Master of Arts in Economics - Financial Economics (STEM)

at Kent State University USA

The Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies is intended to provide a broad spectrum of knowledge about human communication in various social contexts, and the ways in which information is produced and processed. Curriculum focus is on the social and behavioral study of communication theory and research. The program prepares individuals to pursue a doctorate degree, as well as for non-academic careers in which a broad understanding of communication theory and research is desirable.

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

• Read, critique and engage in theory-based research involving a broad spectrum of topics in human communication.
• Understand and master appropriate methodological skills for the study of human communication and apply them to relevant and shifting real-world contexts that often include newer communication technologies.
• Utilize theory-based and state-of-the-art knowledge to stimulate and improve communication processes in educational, business and nonprofit environments.

The Master of Arts degree in Anthropology provides opportunities for students to study in three fields: cultural anthropology, archaeology and biological anthropology. The research-oriented program encourages students to develop their own projects or participate in existing projects by their second semester. More than 80 percent of M.A. graduates continue for the Ph.D. degree or find employment in an area directly related to their training.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate a holistic view of human cultures. They are to appreciate that the global species is a social and cultural as well as a biological organism, with a past that is both historic and prehistoric. A student who wishes to emphasize socio-cultural anthropology will demonstrate a fundamental appreciation of diverse human and institutional behavior.
• Appreciate and demonstrate how anthropologists investigate the past using the methods of the social sciences and the natural sciences, particularly geography and geology. They demonstrate comprehension of anthropology’s special role in making archaeology, particularly the study of prehistoric Ohio, woodland North America, and Mesoamerica, come to life and become relevant for them. In addition, they gain a special appreciation of archaeology’s other mandate—the need to conserve the precious heritage of the archaeological record, not only Ohio’s but that of the Americas and the Old World as well.
• Demonstrate an understanding of biological anthropology as the most relevant evolution science, the one which gives them an appreciation of their own place in nature. They see the two dimensions of human evolution and adaptation: a global one (modern human variation) and a deep temporal one (human origins). Both dimensions require an appreciation of the neo-Darwinian theory of evolution, which includes both the process of natural selection and also the roles which genetics and developmental biology play in adaptation and evolution. They appreciate the urgency of primate and rainforest conservation.

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.

The Bachelor of Applied Horticulture degree provides students with the academic background and learning environment to further their education beyond an associate degree. The program aids students in the development of managerial expertise in areas of landscape design, turfgrass management and urban forestry, as well as landscape design, golf courses, sports turf management, arboriculture, environmental sustainability, plant propagation and greenhouse and nursery operations.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of plant characteristics, use, identification, and taxonomy.
• Develop knowledge of the proper safety procedures and their application in the workplace.
• Develop proper business protocol and specific horticulture concentration applications in the work place.
• Interpret soil test results, analyze and determine the best corrective course of action.
• Demonstrate knowledge of pest identification, taxonomy, integrated pest management, and control strategies .

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree in Public Health broadly prepares students to enter the workforce as a public health professional or to enter an advanced program of study. Students explore the five disciplines of public health: biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, health policy and management and the social and behavioral sciences through general coursework.

The Public Health major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Allied Health concentration seeks to augment the career portfolio of the allied health professional or aspiring student. Students who are interested in a generalist focus in public health or interested in moving to a professional degree (accelerated nursing) or technical allied health degree (respiratory care, radiologic technology, occupational/physical therapy assisting, etc.) are encouraged to pursue this path.  Students may currently hold or may be actively pursuing a state licensure in an allied health field and may be eligible to receive a maximum 12 credit hours of upper-division credit for their prior experience and demonstrated competency in select areas. Students without a state licensure may still pursue this concentration but will complete 12 hours of coursework in allied health-specific areas. Students in this concentration will be exposed to broad areas of public health including epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, global health and health policy; thus, preparing students to meet the increased demands for a trained and educated public health workforce.
• The Clinical Trials Research concentration focuses on training students in the epidemiology methods used in clinical research. The curriculum provides students a thorough understanding of the management of research studies, the scientific literature related to drugs, medical devices and other new therapies, and the federal regulations related to conducting clinical trials. Students are prepared to design and answer research questions, collect and manage data and communicate research findings to both scientific and lay audiences. An internship experience provides necessary experience in a clinical research setting. Potential places of employment for graduates include hospitals, contract research organizations, medical schools and pharmaceutical companies where graduates assist with and manage clinical research studies.
• The Community Health Outreach and Development concentration focuses on identifying and exploring ways to influence the multi-level determinants of population health and health behaviors, from a perspective that prioritizes health equity and social justice. Approaches focus on community- and system-level strategies to promote health and healthy behaviors among populations and eliminate health disparities through media, policy and education initiatives. Career options include the public sector, social services, non-profit agencies and other community-based health promotion and advocacy efforts. Graduates are prepared to assist with developing, implementing and coordinating public health interventions that promote community health and organize diverse communities around issues related to health and health behavior.
• The Global Health concentration educates students in identifying and working to address the critical public health and human needs of diverse, underserved and vulnerable populations locally and globally. Students learn the need for multidisciplinary (biological and social sciences) approaches and cooperation to address the major global public health problems. In addition, they have the opportunity to focus on a specific aspect of global health, e.g. HIV/AIDS, health policy, health disparities, health education, environmental health, nutrition. Graduates are prepared to work at entry-level positions in public health with local, regional, national or international public health agencies in both public and private sectors. Students who pursue this concentration are required to participate in a study abroad experience and complete four courses (at the elementary and intermediate levels) of either Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish
• The Health Services Administration concentration establishes a foundation for graduate work in health policy and management. Students analyze national and local public health infrastructure, evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of health care delivery and explore the legal and ethical issues of health care administration. Graduates enter the health care workforce as finance managers, compliance officers, patient navigators, insurance specialists and other health care managers. Students are encouraged to pair this concentration with a minor.
• The Pre-Medicine, Dentistry, Osteopathy concentration includes preparatory courses for the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT), the Dental Admissions Test (DAT) and admission entry into other professional schools including pharmacy, podiatry, occupational/physical therapy and physicians assistant programs. The overall curriculum—focusing on biological, social and economic determinants of health, prevention and control of diseases, introduction to biostatistics and public health research—makes this program highly desirable for admission to professional schools. The unique features of the program open new opportunities and offer competitive advantages for students seeking to enter into clinical medicine.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Laboratory Science allows students to combine three years of study at Kent State with 12 months of professional training at an approved hospital. Medical laboratory scientists are trained to perform complex chemical, microscopic and microbiological procedures. Graduates are eligible to sit for the Board of Registry of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists Exam.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Be certified as professional medical laboratory scientists.
• Perform assays of clinical samples in a hospital or laboratory setting.
• Demonstrate an understanding of human physiology and familiarity with human health issues.
• Interpret chemical and molecular data for clinical diagnosis.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance develops technically sound, intellectually diverse, and creatively expressive dance artists who can contribute significantly to the art form and society. The curriculum provides students with opportunities for strong and varied technical preparation in contemporary dance forms including modern, ballet, jazz and improvisation. Opportunities for performance and choreography along with dance theory courses, complete a degree focused on the artist/scholar. 

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates from this program will be able to

• Perform a wide range of dance works.
• Articulate and communicate an understanding of diverse dance forms, their histories, and their relationship and representation in the contemporary era of Dance.
• Articulate and communicate an understanding of dance theory, aesthetics, and choreography.
• Devise and present choreography.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health Education gives students the necessary tools to plan, implement and evaluate health education programs for individuals, communities and groups. The major features a capstone internship experience during which the student works with a health educator in a community setting. The program qualifies students to take the Certified Health Education Specialist Exam administered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.

State/Federal background checks may be required for practicum/internship experiences.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Conduct strategic planning, analyze the organization`s culture in relationship to program goals, facilitate cooperation between and among levels of program personnel, formulate practical modes of collaboration among health agencies and organizations and develop volunteer opportunities.
• Exhibit competence in carrying out planned educational programs; employ a wide range of educational methods and techniques, apply individual and group process methods as appropriate to given learning situations and select methods that best facilitate the practice of program objectives; infer enabling objectives as needed to implement instructional programs in specified settings, select methods and media best suited to implement program plans for specific learners and determine the availability of information, personnel, time and equipment needed to implement the program for a given audience; monitor educational programs, adjusting objectives and activities as necessary; and use the code of ethics in professional practice.
• Analyze factors the influence decision-makers, assess the appropriateness of language in health education messages and select a variety of communication methods and techniques in providing health information; demonstrate proficiency in communicating health information and health education needs and respond to public input regarding health education information; identify the significance and implications of health care providers` messages to consumers; and develop a personal plan for professional growth.
• Utilize computerized health information retrieval system effectively and match an information need with the appropriate retrieval system; access online and other health information resources and interpret and select effective educational resource materials for dissemination; assemble educational material of value to the health of individuals and community groups, evaluate the worth and applicability of resource materials for given audiences and refer requesters to valid sources of information; and apply various processes in the acquisition of resource materials, compare different methods for distributing educational materials and analyze parameters of effective consultative relationships.
• Obtain health-related data about social and cultural environments, growth and development factors, needs and interests, select valid sources of information about health needs and interests and utilize computerized sources of health-related information; employ or develop appropriate data-gathering instruments; distinguish between behaviors that foster and those that hinder well-being and investigate physical, social, emotional and intellectual factors that influence health behaviors; and analyze needs assessments.
• Synthesize information presented in the literature, develop plans to assess achievement of program objectives, determine standards of performance to be applied as criteria of effectiveness and select appropriate methods for evaluating program effectiveness; carry out evaluation plans, utilize data collecting methods appropriate to the objectives and analyze resulting evaluation data; and interpret results of program evaluation and infer implications from findings for future program planning.
• Communicate need for the program to those who will be involved; develop a logical scope and sequence plan for a health education program; organize the subject areas comprising the scope of a program in logical sequence; formulate appropriate and measurable program objectives, design educational programs consistent with specified program objectives; match proposed learning activities with those implicit in the stated objectives; select strategies best suited to implementation of educational objectives in a given setting; and plan a sequence of learning opportunities building upon and reinforcing mastery of preceding objectives.

The Master of Music degree in Conducting is designed for current teachers of middle, junior and senior high school music ensemble programs; for professional church musicians; and for pre-professionals, including students continuing after completing undergraduate degrees. The program prepares post-undergraduate students for such paths as high school or college teaching, conducting positions and doctorates in conducting.

The M.M. degree in Conducting emphasizes development of skills, knowledge and background in the following areas: literature and repertoire; conducting technique; rehearsal technique; score study; choral and/or instrumental performance pedagogy; historical performance practices; interpretation and expression.

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

• Recognize, identify, interpret and conduct representative literature from different historical periods, countries and composers.
• Demonstrate and apply advanced conducting techniques, including baton technique, use of hands/arms, facial expressions and body language.
• Plan and execute an efficient and productive rehearsal, including managing time, setting achievable goals, detecting and correcting errors and providing motivation and inspiration for expressive performance and focused work ethic.
• Utilize and discuss score study techniques such as keyboard score reading, transposition of instruments, instrumental/vocal score order, compositional structure, analysis of chord and melodic structures and audiation skills.
• Identify, explain and utilize performance pedagogy appropriate to the specific vocal or instrumental area of study.
• Identify, associate, differentiate and utilize performance practices appropriate to the literature of the various stylistic periods.
• Display interpretation and expression in music through discussion in conducting lessons, explanation in rehearsals and demonstration in rehearsal and performance settings through conducting gestures and the resulting musical product.

The Master of Music degree in Performance is designed to prepare the student for professional music activities, including solo performance, orchestral playing, ensemble playing, collaborative performance, studio teaching; as well as doctoral study. The program emphasizes development of skills, knowledge and background in the following areas: literature and repertoire, performance skills, practice skills, interpretation and expression, performance pedagogy, historical performance practices, music history and music theory.

The Performance major includes the following optional concentrations:

• The Chamber Music concentration is for intensive coaching and performance of string quartet literature.

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

• Recognize, identify, interpret and perform representative literature from different historical periods, countries and composers.
• Apply advanced performing skills in solo and ensemble settings, including tone production, accuracy, intonation, instrumental/vocal technique, musicality/expression, vocal language and diction and stage presence/presentation.
• Discuss, utilize and achieve high-quality results from efficient and effective practice techniques, including time management, achievable goals and use of appropriate technical skills, musical expression skills and focused work ethic.
• Have an enhanced understanding of interpretation and expression in music.
• Identify, explain and utilize performance pedagogy appropriate to the specific area of study.
• Identify, associate, differentiate and utilize performances practices appropriate to the literature of the various stylistic periods.
• Utilize and discuss score study of literature performed and also representative literature from various historical periods and composers.