Master of Science in Computer Science (STEM)

at Kent State University USA

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 Science in Psychology is designed to prepare students for graduate study in psychology and related fields. Topics include stress and trauma, neural basis of learning and memory, social and biological influences on mental and physical health, growth and development of children, and diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders. Students evaluate and interpret data and gain hands-on experience conducting research. Elective courses may be used to specialize in a number of areas of psychology and related fields such as neuroscience. The degree prepares students for graduate study and employment in a range of fields, including clinical psychology, research and experimental areas of psychology such as cognitive science and behavioral neuroscience, and related fields such as medicine and neuroscience.

The Psychology major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Child Psychology concentration is designed to prepare students for graduate study in clinical psychology, research and experimental areas of psychology, school counseling, developmental psychology, school psychology or related disciplines that require knowledge of interpersonal relationships and human development. Topics include child development, psychological disorders of childhood and adolescence, children's cognitive processes, personality development and child-related research experience.
• The Pre-medicine/Pre-Podiatry concentration prepares students for graduate study in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The concentration is designed to cover the Pre-medicine/Pre-osteopathy requirements so that students are prepared to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) and have the required prerequisites necessary for applying to medical school.

    For students interested in other career paths within psychology, a "no concentration" option provides the flexibility to prepare for those careers.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Describe the basic theoretical perspectives, principles, concepts, empirical findings and historical trends in psychology.
• Understand and use fundamental data analysis techniques.
• Understand and apply basic research methods/tools in psychology and evaluate the adequacy of research designs.
• Write effectively in the discipline.
• Recognize, understand, and respect the complexity of sociocultural and international diversity.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish provides students with opportunities to explore the rich diversity of Spanish cultures, develop reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in the Spanish language. Students will also acquire an in-depth knowledge and critical perspective on history and culture of the Spanish-speaking world through the analysis of literary and non literary texts.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Perform tasks at Intermediate High and Advanced Low levels of proficiency as described by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines. Proficiency, in ACTFL terms, is understood to describe a range of qualities rather than an absolute norm and will vary according to task type, language function, topic, skill (listening, speaking, reading, writing), and so forth.
• Contribute to most informal and some formal conversations with sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision to convey their intended message without misrepresentation or confusion. They will for the most part be understood by native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-native speakers.
• Vary the register (formality level) of their speech.
• Talk about personal interests, topics of general interest, literature and culture, and so forth in the target language.
• Listen to extended discourse on a variety of topics and understand main ideas and most details.
• Read texts written for native speakers and not edited or adapted for students. They will read a wide variety of text types such as poems, plays, novels, magazine articles, newspaper articles, brochures, pamphlets, menus, letters written for native speakers of Spanish.
• Compose routine social correspondence, take notes, write cohesive summaries and resumes, as well as narratives and descriptions of a factual nature in the target language. Additionally, they will be able to complete course-related writing tasks such as essays and term papers in the target language. They will be able to defend a thesis statement and make stylistic decisions based on the needs of specific audiences and on specific writing purposes.
• Demonstrate a historical knowledge of Spanish history and culture and understand the diverse nature of culture throughout the ages.
• Discuss cultural differences, distinguishing between fact, opinion and stereotypes.
• Learn to recognize and esteem diversity as they gain the skills necessary for sensitive, effective interpersonal and intercultural interaction.
• Learn to view concepts, issues, events, and themes from the perspectives of diverse ethnic and cultural groups and to esteem diversity as they gain the skills necessary for sensitive, effective interpersonal and intercultural communication. Additionally, in learning to recognize and accept cultural differences, graduates will be able to maintain an ongoing assessment of their own cultural values and behaviors. Successful completion of the program will foster in our students a lifetime commitment and desire to continue learning about languages, literatures and cultures different from their own.

The Master of Science degree in Chemistry provides opportunity in research in the areas of analytical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry, as well as biochemistry. Many of the research topics are built around interdisciplinary themes in biomedical research (bioanalytical, bioinorganic and biophysical chemistry) and materials science (nanomaterials, liquid crystals, photonic materials, spectroscopy, surface science).

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

• Demonstrate an improved knowledge of a specialization within chemistry.
• Plan and execute chemical experiments.

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 Integrated Health Studies is designed for students interested in the health and medical professions. The primary mission of the program is to educate individuals to serve present and future needs of an increasingly diverse society in the professional fields associated with health and/or medical services. Fundamental to its mission is the education of students to excel as practitioners and provide leadership to their respective disciplines.

The major comprises the following concentrations:

• The Health Care Administration and Systems concentration prepares students for administrative positions in the health care industry. In addition, students may wish to pursue graduate study in such fields as business administration, health administration, exercise/leisure/sports administration and public health. Students may earn the Business minor  with additional coursework and GPA requirements.
• The Health Sciences concentration includes a strong basic science core (biology, chemistry, physics), as well as an applied science core (physiology of exercise, nutrition). Graduates are prepared for science-based graduate programs, especially physical or occupational therapy, and other advanced study options such as physicians assistant programs.
• The Health Services concentration provides a comprehensive study of health professions, human development and human services. Graduates are prepared for careers in the service-delivery sector of the health care industry, such as non-profit and/or government agencies (e.g., health departments, national/state/local health organizations). This program is designed to offer more flexibility in coursework selection for pre-nursing coursework or for students to declare a minor or certificate (e.g., health educator, non-profit management, psychology). The program also provide students in associate degrees in the allied health areas (e.g., physical or occupational therapy assisting technology) with the opportunity to obtain a highly relevant bachelor’s degree.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Integrate and apply knowledge, values and skills across the health and human services fields to applicable work settings.
• Identify, present and critique the role of health care professionals and policies/issues facing the health and human services fields in order to better meet the needs of individuals, communities and society in the provision of services.

The Master of Science degree in Geology provides qualified students the opportunity for advanced study in a wide variety of geologic fields. Focus areas include environmental research (water, surface and subsurface processes; geohazards; and natural resources), as well as evolution of earth's systems research (climate change, paleoecology and evolution, crustal processes).

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

• Show in-depth comprehension of several areas, including both basic and applied aspects of geology/earth sciences.
• Formulate testable scientific hypotheses and carry out independent research using appropriate field, experimental, analytical and/or computational methods.
• Describe, synthesize and interpret the results of a scientific investigation, and understand its broader applications.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Actuarial Mathematics prepares students for the actuarial profession. Actuaries are professionals who manage risk. They predict the likelihood of future events and model the financial impact of future scenarios. They find creative ways to mitigate the undesirable effects of future events. Although most actuaries are employed in the insurance and financial industries, many others work in the transportation, environmental, medical and manufacturing industries, as well as in government.

The Actuarial Mathematics major is highly interdisciplinary, integrating substantial coursework in business, computing and communications with a solid core of mathematics and statistics. Kent State University is one of only four institutions in Ohio to receive the Universities and Colleges with Actuarial Programs-Advanced Curriculum designation from the Society of Actuaries. The Kent State program prepares students for the first four of a series of examinations to receive professional certification as an actuary.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Reason mathematically by using precise definitions, articulating assumptions and reasoning logically to conclusions.
• Engage effectively in problem solving by exploring examples, assessing the correctness of solutions and interpreting solutions in an actuarial context.
• Define, interpret and apply standard actuarial notation, terminology and formulas.
• Analyze various streams of cash flows, both certain and contingent.
• Apply methods from probability, statistics and stochastic processes to the solution of problems in actuarial science, finance and economics.
• Communicate solutions of mathematical problems clearly, both orally and in writing.
• Employ commonly used computer programming languages and software packages to solve problems in actuarial science, finance and economics.
• Demonstrate fundamental knowledge of finance, economics and accounting.

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 Music gives music majors an opportunity to study music and liberal arts with an optional minor, available in most academic areas of the university, or as a dual degree program with a major in another field. Although not as music intensive as the Bachelor of Music degree, the B.A. degree includes study on a main instrument and ensemble participation throughout the program.

The Music major includes the following optional concentrations:

• The Contemporary Popular Music concentration provides students the opportunity to study contemporary instruments such as electric guitar, electric bass and voice, as well as participate in a variety of styles including rock, pop, Motown and other popular styles.
• The Jazz Studies concentration provides students the opportunity to study jazz improvisation, arranging and composing.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of music history and theory
• Demonstrate high-level skills in recitals, ensembles or music research