Bachelor of Arts, Major in Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies

at Northeastern Illinois University USA

To declare a major in Computer Science, a student must fill out the “Declaration of Major Form” available in the Department Office. A student must complete the major requirements in effect when the declaration of major is accepted by the Department. Students should obtain a Computer Science Major handbook in order to be aware of any changes in requirements.

The Middle Level Education program (MLED) will provide students with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be successful teachers in grades 5-8.  Candidates choose a minimum of one discipline to earn their endorsement from Social Studies, Math, Science, and/or Language Arts.  Subject area endorsements require 21 hours of approved content courses in the discipline.  MLED Candidates complete two clinical experiences in grades 5-8 classrooms totaling 200 hours and full-time student teaching in their endorsement area for 16 weeks.  Candidates who complete the MLED program qualify for the Illinois Middle Grade Professional Educator License to teach in their endorsement area(s). 

The Master of Science in Biology program serves those interested in advanced training in applied or basic biological research and teaching. The program also provides a basis for further graduate or professional studies. The M.S. in Biology is broadly based, allowing students to tailor their courses to suit their interests. Laboratory skills are integral to many Biology careers, thus students are encouraged to include lab courses in their program of study. Faculty in the M.S. in Biology program have expertise in a range of sub-disciplines including ecology, organismal, cell, and molecular biology. All newly admitted students matriculate in the Fall semester.

Program Goals

Upon completion of the M.S. in Biology program students will have:

•     A strong understanding of disciplines across the breadth of Biology and a deep understanding of select Biology sub-disciplines.
•     Developed the knowledge base necessary to critically evaluate research methods, data, and results, either produced by them or published in the primary literature.
•     Developed strong written and oral presentation skills.
•     Developed the analytical skills necessary to synthesize information in an area of research based on existing and new data.
•     Developed strong research design and laboratory/field research skills.

Graduates completing the Non-Thesis or Library Thesis options for the M.S. in Biology will meet goals 1-4. Graduates completing the Research Thesis option will meet all 5 goals.

The undergraduate degree program in Chemistry at Northeastern fulfills the needs of students with diverse academic goals and prepares them for careers in industry and academia. The program is accredited by the American Chemical Society (ACS) and meets the standards established by the ACS committee on Professional Training.

The curriculum provides the requisite background for students planning to attend graduate or professional schools in chemistry, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and other professional health fields. In addition to the chemistry courses in traditional disciplines, the department also offers specialized courses in environmental chemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and bio-organic chemistry. Students in the Chemistry program have the opportunity to conduct research with the faculty of the department of chemistry or participate in internship programs at various institutions and industry.

The placement of Northeastern Chemistry majors into the workplace shortly after graduation as well as their acceptance into top rated graduate and professional programs in the country validates the strength of our program. The Chemistry Department is proud of the success of all its graduates and strives to excel by designing new course work and programs to help Northeastern students achieve their educational and career goals.

The Department of Counselor Education offers a 60 credit-hour program leading to the Master of Arts in School Counseling for licensed teachers. Additional coursework is required for students without a teacher license.  The School Counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). Find out more information at Counselor Education accreditation, licensures, and credentialing.

Counselor Education also offers a Non-Degree School Counselor Endorsement leading to licensure as a school counselor for individuals with an advanced degree in counseling or related fields.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design is an applied arts program with a focus on the development of visual solutions to communication problems, and offers students guided hands-on experience in the creation of visual messages in print and electronic media through the use of type, color, photography, animation and various other techniques. In addition, students will receive a broad historic and theoretical understanding of Graphic Design. Career opportunities in advertising, marketing, publishing, branding and interactive services will be introduced to students and special attention will be paid to establishing a relationship with the local design community.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design is an applied arts program with a focus on the development of visual solutions to communication problems, and offers students guided hands-on experience in the creation of visual messages in print and electronic media. Degree candidates in the program are prepared for professional careers in the field and are challenged to research and evaluate the role contemporary design practices hold in our society.

The B.F.A. in Graphic Design begins with a strong foundation in design principles, introduces students to digital technologies and progresses into more specialized courses. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of typographic skills, and students are familiarized with a range of topics including branding/identity design, packaging design, systems design and environmental design through studio and special topics courses. Interaction design, mobile apps, and web design are taught alongside publication design, as well as historic print processes that inform contemporary design practice. The program is enriched through mentorship by professionals in the related fields of photography, digital arts, and printmaking. Courses in these areas help our students develop image-making and print production skills, exposes them to base level coding and web development skills, and introduces them to experimental areas of design, which merge elements of branding, web design and development.

The B.F.A. in Graphic Design is a professional degree and students must fulfill required coursework to be admitted to the program.

The Bachelor of Science in Physics program allows students to pursue careers in teaching, research, and development, or to go on for further graduate study. All instruction is provided by full-time faculty in small classes, affording many opportunities for close personal contact between students and instructors. All advanced undergraduate courses are given in the evening, allowing students to complete studies on either a full- or part-time basis. Faculty members are actively engaged in research projects which offer exciting opportunities for student participation. Also, faculty members offer assistance to students pursuing projects on their own.

The major requires a set of six required Biology courses (including a cornerstone course, BIO-150), five elective courses in Biology, a capstone course in Biology, and a set of cognate courses in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics. As such, the curriculum provides broad training in the sciences, allows for students to take a sequence of courses that fit their particular interests within Biology and allows students to prepare themselves for specific careers in Biology.

Students who are seeking to be licensed to teach Biology in secondary schools should consult with both an advisor in Biology and an advisor in the Goodwin College of Education.

Students interested in pursuing graduate studies are strongly encouraged to take one year each of organic chemistry and calculus, and a course in statistics.

Students who are planning to pursue professional training in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and other health professions should contact the professional schools to which they intend to apply in order to determine their specific program requirements. Students should also consult regularly with an advisor in Biology to ensure that they take an appropriate set of elective courses. Finally, these students can receive guidance on recommended courses, graduate-school test preparation and the application process from the Coordinator of Student Services in the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences as well as the Student Center for Science Engagement.

The Department of Africana Studies offers a vibrant and highly competitive graduate program. The department’s Master of Arts degree is designed to provide students with a rigorous interdisciplinary training in the scholarly investigation of people of African descent. The faculty and the courses of the graduate program are drawn from the department and other academic units throughout the university.

The Master of Arts degree in Africana Studies offers two areas of concentrations: the Community Empowerment track and the Culture and Aesthetics track. The Community Empowerment concentration focuses on the historical and contemporary strategies to empower people of African descent. This track exposes the student to the political, economic, and policy responses to the impediments of African and African-descendant community development. The Culture and Aesthetics concentration focuses on the understandings and the interpretations of the philosophical, literary, and artistic contributions of people of African descent.

Students are prepared to pursue a doctorate in Africana Studies or other related disciplines in the social-sciences or the humanities. The M.A. degree in Africana Studies also enhances a career in government, education, the professional fields, and the non-profit sector.

The Master of Public Health (MPH) is a 42-credit hour program that offers a broad, interdisciplinary training in public health. The MPH program prepares students to lead, conduct research in, serve, and work in a variety of public health settings. Settings may include public and private health care organizations, health research facilities, social service and environmental health agencies, and government institutions dedicated to public health policy, programming, and services. Additionally, students will be prepared to pursue terminal degrees in the behavioral health, epidemiological, or environmental health sciences, as well as health-related law and policy, health care administration, and health communication.

Northeastern’s generalist Master of Public Health is unique in the greater metropolitan Chicago area. The program is taught by a team of faculty across disciplines. Similarly, students will have the opportunity to select six credit hours of electives from a wide variety of disciplines; therefore they are not limited to a concentration area, but rather a wide variety of topic areas related to public health.
Student Learning Outcomes

Students are expected to demonstrate foundational public health knowledge in:

• The profession and science of public health
• Factors related to human health

Students are expected to demonstrate foundational public health competencies in:

• Evidence-based approaches to public health
• Public health and health care systems
• Planning and management to promote health
• Policy in public health
• Leadership
• Communication
• Interprofessional practice
• Systems thinking