Undergraduate Academic Accelerator Pathway (2-Term) - Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies

at Shorelight Group - Auburn University at Montogomery USA

The photographer Garry Winogrand famously said, “The problem of the artist is to state the problem.” In other words, the artist wants you to speculate and examine problems, not solve them. At AUM, we want you to learn how to think like a fine art photographer. It’s not simply a matter of receiving instruction in how to take a technically proficient image, but rather how to communicate a concept to the viewer in a compelling manner. The Department of Fine Arts offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a Photography concentration. Photography students will receive a foundation in film that will serve as the basis of all future photo and video courses. Why film? Will Fenn, Chair and Associate Professor in Photography at AUM, believes the limited number of frames available to a photographer with film encourages a person to learn how to carefully construct and compose an image. This results in a photographer being able to capture what he or she wants more economically. In the Photography program at AUM, you’ll receive practical, hands-on experience in both film and digital photography. Class sizes tend to be small which promotes student and faculty interaction.

In professional practice, highly creative fine artists work in fine- or commercial-art studios located in office buildings, warehouses, or lofts. Others work in private studios in their homes. Some artists share studio space, where they also may exhibit their work.

The Department of Fine Arts offers the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a Painting and Drawing concentration. You’ll spend most of your time getting practical, hands-on experience, guided by experienced faculty. Class sizes tend to be small which promotes student and faculty interaction. The visual arts training this program provides, along with the other liberal arts components of the curriculum, is a solid foundation for jobs in advertising, marketing, crafts, entrepreneurship and other career endeavors.

In this AUM program, you can develop your own artistic voice as you develop into a visual artist. You will have the opportunity to:

• Build a professional portfolio
• Learn from professors who are successful practitioners in their field
• Express yourself creatively within a supportive and collaborative environment

Fine Arts offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a Sculpture concentration. This program is geared towards individuals interested in pursuing a career as an artist or to prepare for a fine arts graduate studies program. In professional practice, sculptors are intuitive and creative visual artists who work with a variety of materials that they carve, build, and cast to make a finished piece of art. Their sculptures can then be exhibited in museums, galleries, or even become public installations.

In this program, students spend most of their time getting practical, hands-on experience, guided by experienced faculty. Class sizes tend to be small, which promotes student and faculty interaction. Traditional methods of construction are taught through working with wood, metal, and casting. Students will also expand on their ability to create with new technology, such as 3D modeling, 3D printing, and other new forms of media. Faculty provide constructive feedback and encourage students to work interdisciplinary as they build upon their portfolio.

The global economy continues to rapidly expand, and therefore the demand for international business education is higher than ever. Educated individuals who have an understanding of the global diversity existing in the corporate world today are valuable participants in global business ventures. Today companies need individuals who can understand how to work within a setting surrounded by different languages, and who can take into account the broader perspective of trade regulations of different governing bodies. The BSBA integrated curriculum helps students to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the environmental aspects of international business in a variety of contexts, including socio-cultural, political, financial, and economic.
• Critically synthesizing, analyzing, and interpreting data to use in effective decision-making.
• Gain an understanding of the international dimensions of business functions, including marketing, finance, management, and operations.
• Critically analyze and communicate complex business issues in multinational markets.

Fine Arts offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a Sculpture concentration. This program is geared towards individuals interested in pursuing a career as an artist or to prepare for a fine arts graduate studies program. In professional practice, sculptors are intuitive and creative visual artists who work with a variety of materials that they carve, build, and cast to make a finished piece of art. Their sculptures can then be exhibited in museums, galleries, or even become public installations.

In this program, students spend most of their time getting practical, hands-on experience, guided by experienced faculty. Class sizes tend to be small, which promotes student and faculty interaction. Traditional methods of construction are taught through working with wood, metal, and casting. Students will also expand on their ability to create with new technology, such as 3D modeling, 3D printing, and other new forms of media. Faculty provide constructive feedback and encourage students to work interdisciplinary as they build upon their portfolio.

The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies is a distinctive degree plan designed to serve students with unique needs or academic interests. The flexibility of the program makes it ideal for students returning to the university to complete a degree or those who have completed significant credit hours at another institution, military service school, or in another degree plan. It is also a perfect fit for students who want to create an individually-tailored course of studies.

Environmental scientists use their knowledge of earth’s systems to protect the environment and human health. They do this by cleaning up contaminated areas, making policy recommendations, or working with industry to reduce pollution and waste. Soil and plant scientists, and ecologists often work in remediation efforts, for a sanitation company, in manufacturing, at a university, or for a not-for-profit organization. Other environmental scientists are engaged in environmental policy, planning, and management for local governments, performing research-intensive work. Some professionals in this field have careers at the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Park Service, the United States Geological Survey and other agencies.

Environmental scientists are problem solvers. They research environmental and health problems to determine their causes and come up with solutions. They also use what they learn to make recommendations and develop strategies for managing environmental problems. From wading through swamps studying the impact of encroaching human populations on endangered species, to monitoring pollution levels in lakes and rivers, graduates of AUM’s Environmental Science program get the training needed for a fascinating and rewarding career.

Environmental Chemistry is the study of the presence and movement of chemicals in the air, soil, and water. Environmental chemists study how these chemicals, usually contaminants, affect the health of people, wildlife, and ecosystems.

Careers in broadcasting, journalism, public relations, videography, multimedia production, documentary filmmaking and other communication fields start with AUM’s bachelor’s degree in Communication. You can choose from three concentrations: Communication Studies, Journalism, and Public Relations.

In the Communication Studies track, you’ll learn about media law and ethics, media writing and researching, and the purposes, functions and effects of the mass media on individuals, institutions, culture and social structure. The Journalism track allows you to dive deeper to develop your writing and editing skills, along with learning digital video production. For those who would like to have a career in public relations, this track helps you understand PR programs and planning, along with developing your writing, editing and research skills specific to the profession.

The Department of Communication Disorders provides intimate, dynamic instruction and hands-on training for undergraduate students in both the theoretical and applied aspects of human communication sciences and disorders, preparing graduates for post-secondary study and multi-disciplinary career opportunities. The Department of Communication Disorders emphasizes student development of resolute ethical standards and evidenced-based practices in the delivery of speech-language and audiological services.

The AUM Communication Disorders program was established in 1976 and consists of two academic faculty members and four clinical faculty members, all of which hold certification by the American Speech, Language and Hearing Association and licensure via the Alabama Board of Examiners in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. The academic faculty teach the theoretical perspectives for both development and disorders, while the clinical faculty directs the student’s implementation of this knowledge for the remediation of speech, language and hearing disorders within the river region.

You can do the most important job on the planet — teaching a child to read and to wonder and to see the world. What greater satisfaction could there be than watching children’s minds and imaginations flower as you teach them reading, writing, science, math, and social studies?

In AUM’s Childhood Education program, you’ll get certified in either Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education or both, qualifying you to teach children from birth through grade 6. You’ll go from our classroom to your own classroom with a practicum under expert supervision in AUM’s own Early Learning Center, an internship under a local expert teacher, and hundreds of hours of supervised field experiences in local schools to practice what you’re learning in your teaching methods courses.