Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies

at Kent State University USA

The Master of Arts degree in Philosophy offers intensive, in-depth study of philosophy, with particular attention to the diversity of philosophical methods, perspectives and traditions, as well as their relation to other disciplines.

Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the history of philosophy from the classical period to the present day, of the various fields of philosophical inquiry, and of central philosophical questions, both historical and contemporary.
• Articulate and defend their positions through philosophical argumentation in both written and oral form.
• Successfully navigate the professional academic world and prepare strong applications to doctoral programs, if they choose to continue their studies after completion of the master's degree.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Mechatronics Engineering integrates mechanical, electrical, computer and controls engineering to understand automated machinery, specifically, how to design it and how to make it work. Mechatronics engineering revolves around the design, construction and operation of automated systems, robots and intelligent products, which result from the integration of software and hardware.

Using automated systems is becoming more popular for operating equipment or machinery on manufacturing lines, boilers and aircraft to reduce labor costs, increase precision and accuracy and provide quality and safety for workers. Mechatronic devices can be found in agriculture, hospitals, buildings, homes, automobiles, manufacturing plants, the toy and entertainment industry and in aids for the elderly and disabled.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Apply knowledge of mathematics, science and engineering
• Design a system, component or process to meet desired needs within realistic constraints, such as economic, environmental, social, political, ethical, health and safety, manufacturing and sustainability
• Use the techniques, skills and modern engineering tools necessary for engineering practice.

The Bachelor of Science in Education degree in Integrated Mathematics prepares students for teacher licensure in grades 7-12. Students complete most of their content coursework during their first three years; methods coursework typically begins during the spring of their third year. During the final year of the program, candidates complete remaining content courses, mathematics teaching methods courses and a year-long placement in a local school district, which concludes with 13 weeks of student teaching in the spring.

Students are required to complete Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification (BCII) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background checks.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Successfully pass the Ohio Assessment Exam.
• Demonstrate understanding of the content and pedagogy of required IMTH courses.
• Successfully plan three types of lesson plans: conceptual, procedural, and relevance to teaching mathematics.
• Successfully complete student teaching.
• Create a unit plan in secondary mathematics.
• Model 5 problems of antiquity in Desmos or Geogebra.
• Fulfill the requirements of edTPA

The Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Business Analytics provides students with understanding of the diverse knowledge they need to be effective business data analysts. The focus of the major is to develop students who will understand and be able to apply business analytics to real-world problems.

While the major's curriculum builds student expertise from theory, the focus is the practical application of the analytics knowledge. Therefore, the major primarily emphasizes problem-solving with data for strategic business decision-making using various analytics tools such as data visualization and machine-learning technologies. Examples of business analytics applications include marketing analysis or segmentation, city planning, delivery logistics, risk management, security and healthcare management.

Graduates from the program will be in demand for entry-level analytics positions in the workforce.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Understand and assess business problems.
• Understand how to frame analytics problems.
• Use analytics tools to make strategic business decisions.
• Articulate and deliberate their ideas in writing and orally.
• Acquire, clean, present and tell stories with data.
• Communicate data analyses results effectively to all stakeholders in an organization.
• Analyze data in different business scenarios.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Business Administration degree will be able to:

• Recall strategic frameworks that are used to make business decisions.
• Perform basic calculations using quantitative tools that are used to support business decisions.
• Articulate and deliberate their ideas in writing.
• Articulate and deliberate their ideas orally.
• Identify ethical dilemmas and stakeholders.
• Recommend alternatives and consequences and choose a reasoned conclusion from the alternatives given.
• Identify global factors in making a business decision.
• Analyze global factors in making a business decision

The Master of Fine Arts degree in Theatre Design and Technology is a terminal degree designed for those who are interested in achieving the artistry and skills necessary to qualify as practicing professionals in the entertainment industry and/or professional theatre educators. The program is a three-year course of study with a flexible curriculum for students to explore areas of special interest.

The Theatre Design and Technology major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Costume Design and Technology concentration prepares students for careers in the entertainment industry, professional theatre or theatre education. Students study both design and technology, including related areas such as dye techniques, costume crafts and wigs and makeup. Students also design costumes for main-stage departmental productions. The curriculum includes core classes in theatre history, dramatic theory and historical periods.

Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Acquire creative and technical ability to develop the design of a production from concept to finished product.
• Acquire advanced abilities in the unification of all design elements used in professional production.
• Understand analytical or academically oriented theatre studies in areas related to and supportive of the work in the major field such as history, theory, dramatic literature and performance studies.
• Understand information resources associated with theatrical design and production.
• Produce full working drawings for mounted productions.
• Analyze text, music and dance and the ways that historical, critical and theoretical content inform playwriting, acting, directing and design.
• Communicate ideas clearly and effectively to the theatre community, production teams and the public.
• Know the history of their area of specialization and have the ability to integrate that history into production design.
• Know current technology, tools and methods in their area of specialization and have the ability to integrate technology into production design.
• Know health and safety practices associated with theatre production.
• Communicate and navigate effectively within the field of professional theatrical production design.
• Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethics and practice.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Biotechnology is an interdisciplinary program that provides a strong academic foundation in biological sciences and chemistry, practical training in the various biotechnologies and a solid understanding of their application in industry and biomedicine. The science of biotechnology extends across many areas of biology and chemistry and provides cutting-edge technology tools for modern biology and biomedical research. The curriculum includes a research experience at Kent State and/or an internship at a biotechnology company.

Biotechnology graduates have employment opportunities in biomedical research and in the rapidly growing biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Apply knowledge and information to complex issues in biotechnology
• Use problem-solving and data-gathering skills to comprehend issues in biotechnology.
• Develop inductive reasoning and technical communications skills in the context of working in a complex group environment.
• Analyze scientific papers and expand skills for listening to and critiquing scientific seminars based on the literature or current research.
• Effectively communicate scientific information.
• Develop collaborative working relationships with research mentors and laboratory members.

The Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Computer Information Systems provides students with a focus on the creation and supervision of the information systems that are commonly used in organizations of all types and sizes. There is a primary emphasis on problem-solving involving cloud computing systems and infrastructure, creating intuitive systems, business modeling and agile design, data management and business intelligence, cloud systems integration and project management and business experience.

Examples of information systems include airline reservation systems, mobile apps, bank automated teller systems, trading systems for stock exchanges, social media platforms and accounting/auditing systems.

Students can select electives to complement their knowledge base and interests such as in application design and development and other computing infrastructure that focus on the creation and maintenance of application used in smart phones and similar technologies and prepares students for careers as development engineers and system analysts. Students learn to use and manage cloud-based platforms to support and manage business processes and operations in organizations. Some material taught in courses correlate with the knowledge needed to pass professional certification exams.

Students participate in an internship, which involves a summer or a semester of paid professional experience in industry. Internship experience helps show the relevance of on-campus courses to professional work, helps students focus their career plans and often enables students to secure better jobs upon graduation.

The Bachelor of Music degree in Music is a professional degree. The primary emphasis is on the development of the skills, concepts and sensitivity essential for those wishing to pursue music as a profession.

The Music major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Composition concentration provides preparation for graduate study in the field, a credential for private instruction and the ability to compose and use technology in a variety of musical styles.
• The Instrumental Performance concentration provides preparation for graduate study in the field, a credential for private instruction and the ability to perform as a soloist, in chamber music and in large ensembles. This program is available on the following instruments: violin, viola, violoncello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone, euphonium, tuba and percussion.
• The Piano Performance concentration provides preparation for graduate study in the field, a credential for private instruction and the ability to perform as a soloist, as an accompanist, in chamber music and in large ensembles.
• The Voice Performance concentration provides preparation for graduate study in the field, a credential for private instruction and the ability to perform as a soloist, in opera, in chamber music and in large ensembles.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of music history and theory
• Demonstrate beginning professional skills in recitals

A Bachelor of Science in Education degree in Special Education prepares students to to become special education teachers (sometimes also referred to as Intervention Specialists), although some graduates may work with individuals with disabilities in non-school settings.

Special educators teach individuals with many kinds of disabilities including learning disabilities, emotional and behavioral disorders, ADHD/other health impairments, intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, hearing impairments, and multiple disabilities.

Special educators may co-teach with general education teachers in academic classrooms, teach small groups of students in a resource room, or teach students individually in highly specialized classrooms or programs designed specifically to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Special education majors who do not want to become teachers will often work with adults with disabilities in residential and/or vocational programs.

The Special Education major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Deaf Education concentration prepares candidates to work with deaf and hard-of-hearing students across inclusion, itinerant, resource room and self-contained public and residential classroom settings. Extensive field and teaching lab experiences optimize this preparation in combination with coursework in literacy, mathematics, science and social studies that help prepare students to take specific assessments to become designated as a "highly qualified" teacher in deaf education, reading and mathematics. Instructional methods are comprehensive in nature and provide the unique strategies necessary to address issues concomitant with hearing loss, including language development in both English and American Sign Language, use of bilingual-bicultural methodologies and various assistive and instructional technologies. The hierarchical coursework sequence concludes with thematic unit instruction that prepares graduates to work with the Core Curriculum to address all academic content areas, as well as transition, and students with additional needs. Graduates are eligible to apply for Ohio licensure to teach preK-12 deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
• The Mild to Intensive Dual License concentration prepares candidates to work with individuals (kindergarten through age 21) who have a wide variety of support needs in a broad array of settings (e.g., general education classrooms, self-contained classrooms, alternative schools and community-based programs). Candidates in this concentration progress through highly-structured coursework and extensive field experiences to learn evidence-based practices to teach academic, social adaptive and life-skills. Successful completion of this program enables candidates to be eligible for licensure in both Mild/Moderate Educational Needs (e.g., learning disabilities emotional and behavioral disorders, ADHD) as well as Moderate/Intensive Educational Needs (e.g., intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, physical disabilities) through the State of Ohio.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of: 1) learner development and individual learning differences, 2) the learning environment, 3) curricular content knowledge, 4) assessment, 5) instructional planning and evidence-based intervention strategies, and 6) professional learning and practice, and collaboration.
• Demonstrate the dispositions necessary to be successful special educational teachers/professionals.
• Demonstrate preparation for the profession by successfully completing the Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) Special Education Assessments required for their Special Education License type.

The Master of Arts degree in Biology is for students wishing to gain additional knowledge in any area of the biological sciences. This is a non-thesis master's degree designed for secondary school science teachers, individuals looking for additional background or preparation for professional school (e.g. medicine, dentistry or Ph.D. programs) and those seeking employment in life science industries in a non-research capacity.

The Biology major includes the following optional concentrations:

• The Biological Data Analytics concentration combines required courses in data analytics and elective options in biology to provide students with the understanding of the type of data collected while conducting biological research and how to analyze it.
• The Cellular and Molecular Biology concentration provides a heavy focus on cell-to-cell interactions and signaling pathways to give students a deep understanding of the cellular and molecular processes that occur within cells and physiological systems.
• The Environmental Biology concentration provides students with a balance between better understanding the relationships between organisms and the environment and how this balance can be sustained through environmental management and conservation.
• The Medical Biology concentration provides students with a deep understanding of physiological systems and the mechanisms that underlie various disorders and disease pathologies.

Students who declare the Biology major with no concentration will select their area of specialization in consultation with an academic faculty advisor.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Understand advanced biological concepts beyond the scope of the typical undergraduate degree and to increase the depth of their knowledge through coursework and hands-on experiences.
• Apply scientific principles and appreciate work outside of their particular field.
• Effectively communicate about science with colleagues as well as those outside of the student's area of expertise.
• Develop the necessary laboratory skills that will allow testing of hypotheses.