Bachelor of Arts in Biology (STEM)

at Kent State University USA

The Master of Science degree in Computer Science provides students with an educational and research environment to develop career paths through necessary training with emerging technologies. Graduates have the technical knowledge and skills necessary for success within the information and high technology industries.

The M.S. degree in Computer Science has two culminating options: thesis or non-thesis. Students planning to pursue a Ph.D. degree an/or academic research should select the thesis option. Students planning to pursue applied research and development in industry may select the non-thesis option. The thesis option requires original research and a written thesis. The non-thesis option requires a capstone project and an optional industrial internship.

The Computer Science major includes the following concentration:

• The Computer Engineering concentration prepares students to meet the need of computer engineering professionals in the industry for designing and managing emerging smart devices and computer-integrated physical systems with programmable intelligence. Students learn the hardware-software co-design principles and theory, architecture of the associated software and hardware, devices and sensors communication protocols and the interfaces to effectively design, build and evolve such smart devices and computer-driven intelligent physical systems.

Students opting to not pursue a concentration will create a 12-credit hour individualized plan of study with their advisor.

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

• Demonstrate breadth-of-knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts, principles and theories relating to advanced topics in computer science.
• Conduct literature searches, comprehend advanced research materials and uncover connections between related work and critical evaluation and synthesis.
• Perform research, discovery and integration by applying advanced knowledge of computer science.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Geography emphasizes a growing field that offers a wide range of career options. Geographers study both natural science and social science. Natural science topics include spatial patterns of rocks, soils, animals, plants, climate and weather. Social science topics include spatial patterns of culture, policy, conflict, demographics, economics, resources and waste, with an emphasis on investigating the intersection of human activity and environmental processes. Geographers use a variety of geospatial technologies to map the world in different ways from the global to the local.

Geographers use data (environmental and social statistics, interviews, textual and landscape analysis and archival documents) to describe natural and social patterns. They then apply their knowledge of human and environmental processes to analyze why these patterns exist. Geographers work at the intersection of multiple disciplines—geology, ecology, climate science, urban planning, economics, sociology, computer science and the humanities—using this knowledge to examine spatial processes. Geographers use GIS software and remote sensing for spatial analysis and cartography.

Geography offers a unique way of seeing and understanding the world, combined with the ability to communicate this understanding to others.

The Geography major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Environmental Geography concentration prepares students to work as conservation or parks managers, surveyors, remote sensing technicians, ecologists, hydrologists, water resource managers, national park rangers, climatologists, meteorologists, hazards analysts, epidemiologists and climate change analysts.
• The Geographic Information Science concentration prepares students to work as analysts for the federal, state and local government, for businesses and non-profits. Geographic Information scientists also serve as GIS developers, remote sensors, instructors, web developers and cartographers.
• The Social Geography concentration prepares students to work as city engineers, urban planners, foreign affairs officers, preservationists, non-profit directors, demographers, cultural resources managers, lobbyists, congressional staffers, emergency management specialists, educators, journalists, community development directors, lawyers and market analysts.

The Master of Arts degree in Ethnomusicology is designed to offer students a solid foundation in regional studies of music style, performance practice, history and cultural associations in order to prepare students for continued graduate studies at the doctoral level and/or public sector careers in world music. The program integrates theoretical perspectives relevant to the discipline with these practical aims, so that students can communicate effectively with persons within and outside the field of ethnomusicology. While a balanced global coverage is emphasized, Kent State music faculty focus on studies in Central Africa, mainland Southeast Asia, East Asia, the Caribbean, North and South America and the Middle East, as well as popular music studies. Theoretical concerns include sociocultural identity, semiotics, gender studies, politics and power, ritual studies, globalization and hybridity, as well as studies in inter-related arts (e.g., dance and theatre).

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

• Recognize, identify, interpret and discuss theoretical concerns and important contributions of historical figures in the field of ethnomusicology, as well as representative music styles from different historical periods, countries and ethnic populations.
• Demonstrate and apply fieldwork techniques including proficiency with photography, videography and audio recording, interviewing and participant-observation research.
• Demonstrate the ability to plan and execute an efficient and productive lecture presentation in an academic setting for use at professional conferences, concert performances and classroom teaching that includes time management, clear and effective explanation, efficient use of multi-media, and successful question and answer interactions.
• Utilize and discuss theoretical issues related to ethnomusicology and related disciplines, such as socio-cultural identity, semiotics, gender studies, politics and power, ritual studies, globalization and hybridity.
• Identify, explain, and utilize performance pedagogy.
• Analyze compositional forms, appropriate to the specific vocal or instrumental areas of study.
• Display performance and interpretation skills in music.

The Master of Arts degree in Art History emphasizes obtaining a comprehensive view of world art and specializing in one area for the thesis. Specializations may include contemporary African, medieval, Renaissance, early modern, modern, American or contemporary art and critical theory.

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

• Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the diverse character of visual and performative art traditions from a diversity of historic and cultural traditions.
• Demonstrate advanced knowledge in a particular period of art or a particular non-Western culture.
• Engage with and develop a variety of arguments relevant to particular art historical projects.
• Demonstrate skills in written and oral discourse.
• Observe, describe and interpret art objects, events and concepts within a cultural context.
• Access and utilize relevant primary and secondary source material in diverse formats, including digital technology.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Engineering provides students instruction in basic math and science, engineering principles, processes, project management and personnel management. Students learn in the classroom, as well as through hands-on experiments and real-world internships.

The degree program can also function as a completer degree for students with an associate degree in engineering technology.

The Applied Engineering major comprises the following concentrations:

The Applied Engineering and Technology Management concentration provides a focus on the application of management, design and technical skills for system integration; the execution of new product designs; the improvement of manufacturing processes and the management; and direction of physical and/or technical functions of an organization. Students also understand materials, facility design, quality and safety.

The Foundry Technology concentration prepares students for employment in the metal casting industry. Students complete coursework in materials and processes, cast metals, metallurgy and material science, solid modeling and solidification. In addition, students apply their knowledge and skills in the capstone course on foundry tooling and pattern making. They also will gain experience with programmable logic controllers, hydraulics, pneumatics and computer-aided manufacturing.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Develop technical competencies based on engineering principles.
• Integrate communications, social and physical sciences to develop critical thinking and quantitative skills.
• Develop the necessary skill set to solve complex technological problems from a systems and sustainability perspective.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising gives students the chance to connect with people through different media forms, by selecting the right audience, uncovering consumer insights and developing strategic and creative messaging, all with a digital-first mindset. Curriculum focuses on the advertising industry and the social responsibilities associated with this exciting form of persuasive media.

Coursework is supplemented with an internship. Other opportunities for experience include news, production, management, sales, performance and advertising positions with Kent State’s award-winning student media. Positions may also be available with IdeaBase, a student-run, full-service integrated marketing communications firm just down the hall from classrooms. Students teams also have the chance to participate in national competitions and make professional connections in the Franklin Advertising student group.

Students graduate ready for a career planning, buying and creating materials for digital and traditional outlets.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate critical thinking, grounded in a legal and ethical framework.
• Gather information, analyze it, and make informed judgments using methods and tools appropriate to their professions.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply theory and research appropriate to their professions, including quantitative and qualitative methods.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply basic ethical principles to their professional work.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply laws and regulations applicable to their professional work.
• Write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communications professions, audiences and purposes they serve.
• Demonstrate understanding of how media and their professions evolved historically, their role in societal development and their global interaction today with institutions and individuals.
• Demonstrate appreciation for diverse cultures and individual differences, and reflect that appreciation in their work.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics emphasizes the tools most useful in science, engineering and technology applications: mathematical modeling, scientific computing and probability and statistics.

The Applied Mathematics major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Financial Mathematics concentration prepares students for graduate programs in mathematical or computational finance or financial engineering.

The Master of Healthcare Design degree is a post-professional degree and one of the very few in the country focusing on the design of healthcare facilities. The MHCD program equips students with the knowledge and skills required to design spaces that are conducive to safety, satisfaction, and efficiency for all end users, including patients, staff, and caregivers. The MHD program is also designed for those professionals who want to have a deeper understanding of not just healthcare design, but of other drivers of healthcare innovations such as public policy, reimbursement, emerging technologies and what patient-centered care really means from the perspective of patients and families.

Upon graduation, our alumni are employed in healthcare-focused architecture and design firms. Kent State University's Healthcare Design program is also a member of the AIA's Design & Health Research Consortium.

Program curriculum is diverse by complementing required courses with electives from Colleges of Public Health, Nursing, and beyond. Connecting with professionals in the field is one of the core missions of the program, expanding students’ network and exposure to real-world projects.

To earn the degree, students must complete a master's project by designing a healthcare environment of their choice. Students will develop research-based design guidelines for their individual projects to guide their designs. The program takes one and a half or two years to complete, depending on course load.

The Master of Education degree in Research, Measurement, and Statistics develops educators and specialists in the areas of assessment, measurement, research design and program evaluation. The program serves teachers and administrators seeking applied measurement, research and evaluation skills for use in schools (pre-kindergarten to grade 12) and in higher education. The program also serves professionals seeking careers in the areas of evaluation, research and psychometrics.

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

• Demonstrate knowledge of descriptive and inferential statistics at a conceptual and application level.
• Demonstrate knowledge of research design and methods by selecting and executing the appropriate research design and methods for a variety of applications.
• Demonstrate knowledge of measurement, including the methods to develop valid and reliable measures of constructs.
• Demonstrate knowledge of contemporary and classic theories in program evaluation, the purposes and logic of program evaluation and the processes of different types of program evaluation.

The Master of Science degree in Materials Science provides students with extensive scientific training, cutting-edge research opportunities and engineering skills necessary for a variety of careers in academy and industry. Program faculty and students conduct research through Kent State's participating departments and the Advanced Materials and Liquid Crystal Institute. Such research includes liquid crystal synthesis and molecular design; properties of liquid crystals and related advanced materials; lyotropic liquid crystals and bio-related materials; opto-electronics; and nanoscience and nanotechnologies. These important research foci are inherently interdisciplinary.

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

• Develop an advanced understanding of the fundamental science of soft materials and ability to apply acquired knowledge of physical and chemical properties of advanced soft materials and devices such as liquid crystals, polymers, colloids and active matter.
• Gain experience in presenting scientific data in research publications, articles, posters and oral presentations.
• Apply acquired knowledge to the development of new soft materials, new theories and effects and advanced materials such as liquid crystal-based devices.