Bachelor of Science in Broadfield Science

at MSM Group - Montana State University - Billings USA

The Master of Science in Public Relations is designed to provide students with the essential theoretical and practical tools they need to develop their careers in public relations and public communication. Students graduating with the MSPR leave with an enhanced understanding of the processes of facilitating and negotiating communication between individuals, groups, and organizations.

Political Science is the study of politics, government, and public affairs. It provides the student with knowledge and understanding of the theory, organization, functions, and processes of domestic and international systems and institutions of politics and government, including the role of individual and group relations.

Objectives
Courses offered are oriented toward:

• Preparing the student for citizenship roles in community and national affairs and providing a coherent knowledge of political and government activities.
• Assisting the student to secure a broad liberal arts and sciences education.
• Providing undergraduate preparation for those students who propose to study at the graduate level.
• Offering general training for students who plan careers in government and public affairs.
• Preparing students for careers in secondary teaching.
• Providing a sound background for those students who intend to enroll in law and other professional schools.
• Providing a useful background for students who wish to work in management and staff positions in business and industry which have relationships with the public sector, including political journalism.

Skill Development
Political science graduates will:

• Comprehend and utilize qualitative and quantitative methods used in the social sciences and the law to answer questions and investigate social and political problems.
• Have highly developed critical thinking skills which enables them to understand and evaluate rival theories, interpretations, and arguments.
• Be able to communicate effectively using verbal and written communication skills that are well-organized arguments supported by evidence.
• Be able to plan, organize, and conduct political, social science, legal and public affairs research in a highly professional manner that uses a complex array of resources to support their argument.
• Be able to manage organizations, programs, and personnel in an effective, efficient, and ethical manner.

Graduates of the B.S. in Human Services program have found employment in state agencies, community based rehabilitation and mental health centers, rehabilitation facilities, and public social service organizations.  The B.S. in Human Services is a venerable program that has been preparing professionals for a wide range of positions in the fields of case management and social work related employment since the 1980’s.

The program is one of the few that broadly focuses on the field of human services in Montana, which is closely related to the field of social work.  However, students focus more specifically on concentrations that include serving populations in mental health, disability, and family systems.

Although this degree is meant to prepare most graduates for employment primarily as professionals capable of casework with a diverse population, in an effort to expand employment opportunities for graduates, a concentration in Substance Abuse Counseling was recently added.  The addiction counseling emphasis adds addiction assessment and treatment classes to increase the student's knowledge of addiction and their eventual employability in the community.

Organizational Communication Option

The Organizational Communication Option is designed to educate students entering the fields of business and social service as managers, trainers, human resource officers, and corporate communication staff.  This option also provides excellent preparation for graduate study in communication as well as law.  The programs in Organizational Communication enable the student (1) to acquire a mature understanding of interaction and other communication issues in organizational situations; (2) to improve the ability to contribute to productive organizational performance; (3) to increase personal effectiveness related to technical communication concerns; and (4) to apply learning to real-life organizational settings.

Sociology is the study of social life and the social causes of human behavior. The sociologist's interests range from the intimate family to the hostile mob, from crime to religion, from race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture, from work to sports. Few fields have such a broad scope.

The Master of Science in Psychology provides advanced, concentrated study for students wishing to prepare for additional graduate study, employment in a clinical or research setting, teaching at the community college level, or preparing for licensure.

Programs offered through the Department of Biological and Physical Sciences share many outcomes.  Upon program completion students will:

• Understand the basic principles and laws governing our world and have a global awareness of their discipline.
• Demonstrate basic competency in laboratory, field and computer skills related to the sciences.
• Be familiar with accessing and interpreting the scientific literature.
• Be proficient in written and oral communication in the sciences.
• Understand scientific methodology, and conduct scientific investigations using it.
• Be prepared to participate in professional activities.

The criminal justice program at MSU Billings is designed to provide students with an understanding of the principles and practices of the criminal justice system in the United States.  Students will learn about the essential components of the criminal justice system, including police, courts, and corrections.  The program is especially suited for people who are planning a career with a criminal justice agency as well as those who are interested in the study of crime and criminal justice.  A degree in Criminal Justice provides the background for a student to enter a variety of occupations in the criminal justice field such as law enforcement officer at the local, state or federal level, corrections officer, or probation officer.  Students with a degree in criminal justice may also find employment with regulatory agencies, social service agencies, and in business.  The major also prepares students to enter graduate programs in criminal justice, sociology, and public administration.

Through coursework, research, laboratory, and internship experiences, the Human Performance Option prepares students with a thorough understanding of human movement.

Students in this option are equally well-prepared for work in professional positions in medical, community, corporate, or school settings such as:

• Strength Training Facilities
• Rehabilitation Programs
• Fitness Centers
• Medical Sales

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Accurately assess, plan, supervise, and evaluate a person's health and human performance.
• Critically and ethically evaluate human movement and performance.
• Develop, implement and evaluate evidence-based interventions in health and fitness activities
• Correctly interpret, apply and conduct research in human movement and performance.
• Effectively communicate to diverse constituencies.

Media Studies Option

The Media Studies Option is designed to examine the nature of the mass media through theoretical grounding and applied knowledge with a concentration in (1) the construction and delivery of media messages and (2) the effects of mediated messages and the structures and practices of the media industries on culture, society, politics, the economy, and individual attitudes and behavior.  This approach prepares students for careers as trained media professionals as well as to be critical consumers of media messages.  The study of message construction and analysis is offered in a variety of contexts including news gathering and reporting, public relations, video production, and advertising.  In each context theoretical perspectives are combined with skills training related to print and electronic media.  Career options in the field of Media Studies include public relations, marketing, broadcast news, corporate communications, and advertising.