Bachelor of Science in Astronomy

at Shorelight Group - University of Kansas USA

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.

Interested in how products from around the world end up at your doorstep? If you enjoy problem solving, learn more about what it means to major in supply chain management.

Supply chain students will learn a set of approaches to efficiently integrate the flow of materials, finances and information from suppliers, manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers and the final customer. The primary objective of an efficient supply chain is to improve the service levels to customers.

Your training in the supply chain management program will make you a competitive candidate for increasingly important positions in organizations everywhere.

This degree offers students a broad liberal arts education touching on all aspects of Geography. As part of this degree students need to meet the KU Core Requirements and/or requirements set by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. College requirements are the same as those for the Bachelor of General Studies degree, and require a minimum of 33 credit hours in Geography. Course work includes 18 hours of fundamentals courses and 15 additional hours selected from four topical groups: physical, human, techniques and regional.

Astronomy is often called the oldest science -- in many ways, it is also one of the newest! Astronomers today rely on cutting-edge technology and  computer programming skills to generate and analyze the enormous data sets we use to examine the universe around us. Our business is studying the physics of objects like exoplanets, stars, gas, black holes, and galaxies in the observable universe, which is why we are sometimes referred to as astrophysicists. Because the objects we study are too distant and too large to bring back samples or replicate them here on earth, astronomy is very different from most other experimental laboratory sciences. Astronomers that work with data are called observers, as the only experiments we can run consist of pointing our telescopes at different parts of the sky to gather information about new objects that will test our hypotheses. We rely on the information we can infer just from light (color, temperature, velocity, and chemical composition) to get insight into the formation and evolution of objects ranging from extrasolar planets to stars to entire galaxies.

The classroom meets the stage in the University Theatre, a leading arts program serving the KU and Lawrence communities. KU Theatre students, faculty and professional staff work together to create up to eight fully-produced shows each year, from dramas to musicals to opera.  In our fully-equipped facilities students engage in all aspects of production onstage and backstage.  Production continues year round with the summer Kansas Repertory Theatre program.

Highly Qualified Faculty Scholars and Artists

The Theatre faculty are creative artists and researchers working in the areas of theatre technology, performance, design, dramatic literature, dramaturgy, pedagogy, as well as the historical, literary, and cultural study of theatre and performance. Our faculty include award-winning teachers and internationally recognized scholars and artists working in professional theatre and authoring books and articles.

Chinese
In a few short weeks, CHIN 104: Elementary Chinese language students know their four tones and can speak beautifully about basic topics of daily life. Learning characters, the challenging but fun aspect of Chinese, starts slowly the first year, then accelerates the second and third years of study. Advanced-level students from KU can read newspapers and contemporary fiction by the time they graduate; graduating majors are fluent in Chinese.

Japanese
Often considered the "Gateway to the East," Japan is a center for commerce, trade, education, and culture in East Asia. KU alums with Japanese language skills have followed career paths such as acting for Japanese television, banking in Tokyo, and working as a legal expert for Microsoft, as well as many who pursued graduate work in Japanese culture and history. Beyond the practical advantages, studying Japanese possesses its own intrinsic rewards: learning one of the world's most complex languages exercises the mind in unique ways. Japanese language students are never bored!

Korean
Although Korean has been a spoken language for several thousand years, the development of its phonetic alphabet in 1446, hangul, made it the easiest East Asian language to master. Today Korean is the 11th most spoken language in the world. More than half of Korean's vocabulary can be traced to Chinese, and the structure and grammar are similar to Japanese. KU is the only institution in Kansas that teaches intermediate and advanced Korean language courses.

The business analytics program covers data warehousing, dimensional modeling, big-data analytics methods, and visualization tools and techniques, and it introduces topics such as data mining and predictive analytics. Graduates will be able to analyze data and use the findings to guide organizational decision-making.

The KU School of Business partners with Oracle, a leading global software and cloud computing company, to provide technical resources for the business analytics program. The collaboration leverages resources available through Oracle Academy, Oracle’s flagship philanthropic educational program that reaches more than 3.1 million students in 110 countries.

To study with the KU School of Music’s Theory and Composition (MTHC) Area is to engage the passions, both musical and intellectual, of six composers and scholars who have each earned national and international recognition for their contributions to the discipline.

Working with faculty in the division, you will be able to pursue a wide range of scholarly interests and musical styles. Our specialists in music theory research and teach a wide breadth of approaches on diverse subjects. In addition to critical assessment of the standard common-practice and contemporary repertoires, students have the opportunity to learn about specific fields of faculty expertise, including film music, philosophy and critical theory, rhythm and meter, and modern rock music.

Our composers in the division are also skilled teachers who can help you refine your craft and develop your unique compositional voice. Among their vast and varied portfolios, they have each made significant contributions in producing new music for a wide range of genres, including works for wind band and orchestra, opera and choral music, instrumental and vocal chamber music, music for film, and electronic music (particularly involving live performance).

Sociology is the study of social life, social change, and the social causes and consequences of human behavior. Since all human behavior is social, few fields have such broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and the application of knowledge.

A sociology major can give you the knowledge of social relations and society that will enhance your career opportunities. Depending on your interests, the sociology courses you’ve taken, and your second major, this degree opens doors to entry-level positions. The department’s graduates work in personnel administration, social service agencies, and business. They are journalists, researchers, social workers, and statisticians. Your sociology degree is excellent preparation for graduate studies in sociology as well as in areas such as social welfare, public administration.

The B.A. Option in Italian is a program consisting of eight, three-credit courses in which students pursue studies in Italian beyond the beginning and intermediate levels. In consultation with departmental advisors, students combine their work with other academic disciplines and develop particular strengths and interests in Italian literature, language, and culture. Students pursuing the B.A. Option in Italian are strongly encouraged to study abroad.

Honors in Italian
Students may graduate with honors in Italian by completing 3 hours of ITAL 499 and one approved 3-hour course in a relevant field in addition to the 24-hour requirement for the option. Consult the department early in the junior year. To begin honors work and to graduate with honors, students must have minimum grade-point averages of 3.25 in all courses and 3.5 in Italian.