Master of Arts in Communication Studies

at Kaplan Group - Arizona State University - West Campus USA

The BS program in community health develops leaders who are dedicated to addressing health challenges at their source while also creating partnerships to leverage resources. This program is designed for students who want to create healthy, sustainable communities.

Community health professionals work in partnership to address health needs of diverse populations. Students learn to understand the components of a healthy, sustainable community; advocate for diverse individuals, families and communities; and provide health education, health promotion and service coordination.

Graduates of this program provide health education, health promotion, care coordination, disease management, health care navigation and advocacy services for individuals, families and communities.

This degree program has the same prerequisites as the nursing major; therefore, students may transition seamlessly to this program and obtain a bachelor's degree in a health-related field.

The cybersecurity concentration prepares students for a continuing and progressive career in cybersecurity.

The innovative cybersecurity concentration builds upon the BS program in applied computing. Students acquire the technical knowledge to secure networks and applications, an understanding of cybersecurity governance models and risk management fundamentals, methods of communicating complex risk issues, and solutions for the challenges of implementing cybersecurity controls within various organizational models. Leadership, critical thinking and effective communication also are emphasized. Students gain experience with real-world cybersecurity organizations, protecting digital assets against compromise or theft.

Graduates of the applied computing program with a concentration in cybersecurity are well prepared for graduate study as well as entry-level employment with businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and academic institutions.

The MS program in psychology offered by the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences has two main options.

One option is ideal for students who plan to pursue doctoral work or careers that involve psychological research methods such as marketing research, education research analysis, public policy analysis, research project management or program evaluation. The program is intensive and research-oriented, and it culminates in a thesis or applied project. Students receive training in advanced research methodology and statistical analysis, grant proposal writing, laboratory instrumentation, data collection and manuscript development. Students gain first-hand exposure to designing and conducting research, analyzing data and developing presentations and manuscripts. Students are encouraged to present research reports at professional meetings and conferences and to publish as co-authors in faculty-guided research.

The online program option gives students and working professionals an understanding of psychological theory and empirical research findings as they relate to human behavior, cognition, emotion and attitudes. The coursework is designed to help students learn about the various roles of psychologists in society today and discover which they might like to pursue through careers in education, social service, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, management or through additional graduate training.

Elective courses in all options are offered in several areas, including abnormal psychology, affective science, behavior analysis, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, health psychology, legal psychology, psychophysiology and social psychology.

The BS program in health care coordination prepares students to effectively coordinate resources to optimize individual health outcomes.

Through coursework, students build a thorough understanding of health care systems, community and public health, community resources, health education and health advocacy.

The program emphasizes patient advocacy and education, the resources available from community and public health services, and the role of health policy and financing in modern health care.

Graduates of the program are prepared to work with an interdisciplinary team to utilize resources, provide health education and advocate for the patient when it is needed the most.

This degree program uses the same prerequisites as the nursing major; therefore, students may transition seamlessly to this program and obtain a bachelor's degree in a health-related field.

Students in the BA program in interdisciplinary arts and performance engage with faculty in collaborative investigation of many disciplines, preparing for the complex and changing world through current approaches to artistic and aesthetic research.

Students in this major engage in practical and theoretical studies of visual, sonic, performance, game and interactive arts to become versatile artists. With skill sets preparing them for professional and entrepreneurial opportunities, they can tap into evolving marketplaces and expanding fields of arts research and practice.

Students who major in interdisciplinary arts and performance receive extensive preparation for careers as artists, performers and creative professionals, and they develop solid foundations useful for teaching and scholarship.

The MS program in biological data science provides students with real-world training at the interface of the natural and mathematical sciences. Students learn to manipulate big data, including the generation and analysis of data using statistical and computational toolsets. Students use their analytical skills in ecological, environmental, toxicological and other biological applications. The program incorporates multiple levels of experiential learning to ensure students gain critical thinking skills on top of core competencies.

The BS program in health entrepreneurship and innovation provides students with a broad background in the principles of innovation, leadership, complexity science, change theory, collaboration and evidence-based decision-making to prepare graduates to manage implementation of innovation in the health care arena.

Through the use of evidence-based decision-making and leadership skills in interprofessional teams, students learn to tackle health care challenges using modern technology, public policy and communication. This unique program situates students at the intersection of innovation and entrepreneurship, enabling them to develop their own solutions to health challenges.

Program areas of emphasis:

• Develop competence in the design, application and testing of innovative processes and products
• Incorporate current trends with interprofessional teams
• Lead processes of innovation and transformation

The BA program in business with a concentration in statistics is designed for students interested in a curriculum that helps them develop solid business skills with an emphasis in mathematics and statistics. The program involves theoretical and applied statistics with a focus on practical and applied aspects of statistics.

The BS in population health program integrates the fields of public health and health care delivery to teach students about the factors that impact health.

Students learn how social determinants of health, access to care and infrastructure influence the health of defined groups, as well as the roles of stakeholders and how to work across systems to improve health. Students benefit as the field of population health requires training in disciplines fundamental to the College of Health Solutions, including biomedical informatics, economics, social determinants of health, program and community assessment, program planning, and health care delivery.

The multidisciplinary program features experiential learning, including student engagement as citizen scientists, to better understand population health. Students can customize their learning by focusing on environmental health systems, food systems, mental health systems, compliance in the health care industry, health education programs, the design and improvement of population health systems, or health informatics.

The BA program in English is focused on literature, writing, film and culture.

Courses address a wide variety of genres, traditions and time periods. Students engage in close reading and critical thinking as they work with powerful, multilayered texts. They build communication skills as they compose for multiple purposes and audiences. The program ends with a degree capstone that allows students to use their skills and knowledge in a personalized academic or creative project.