Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences - Neurosciences (STEM)

at Kent State University USA

The Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology is for students who wish to acquire in-depth training in archaeology and biological anthropology. The program is more structured in terms of course requirements than the B.A. degree in Anthropology and provides students with methods and theory that will prepare them for graduate school and future careers in the discipline.

The Anthropology major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Archaeology concentration provides students with in-depth training in analysis and field opportunities, as well as coursework in archeological theory and cultural ecology. The program emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of archaeology. Students take courses in geography (GIS mapping and satellite imagery), geology and mathematics; and have the option of  chemistry or physics courses, depending on interests and aspirations. The program features hands-on training using the latest technologies, including morphometric analysis, material properties testing, artifact replication, digital recording and mapping equipment. Areas of specialization include experimental archaeology, Old World Paleolithic archaeology and North American archaeology.
• The Biological Anthropology concentration trains students in aspects of evolutionary theory, human evolution and human variation. Coursework includes studies of living primates, their anatomy, behavior, ecology and conservation. Laboratory work for genetics, endocrinology, bone biology and neurobiology are available for undergraduate training. Additionally, the freshmen human evolution laboratory enhances the learning process in the biological aspects of human nature.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Acquire a foundational view of human cultures and an extensive knowledge base of diverse human behavior
• Demonstrate broad skills in social, physical and biological sciences.
• Understand how social scientists think and apply their findings.

Graduates of the Archaeology concentration will be able to:

• Learn how anthropologists investigate the past combining the methods of social and natural scientists.
• Demonstrate comprehension of anthropology’s special role in making archaeology (particularly the study of the ancient Americas) come to life and become relevant for them.
• Gain a special appreciation of archaeology’s other mandate—the need to conserve the precious heritage of the archaeological record, both in the New World and the Old World.
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of general chemistry and/or physics,  fundamental mathematics, as well as specific areas of geology and geography.

Graduates of the Biological Anthropology concentration will be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of biological anthropology as the most relevant evolution science, the one which gives them an appreciation of their place in nature.
• 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 the roles which genetics and developmental biology play.
• Demonstrate thorough knowledge of general chemistry and fundamental mathematics, as well as specific areas in the biological sciences.

The Bachelor of Science in Education degree in Physical Science prepares students for teacher licensure in physics and chemistry, grades 7 to 12. Students take a broad range of science-content courses in biology and geology and specialize in physics and chemistry content. Students in the Physical Science major complete most of their content coursework during their first three years, and then begin their methods coursework during the spring of their third year. During the final year of the program, students complete remaining content courses, science teaching methods courses and a year-long placement in a local school district, which concludes with 13 weeks of student teaching in the spring. Physical Science students are encouraged to meet with their faculty advisor early in their program because many courses must be sequenced carefully.

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:

• Plan multiple lessons using a variety of inquiry approaches that demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of how to engage all students in learning science.
• Plan a learning environment and learning experiences for all students that demonstrate chemical safety, safety procedures, and the ethical treatment of living organisms within their licensure area.
• Plan fair and equitable assessment strategies to analyze student learning and to evaluate if the science learning goals are met.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics comprises core areas in algebra (number systems, equations, discrete structures), analysis (functions, limits, continuous processes), geometry (space, shape, form) and associated generalizations and abstractions.

The B.S. degree program is recommended for students interested in a flexible option of careers or graduate study in mathematics. Coupled with the Education minor, the program can lead to Ohio teacher licensure.

Students may apply early to the M.S.in Pure Mathematics program and double count 9 credit hours of graduate courses toward both degree programs. See the Combined Bachelor's/Master's Degree Program policy in the University Catalog for more information.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Reason in mathematical arguments at a level appropriate to the discipline, including using precise definitions, articulating assumptions and reasoning logically to conclusions.
• Engage effectively in problem solving, including exploring examples, devising and testing conjectures and assessing the correctness of solutions.
• Approach mathematical problems creatively, including trying multiple approaches and modifying problems when necessary to make them more tractable.
• Communicate mathematics clearly both orally and in writing.
• Understand and appreciate connections among different subdisciplines of mathematics.
• Understand and appreciate connections between mathematics and other disciplines.
• Be aware of and understand a broad range of mathematical subdisciplines.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS) offers an interdisciplinary approach to individual and family development across the lifespan. Students in HDFS receive the knowledge and skills needed to help individuals and families across the lifespan to flourish in a global society. The degree prepares students for a wide range of careers in diverse settings including family and community-based social services, prevention, nonprofit administration, and family and community intervention. Core coursework focuses on development across the lifespan and understanding family relationships, the environments in which individuals live and learn, and the unique strengths and needs of diverse individuals and families. After completing the degree, you will not only make a living, you will make a difference in the world around you.

The Human Development and Family Studies major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Case Management for Individuals and Families concentration provides training in needs assessment and the utilization of available public and private resources. Case managers provide assistance to individuals and families by coordinating services and access to resources. Students in this concentration will learn the skills necessary to understand clients' needs and goals, and develop a plan to achieve these goals with the resources and services available to them. Graduates are eligible for securing positions in a wide array of social service agencies.
• The Child and Youth Development concentration prepares students for working with children and adolescents in non-school settings such as residential treatment, group care, community youth services, foster care and after-school programs. Graduates are able to design and deliver developmentally appropriate programs, preparing children and youth for productive adulthood by emphasizing skills and competency development.
• The Family Life Education concentration prepares graduates to develop and implement educational programming for parents, couples, and families in a variety of education and human service settings. Family life educators teach individuals and families effective communication skills, positive self-esteem, parenting skills and healthy interpersonal skills. Graduates are eligible to apply to be certified family life educators (CFLE), a credential granted by the National Council on Family Relations.
• The Gerontology concentration prepares graduates for professional positions in the diverse field of aging, including health and wellness, community-based social services, retirement communities, adult-care centers and nursing homes. The curriculum provides students with a solid understanding of typical age-related changes and how these changes affect a person physiologically, psychologically and socially. According to the U.S. Census, 20 percent of the total population will be 65 or older by 2030. Because of the increasing number of older persons and the fact that people are generally living longer, there is a growing need for people to work in the field of aging.
• The Human Services concentration is a completer program for students who hold an associate degree in human services. This program prepares graduates for entry-level positions in a variety of human service agencies, including child and family welfare agencies, mental health centers, developmental disability facilities and substance abuse treatment centers.

Computer engineers design and test new computer technologies and develop innovations for modern-day life, from medical equipment and automobiles, to hand-held devices and video games, to power grids and communication systems.

To prepare for a career in this field, you will build skills in both electrical engineering and computer science. You will learn not only about the software side of computing technology, but also about the design of computer chips, circuit boards, control systems, and other electronic hardware.

You will learn to apply your broad-based knowledge and technical skills to develop computing technology for instrumentation, control, communication and power-conversion systems.

Journalists are reporters, watchdogs, storytellers. The Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism teaches students how to cover real stories that make a difference. Whether using a camera, a microphone, a smartphone or a laptop, students become journalists by doing journalism inside and outside the classroom.

Gaining critical skills that equip them for storytelling in all its forms, students will practice their craft in Kent State’s award-winning student media. Working with these outlets, students will learn how to engage audiences where they “live,” on TV, radio, online, social media and in print.

Journalism students will produce news and feature content on visual, digital and emerging platforms, and they’ll apply what they’ve learned as part of the required professional internship.

With a grounding in ethics and an understanding of media’s role in democratic society, students graduate prepared to continue as journalists or apply their skills to other professions that value critical thinking, information gathering and the ability to make sense of it for others.

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 Master of Arts degree in English offers students broad learning in English studies while providing concentrated study in one area. The English major comprises the following concentration:

The Literature and Writing concentration prepares students for further graduate study in English and related fields, for professional training in such fields as library and information science and for careers in teaching. The program achieves this goal with distribution requirements, electives and a required focus in either literary traditions, critical theory or rhetoric and composition.

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

• Demonstrate the ability to think critically about the literary texts they read and interpret.
• Demonstrate how to write coherently and clearly about research topics and other topics.
• Demonstrate an understanding on how disciplines are interconnected.
• Apply appropriate research methods to objects of study.
• Demonstrate effective teaching skills and knowledge of appropriate teaching theories, if on appointment.

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 Arts degree in Economics equips students with a variety of skills sought by employers, including conceptualizing and solving problems and locating, organizing and analyzing relevant data.

In their junior year, students learn microeconomic and macroeconomic theory and take an econometrics class to learn data analysis skills. Students then take a series of electives that deal with vital current topics relevant to many careers in which these theories and skills are applied, such as the U.S. financial and banking system, economic relations between the United States and foreign countries; government spending and taxation policies; and the U.S. health system and policy options.

In their senior year, students take a capstone course that utilizes and applies the theory, skills and institutional knowledge learned in the program.

In addition to the B.A. degree in the College of Arts and Sciences, a B.B.A. degree in Economics is offered in the College of Business Administration.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations empowers students to make a difference on a global scale. Whether students are interested in human rights, economic development, international law, peacebuilding, climate change, or some other global question, the program encourages them to understand international problems from a range of perspectives and see more clearly how they can make an impact on them.

The major is interdisciplinary, which enables students to explore issues from such perspectives as political science, economics, and geography, as well as history, literature, and pan-African studies. IR students also engage in advanced language study, enhancing their ability to communicate globally, and they are encouraged to study abroad if they are able. The program has permanent arrangements for study in Florence or Geneva, and more customized opportunities are also possible.

Because of their broad exposure to global issues and their language training, IR majors go on to rewarding careers in almost every imaginable sector, including international organizations, non-profit agencies, business, law, and government. To all of those areas, they bring a multifaceted understanding of the global system, and wherever they go, they make a difference.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate a basic understanding of global economics, politics, geography, literature and societies.
• Demonstrate knowledge of at least one foreign language through intermediate II.