Bachelor of Science in Public Service and Public Policy (Business)

at Kaplan Group - Arizona State University - Downtown Phoenix Campus USA

Understanding the intersections between business and politics is more important than ever for managers and executives in the private, nonprofit and public sectors. The World Economic Forum's latest Future of Jobs Report and McKinsey Global Institute's Jobs of the Future report both have suggested that transdisciplinary, virtual collaboration and cross-cultural competence are extremely important job skills for the near future. Thunderbird's MGM program with a concentration in global affairs equips students with the knowledge base and hard skills needed to thrive in the growing job markets at the nexus of global business and international politics.

This concentration is designed for students who aspire to take on management and executive positions in government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Commerce, the State Department and the Treasury Department or similar roles in the government of a student's home country. The global affairs concentration also positions graduates for leadership roles in international organizations such as the World Bank or World Trade Organization and in major companies that require analysts to monitor policy trends, managers to oversee global supply chains and representatives to advance global business interests to governments, both domestic and foreign.

Students are offered the opportunity to learn best practices from a broad array of industry experts (providers, regulatory agencies, government payers, and others) within the medical industry, giving graduates options from which to channel their career in health care compliance.

This program is ideal for anyone interested in the ethical, regulatory and business sides of the health care industry. Program areas of emphasis include:

• Industry standards for accreditation and auditing
• Data privacy, security, and analysis concepts
• Revenue cycles, including current billing and coding procedures
• Local and federal compliance policies, laws and regulations

The MPS program in community development practice trains existing and future practitioners in approaches to developing healthy, sustainable and resilient communities. The program provides students with historical and theoretical foundations, applied research skills and core competencies centered around community building, development practices and the facilitation of democratic and cross-sector collaboration toward social innovation and community solutions. This program allows students to establish an emphasis on topics like housing and economic development, education, social and environmental justice, health, and sustainability, drawing from the extensive expertise of ASU faculty.

The BS program in public service and public policy prepares students for work in government at all levels and in nonprofit organizations through comprehensive coverage of topics in public policy, public leadership and management, and urban studies.

Students discover the challenges of management and learn how to lead a public organization and understand the process of policy development. This program examines the public sector and addresses, in a practical way, the challenges facing the public. The program is unique because it enables students to study public service, policy and administration with a professional focus.

Students select one of the following concentrations areas to supplement their core courses, including; American Indian studies, business, criminology, emergency management, health policy, law and policy, nonprofit leadership and management, parks and recreation management, public leadership and management, science and technology, social services delivery, sustainability, or urban and metropolitan studies.

The program prepares competent, entry-level recreational therapists with the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities needed to improve functional outcomes and increase participation in life activities for individuals experiencing health conditions. It is designed for students who want to learn to conduct assessments, develop service plans, implement therapeutic interventions, and evaluate and document outcomes of care. They gain skills to effectively provide comprehensive therapeutic recreation services that include program design and evaluation, individual and group service provision, and advocacy. The required fieldwork component of the program facilitates the development of competencies to provide quality recreational therapy services.

Students who choose this degree program are committed to improving people's lives and contributing to their communities. This degree program is one of two such programs in Arizona, both offered by the School of Community Resources and Development. This program has a heavier emphasis on healthcare settings such as hospitals and human service agencies while the Bachelor of Science in parks and recreation with a concentration in therapeutic recreation prepares students to provide recreational therapy services in community settings such as youth programs, adaptive sports, or parks and recreation.

Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior. This diverse field includes mental health and counseling as well as child development, neuroscience and brain function, memory and decision-making, behavior analysis, statistics and more. It also crosses over into other disciplines such as medicine, law, business and economics.

This BA program in psychology --- emphasizing critical thinking and reasoning, quantitative research methods and writing --- goes beyond the classroom, adding practical experiences through internships, service-learning and faculty-supervised research. (Some opportunities are not available to students enrolled in the degree offered through ASU Online.)

Graduates are prepared for graduate programs in psychology or other areas as well as for professional employment.

Through the BS degree program in nonprofit leadership and management, students are empowered to become successful professionals who work to advance the quality of life in communities.

The nonprofit sector in the United States is unique in form and function. This sector includes institutions and individuals situated between government, public, business and commerce sectors. With more than 1.6 million organizations in the U.S., the sector employs more people than the finance, insurance and real estate industries combined. Philanthropy (voluntary action for the public good) is a hallmark of the nonprofit sector as individuals give their time, money and know-how to causes about which they care.

The BA program in journalism and mass communication at ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, widely regarded as one of the nation's premier journalism schools, is a highly professional, hands-on degree program that prepares students for careers in media and communications.

Through access to a world-class faculty of veteran and current journalists, and with prestigious internships and hands-on learning opportunities, undergraduate students learn the values and principles that have long formed the core of the journalism profession, and they master the highly specialized, practical skills needed to succeed in today's digital world.

Topics of study can include unique courses in digital media, broadcast news, innovation and entrepreneurship, audience engagement, public relations and Spanish-language news. The Cronkite School's full-immersion professional programs afford students the opportunity to gain experience in activities like hosting the evening news on AZ PBS and creating digital advertising campaigns.

Lead the field of human performance with your knowledge of strength and conditioning theory and application and the art and science of coaching athletes. Use programming, recovery and injury prevention to help others achieve their goals.

The MS program in strength and conditioning focuses on specialized knowledge of human physiology and movement mechanics to optimize the physical abilities of active groups, including athletic and tactical populations, and to prevent injury-related problems.

Required courses address advances in health and performance monitoring, how to design successful exercise and recovery programs for maximum physical performance, and coaching strategies that motivate increased individual effort in sport or work. Students gain practical experience that hones their coaching skills and refines their abilities to motivate individuals to achieve the increased workloads that are necessary for performance improvement.

This program prepares students to sit for certification examinations offered through the National Strength and Conditioning Association to become certified strength and conditioning specialists, tactical strength and conditioning facilitators or certified performance sports scientists.

Prepare to lead community colleges, colleges and universities toward solutions in contemporary challenges. You'll gain the skills needed to operate successfully in environments that demand innovation, excellence, inclusion and collaboration.

The MEd program in higher and postsecondary education is designed to facilitate the professional development of those who work in colleges and universities in administrative roles, as well as academic support and student support positions.

The program develops leaders who have a strong understanding of the theory and practice of higher education administration; possess the ability to analyze issues confronting contemporary colleges and universities; and can exercise innovative and effective decision-making.

Coursework addresses a range of practice-focused topics in the field, including the following: the history of higher education in the United States; organizational characteristics of colleges and universities; important laws and policies pertaining to administrative practice in higher education; how colleges and universities are funded; how to work successfully with diverse stakeholders in contemporary higher education; and how to collect and use data to improve decision-making.

This 30 credit-hour, 10-course program is offered on a 7.5-week calendar in fall and spring semesters (six weeks in summer). Students may enroll part time or full time.

Most courses are offered in a hybrid format with 50% of the content delivered face-to-face (weekday evenings) and 50% delivered through independent or technology-supported learning experiences and fieldwork.

This program culminates with the creation and presentation of an applied project in which students demonstrate their understanding of critical issues in higher education and how to collect and use data to improve their professional practice. The project is also designed to promote graduates' career advancement in higher and postsecondary education settings.