Bachelor of Arts in African and African American Studies

at Kaplan Group - Arizona State University - Tempe Campus USA

The BA in philosophy teaches students how to think well, which in turn lays the foundation for personal and professional success.

Philosophy students learn how to structure arguments, write precisely and clearly, and communicate their ideas in an orderly, persuasive and unambiguous way. Many philosophical texts are complicated, and philosophy courses teach students how to read, comprehend and summarize conceptually difficult material. In short, studying philosophy trains one to be a better, clearer thinker.

Coursework includes the major subfields of philosophy, such as metaphysics, epistemology and ethics, and electives that connect philosophy to other areas of inquiry, emphasizing the social relevance of philosophy.

Philosophy alumni are well prepared for leadership roles whatever path they take, whether it be in business, law, politics, medicine or education.

The School of Arts, Media and Engineering educates the next generation of learners and empowers them with technofluency --- its development, application and implications. The School of Arts, Media and Engineering prepares students to be socially aware, critically thinking global citizens who strive to bring about positive change in a society that will be increasingly shaped by new technologies.

The BA program in digital culture equips students with the knowledge, abilities and technical skills they need for creating computational media.

Students learn to create computational media, which is computation combined with objects, sound, video, time, space, culture and bodies; breathe behavior into media, objects or systems by programming; think critically about how computation impacts lives and how culture makes a difference in how people experience computational media, a critical skill in this dynamic era.

Armed with skills and sound judgment, graduates work in cultural communication, marketing, design, social media, health, education, entertainment and creative arts, and all areas in which culture is shaped by technology and computational media. All students gain techniques to change the world and communicate using contemporary computational media, a vital power in the 21st century. Some go on to invent fresh techniques.

Digital Culture - Interdisciplinary Arts and Performance concentration

This digital culture program in interdisciplinary arts and performance is offered in partnership with the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. The program focuses on a transdisciplinary and collaborative approach to the arts, technology and performance. It emphasizes the traditions of transdisciplinary, avant-garde and experimental arts and on contemporary art and performance. Courses include digital media arts, music and electronic sound art, performance studies, theatre and performance practice and digital graphics.

The MS program in microbiology is designed to prepare students for careers in bacteriology, virology, mycology, immunology and oncology in academic institutions, government agencies or commercial entities.

Students receive advanced training in the study of microbes and their impact on humankind, disease and the environment. They use tools ranging from nanotechnologies and genomics to mathematical models and satellite-based imaging. Students receive training in both teaching and basic, translational and use-inspired research with world-class faculty and collaborative research partners. Faculty members are associated with the School of Life Sciences, The Biodesign Institute, The Translational Genomics Institute, Barrow Neurological Institute, and other area hospitals and research centers.

The computer engineering program provides the knowledge and skills necessary to advance and develop new paradigms for the design, system integration, testing, evaluation and deployment of state-of-the-art hardware and software systems that include computing, communications and networking (wired and wireless), control functions, sensing, signal processing and actuation. It is a multidisciplinary program that builds on the fundamentals of computer science, electrical engineering and applied mathematics, with a balance between hardware and software courses. Students must choose a concentration: computer systems engineering or electrical engineering.

Computer engineering is a trans-disciplinary program that builds on the fundamentals of computer science, electrical engineering, applied mathematics, and physical sciences. Graduates of this program will have the knowledge and skills necessary to advance the design, system integration, testing, evaluation and deployment of the state-of-the-art hardware and software for systems that include computing, communications and networking (wired and wireless), control functions, sensing, signal processing and actuation.

Computer Systems Concentration
The MS in computer engineering is a transdisciplinary program that builds on the fundamentals of computer science, electrical engineering, applied mathematics and physical sciences. Graduates of this program will have the knowledge and skills necessary to advance the design, system integration, testing, evaluation and deployment of state-of-the-art hardware and software for systems that include computing, communications and networking (wired and wireless), control functions, sensing, signal processing and actuation.

The program is intended for students who want to gain knowledge deeper than that provided at the bachelor’s degree level and sufficient for designing and implementing state-of the-art systems in industrial research and development positions. The program is also appropriate for students contemplating future doctoral study and desiring to gain experience in research. Master’s degree program graduates may work under the direction of scientists and engineers who hold doctorates in high-tech lab settings assisting in developing innovative products and systems that require strong foundational knowledge in the underlying sciences and the ability to synthesize and analyze engineering principles as they relate to the development of new computer engineering technology.

The communication program prepares students to do far more than give a speech or two in front of their peers. It provides an extensive understanding of the practical, theoretical and professional distinctions of today's field of communication and equips students with the skills needed to convey complex ideas clearly and effectively through both the spoken and written word.

In the nationally recognized CommLabASU, this program trains and prepares students for in-depth study into what contributes to and detracts from effective human communication, recognizing that the art of communication is far more nuanced than simple speaking and writing prowess.

Students may pursue one or more focus areas that are designed to amplify their academic and professional preparation in specific contexts, including: public relations, risk and strategic communication; media, culture and social technology; communication training and mentoring; dialogue, relationships and communities; and sport communication.

The economics program requires students to have a strong core of economic theory, supplemented by mathematics and data analysis.

Students in this W. P. Carey BS program in economics choose from a variety of electives offered by the Department of Economics or many other ASU departments. All students are encouraged to develop programs of study tailored to individual needs and interests. The undergraduate program provides students with the critical thinking and communication skills needed to succeed in business or graduate school. The program of study can also be tailored to prepare students for graduate programs in economics, business or law. Students interested in pursuing a doctorate in economics are strongly encouraged to minor or major in mathematics as well.

The department's mission is to provide the highest quality instruction to students, conduct cutting-edge research in economics and provide leadership and service to professional communities.

The BA program in business with a concentration in sports business is attractive to students with an interest in the sports industry.

This concentration provides students with the necessary skills to build knowledge and understanding of the development of the strategic business process in sports organizations and its relationship to media. The program offers a strong focus on applied elements of the sports industry, especially as it relates to media and its impact on the industry.

The proliferation of mass communication (including television, game systems and social networks) has transformed sports into a highly commercialized industry and, in turn, sports continue to generate revenues for these businesses. The interaction between sports and media has led to a multitude of applications of business knowledge to these fields.

The biomedical sciences concentration serves students in the BS program in biological sciences who wish to pursue careers in medicine, other health professions or biomedical research in academic, clinical or industry settings.

The curriculum aligns with the broad scientific competencies recommended for premedical students in a report of the American Medical Colleges and the Howard Hughes Medical Committee and reflected in the 2015 changes to the Medical College Admission Test. Coursework draws from the school's concentration in genetics, cell and developmental biology and the concentration in neurobiology, physiology and behavior, with the addition of courses in biology and in medicine and society. The concentration focuses on chemistry, biochemistry, math and physics coursework that is necessary to prepare students for the MCAT and for medical school admissions. The concentration emphasizes core concepts, competencies and critical intellectual skills necessary to succeed in medical school or biomedical research.

The faculty in religious studies offer a graduate program leading to the MA in religious studies.

Candidates are offered an opportunity to develop knowledge of various religious traditions in their historical and cultural contexts and to learn research methods. Although students often concentrate upon a single religious tradition for their thesis work, the program provides a broadly comparative understanding of religions, not simply a specialist's training in a single tradition.

The BA program in history introduces students to a broad span of history that covers the ancient world through the modern period and extends from Europe to Latin America and the United States. In addition to learning about the origins and development of various peoples, ideas and institutions of the past, students engage in the practice of history by learning to conduct research, analyze historical evidence and formulate arguments using historiographical perspectives and methodological approaches.