Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies

at Kaplan Group - Simmons University USA

The major in art includes courses in art history and studio art practice. Students choose either area to emphasize, depending upon interest and career plans. Either emphasis can serve as a foundation for further study at the graduate level. The study of art leads to careers in a wide variety of fields, such as teaching, publishing, arts administration, art conservation, museum or gallery work, commercial art and design, architecture, city planning, painting, photography, or printmaking, etc. In all of these areas, the major in art would profitably be combined with a major in another area, such as English, history, chemistry, philosophy, management, communications, or mathematics.

Students are encouraged to augment the required courses with in-depth study in the liberal arts and additional courses in the major. Students work with their advisor to develop a coherent course program that will meet their educational goals. Students considering graduate study should plan to take as many upper level courses in their major as they can accommodate in their schedules, especially during junior and senior years.

The major in biochemistry is jointly administered by the departments of biology and chemistry and is approved by the American Chemical Society. The rapidly growing field of biochemistry involves the application of biological and chemical concepts and techniques to the understanding of life processes such as the determination of hereditary traits, utilization of energy, propagation of nerve signals, and the molecular basis of physiological and pharmacological phenomena. Biochemists are involved in agriculture, medical research, biotechnology, nutritional research, and other areas at the interface of chemistry and biology.

Simmons University offers a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree that provides exceptional training in social work and scholarship.

Our BSW students learn through classroom settings, multiple field placements, and innovative practices such as simulations where you will have the opportunity to practice and hone your skills. Students in our BSW degree program benefit from our nationally regarded School of Social Work (SSW) — including acclaimed BSW faculty, remarkable alumnae/i and Simmons University's ideal location in the Fenway and Longwood Medical Area.

In Simmons' Bachelor of Social Work degree program, we’ll prepare you to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. You’ll learn the theories needed to understand human development, how society functions, and how policy impacts individuals and communities.

Simmons University’s Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics degree focuses on the study of practices and tools that improve the health, quality of life, and eating behaviors of a multicultural and diverse population.

Why study Nutrition and Dietetics?
The Simmons BS in Nutrition and Dietetics program is firmly rooted in the ideal that food can be the best medicine and reflects how integrated the field of nutrition is with all other scientific, medical, and biological studies.

The chemistry of food can cause a wide range of reactions to the body’s functions and long-term health. Accordingly, coursework establishes a base in core scientific subjects, such as biology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, and biochemistry. Nutrition students then move on to more advanced, specialized topics in dietetics, including food science, community nutrition, nutrient metabolism, and food production.

The Financial Mathematics major, which is interdisciplinary among the Mathematics and Statistics, Economics and Management programs, prepares students for careers in the financial services and actuarial industries.

Among the possible very rewarding career paths are becoming a financial planner, a private wealth manager, an investment manager (for a mutual fund, pension plan, or endowment) and an actuary. The major also helps prepare students for the first Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) exam and for the first three Society of Actuaries exams.

Our majors have had internships at financial services firms, private wealth management firms, investment banks and mutual fund companies. Our graduates work in all these settings, at hedge funds, at insurance companies, and in other settings requiring a deep knowledge of these fields and strong analytical skills.

Students in our Communications degree at Simmons University are progressive and innovative, whether they're working on a publication, shooting a video, designing a website, or crafting a clever tweet.

Why pursue a degree in Communications?
Communication is key in all aspects of life; it is how we interact, connect, and make impressions on each other and the world around us. The Communications degree at Simmons University focuses on how people use messages to generate meaning within and across contexts, cultures, channels, and media.

Generating and conveying meaning is central to the work we do in our Communications major, as is an emphasis on media convergence—the intersection and interaction of the multiple media disciplines.

Our students explore the science of consumer behavior, combining theories from anthropology, sociology, psychology, economics and neuroscience to understand how consumers choose products —and how those choices affect the development of society and culture.

The Prince Program in Retail Management, established in 1905 by Lucinda Prince, is recognized as one of the few undergraduate programs specifically geared toward preparing students for a career in all aspects of retailing. Retailing is a major segment of the U. S. and global economy. Success in this industry greatly depends upon the retailer’s ability to adapt to changing demographics and lifestyles, respond quickly and effectively to global competition, utilize the available technology, and apply sound marketing and financial management. The Prince Program, leading to the BSBA degree, equips its graduates with the academic foundation and the experiential tools required to succeed in this environment. The major also provides an opportunity to acquire specialized knowledge about this large sector of the economy— the retail industry.

A Bachelor of Arts in Writing trains you to write with insight, clarity, and creativity. It prepares you for a variety of career paths or further degree programs.

Students will develop appreciation for the art of writing and hone their own skills as writers. They  will be able to read closely, produce creative and critical written pieces driven by their own insights in conversation with the ideas of others, do research independently, reflect critically on their own writing, and talk intelligently about their insights in discussions or formal presentations.

Our students develop sophisticated understandings of writing through reading and producing essays, short stories, poems, and public humanities writings. Students learn to read with a writers’ eye by analyzing the craft of published authors.  They sharpen their critical skills and their writing technique by participating in peer workshops.  Guided by award-winning faculty who are poets, novelists, literary scholars, and cultural critics, Writing majors discover their own style and talent as thinkers and writers.

Writing majors learn to read with discernment and write with clarity and force. Such abilities enrich students’ personal lives while providing them with practical skills that serve them well in their professional lives. Writing majors discover their own voices, learn to collaborate and revise, develop skills of critical analysis and creative expression, and gain confidence in themselves as independent thinkers.

Environmental science teaches students to address growing concerns about environmental problems in the contemporary world. You'll explore this interdisciplinary field, working to understand the interactions among physical, chemical, biological, and human factors.

Environmental science is a joint major offered by the Departments of Biology and Chemistry. This major recognizes the importance of environmental problems and human-caused climate change in the contemporary world, and the resulting expansion of career opportunities as well as graduate programs in this area. Environmental science is a broad interdisciplinary field working to understand the interactions among physical, chemical, biological, and human factors. A comprehensive understanding of how the environment functions and the influence of human actions, has the potential for improved conservation, sustainable development, environmental justice, and restoration of natural resources. Concerns about environmental degradations and climate change are ever more pressing in the 21st century and have led to a growing demand for specialists in this field as well as programs to train these specialists.

By strengthening your visual intelligence, you'll cultivate the artistry you need to create compelling and impactful messages.

Our students are immersed in print, web, and multimedia design, applying their advanced skills to hands-on projects and internships. You'll hone your skills in modern design software while developing branding strategies, web sites, magazine layouts and more.

You'll incorporate other communications disciplines like media arts and journalism in their coursework. That versatility sets our students apart — employers know Simmons graduates understand the bigger picture and can contribute to any creative team from day one.

With highly competitive design skills, you'll find interesting and creative internships in places ranging from Boston Children's Hospital to State Street. Our students not only excel in the technical and creative areas, but additionally understand the meaning making practices that afford them a competitive edge.