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

at Shorelight Group - Cleveland State University USA

The programs in the Department of Political Science are designed to teach students the fundamentals of contemporary public policy, the importance of politics and democracy, and the means by which government can be influenced to respond to collective needs.

• Spanish is the world's third most spoken language, after Mandarin Chinese and English, and ranks second in terms of native speakers.
• At the end of the 19th century, 60 million people spoke Spanish. Today, almost 500 million people worldwide speak Spanish!
• Spanish is the mother tongue of approximately 350 million people in 21 countries (Mexico: 98 million, Spain: 39 million, USA: 39 million, Argentina: 35 million, Colombia: 36 million, Venezuela: 22 million, Peru: 20 million…) It is also widely spoken in many more where it is not an official language.
• Hispanic consumers are the fastest-growing market segment in North America. Their population in the USA has grown by 60% in just one decade and their buying power is expected to exceed $926 million by 2007.
• Spanish is the second most used language in international communication, and an official language of the UN and its organisations.
• 29 million US residents above the age of 5 speak Spanish at home. That's approximately 1 of every 10 US residents, an enormous consumer and business-to-business market.
• "The world is rapidly becoming multilingual and Arabic and Spanish are both key languages of the future" said language researcher David Graddol, commenting on a recent report presented to the British Council.
• No one aware of the changing tides of business could fail to notice that we increasingly operate in global markets. Foreign language fluency is a significant asset for job seekers, as more and more companies trade internationally.
• The US Census Bureau reports that the nation's Hispanic population is expected to jump to 49.3 million from 38.2 million by 2015. The 39 million Hispanics currently living in the USA make up 12.5% of the total population. This population growth has increased demand for Spanish language media: radio, television, newspapers, magazines...
• Latin American countries are experiencing strong economic growth and becoming important global commercial partners. Newly created MERCOSUR and the existing free trade agreements between Hispanic countries and North America (ALADI, the Andean Community, CACM, NAFTA, G3), are expected to bring further growth to Latin American economies.
• Latin culture continues to have a global influence on architecture, art and literature. Who isn't familiar with Cervantes 'Don Quijote de la Mancha, the second most translated book after the Bible, which marked its 400th anniversary in 2005 with worldwide celebrations? Who hasn't heard that the most expensive painting ever sold is a Picasso?
• Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava continues to make his mark worldwide, with recent and current projects in Sweden, Ireland, Germany, the Olympic campus in Athens and the site of the world trade centre in New York, among others.
• Spanish language authors like Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Isabel Allende continue to lead global best seller lists and win international critical acclaim.

Criminologists conduct research on a variety of topics linked to criminal behavior, including how criminal activity is defined and measured, the causes of crime, the consequences of crime, and the impacts of criminal justice system intervention on individuals and society.

Students who choose to major or minor in Criminology will take courses that will help them strengthen their critical thinking skills and prepare them for fieldwork in corrections, policing, courts, and victim services.  A degree in Criminology is also a great choice for students who wish to gain a foundation that will prepare them for graduate studies or law school.

The School of Communication offers a Journalism and Promotional Communication (JPC) major with the two different sequences that provides specialization in journalism and promotional communication.

Journalism Sequence Students in the journalism sequence learn knowledge and skills essential to succeed in a digital newsroom, including hands-on training in digital tools used in reporting, writing, data analysis, multimedia content production, and audience engagement via social media. The theory courses focus on learning and understanding the relationship among news media, society, politics and economy. Promotional Communication Sequence: Promotional Communication students develop expertise in a wide range of strategic communication techniques. Our majors are well-versed in diverse communication specialties including advertising, public relations, visual communication, digital metrics, social media and content marketing. They learn social scientific theories that inform persuasion strategies and campaigns.

The ability to adapt and thrive in diverse business environments is more crucial than ever before in today’s increasingly interdependent global economy.

Studying international business provides students an opportunity to learn and think about the world of business on a global scale. Students gain knowledge and skills required for international business careers while developing an understanding of the political, cultural and regulatory environments that shape international business and trade. International business students learn necessary accounting, finance, supply chain, marketing and management skills that prepare them to succeed in managing multi-national corporations as well as large national firms, medium- and small-sized business expand into international markets.

Computer hardware engineers research, design, develop, and test computer systems and components such as processors, circuit boards, memory devices, networks, and routers. These engineers discover new directions in computer hardware, which generate rapid advances in computer technology. Computer network architects design and build data communication networks, including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and intranets. These networks range from small connections between two offices to next-generation networking capabilities such as a cloud infrastructure that serves multiple customers. Computer systems analysts study an organization’s current computer systems and procedures and design information systems solutions to help the organization operate more efficiently and effectively. They bring business and information technology (IT) together by understanding the needs and limitations of both. Computer and information research scientists invent and design new approaches to computing technology and find innovative uses for existing technology. They study and solve complex problems in computing for business, medicine, science, and other fields.

Cleveland State University's graduate program in biomedical engineering is designed to provide students with the skills to apply engineering analysis and design to the solution of biomedical-related problems. The program provides a foundation built on fundamentals in the life sciences, including those at the cellular, tissue, and human physiology level. Advanced engineering courses are selected from fields including tissue engineering, biomechanics, imaging, bioMEMS, materials and nanotechnology, bioprocessing, and instrumentation/controls.

The program offers three tracks: a thesis track, a design track, and a course-only track. In-depth study of a specific research topic with a faculty mentor is conducted in the thesis track. Students in the design track work in teams on a year-long design project with mentors from either local industry or the Medical Device Solutions Department at the Cleveland Clinic. This biomedical design option is unique in northeast Ohio and among only a handful of similar programs nationwide. The design option is especially appropriate for those who will seek industrial employment directly after completion of the program and/or are interested in starting their own business. Upon completion of the program, students will be prepared to work in the medical device industry or to continue their education at the doctoral level.

The Urban and Regional Studies major entails the study of America's cities, metropolitan areas, and their people. Students learn about the cultural, political, and historical aspects of urban living and the influence of these factors on the growth and decline of businesses and neighborhoods. Urban Studies is an interdisciplinary program that includes a foundation in urban geography, urban economic and political systems, and social issues.

Concentrations are offered in:

Urban and Regional Planning
Urban planners use their skills in research, design, and development to effect social goals in cities. The urban and regional planning track helps students use the heritage of urban planning to influence urban and regional development. Planners analyze a range of data regarding an area—the economic base, the needs of the people, the available resources, and the effects of change—and make recommendations for action.

Public Management
Public managers develop budgets, strategic plans, policies, and programs for a variety of public and private organizations. The public management track gives students basic management techniques and analytic skills necessary to manage effectively in an urban environment.

Environmental Policy and Management
This track is designed to give students an understanding of the economic, political, and social changes necessary for improving the quality of the physical environment in cities. Courses focus on domestic environmental policies and programs, environmental design, and issues related to sustainable development.

Geographic Information System
A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computerized database management system used for the capture, storage, retrieval, analysis, and display of spatial data. GIS is useful to every discipline that utilizes geographic data and is one of the most exciting and rapidly growing computer technologies.

GIS has spread widely into fields such as land use, transportation, utility management, emergency services, natural resource management, environment, demographics, public safety and public health, market and business location, housing, and real estate. With digital representation of spatial entities and their spatial relationships in GIS database, GIS are used to improve services, assist in managing resources, and provide support for better decision-making and policy-planning activities.

The Urban and Regional Studies major entails the study of America's cities, metropolitan areas, and their people. Students learn about the cultural, political, and historical aspects of urban living and the influence of these factors on the growth and decline of businesses and neighborhoods. Urban Studies is an interdisciplinary program that includes a foundation in urban geography, urban economic and political systems, and social issues.

Concentrations are offered in:

Urban and Regional Planning
Urban planners use their skills in research, design, and development to effect social goals in cities. The urban and regional planning track helps students use the heritage of urban planning to influence urban and regional development. Planners analyze a range of data regarding an area—the economic base, the needs of the people, the available resources, and the effects of change—and make recommendations for action.

Public Management
Public managers develop budgets, strategic plans, policies, and programs for a variety of public and private organizations. The public management track gives students basic management techniques and analytic skills necessary to manage effectively in an urban environment.

Environmental Policy and Management
This track is designed to give students an understanding of the economic, political, and social changes necessary for improving the quality of the physical environment in cities. Courses focus on domestic environmental policies and programs, environmental design, and issues related to sustainable development.

Geographic Information System
A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computerized database management system used for the capture, storage, retrieval, analysis, and display of spatial data. GIS is useful to every discipline that utilizes geographic data and is one of the most exciting and rapidly growing computer technologies.

GIS has spread widely into fields such as land use, transportation, utility management, emergency services, natural resource management, environment, demographics, public safety and public health, market and business location, housing, and real estate. With digital representation of spatial entities and their spatial relationships in GIS database, GIS are used to improve services, assist in managing resources, and provide support for better decision-making and policy-planning activities.

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.