Master of Science in Chemistry with Emphasis in Bioorganic and Biomedical Chemistry

at Northern Arizona University - Flagstaff Campus USA

The Bachelor of Arts in English prepares graduates for any future that demands proficiency in literature, language, and writing, as well as general excellence in resourceful, well-informed communication. Our graduates recognize the close weave of logical thought and effective expression, strive for more persuasive or more creative uses of English, possess the sense and insight to appreciate the value and quality of literature, have developed their historical and cultural imaginations by studying the marks of other times and diverse peoples in language and text, and recognize the global contexts of English as well as the social, civic, and environmental responsibilities that come with a liberal education. Our graduates have attained the high-level literacy skills and have practiced the research methods needed to compete in graduate and professional schools and to succeed in the workplace. With our help, they have prepared themselves to become productive, responsible members of the communities in which they live and work.

The Literature Emphasis engages students in the study of the literary arts. Students gain an understanding of the sociohistorical context of literary production and reception and have the opportunity to study specific eras, cultural traditions, genres, and critical and interpretative methods, while simultaneously refining their skills in literary analysis. Students become well-versed in historical and contemporary discourse within the field and in the terminology used in literary studies. This work deepens their knowledge of how various texts (film, comics, video games, novels, poems, drama, etc.) evince meaning by using particular language structures, forms, and rhetorical strategies. Among other widely transferable skills, students learn how to write fluently and eloquently. They also learn how to make effective use of primary textual sources in their analyses and develop a repertoire of skills that includes the search for and incorporation of scholarly sources in support of their own analytical arguments.

Chemistry is a diverse discipline that encompasses living processes, inorganic interactions, and analytical methods. Chemistry deals with the basic laws of the physical world and the composition and properties of matter. Students trained in chemistry enter careers in academia, research, pharmacy, forensics, medicine, the environment, space exploration, and national defense. Students can select an emphasis that best prepares them for their chosen career path.

The breadth of the field of chemistry requires a wide range of knowledge and skills. The goal of the NAU chemistry degree program is to ensure that our graduates:

• Are well versed in the fundamental principles of chemistry: the atomic theory of matter, the quantum nature of the atom, and the principle laws of thermodynamics;
• Are knowledgeable about frequently encountered elements, compounds, and reactions;
• Understand biosynthetic pathways and modes of action of biomolecules;
• Understand factors controlling the mechanisms of chemical reactions;
• Are knowledgeable about synthesis strategies and can successfully conduct synthetic sequences in the laboratory;
• Understand the principles of chemical analysis and are proficient at using modern instrumentation to carry out analysis;
• Are adept at solving problems independently and contributing to a team effort;
• Able to communicate their scientific results orally and in writing.

The MA in Communication provides students with advanced skills in communication analysis, problem solving, critical thinking, research, theoretical application, argumentation, and written communication.  Students choose from either the MA in Communication (with no emphasis) or the MA in Communication with an emphasis in Documentary Studies.

The MA in Communication provides a foundation of the basic research methods, theories, and standards of argument in the academic study of communication.  Students explore theories and research in a variety of communicative contexts with an emphasis on the application of concepts, theories, and research to real-world issues.  Students will be able to access, understand, evaluate, and apply research, concepts, and theories.  Students will engage in original research and/or the application of existing research, concepts, and theories to specific situations for the purpose of problem-solving and/or evaluation, including effective message design.  Students will learn the expectations of academic argument in communication as well as how to effectively communicate their findings to diverse audiences.  The MA in Communication (with no emphasis) will be of relevance to working professionals in a variety of fields, educators, activists, and those preparing to pursue a PhD in Communication, Communication Studies, Rhetoric, or related disciplines.

This M.S. in Informatics will prepare you to either enter the informatics workforce or continue on to a doctoral program of study, building core skills that are widely applicable to many areas of science.

Core coursework provides learning opportunities in the foundations of informatics, programming and computer science, structuring large-scale data sets, machine learning, and statistical data analysis. Elective coursework allows students to customize their program of study so that it is maximally aligned with their professional or research interests, with coursework available in many areas of informatics, including epidemiology, bioinformatics, ecological modeling, and remote sensing. Thesis option students will have additional opportunities to engage in informatics research and scholarship under the mentorship of an informatics faculty member as prepare a thesis on their specific research.

This program is designed for students with strong preparation in an area of science, such as biology or ecology, and experience in computer programming and data analysis gained through successful completion of a relevant undergraduate program or other professional experience. The non-thesis option of the program is designed for students seeking professional preparation, while the thesis option is particularly appropriate for students for considering further graduate study in a doctoral program.

As a graduate, you will be prepared to contribute in a wide variety of informatics areas, including population health, bioinformatics, remote sensing, ecological modeling, wearable computing, and machine learning and data science.

The MEng in mechanical engineering trains students to become engineers who are capable of finding solutions to complex mechanical and interdisciplinary engineering problems. This program is designed for students with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or in a related field. Students in this program will have the opportunity to take courses and perform a practice-oriented design project in topics ranging from renewable energy to smart materials and structures to biomechanics to robotics.  Students will be trained in advanced applied mathematics, computational tools in engineering, evaluating of the literature in mechanical engineering, designing complex mechanical engineering systems or components, and communicating mechanical engineering theories, methodologies, and solutions.  Graduates of this program will be well prepared to work in a broad range of industries, including but not limited to aerospace, automotive, manufacturing, biomedical, etc., or pursue higher education.

Software engineering consists of the principled application of repeatable processes and methods for the design, development, maintenance, and evolution of software systems. The field is distinguished from programming and computer science by its emphasis on practical techniques supporting the team-based development of large-scale and long-lived software systems that are required to operate reliably and within specified functional and non-functional constraints.

Students in the BSSE will be provided with skills in software engineering processes, including requirements analysis, software design and architecture, software testing, multiple programming languages and libraries, cloud computing technologies, project management, and foundational areas such as data structures and algorithmic complexity. Elective selections will permit students to specialize in other application areas, including human-computer interaction, socio-technical computing, computer networks, high-performance computing, and cybersecurity. A capstone project will allow students to exercise the full breadth of their skillset by working with clients on real-world projects.

A distinctive characteristic of this program, and one that exemplifies its emphasis on workforce development, is the inclusion of required and industry-recognized professional certifications. All graduates of this program will be required to complete the Professional Software Developer (PSD) Certification offered by the IEEE Computer Society. In addition to the IEEE certification, students will have the opportunity to earn the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Solutions Architect Professional (CSAP) certification.

Our ability to efficiently support the BSSE program is strengthened by our roster of related programs, including our computer science and applied computer science programs, which share many core programming courses with software engineering, and our cybersecurity programs.  This program also expands on the existing options for our students to pursue computer science related degrees, with a focus on industry career opportunities.

The Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages provides students with a socio-cultural and historical background as well as linguistic abilities to engage with French, German, Japanese, and Spanish speaking populations from around the world in a variety of social and cultural contexts. Through linguistic, literary and cultural approaches to the study of the French, German, Japanese, and Spanish language, our students develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that allow them to understand and interact effectively with diverse cultures. Throughout this process the students develop cognitive skills in critical thinking and analysis and recognize the importance of being able to function in a global society. With their linguistic abilities in French, German, Japanese, and Spanish, they are better able to compete for career opportunities in the domestic and global job markets and are prepared to become productive, responsible members of the local, national and international communities in which they live and work.

Emphasis in French

• Create with language to express meanings orally on concrete topics relating to work, school, home, and leisure activities using all major time frames (present, past, and future). They can interact with native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-natives, and handle complicated or unexpected communicative tasks. (Speaking skills)
• Identify and use main ideas and details from connected aural discourse involving description and narration in different timeframes or aspects, and about a variety of topics beyond immediacy of the situation for communicative purposes. (Listening skills)
• Identify and use main ideas and details from authentic, connected, longer, written texts involving description and narration in different formats about a variety of topics for communicative purposes. (Reading skills)
• Create with language to express meanings in written form about familiar topics using the major timeframes with some control of aspect. (Writing skills)
• Think critically and analytically in response to socio-cultural, historical, and linguistic issues and/or classic and contemporary literary texts related to the culture of the target language. (Critical thinking and analytical skills)
• Understand the cultural, political and artistic diversity of perspectives, practices and products of the target language populations including how racial and ethnic diversity relates to those perspectives, practices and products. (Globalization - Diversity)
• Recognize, investigate, and produce written and oral discourse in the target language communicating findings about historical and contemporary issues important to life in countries of the target language.
• Explore how historical, political, religious and economic forces have shaped the current world system with its power inequalities and efforts to address them with a focus on the culture of the target language. (Globalization – Global Engagement)
• Analyze the structure and use of the language at the sound, word, and sentence level.
• Summarize different linguistic features observed in different dialects in terms of historical change, geographical location and social variables.
• Explore and analyze the role of human interactions with the environment and its relation to the root causes of many global problems focusing on those occurring in the culture of the target language. (Globalization - Environmental Sustainability).

The BSBA in Management program at NAU prepares graduates for entry-level business professional positions with the intention of providing a foundation to transition into managerial positions. Graduates’ skills include proficient analysis, skillful decision-making, and effective communication. Our graduates will add value to their organizations through competent management of relationships, processes, and projects to achieve results for improved performance. The Management Area’s vision for the NAU Franke College of Business undergraduate Management degree is to build students’ identities as leaders and decision makers. The AACSB-accredited management degree develops students’ knowledge and expertise in managing both complex and simple organizational forms (including both for-profit and not-for-profit ventures; in both the manufacturing and service sectors), and provides students with a comprehensive overview of the skills necessary to compete effectively in business and to become successful managers. The Management Area faculty seeks to build on the strengths of a NAU liberal arts foundation and the core of the business program, by further developing analytical skills, problem-solving skills, strategic thinking abilities, effective oral and written communication abilities, and effective leadership and teamwork skills. The program emphasizes behavioral dynamics, decision making skills, ethics and corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurial skills, leadership skills, project management, international relations, and human resources skills for students of traditional age (often minority and/or first generation students), who likely have little to no previous work experience.

The Bachelor of Arts in Modern Languages provides students with a socio-cultural and historical background as well as linguistic abilities to engage with French, German, Japanese, and Spanish speaking populations from around the world in a variety of social and cultural contexts. Through linguistic, literary and cultural approaches to the study of the French, German, Japanese, and Spanish language, our students develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills that allow them to understand and interact effectively with diverse cultures. Throughout this process the students develop cognitive skills in critical thinking and analysis and recognize the importance of being able to function in a global society. With their linguistic abilities in French, German, Japanese, and Spanish, they are better able to compete for career opportunities in the domestic and global job markets and are prepared to become productive, responsible members of the local, national and international communities in which they live and work.

Japanese IGP Emphasis

• Create with language to express meanings orally on concrete topics relating to work, school, home, and leisure activities using all major time frames (present, past, and future). They can interact with native speakers unaccustomed to dealing with non-natives, and handle complicated or unexpected communicative tasks. (Speaking skills)
• Identify and use main ideas and details from connected aural discourse involving description and narration in different timeframes or aspects, and about a variety of topics beyond immediacy of the situation for communicative purposes. (Listening skills)
• Identify and use main ideas and details from authentic, connected, longer, written texts involving description and narration in different formats about a variety of topics for communicative purposes. (Reading skills)
• Create with language to express meanings in written form about familiar topics using the major timeframes with some control of aspect. (Writing skills)
• Think critically and analytically in response to socio-cultural, historical, and linguistic issues and/or classic and contemporary literary texts related to the culture of the target language. (Critical thinking and analytical skills)
• Understand the cultural, political and artistic diversity of perspectives, practices and products of the target language populations including how racial and ethnic diversity relates to those perspectives, practices and products. (Globalization - Diversity)
• Recognize, investigate, and produce written and oral discourse in the target language communicating findings about historical and contemporary issues important to life in countries of the target language.
• Explore how historical, political, religious and economic forces have shaped the current world system with its power inequalities and efforts to address them with a focus on the culture of the target language. (Globalization – Global Engagement)
• Analyze the structure and use of the language at the sound, word, and sentence level.
• Summarize different linguistic features observed in different dialects in terms of historical change, geographical location and social variables.
• Explore and analyze the role of human interactions with the environment and its relation to the root causes of many global problems focusing on those occurring in the culture of the target language. (Globalization - Environmental Sustainability)

The mission of Northern Arizona University Social Work Program, grounded in the history, purpose, and values of the profession, is to educate competent generalist social workers for practice with diverse populations and multi-level social systems in local, regional and global contexts.

The generalist practice for which we educate is based on social work knowledge, values, and skills; geared to practice with rural and Indigenous populations of the Southwest; and, focused on addressing poverty, structural racism, and oppression; providing leadership in promoting human rights and social and economic justice; and service with vulnerable and underserved populations locally, regionally, and globally.

The mission of our social work program to educate competent generalist social workers is expressed in the following goals:

• To prepare competent generalist social workers with the knowledge, values, and skills for engaging in individual, family, group, organization, and community planned change processes with diverse rural, vulnerable, and underserved populations locally, regionally, and globally;
• To promote identification with the profession, continued professional development, and enhancement of knowledge, values, and skills for generalist social work practice; and
• To provide service to the community and promote social and economic justice.