Bachelor of Science, Major in Biological Science with Concentration in Ecology and Evolution

at San Jose State University USA

Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It attempts to answer fundamental questions such as, What is language? How does it work? How is it represented in the mind? What features do all human languages share in common? How do languages change over time?

Within universities, linguistics is often grouped together with other social and behavioral sciences such as anthropology and sociology. However, the concerns of linguistics also overlap with those of English, philosophy, and other humanities, with certain physical sciences such as acoustics, and computer science. And because language is ultimately situated in the brain, linguistics is sometimes considered one of the "cognitive sciences," along with psychology, philosophy, and artificial intelligence.

The linguistics faculty at SJSU offers expertise in many areas within linguistics, including

• Computational linguistics (computer processing of language)
• Morphology and syntax (the structure of words and sentences)
• Phonetics and phonology (the sounds of language)
• Psycholinguistics (language and the brain)
• Semantics (meaning)
• Sociolinguistics (language and society)

American Studies concentration provides a San José State home for the study of U.S. cultures. Our courses, research, and events emphasize the cultural, political, and social aspects of the United States, past and present. In addition to our core faculty, we draw our instructors from departments throughout the university in order to integrate disciplines and themes.

In order to major in American Studies, students choose the American Studies concentration within the Humanities major. American Studies graduates master knowledge and skills helpful to careers in teaching, advanced study in law and public policy, or going directly into museum work or business. Employers and graduate schools value the critical thinking, analytical, and writing skills of a broad liberal arts education like American Studies.

In both the major and minor, the student will take our most popular course, the full year "Introduction to American Civilization" and then quickly graduate into small seminars like "American Popular Culture," "The American Dream," and "Nature and World Cultures." The student will cap the major off with a senior seminar on an advanced research topic. Recent seminars focused on "American Autobiography," "The Fantastic in Literature," and "Jailed Artists and Writers in the U.S."  For a transfer student from another college, there's an alternative option for completing the minor that is just as dynamic, completely based in our upper division coursework.

Our RTVF major program offers training and experience in radio, television, film, and multimedia production as well as courses in history, research, and aesthetics of these media. The department operates a full time 24-hour a day radio station, KSJS 90.5 that provides entertainment, sports and community service to the Bay Area. The department also creates feature films through SPARTAN FILM STUDIO as well as other faculty, staff and student production projects.

San José State University recognizes the need for an interactive and productive education in the field of the arts. RTVF students are given multiple opportunities to perform, write, and direct their own works in preparation for a successful career in the Hollywood arts.

This 120-unit program prepares students for professional positions in applied physics and research or for graduate study at the PhD level (transfer students must take at least 12 units of upper division physics major courses at SJSU with a GPA of 2.0 or better in these courses).

Marketing examines the most dynamic aspect of business. As you go through the marketing courses you'll feel the excitement of learning about and dealing with issues and trends faced by real world marketing managers, even as they struggle with the same realities and opportunities. In the Marketing concentration students will learn about creating a product or service and managing relationships with customers. In the effort to continuously keep pace with the Silicon Valley, the marketing program is designed to spark student innovation and provide multi-disciplinary opportunities through an academically challenging curriculum. For instance, a cluster of high technology marketing electives is offered to keep majors on top of the latest advancements in the marketing field.

Keeping in step with the global marketplace, you may take courses in International Marketing, providing instruction on national and international concepts for developing and selling products. The marketing program also focuses on the business functions concerned with market definition and objectives, product or service development, customer segmentation and product positioning. When you graduate, you will have the confidence of entering the world of marketing ready and primed to take part in this fast-changing and exciting career field.

The School of Journalism and Mass Communications embraces the innovative spirit of Silicon Valley, emphasizing cultural and intellectual diversity, the First Amendment, and the free flow of ideas.
Students pursuing a Master's in Mass Communication are eligible for graduate assistantships within JMC. These positions are competitive and priority is given to new graduate students. They will spend the semester supporting one or two professors with a variety of projects. Each professor will have unique tasks for their student assistant. The graduate assistantship is an opportunity for the student to gain professional experience in an area of interest and supplement their academic development.

Engineering Management is a specialized form of management that is concerned with the application of engineering principles to business practice. Engineering management is a career that brings together the technological problem-solving savvy of engineering and the organizational, administrative, and planning abilities of management in order to oversee complex enterprises from conception to completion.

Engineering Management programs typically include instruction in the areas of accounting, economics, project management, finance, systems engineering, mathematical modeling and optimization, quality control and six sigma, operations research, human resource management, industrial psychology, safety and health.

At SJSU, our engineering management program emphasizes quality and six sigma, statistics, fundamentals of business accounting and finance, engineering economic analysis, business ethics, supply chain engineering, and systems engineering. Through technical electives, students become knowledgeable in other aspects of business management, such as project management, human resource management, and operations research.

The advancing technology of our nation makes the continuation of study toward an advanced degree advisable for motivated students of suitable scholarship and promise. The program for advanced study in Mechanical Engineering at San José State University is designed to develop a high degree of competency, both in theory and in practice, required by technology.

San José State University is a campus of the California State University. It is situated in the city of San José, which is regarded as the hub of the Silicon Valley. The area is renown for the large concentration of high tech industry. There is a great demand for engineers possessing advanced skills. The Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program is designed to afford ample opportunity for working engineers to continue their education. Courses and scholarly activities in such areas as fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, rigid-body dynamics, vibrations, modal analysis, finite element methods, computer-aided mechanical engineering design and optimization, controls and manufacturing engineering and mechatronics systems engineering can lead to a degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME).

Program Education Objectives

• A strong foundation beyond the undergraduate level in their chosen focus area as well as in mathematics, basic science and engineering fundamentals, to successfully compete for technical engineering positions in the local, national and global engineering market, advance in their current position or pursue doctoral studies.
• Professional and lifelong learning skills to be able to apply and extend theory to solve practical contemporary engineering problems.
• The expertise necessary to design mechanical engineering systems with possible specialization in areas such as energy systems, electronics cooling, electronics packaging & reliability, finite element analysis & CAD, mechatronics & MEMS, product design, robotics, automation & manufacturing.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to read, write and comprehend technical documents.
• Ability to think and work independently to perform design and in-depth analysis in solving open-ended mechanical engineering problems.

The MA in Science Education is a flexible program designed for prospective and practicing science teachers in K-12 instruction, science teaching assistants, community college instructors, as well as for people with interests in informal and outdoor education. The curriculum is designed to augment and broaden the candidate's knowledge of current advances in science education research and to examine best practices.

Qualified students who have earned a multiple or single subject credential at San José State University may apply up to 12 units of credential coursework, which included SCED 273 (3 units), toward the MA. Students who completed a California single subject credential somewhere besides SJSU may transfer 9 units of coursework from their credential to their Master's program. Students who transfer units into the program can complete the degree in two to four semesters. 

Students in the Systems Physiology concentration prepare for professional health schools (medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, pharmacy, and so forth), for graduate study, or for research positions that require knowledge of physiological systems and especially of physiological data collection and recording. The Systems Physiology concentration provides a specialized, focused program pertaining to bodily systems.