Master of Science in Justice Studies

at Kaplan Group - Arizona State University - Tempe Campus USA

The MA in sustainability is a research-oriented degree program that culminates with research writing: either a thesis or publishable scientific paper.

The program focuses on knowledge generation and investigating potential solutions to sustainability challenges and prepares students to design and conduct transdisciplinary research. Although the graduate degree programs emphasize the integration of a broad range of expertise, this program is best-suited to students inclined toward transdisciplinary science, humanities, planning or related fields and who are interested in a career in research or academia.

Students learn how different disciplines view and approach the challenges of sustainability in theory, research and practice. They develop academic and technical skills as well as ethical insights that can help them understand, research and provide solutions to complex sustainability challenges at the local, regional, national and global levels.

All program graduates understand the need for a transdisciplinary approach to solving sustainability challenges; are able to communicate their work to professionals in other disciplines and to policymakers and the general public; and have the breadth of vision to recognize the interconnectedness of social, economic, environmental and technical systems. They have the critical thinking skills necessary for approaching sustainability challenges from a systems perspective, the ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams, and the technical skills required to formulate and solve problems at the appropriate scale.

The MM program in voice, music theatre and opera performance provides students the opportunity to choose from emphases in voice performance, music theatre performance or opera performance. Students have ample opportunities to study a wide variety of repertoire, including music theatre and opera.

The voice performance emphasis provides intensive practical training and performance experience to prepare students for a broad range of vocal careers. In addition to studio voice instruction and advanced work in acting, students may study techniques in art song, music theatre and opera, and may perform up to two recitals or may participate in music theatre and opera productions.

The opera performance emphasis provides intensive practical training and performance experience to prepare students for professional careers in opera. In addition to studio voice instruction and advanced work in acting, movement, audition techniques, career skills and vocal coaching, students study standard and contemporary operatic repertoire and are required to perform roles in at least two ASU music theatre and opera productions.

The music theatre performance emphasis provides intensive practical training and performance experience to prepare students for professional careers as musical theatre artists. In addition to studio voice instruction and advanced work in acting, dance, movement, audition techniques, career skills and vocal coaching, students study repertoire from the traditional and contemporary musical theatre canon and are required to perform roles in at least two ASU music theatre and opera productions.

The BS program in earth and space exploration with a concentration in astrophysics is designed to offer students a fundamental grounding in astronomy and astrophysics, with exposure to the related fields of geology, planetary science and engineering.

Students of the astrophysics major develop a background in theoretical modeling and observational techniques of galactic and stellar astronomy, extragalactic astronomy and cosmology. They learn to think critically about scientific problems by reducing the complexity to more tractable components.

The rigorous and quantitative coursework includes a combination of physics courses taught in the ASU School of Earth and Space Exploration and the Department of Physics. The tools of astronomical discovery are increasingly dependent on technological advances, and students are exposed to engineering principles and computer programming. Through the capstone project in the senior year, students gain valuable experience in translating science drivers into engineering solutions.

The MS program in communication disorders prepares students to become certified speech language pathologists in a full-time residential program that can be completed in 20 months. The program trains students to evaluate and treat clients with speech, language, cognitive and swallowing disorders.

The first year develops knowledge and skills for the assessment and treatment of communication disorders in people of all ages. Students complete clinical practicum with clinical faculty educators. In the second year, students acquire additional clinical skills with two full semesters of external placements.

This program offers research and clinical opportunities in different settings, including inpatient and outpatient medical sites, public schools, early intervention programs and private practices. A part-time employment program is available for speech-language pathology assistants in public schools. Those seeking specialized training can pursue a multicultural and multilingual certificate.

The BS program in biological sciences with a concentration in biology and society focuses on training biology students to understand the social context of their science and to ask how and why a biological problem has been and should be studied. Students explore the ways in which policy decisions shape and are shaped by biological research and they investigate the meaning and significance of the life sciences in understanding our complex world.

The biology and society curriculum is highly individualized. This unique degree is home to world-class researchers and teachers in diverse fields, including bioscience ethics, history and philosophy of science, science communication, science education and science policy, all brought together under one program. Students have the opportunity to work with many renowned scholars in independent study and research projects.

The MUD is a transdisciplinary post-professional graduate program in The Design School which provides students with actionable knowledge of urban systems that enables them to lead socially just urban transformations for community resilience.

Students study and apply newly emerging design knowledge from architecture, landscape architecture, creative place-keeping and place-making, urban planning, community development, civil engineering and real estate development. Students also draw from critical works in nondesign disciplines including climate science, social justice, sustainability science, urban ecology, urban climate, smart city, law, and systems theory.

Program studio projects are run as service-learning studios whenever possible. This approach partners students with cities and communities to exchange knowledge and learn from each other. Recent studio topics have covered the climate crisis, urban watershed design, indigenous design knowledge and practice, social justice, community health, the integration of wildlife corridors in compact urban development, and smart city approaches to rapid technological change.

The Master of Urban Design curriculum is built around the analysis and understanding of these dynamic urban systems specific to rapidly urbanizing and arid regions of the world. The program leverages a number of local factors --- the rapidly expanding Phoenix metropolis, the arid climate and the area's cultural diversity --- in the development of responsible global initiatives and innovative design strategies for urban environments.

This program addresses the urban design transformations that are needed in order to build just, sustainable and resilient communities that can address a multitude of crises.

Ecology is the study of the distribution and abundance of organisms, the interactions among organisms, and the interactions between organisms and the physical environment. Conservation biology is an applied science based on ecological principles that focuses on conserving biological diversity and on restoring degraded ecosystems.

Arizona State University is committed to a more sustainable world and sharing knowledge of conservation biology and ecology through the BS program in biological sciences with a concentration in conservation biology and ecology is one critical component to help meet this global challenge.

Conservation biologists at ASU investigate the impact of humans on Earth's biodiversity and develop practical approaches to prevent the extinction of species and promote the sustainable use of biological resources. Some investigate the causes of ecosystem degradation and use ecological principles to reestablish desired conditions in a variety of ecosystems, including rivers, wetlands, grasslands, urban landscapes and forests.

The BA program in civic and economic thought and leadership incorporates the study of political philosophy, economic thought, history and American politics. Faculty engage students through the Socratic method, which challenges students to analyze the complex topics impacting lives today. Students refine their ability to read closely, think analytically, write carefully and speak effectively.

The curriculum, combined with outside-the-classroom leadership experiences, provides students with the broad, academic foundation they will use throughout their careers. Students have the opportunity to intern on Capitol Hill, in congressional offices in their district, with nonprofits around the country or in an opportunity of their academic interest. They engage with world-renowned scholars and experts who visit ASU for large lectures and small seminars through the school's public programs and civic outreach initiatives, and they are able to apply for one of the school's Global Intensive Experiences, which study service and leadership in places such as Israel and the West Bank, India and South Africa.

The MSTP program uniquely prepares its graduates to have an impact in today's science and technology decision-making. It is designed to train future leaders, policymakers and analysts in tackling diverse and complex policy issues such as climate change and artificial intelligence in ways that are socially responsible and that contribute to a more just and vibrant future.

This cohort-based program attracts students of the highest caliber and can be completed in one year or over an extended period on a part-time basis. It is suited to anyone interested in a career in which they work to ensure, through responsive and effective policy development and implementation, that science and technology serve society. Students come from a wide range of backgrounds.

The program provides students with knowledge and tools to analyze and answer complex questions around science and technology policy issues, including:

• How are science and technology influenced by the policy process?
• What is the rightful place of scientific expertise in public policymaking?
• What values and assumptions underlie society's current understanding of science and technology?
• Who should make decisions about science and technology policy? Only experts? Or should lay people also have a voice?
• How should policymakers deal with the risks and uncertainties that come from new science and technology (e.g., biotechnology, nanotechnology, geoengineering, information technology)?
• How can policymakers balance concerns about science and technology, while maintaining innovation and international competitiveness?

Students work on topics as varied as responsible innovation, technological convergence, social and environmental sustainability, health and well-being, energy, equity, security, data privacy, infrastructure, democracy, STEM education, the role of science, and space exploration and policy. They are able to describe the historical, social and institutional foundations of science and technology policy; discuss the complexities of science and technology policy decisions, decision-making under uncertainty and the role of experts; employ effective policy communications skills and techniques; and work collaboratively and effectively with experts from different backgrounds, including scientists, engineers and elected officials.

Graduates are able to apply critical skills and methods to science and technology policy analysis, apply cutting-edge approaches to ensuring socially responsive and responsible technology innovation, and contribute to developing and implementing creative solutions to many of today's most complex challenges.

The mechanical and aerospace engineering concentration is one of five concentrations in the multidisciplinary MS program in robotics and autonomous systems, which emphasizes robotics, controls, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and related fields.

This concentration is appropriate for students who wish to focus on applications in mechanical or aerospace engineering.