Bachelor of Arts in Journalism

at Global University Systems (GUS) - Concordia University Chicago USA

The CIS program at Concordia-Chicago provides a theoretical and practical foundation that is hands-on and adaptable to rapid changes in the field.

A quality computer information systems program must include a professional component. Students also must have a theoretical foundation that provides flexibility in a rapidly changing field. CUC’s courses provide for both. The introductory classes emphasize hands-on exercises. In our advanced classes, students work in project teams to gain experience working cooperatively on a complex computer system.

Your coursework will include foundation courses, which will be built upon with supplementary courses as you progress through your degree track. Other courses will focus on hardware and operating systems, analysis and design, database management, programming and troubleshooting, electronic business and management information systems.

Our courses prepare you for working in all forms of journalism, writing for a range of traditional and new media, and working with public relations and publishing.

Journalism has shifted significantly in the past few years to embrace the digital age. From traditional newspapers to magazines to broadcast outlets, more and more journalists rely on the Web, blogs, video and social media tools like Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr to gather information, report the news and engage with sources and audiences.

In this major, we train our future journalists how to research, write and craft stories for print or visual media and critically use the Internet and other new media platforms while applying traditional journalism practices and ethics. We will prepare you to fit into the ever–evolving media world.

Required courses cover the fundamentals of journalism. Creative courses in photojournalism, magazine writing and feature writing will further build upon your skills. You may also choose electives in television production, desktop publishing, graphic design, public relations and more.

The Concordia-Chicago MBA program is designed to assist you with business knowledge for your entire career. You can customize the speed and program that you need for your career goals.

The MBA program is established in a turn-key, cohort format. The specialization courses are set up in an open enrollment. You are able to enroll in the specialization courses at any time during your MBA program or after you have completed all of your courses.

Four Pillars of Knowledge
All of our courses integrate our Four Pillars of Knowledge into the curriculum. By cultivating these essential principles in an academic setting, the Concordia-Chicago MBA gives you a competitive edge as you move forward in your career.

• Ethics and Social Responsibility
• Critical Thinking and Entrepreneurial Mindset
• Communication and Human Relations
• Global Interconnectedness and Inclusiveness

Our bachelor of arts degree in Social Work provides a curriculum and learning environment that is accessible to a broad diversity of students, who will make important and unique contributions in their service to clients, communities and the profession-at-large.

Graduating social work students are prepared to enter the profession in various positions and employment settings. They are also prepared to continue their education at the graduate level with a master’s degree in social work.

The full-time social work faculty members have doctorates in social work, and many years of clinical practice experience in the field. This enables them to connect theory and practice in the classroom by utilizing real-life examples. Social work courses are small with much individual attention and one-on-one interaction with your professors.

The social work degree and field experience will prepare you to work immediately after graduation. Many graduates find employment with the agency where they complete their field experience. If you plan a career in social work, we highly recommend that you complete the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. Concordia students have attended graduate school at well-regarded institutions such as Washington University (St. Louis); University of Chicago; University of Illinois; Loyola University; University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Michigan.

Concordia’s Studio Art major ensures you understand visual arts from a studio perspective, as well as the promotional skills to thrive as a studio artist.

Our University offers small class sizes where art faculty members know you by name and continually support you throughout your college career. They accept your current level of art experience and are committed to advancing your ability. Art faculty members are experienced artists and art educators who have a vested interest in providing a quality art program.

The Art Department consists of large, well-equipped studios, a dark room for photography, a computer lab, a lecture hall and an outdoor kiln area for raku firing of ceramics.

Biology is the study of life, which can be studied through molecular, organismal, cellular and ecological perspectives. There is growing demand in the workforce for biology expertise; the job outlook is very promising.

Concordia University Chicago offers a Biology program in which you can earn either a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. As a member of the program, you will be encouraged to supplement your classroom learning through independent study in the Department of Natural Sciences.

Concordia University Chicago's MBA specialization in digital marketing provides you with the strategic and analytical skills to guide organizations in a digital world that is overflowing with data on customers, products, and interactions. The four courses within this specialization are designed to help you understand digital marketing strategy and planning, mobile marketing and social media strategies as well as digital marketing analytics. Your organizations are demanding that you understand important and appropriate digital metrics and how to use them to analyze and improve digital marketing initiatives and marketing ROI. Graduates will successfully champion digital marketing campaigns while achieving their organization’s growth initiatives.

Specialization Outcomes

• Synthesize concepts from various business disciplines to develop effective digital marketing strategies and strategic plans.
• Develop a refined management and leadership framework to evaluate ethical issues in digital marketing and social media strategies.
• Understand current developments in social media, the potential impact on marketing strategies, and selection of appropriate information technologies to develop business solutions and improve performance.
• Integrate a global interconnectedness perspective into a business philosophy and practice.

At Concordia University Chicago, our small political science class sizes make it easy for students to get to know their professors. Professors are easily accessible to answer students’ questions and informally chat about class discussions or a wide variety of related issues.

We’re proud that approximately 90 percent of our students are employed or enrolled in graduate programs in their fields within six months of graduation. We educate students to be faithful, civic minded individuals who will actively engage and change the world through their careers and/or their volunteer efforts. Some political science majors continue their education in graduate school in political science or another social science discipline or go on to law school.

For this major, you will be required to take the introductory American government and politics course and then select your remaining coursework from a variety of electives. Past offerings have included The Politics of the Middle East, Global Terrorism and International Security in addition to:

• Political Theory
• The American Presidency
• State and Local Government
• Constitutional Law
• Public Policy
• American Foreign Policy
• Comparative Politics
• International Relations

Concordia University Chicago's MBA specialization in leadership and change management will build the business fundamentals you need to advance your career while focusing on leading people and organizations. The courses are designed to help students understand the value of an array of leadership theories, the intercultural impact of leadership practice, and the intricacies of facilitating strategic change. Students develop servant leadership, interpersonal, and influencing skills to effectively shape group change. Graduates will successfully champion systemic change while achieving their organization’s mission.

Specialization Outcomes

• Correlate and critique global mentoring, training, and coaching practices to specific organizational leadership challenges and the impact on the business and stakeholders.
• Examine and evaluate transformational leadership strategies and techniques to promote capacity, sustainability, and renewal at all levels of the organization.
• Explore and evaluate how leadership styles impact global face-to-face and virtual organizations through effective use of communication and technology to inform strategic planning and decision-making.
• Analyze and synthesize descriptions and conditions for diagnosing organizational change culture, agenda, processes, and practices providing management the guidance to execute and lead organizational change.
• Demonstrate proficiency in use of technology to make and evaluate data driven decisions.

Your learning experience will be greatly enhanced by talented faculty who also are engaged in the study of philosophy.

CUC's full-time faculty members in the Department of History, Political Science, and Philosophy hold terminal degrees in their fields or are studying to complete one, and they have numerous years of teaching experience.

Philosophy courses include logic, ethics, philosophy of religion, social and political philosophy, the history of philosophy, aesthetics, and various thematic courses. The program culminates in an independent study course that requires the preparation of a major paper and public presentation on a selected philosophical topic. The philosophy minor requires 18 hours, but does not include an independent study.