Master of Science in Information Systems and Technology (STEM)

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

The studio arts area offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in one of six concentrations: Drawing, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Graphic Design and General Fine Arts. Since 75% of the classes required for the B. F. A. are within art, the degree is considered a professional degree program in art, as well as traditional preparation to pursue graduate studies in the field. The department also offers a Minor in Studio Art and a Certificate in Photographic Studies. Classes are taught in the newly renovated Fine Arts Building. UMSL has a transfer agreement with the St. Louis Community College District, which offers a direct transfer to upper division BFA courses to students who graduate with an AFA degree from one of the three SLCC schools.

Studio art faculty are dedicated teachers and committed artists. They exhibit regularly in exhibitions of regional, national and international significance, have developed impressive client lists and are sought after to give workshops and oral presentations on their work. Faculty have received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Ford Foundation and been honored by a variety of national and international arts organizations. Their work is included in important public and private collections, including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Library of Congress, Museum of Contemporary Photography, McDonnell Douglas Corporation and Emerson Electric.

The Chemistry & Biochemistry Master of Science degree is a 30 credit hour program that is customizable depending on the interests of the student. Students may choose to focus their coursework in a few, some, or all chemical disciplines including organic, inorganic, biochemical, physical, and analytical chemistry.

A BS or BA in a scientific discipline is the most compatible baccalaureate degree for the MS program, although other degrees will be considered for strong candidates.

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.

The University of Missouri-St. Louis is situated on landscaped grounds in suburban St. Louis and has a student body of about 15,000. UMSL is a growing campus. Recent additions include a new Computer Science building, the Center for Nanoscience, the Millenium Student Center, the Touhill Performing Arts Center, and a new Science Learning Building containing state of the art teaching laboratories. UMSL is located in suburban St. Louis County about 5 miles from the St. Louis airport, near the intersection of interstates 70 and 170. There are two Metrolink stations on the campus that provide easy light-rail access to the airport, downtown St. Louis, Forest Park (which houses the Zoo, the Art Museum and the History Museum) and to the popular dining/shopping areas in the Delmar Loop and the Central West End.

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 BA in Communication can be tailored to meet your personal, professional or academic goals. You can pursue a general communication degree or specialize in one of four emphasis areas: interpersonal communication; mass communication; strategic communication or visual communication. Students have the opportunity to earn additional credentials through undergraduate certificates in Health Communication, Media Production and Public Relations.

Throughout this program, students will explore how messages are constructed, delivered and perceived by audiences. Whether the intent is to inform, influence or entertain, students will use research and theory to improve message effectiveness and achieve desired outcomes.

The BA in Psychology provides the foundation for further training in psychology at the graduate level, the background necessary for training in other fields such as the health professions, social work or counseling, and the liberal arts background necessary for entry-level positions in many fields such as business, communication, human services and mental health positions. Students may choose an area of concentration in graduate school preparation, child care and development, or devise an individual program.

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 Bachelor’s degrees in Economics are available as both a BS, which is designated as a STEM program, and a BA. The BA in Economics is designed for students who want to think analytically and apply their knowledge to a broad range of topics such as property rights, environmental regulation, labor markets and government regulation, while the BS in Economics is designed for students who want to develop analytical and quantitative skills and apply that knowledge to a range of topics such as economic modeling, financial markets and market analysis.

A unique feature of our department is the opportunity to take a large number of courses in applied economics and data analysis, in addition to traditional economics coursework. Students work as research assistants, peer tutors and collaborate on projects.

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.

The BSW program stresses the critical, empirical, and applied aspects of social work while incorporating a liberal arts perspective throughout the curriculum. Students are required to complete 43-credit hours of human behavior, practice, research and policy courses in social work, 30-credit hours of related area coursework and 570-clock hours of fieldwork in a social services agency, providing a strong focus on community and agency field work in a social work setting. The practicum provides students the opportunity to practice what they learn in the classroom in generalist social work practice activities.

Professional social work education enables students to integrate the knowledge, values and skills of the profession into competent practice.

The Master of Arts in Political Science is a general post-baccalaureate degree that gives students a broad understanding of political science and a firm grounding in scientific-based inquiry into problems in politics.

Students learn how institutional design and economic and cultural factors shape the distribution of power and patterns of cooperation and conflict in society within and outside of government.

Students master the postulating of cause-effect relationships, and the marshalling of evidence using quantitative or qualitative methods to test hypotheses about problems in politics.

Students learn their skills through intensive study of several fields within the discipline. In the general program it is possible to specialize in urban politics, policy processes and institutions, American political behavior, political economy, public administration, comparative politics, international relations, public law, and political theory. The Master of Arts is useful for students who are already in or planning on a career in secondary education, public policy, or politics. It is also useful for students who are considering doctoral education. It is particularly valuable for students simply interested in learning more about subjects that interest them.