Undergraduate Academic Accelerator Pathway (2-Term) - Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies

at Shorelight Group - Cleveland State University USA

History is the essential foundation of knowledge. It provides the context for a liberal education, the tools to understand ourselves and our contemporary world, and the skills for an educated person to live a more fulfilled and gratifying life in a wide range of careers.

Because of these various functions, we study history for many reasons:

• To better understand our society and the times in which we live
• To better understand ourselves; to place our own society in historical perspective
• To balance present-mindedness with historical memory
• To acquire skills such as conducting research, communicating effectively through writing or oral communication, critical thinking, evaluating evidence, and problem-solving
• To understand the roles which individuals and groups have played in shaping their worlds
• For the enjoyment of examining societies very different or very similar to our own

This is possible because history at the university level is far more than a collection of facts, names, and dates. The emphasis is on accessing and analyzing information, the critical use of historical sources, learning to communicate the results, and the excitement which comes from exploring important ideas. To study history is to enter a time machine to explore the far reaches of the human experience from classical times to the present; from the lives of great thinkers and kings to that of average people; from dramatic moments such as the Civil War to the routine. The past becomes the universe, all corners of which can be explored.

The department offers coursework in European, U.S., African, Latin-American, and East Asian history and thematic foci on social and urban history and the History of the African Diaspora. The major program not only prepares students for teaching and for graduate study in history but many students have found history an appropriate preparatory foundation for careers in law, library science, international work, the foreign service, the ministry, business, government and archival and museum work.

What do we know when we know a language? How do we learn it? What does language reveal about our culture and identity? These are the central questions explored by linguists. The goal is to gain a scientific understanding of the nature of language that can be applied in many areas, such as linguistics, anthropology, speech & hearing, language teaching, computational linguistics, and cognitive science. Linguists also systematically compare human language to animal communication systems. Linguistics majors will get a thorough training in the core areas of linguistics, such as Phonetics, Phonology, Morphology and Syntax; and learn how linguists find evidence for their hypotheses and what are the cutting edge topics in the field today.

The Linguistics program is an undergraduate interdisciplinary program of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, offering a MAJOR and a MINOR in Linguistics. The areas of Anthropology, English, and Speech & Hearing are well represented in the program, and students majoring in any of these fields would be able to “double count” many credits toward Linguistics and their other majors. The program also includes courses from Communication, Education, Modern Languages and Psychology.

The Design concentration provides students with a strong foundation for careers in Graphic Design and other creative fields. Design students begin their studies with introductory courses in Typography and Visual Technology, and continue into advanced courses and electives that include Web Design, Motion Graphics, 3D Modeling, Corporate Identity, Data Visualization, Information Design, Illustration, and Photography. The Design faculty collaborate with a wide range of organizations to bring real-world experiences into their courses and many Design students do internships with employers throughout the city of Cleveland.

The Bachelor of Science in Physics degree prepares students for graduate programs in science and engineering or for careers in technical professions. It provides for a structured and very rigorous education in physics. Many alumni of this program have continued at prestigious research institutions across the country.

The study of physics provides a crucial understanding of the world around us though the study of the fundamental laws governing matter and energy. The field of physics has been instrumental in the development of advanced materials, electronic and optical devices, and medical equipment, impacting every aspect of our way of life. Studying physics fosters critical thinking, quantitative proficiency, and the ability to research and organize information, and infer new ideas.

The Studio Art concentration is a diverse and flexible program that allows students to follow their own individual interests while developing their creative and expressive capacities. Studio Art students begin their studies with Foundations courses in Drawing, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, and Sculpture, and continue into advanced electives in these areas along with Illustration, Visual Technology, and Digital Art. In addition to preparing students to be professional artists, the Studio Art program provides students with the skills that employers want in college graduates, including critical thinking, problem solving, and effective oral and written communication.

This program leading to the Bachelor of Science degree provides a strong foundation in the fundamentals of chemistry, physics, and mathematics, and meets the requirements for professional certification by the American Chemical Society.

This program provides the broad fundamental knowledge most suited to students planning to become professional chemists or planning to pursue graduate training.

The Public Safety Management major is designed to equip public safety officials with additional management and communication skills to address the needs of their urban constituents. It provides an in-depth study of community safety needs and problems, as well as analytical tools for addressing injustice for those living and working in urban settings.

The Public Safety Management Major is designed to:

• Prepare both pre-career and active public safety personnel for leadership roles in public safety organizations.
• Allow for in-depth study of community safety needs and introduce analytical tools for developing response strategies for use in emergency situations.
• Promote understanding of policy tools to protect the safety and well-being of our communities.

The Environmental Studies program is designed for students who are interested in working in environmental planning and analysis for business, industry or government. The program also provides an educational foundation for students who want to pursue an advanced degree in law or business.

Students examine major issues dealing with sustainable development, air and water pollution and hazardous substances. Groundwater protection, wetlands, solid waste disposal, pollution prevention, toxic land contamination, and the treatment of wastewater are some of the many topics addressed.

Information Systems (IS) as an academic discipline encompasses two broad areas:

• Acquisition, deployment and management of Information Technology (IT) resources and services
• Development of IS infrastructure to support the organization’s processes

A Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Information Systems prepares you for a career in information systems by focusing on the use of current information technology within the context of an organization. Information Systems as an academic discipline encompasses three broad areas:

• Acquisition, deployment, and management of Information Technology (IT) resources and services
• Development of IS infrastructure to support the organization’s processes
• Development of business-oriented application software

Graduates of the Information Systems major have the necessary managerial skills to solve business problems in functional areas, but also the technical knowledge to develop and support information systems of any scope. Information Systems majors have gone on to careers such as: Systems Analyst, Business Analysts, Software Developer, Software Implementation Specialist, Database Administrator, Information Security Analyst, IT Support, IT Project Manager, Systems Administrator and Web Developer.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Music degree is designed for students whose interests are not fully encompassed by any of the more specialized degree tracks. Students have the same core requirements as other students in Music theory, Musicianship, Piano skills, and History, but have fewer applied requirements. It is usually the case that students in this degree program have other interests that will shape their studies. These may include business, arts management, psychology, communications, or any other field of study. The BA in music is designed to accommodate this diversity while still providing a thorough grounding in fundamental musical skills.