Bachelor of Science in Geography - Culture and Society

at Northwest Missouri State University USA

Biology/Psychology majors at Northwest study the brain and how it functions and controls human behavior. Faculty focus on three areas: genetics, evolution and neuroscience or the study of the brain. Genetics courses concentrate on the inherited factors that influence behavior such as mental illness and behavioral traits; evolution courses emphasize the significance and benefits of the size of the brain; and courses about the brain focus on the functions, malfunctions and brain disease.

As a cybersecurity major, students learn skills and techniques that will prepare them for success in their careers or graduate studies. Cybersecurity is the protection of infrastructure, systems, devices, networks, information, and applications from attacks, damage, loss, or unauthorized access through appropriate technologies, practices, and techniques. The program will focus on general computer science skills, and the necessary skills to create, develop, and deploy secure computer-based systems.

Marketing is the process of understanding and satisfying customer needs. Advertising, personal selling, determining customer groups to target, making products available in stores, and maintaining inventories are just a few activities that help organizations sell their products and services. A major in marketing at Northwest is an interdisciplinary program that provides students an opportunity to interact with surrounding businesses, complete projects that can be utilized in a portfolio, and prepare students for future interviews.

The Bachelor of Art in Theater major combines the knowledge from both theatre performance and technical theater as well as design majors. Faculty focus ensuring students have access to participate in the four mainstage productions as well as four to six student-directed productions per year. Additionally, students have access to professional-level control councils, intelligent lighting fixtures and cutting-edge LED and color changing equipment. Students also learn the fundamentals of modern acting techniques, a range of historical and physical styles to include Greek, Elizabethan, restoration and 20th century “isms”, and writing skills for the stage through scene structure, dramatic tension, theme, action and dialogue.

Students majoring in mass media with an emphasis in broadcasting and production gain critical thinking and communication skills that aid in learning processes and techniques for pre- and post-production, recording techniques, microphone and camera operation, script writing and legal and regulations of public radio and television. Students have opportunities to participate on the staffs of Northwest’s award-winning radio and television stations as soon as the first semester of their freshman year.

Finance majors at Northwest focus on three areas: financial services, corporate finance and finance management.

• Financial Services prepares students for the financial services industry. This comprises the professions of brokerage, insurance, real estate, and banking. In this business sector the students will need to understand the products customers purchase and how to relate this information to the customer.
• Corporate Finance provides students with the tools to work within the corporate structure under the chief financial officer, where accounting and financial information is used to make corporate decisions. Students will communicate with both the financial and accounting personnel and identify accounting information and financial models for decision making.
• Financial Management permits students to prepare for a position in management rather than a staff position in finance under the corporate treasurer. This option blends the knowledge of finance and management so the student is prepared to make management decisions that require an understanding of finance. Almost all decisions in business require a balance of interests from all functional business areas, using the decision-making process and the tools of finance to guide the corporation to the achievement of its goal.

Media studies majors at Northwest learn skills to communicate clearly and effectively. Faculty focus on teaching students theories and ensuring students are proficient in written and oral communication and the ability to think critically. With broad-based knowledge of how mass media functions, this major prepares students to advance their education in graduate school.

Art majors with an emphasis in printmaking gain skills and techniques in many areas of printmaking such as monoprinting, intaglio, relief and digital processes. Faculty ensure students have experience with all methods of printmaking and the ability to print editions in each medium.

A major in Agricultural Media with an emphasis in journalism focuses on the development of stories that are relevant to the agriculture community. Students learn to advocate for agriculture by explaining science, technologies and complex agricultural issues through various platforms. Coursework includes classes in agricultural science, advertising, marketing, journalism and media.

Geography is a holistic discipline that studies the relationship between humans, the unique cultures of construct and the environments in which they live. This major prepares students for a wide range of careers in varied areas of geography and culture. This major offers three different areas of focus:

• Culture and Society
• Environmental Geography
• Geographic Information Science

Each emphasis allows students to specialize in one of these fields and tailor classes within that emphasis to fit their interest beyond the core courses within the program.

As a student majoring in geography at Northwest, you learn the importance and impacts of space, the uniqueness of places and regions, and how humans and environment interact.

The major focuses on culture and regional geography with a wide range of tropical and regional courses available. Students will develop physical geography expertise in areas like geomorphology, atmospheric processes and sustainability. The major also teaches skills in analyzing, planning and critical thinking to prepare you for success in your career.