Master of Science in Mass Communications

at San Jose State University USA

The Master of Science in Statistics prepares students to become practicing statisticians in business, government and industry fields. It features theoretical and applied coursework in statistics and advanced statistical techniques, and its skills-based coursework emphasizes writing and communication skills and provides students with practical project experience. The program was developed in concert with industry and is designed to dovetail into professional career opportunities.

Persons with bachelor’s degrees in engineering, the sciences, economics, business, the social sciences or other fields that use statistics are encouraged to apply. Those with bachelor’s degrees in mathematics or statistics are welcome to apply for the program in order to advance their technical and theoretical skills.

Students in the BFA program will have accomplished these objectives and will have produced a portfolio of work that will enable them to apply to graduate schools. The required BFA Seminar gives students an opportunity to consider contemporary and historical issues and allows them to evaluate their work and the work of others within a broader context. BFA students are required to complete a senior project that reflects a personal direction. They exhibit the resulting body of work that is then reviewed by a committee of faculty members.

The overall objectives of the Pictorial Art Area are as follows: Visual sensitivity in the pictorial art is developed in a number of ways. In Beginning Drawing students learn to translate the perceived world into two-dimensional constructs such as line and tone. While formal elements of composition are specifically addressed in 2-D Concepts, they remain an integral part of all pictorial courses. As students progress through more advanced courses, they engage in more sophisticated levels of visual thinking. This will be reflected in their work in the utilization of more complex formal means, both representational and abstract, and to express content. In critique sessions, students are encouraged to articulate visual ideas.

In Pictorial Art, students learn to conceptualize their ideas and execute them. This is true on every level from introductory courses to the most advanced. In some courses, such as Expressive Drawing, the emphasis is on the discovery of personal content through abstraction of the observed world or through the development of non-representational vocabulary. In other courses, such as Representational Drawing and Life Drawing, the emphasis is on perception and learning more traditional methods of rendering and depiction. In more advanced courses students are given the opportunity to choose the stylistic means of expression which best gives form to their visual ideas.

Students in Pictorial Art area are exposed to a wide variety of techniques and technical processes. This ranges from the simple and straight-forward use of pencil and charcoal in drawing through the slightly more complex techniques of watercolor, acrylic and oil painting to the more involved processes of hand-drawn and photo-generated serigraphy, as well as the chemical processes of lithography and intaglio printing. By the time they graduate students will be proficient in several of these areas. The Art History requirements for the major give the students a broad understanding of the major movements of the past and present in both the Western and non-Western worlds. In addition, slide lectures and books presented in the classroom put course work into a historical and cultural context.

The MA Linguistics program provides students with an interdisciplinary education in the scientific study of language. Courses in general linguistics develop the ability to analyze data, to propose and refine theories about how language works. Elective courses in computational linguistics serve students interested in speech technology and natural language processing. Other electives in sociolinguistics, multilingualism, and applied linguistics emphasize the role of language in society, including in education, and language variation and change. Graduates in linguistics offer a set of highly specialized skills to IT companies and to organizations whose work places a premium on communication with linguistically diverse audiences. Many graduates pursue careers with companies specializing in these areas. Other graduates pursue teaching careers in language and linguistics in domestic and overseas institutions. A smaller but significant number of linguistics graduates enter PhD programs for more advanced study.

The Bay Area needs well-trained technical writers and editors. The high-tech companies of Silicon Valley require people who are able to write quality manuals, reports, and web updates; write clear business reports and promotional materials; communicate effectively both with consumers and within the company; and understand each step of the publication process.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that demand for technical writers will continue to increase for the foreseeable future, especially in regions of the country like ours. Download more information about the demand for technical writers. [pdf]

So what is Professional and Technical Writing (PTW)? Simply put, PTW is writing done in a workplace environment designed to persuade, inform, or instruct. While “professional” generally applies to business writing and “technical” generally applies to writing about technical topics, most professional writers would find the distinction superficial because they are frequently required to do both.

Economics is a general program, flexible enough to allow for a variety of student objectives. The BA program has over 21 units of open electives. These elective units give students the flexibility to supplement the thinking skills developed in economics with technical skills developed in such fields as finance, marketing, and public relations. A bachelor degree in economics serves as an excellent springboard to an MBA or law degree.

MS in Artificial Intelligence (AI) program provides students with a state-of-the-art educational experience to become outstanding, socially responsible engineers of AI systems. This program focuses more broadly on building engineering systems powered by advances in machine learning and AI. Students will learn the theoretical foundations and gain practical skills to manage and engineer various data forms, to make predictive analyses, to derive actionable insights, and develop intelligent hardware and software systems and related cutting-edge AI technologies. The program draws on insights from mathematics, statistical analysis, computer science, software engineering, and systems engineering and is, therefore, best suited for students with software/computer engineering, computer science, mathematics, and closely related backgrounds.

Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Identify and apply fundamental concepts, algorithms, and methodologies to formulate, analyze, design, and evaluate artificial intelligence and machine learning systems;
• Tackle complex machine learning and artificial intelligence problems using contemporary principles, algorithms, technologies, methodologies, and tools;
• Lead and participate in a team to develop AI and machine learning applications;
• Recognize the ethical, economic and environmental implications of their work, as appropriate;
• Sustain a process of life-long learning in engineering or other professional areas; and,
• Communicate effectively and persuasively with a variety of audiences.

The Bachelor's degree in Recreation is a nationally accredited program comprised of a core set of classes and courses split generally between concentration courses and major electives. Graduates completing one of these concentrations are eligible to apply for national and state certification. While the general recreation degree is the most flexible in terms of choosing related electives, students may instead elect to complete a more specialized course of study in one of our two approved concentrations within the B.S. Recreation Degree.

The Recreation program's mission statement is: Through collaboration, applied learning and scholarship we ensure that individuals, diverse communities, and the Earth flourish by preparing innovative leaders of parks, recreation, tourism, and recreation therapy.

Our vision statement: The Recreation and Recreation Therapy programs will cultivate individual and societal wellness through a thriving transdisciplinary community of faculty, students, alumni and, partners who enjoy learning together and who excel in exploring and co-creating new frontiers of recreation, health, leisure, and play-related scholarship and services

Are you currently working in the area of tax and want to gain a greater understanding of the rules, improve your research skills, become a better tax planner or broaden your career opportunities? Or maybe you’re an accounting undergraduate or working professional in need of an additional 30 units to become a CPA.

Our Master of Science in Taxation is a unique and flexible program designed to serve both working tax professionals and those pursuing a new career in tax. For a quick overview of the advantage of earning an MST at SJSU, watch this short video.

Having “MST” after your name is a high distinction in the tax world. It indicates that you are well versed in the area of taxation, skilled at tax research and able to deal intelligently with the complexity of today’s tax rules. MST is a 30 unit program which allows you to enroll full-time and complete the degree in 12 months or part-time and be finished in 24­?36 months. Our classes are scheduled to work around the busy tax season.

Our Counseling and Guidance MA degree program prepares individuals to apply the theory and principles of guidance and counseling to the provision of support for the personal, social, educational, and vocational development of students, and the organizing of guidance services within elementary, middle, and secondary educational institutions. It includes instruction in legal and professional requirements, therapeutic counselor intervention, vocational counseling, and related sociological and psychological foundations.

The Master of Arts in Art History and Visual Culture offers a broad education in art history, including preparation for a Ph.D. degree program. It also prepares students for a graduate library degree with specialization in art history, as well training for a variety of positions including community college professor, researcher, museum curator, arts administrator, conservator, and visual resources librarian. Our program is especially strong in modern and contemporary art, architecture and design, and the art of the Renaissance. We also feature a variety of special-topic courses such as Art and Architecture of Islam, History of Photography, German Art, and “Fashionology.” Students have the opportunity to study with experts in these fields and to work within a dynamic department that includes a strong M.F.A. program located in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Besides featuring a wide array of courses we host a number of activities during the academic year. These include the Art History and Visual Culture Colloquium, the Art History Association Symposium, the Tuesday Night Lecture Series and a range of exhibitions in the Thompson Gallery. The department website offers information about our courses, faculty, facilities, and events.