demonstrate in written form a strong awareness of the political, social, religious, and technological factors that influence cultures and change in those cultures.

The Communication Studies department offers a wide variety of courses and special programs to meet the needs of our students. Whether you aspire to become a communication specialist, enhance your marketability in the workplace, or improve your people skills, our faculty and advisers can help you identify the right program to meet your needs. Coursework involves collaboration, presentation, listening, cross-cultural understanding, rhetorical analysis, argumentation, and professional communication. The program includes application of these foundational principles in a collaborative and supportive environment.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers rated oral communication as the highest among attributes necessary in achieving professional success. More and more businesses and occupations prefer to hire employees who possess strong communication skills. When evaluating applicants, four-year universities look favorably upon students with strong backgrounds in communication. Effective communication skills assist in individual development and enhancement of human relations.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Students will be able to identify patterns of communication in a variety of contexts.
• Students will be able to utilize appropriate methods of communication in critical thinking and/or communication situations.

Foothill College's Music Technology Program (MTEC) offers cutting-edge curriculum, instruction, and hands-on training in the areas of digital media content creation based on real-world industry standards. MTEC is an innovative educational program that integrates art and music with science and technology using a vocational strategy that enables students to realize a competitive advantage in an ever-evolving, digital-centric socioeconomic era. In addition to preparing students to pursue baccalaureate degrees at four-year institutions, the Foothill College MTEC program prepares students for diverse, productive careers in digital media content creation for music, technology, liberal and audio-visual arts, and communications.

The MTEC curriculum offers students the option to design their course of study to meet their needs. To augment their core courses, students may choose elective courses from music or related fields like media studies, photography, graphic design, and computer science. Because all these fields are very closely related, students can focus on areas that reflect their individual interests and goals. All musical styles and genres are supported and welcomed. Our goal is to give students the opportunity to succeed based on their talent, interest and hard work.

Program Learning Outcomes:
Students who complete the MTEC program will be able to:

• Demonstrate proficiency with various aspects of digital media content creation, including the use of hardware, software, digital asset management practices and other areas identified by the program's Board of Advisors.
• Apply concepts from audio engineering, acoustics, sound synthesis, music theory, computer literacy and team collaboration in practical situations to optimize digital media production workflows.
• Demonstrate proficiency with audio-video equipment including live content acquisition, microphones, video cameras, sound reinforcement, post-production editing, mixing, mastering, metering, and system troubleshooting.
• Evaluate merits of professional media productions with an understanding of technical and aesthetic considerations appropriate for various genres.
• Distinguish between related career paths associated with the discipline of Music Technology including digital media content creation, technical support, marketing, entrepreneurship and business administrative positions.

The Associate in Arts degree in Music is a comprehensive course of study preparing the student to transfer to a four-year institution in music or a music-related field, or to enter the music industry or a related field upon completion. Foothill's Music Department offers a wide variety of courses to satisfy the diverse interests and needs of its students. In addition to core courses in comprehensive musicianship and history/literature, the department also offers courses such as Music of American Cultures, the Music of the Beatles, and many others. The department's award-winning faculty are active as composers, authors, performers, arrangers, and publishers in the Bay Area and throughout the U.S. The department has some of the newest and most comprehensive facilities in the country. Our performance facilities have been newly renovated and all of our classrooms are equipped with Steinway pianos and/or top-of-the-line sound reinforcement/multimedia delivery systems. The Interdisciplinary Electronic Arts Center has many new features such as a new media classroom with MIDI keyboard stations fully equipped with the latest in recording and sound production design.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Through the study of music history/literature, students examine music masterpieces from multiple eras and cultures, synthesizing information and making judgments as they evaluate how music reflects individual composers' lives, as well as the contemporary social/historical context in which the compositions were created and performed.
• Through music theory/composition, students analyze the structure of music and learn to create their own original works satisfying specific and complex compositional requirements.
• Through music performance, students learn how to apply and express their historical, theoretical, and artistic understandings in a presentation addressing an appropriate audience.
• Using this three-lens framework, students increase their community/global consciousness as they learn to appreciate how music is a potent tool for understanding individual and cultural uniqueness within the larger context of our common humanity.

The Business Administration program has a dual mission (transfer and workforce) in providing students with the theoretical knowledge and practical skills to prepare for transfer to four-year institutions and to pursue a career or to develop their own businesses.

Students are provided the courses necessary to pursue studies in specialized business fields such as accounting, finance, advertising, marketing, management, banking, and business information systems. All students expecting to work in private or profit organizations or government are strongly urged to include business principles and other business specialized courses as electives.

Additionally, the department offers coursework and activities for increased professional proficiency, career changes, or new employment challenges, as well as for small business development. The Business department's small business entrepreneurship program is currently in redesign mode and will be refocused on the development of curriculum, activities, and community partnerships with the objective to address the "skills gap." Our initial emphasis will be on skill areas in leadership, communication, collaboration, project management, and innovation.

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Students will demonstrate appropriate use of business terms and concepts across a standard breadth of business functions (R&D, Mfg, Sales, Mktg, Ops, IT, Acctg, Finance, etc.).
• Students will demonstrate appropriate use of analytical frameworks, methods, and skills in response to business questions, cases, and projects.

Economics is the study of how society allocates scarce resources (land, labor, capital) in an attempt to satisfy unlimited wants. It is broadly divided into two branches: Macroeconomics and Microeconomics. Macroeconomics is concerned with the workings of the economy as a whole. It is the study of broad measures of economic performance: Gross Domestic Product (GDP), unemployment, and inflation. Given these measures, it considers the role of the government in guiding the macroeconomy. Microeconomics focuses on the role of individual decision-makers--consumers and firms--and analyzes the efficiencies and failures of a market system. The potential role of government to wholly or partially correct market failures is then considered. The two branches approach the fundamental questions of resource allocation from opposite sides: one from the perspective of the economy as a whole (macroeconomics) and one from the perspective of the individual agents in the economy (microeconomics).

Program Learning Outcomes:

• Have a working understanding of the role of prices in a market economy, trade, economic growth, competition, market failures and the economic role of government.
• Employ economic reasoning and logic to explain the world and make better decisions.