Bachelor of Arts in Sociology

at Shorelight Group - University of Kansas USA

Welcome to American Studies, undergraduates! We are one of the best majors at KU for those students seeking a critically engaged and socially relevant area studies program. As an interdisciplinary department, we take an integrative approach to the study of the United States in relationship to the broader world, using history, literature, philosophy, popular culture, psychology, religion and sociology. In our department, undergraduates study hipsters to hip hop, old and new media, labor movements and changing work habits, popular media and music as an expression of American identity, local communities and globalization, social justice movements and changing cultural mores in American politics on race, gender, religion and sexuality covering the gamut from conservatives to left wingers. Our aim as an interdisciplinary department is not to indoctrinate students. It is our goal to teach you to use analytical tools for understanding our country and world and assist you in articulating your vision of leadership in it.

In philosophy we ask big, important questions. While asking such questions is easy, answering them is difficult. Because these questions are often abstract and vague, it is necessary to use precise reasoning and analysis to clarify what exactly it is we are asking. Only then can we attempt to develop answers. For example:

• What is the morally right thing to do?
• What is the nature of the mind?
• When can we know something, rather than merely believing it?
• Do the sciences exhaust what can be known about the natural world?
• What is justice?
• What assumptions do we make when we try to answer questions like these?
• Plus many, many others...

In studying philosophy, you will learn what others have thought about life's big questions. You will also learn to challenge those views, and to develop your own thoughts in a precise, logical manner. Philosophy will help you develop critical thinking skills, enabling you to analyze the underlying logic and assumptions in arguments about a variety of topics. This is a skill that generalizes to virtually every area of life.

Our Department will introduce you to histories, cultures and societies in Africa and its Diasporas, with due attention to the United States, the Caribbean, and Latin America.  Our degrees, with opportunities for fieldwork in Africa or the African Diaspora, encourage students to engage in independent study to maximize their academic and research potential, and prepare for careers in these geographic, cultural, and policy areas.
The Department encourages and welcomes donations for student scholarships, lecture series, teaching and service awards, faculty research, public programming, and other activities.  Please use this link to donate to African and African-American Studies.

This concentration is designed for students interested in studying the cultural and social underpinnings of theatre and performance along with courses in acting, directing and design and with participation in University Theatre production. The TCS concentration provides the critical, analytical, and historical education that is the foundation of a liberal arts degree. Both the B.A. and B.G.S. in Theatre, Culture & Society require 40 hours in the major. In addition to KU Core requirement, the B.A. requires foreign language, math, and laboratory experience. 

KU's English Department is at the core of the humanities, highlighting the "human" through our individual, one-on-one interactions with our students, our emphasis on community and global engagement, and our abiding interest in our shared humanity through the stories of others. We seek to challenge the mind and to engage the imagination of our students, to teach them to ask questions and to seek for answers.  We encourage them to grapple with the complexity of a culturally and commercially interconnected world and the global networks and processes of cultural exchange. We believe that words and ideas will shape the world. We teach our students life-long skills, so that they learn to write clearly, creatively, and effectively—discovering themselves even as they lay a solid foundation for professional success. 

The study of economics offers students insight into some of the most fundamental questions facing societies today: what goods and services should we produce? How should we produce them ? How should we distribute them? Economics offers an outstanding preparation for careers in policy analysis, international relations, business, and other careers that require rigorous analytic thinking. Economics also makes an excellent foundation for graduate study in economics, business, law, political science, or public administration.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Physics is designed to provide a general background within Physics  for individuals with a primary interest in another field (e.g. high school science teaching, journalism, computer programming, etc.) where a broad but not deep understanding of a physical science can be of  benefit, but isn’t critical. Whether the degree ends with the achievement of a BA or BS or serves as a stepping stone to additional study, these programs offer an excellent undergraduate education, training some of the finest problem solvers and analysts of the future! All of our undergraduate BS majors and the majority of BA students are involved in research projects during their years here. Many earn summer scholarship support from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, through research grants to faculty supervising their projects, or through admission to one of the many summer REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) sponsored by the National Science Foundation. KU majors have also competed successfully on a regular basis for summer internships at REU sites around the country.

Students prepare for a career in the area of geographic information science and problem solving using a variety of spatial analysis techniques. Basic requirements include preparation in mathematics, science and computer science. Advanced course work includes work in cartography, GIS, remote sensing, spatial statistics, spatial analysis and data presentation and visualization. In addition, students are expected to take some coursework in one of the other areas of geography (physical, human, and regional).

The Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology provides students with a broad understanding of biological systems at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. The MCDB degree includes study of genetics, cell biology, developmental biology, cancer biology, and neurobiology. Students have the option of elective courses in these areas for an advanced, in-depth learning experience.

The School of Social Welfare provides the education and experience necessary for a career in social work. By helping shape students’ capacity for caring, the school prepares social workers to carry out the specific purposes of the profession, to develop human potential, to promote individual well-being, and to bring about a more just society. The BSW program prepares students for generalist practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. at the entry level and prepares students for advanced graduate work in social work, as well as for degree programs in other disciplines. Students will be able to practice competently, under professional supervision, with a variety of client systems, and at all system levels upon graduation.