Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science (STEM)

at MSM Group - University of Missouri-St. Louis USA

The Chemistry and Biochemistry department has a strong research emphasis as well as a dedication to teaching, but is of medium size allowing substantial interaction between faculty and students. There is an international make-up to the faculty and postdoctoral fellows, and there are graduate students presently in the department from the United States and abroad. The department is very well equipped with modern instrumentation and computing resources. These include outstanding NMR, microscopy, X-ray and mass spectrometry facilities, with two 300 MHz and one 600 MHz NMR spectrometers, two single-crystal and one powder X-ray diffractometers, a Bruker Maxis Plus and GC-MS facilities. Areas of research specialization include the traditional areas of inorganic, organic, physical, and biological chemistry, as well as organometallic, supramolecular, surface chemistry, computational chemistry, laser spectroscopy and the study of new materials. Former graduates are employed in research positions in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, in academic positions, and in other areas such as high-tech computer applications.

Educational leaders and community stakeholders have expressed interest in establishing partnerships with college and workforce preparation professionals from various sectors to address the transition challenges of underrepresented and economically disadvantaged elementary, middle school and high school students who are underprepared to fully participate in and effectively contribute to the global economy as fully functional citizens. Proactive, sustained effort and attention to this crisis is paramount and can contribute to the development of academic and vocational pathways that will inspire a renewed hope among extremely vulnerable student populations and contribute to economic development in our region and beyond.

As there is a renewed national emphasis on PK-16 pipeline initiatives, it is vital that this program can respond to community needs for student services professionals who have the talent and skill to serve as educational liaisons and facilitate collaboration between K-12, community colleges, career and technical education institutions, and 4-year institutions in order to prepare all students for success, whether they choose to pursue a college degree, vocational training or transition to the workforce immediately following high school.

The Master’s degree with an emphasis in Higher Education has been flexibly designed to include an expanded focus related to college access, equity and affordability, social justice, and workforce preparation, as well as student services and higher education leadership. The enhanced curriculum targets K-12 teacher leaders, college and career preparation professionals, and other student services professionals who want to transform the college access and workforce preparation culture in elementary and secondary schools, which would culminate in the creation of transition plans and intensive student support services to ensure success for ALL students.

Student support professionals will be provided with the necessary tools to empower youth and adolescents; a renewed emphasis will be placed on students who are culturally connected to marginalized communities or underrepresented populations to promote achievement and success among these groups. Institutional and community commitment to student success will contribute to realistic and achievable academic and vocational pathways that are vital for a healthy, sustainable economy and region.

Our innovative program aims to provide the foundational tools for practitioners to consider several career pathways: 1) student services professionals in public or private schools who can complement the work of school counselors to provide proactive academic, vocational or workforce planning support to elementary, middle and high school students; 2) student services professionals who will pursue entry to mid-level staff or leadership roles in higher education institutions to effectively serve students who have transitioned to college to earn a postsecondary degree and require various forms of support in order to experience academic success and persist to graduation; 3) educational liaisons who work with K-12, community colleges and 4-year institutions, as well as business and health care agencies and community agencies, to serve as transition planning advocates for all students; 4) student services professionals who have an interest in working with private college preparation agencies to promote and support college access and preparation; or 5) higher education professionals interested in organizing, mobilizing, and leading advocacy efforts related to public policy formulation and analysis within government agencies and national higher education and professional associations, including the American Council on Education, NASPA, etc., as well as higher education think tanks and non-profit research and advocacy organizations, such as the Institute for Higher Education Policy.

Our experienced, student-centered faculty nurture student growth through a targeted immersion in the program curriculum, which serves to build comprehensive competencies to pursue work in these areas. Faculty provide personalized mentoring experiences and incorporate real-world case studies into the curriculum to expose students to practical opportunities to apply concepts to professional practice.

The BS in Elementary Education, with an emphasis in TESOL, increases competency and confidence in integrating the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing into academic teaching for English language learners. TESOL courses cover general linguistics, second/foreign language acquisition principles, cross-cultural communication theories and practices, assessments with coping strategies and developing and implementing instructional materials with reflection. The instructional design for each TESOL course includes exploring students’ backgrounds and determining desired results using assessment strategies, enacting with or presenting the interactive activities with explicit language targets and expanding inquiry with guided reflection.

The BA in Organizational Leadership is an interdisciplinary online degree completion program that provides an accelerated pathway to graduation for those who have an Associate’s degree or have completed some college courses, but have yet to complete their degree. The degree is designed to provide adult students with the knowledge, skills and credentials necessary to advance in a rapidly changing workplace and may be completed entirely online.

This program helps students understand theoretical and practical aspects of leadership across disciplines, while allowing you to focus on a specific Area of Concentration of interest or that advances your career goals.

The Bachelor of Arts in Modern Language, with an Emphasis in French develops linguistically and culturally competent and ready-to-be global citizens. UMSL offers a broad range of coursework in French: foundational courses in language and culture, courses focused on the many facets of literature and culture and pre-professional courses, all aimed at developing skills for the 21st century.

The dedicated Modern Language faculty engages learners in and out of the classroom. Expect a challenging, collaborative, and interactive environment in every course. Students are part of a larger learning community connected through our conversation group, numerous activities and study abroad experiences.

The BSBA, Management Emphasis degree is a 120-credit-hour program that requires at least 48-credit hours be filled with business courses, of which a minimum of 18-credit hours need to be taken in Management courses.

Throughout the program, students will be given the tools to become effective leaders, skilled communicators and savvy problem solvers. They will learn the theory and functions of management; the management of human resources; the development of strategic policies in an organization; organizational design and conflict resolution; entrepreneurship and international management. Students will be prepared to enter the workforce and succeed locally and globally across a wide range of business professions.

The Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program of the Department of Education Sciences and Professional Programs prepares professional counselors, including mental health, career, addictions, couples/family, and child and adolescent counselors, to serve the mental health needs of culturally diverse individuals, groups, couples, and families in need. The program’s outreach extends to schools, colleges and universities, community based organizations, business and industry, as well as independent practice. The program strives to develop a culturally diverse student population and to draw students from local, regional, national, and international locations.

The CMHC degree allows students to choose electives in an area of interest, such as couples and family counseling, addictions, career counseling, multicultural counseling, play therapy, and others while pursuing a rigorous course of study in clinical mental health counseling. The CMHC degree prepares students for work in a variety of community settings such as mental health clinics, community agencies, counseling centers, colleges, universities, and businesses, and for jobs as addictions counselors, career counselors, couples and family counselors, mental health counselors, child and adolescent counselors, and many others.

The University of Missouri—St. Louis counseling programs are accredited by the highest national counseling accrediting organization (the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs; CACREP); this professional accreditation ensures that a degree from the program will be recognized nationally for employment and credentialing. Counseling degree program graduates have outstanding records of achieving counseling credentials, including a very high pass rate on the Missouri State counselor licensure examination. Also, counseling faculty members, as a group, are highly ranked nationally on objective measures of productivity, typically within the top 10 programs in the nation. Program faculty members take pride in providing a recognized and valuable education.

The BS in Actuarial Science is an interdisciplinary degree designed to provide students with solid preparation to take exams needed to begin a career as an actuary by providing students with the quantitative skills used by actuaries. Students are required to complete courses offered by the College of Arts & Sciences as well as the College of Business Administration. Students take coursework in calculus, financial mathematics, statistics, economics, econometrics, accounting and finance.

To become an actuary students must meet specific requirements of the Society of Actuaries (SOA) including: Pass the exams and requirements administered by the SOA, fulfill Validated Educational Experience (VEE) courses offered outside the SOA, and undertake additional professional training provided by the SOA.

The Business Administration degree offers an option to earn a general business degree. This 120-credit-hour program requires that at least 48-credit hours be filled with business courses including accounting, information systems concepts, business analytics and statistics, supply chain management, finance, management, marketing and more. Once you’ve completed your required courses, you can customize your degree with business electives, even selecting a minor, if you choose.

Business students learn and collaborate in a state-of-the-art facility outfitted with smart classrooms containing all the latest teaching technology, cutting edge seminar rooms, group learning environments, community spaces and a real-time stock ticker. The college also offers frequent career fairs, including career-specific opportunities and internships. In addition, faculty engage students in service learning opportunities which provide value and help transform lives in the surrounding communities.

The master’s degree in Elementary Education is an accredited program appropriate for elementary teachers, specialists, department chairpersons, and those who work in informal learning or international educational settings. Candidates choose electives that will support their personal growth and development as an educational leader to impact the communities with which they work.

Diverse candidates will engage in a learner-centered environment committed to the success of historically marginalized and diverse students, research, and community engagement. Within diverse education settings, candidates will: advance pedagogical knowledge, recognize inequalities in educational opportunity, design differentiated assessments to inform practice, critically examine professional practice, and demonstrate commitment to ethical professional practice.  

It is important that both candidates and advisors plan ahead to ensure courses are taken when they are offered in the schedule. Programs must be planned with an academic advisor and meet the approval of the faculty advisor, adhering to the College of Education and UMSL Graduate School policies.

Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

• Continually and systematically reflect on professional growth to enhance student learning.
• Integrate technology to create meaningful student learning within the context of a global digital society.
• Apply advanced content and pedagogical knowledge to create authentic and deep learning experiences.
• Extend learning science principles to design, implement, and evaluate curriculum based on learning standards.
• Create and foster effective working relationships with students, school colleagues, families, and community members to enhance student learning and well-being.
• Design and establish a safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environment that nurtures the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students.
• Utilize equitable frameworks and inclusive practices to expertly create a variety of instructional and assessment opportunities adapted to diverse learners to encourage all students’ critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.