Bachelor of Science in News & Information

at Shorelight Group - University of Kansas USA

• A more broad-based, liberal arts and sciences curriculum with balanced contributions from natural sciences and mathematics, social sciences, and the humanities 
• The broadest preparation for admission into a professional program.
• An avenue for adding a bachelor’s degree to an already existing technical degree or licensure certificate.
• A degree option with maximum flexibility.
• A distance-education option for a KU degree.
• A degree that provides students the opportunity to build the skills and knowledge employers indicate are required for success in our changing economy and world community — skills that are limited in current college graduates.

Microbiology is the study of bacteria, viruses, fungi, the immune system, and their roles in human health, the environment and beyond. Job prospects for Microbiologists with a bachelor’s or higher degree continue to be strong. The upper-division major courses in immunology, pathogenic microbiology, virology and microbial genetics couple laboratory courses with lecture courses in order to provide students with hands-on practical experience with the material. The B.A. Microbiology major includes a choice of three of the upper-division lecture and laboratory course pairs.  

Interdisciplinary computing graduates collaborate with scientists or other professionals, applying their computing expertise to large-scale problems. They might use grid computing to study the first few picoseconds after the Big Bang or process enormous data streams from telescopic mapping experiments to analyze the orbits of potential Earth-crossing asteroids. They could manage and expand biological databases to study the causes of worldwide biodiversity decline, apply machine learning techniques to design better chemotherapies, or develop optimization techniques to locate tornado sirens for maximum population coverage.

The department offers three different concentration options for undergraduate students at the BA level.  Depending on their interests, students can pursue a concentration in Polish Studies, in Russian language, literature and culture, or in South Slavic (Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian) Studies.

Language Assessment of Slavic Majors - All majors in Slavic languages will complete degree-level assessment in the final semester of their Slavic major at KU (or somewhat earlier if desired) to demonstrate and document their attainment of the SLL learning outcomes for undergraduate students.

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.

A major or minor in Global and international studies will give you the tools to understand the rapid and profound changes that are occurring internationally and trans-nationally throughout the world and across various regions. Global and international studies at KU offers an interdisciplinary program in which faculty and students think critically about some of the most fundamental transnational and trans-regional issues facing societies today: population growth, politics and governance, migration, the global economy, poverty and inequality, religion, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, peace and conflict, and climate change. Through an investigation of these topics, majors in global and international studies acquire an enriched understanding of the world today, which is not only a desirable end in itself but also a useful background for professionals whose careers may involve them in different geographical and cultural areas. A major in global and international studies is helpful for careers in journalism, foreign service, business and industry, education, law, politics and government, and social service agencies.

Ideally, students who choose to major in global and international studies should have a trans-regional focus in mind for their educational goals. KU is also host to a number of excellent international Area Studies Centers that provide the best opportunities and resources for those students whose international interest is predominantly located in a particular region.

Majoring in Spanish demonstrates to future employers and/or graduate schools that you have achieved a certain level of linguistic ability and understanding of Hispanic cultures. Our major is designed to help students hone their oral and written language skills and to learn about Spanish and Spanish American cultures through literature and cultural studies.This knowledge is highly beneficial for people planning to go into academic and international careers, especially those planning to work with predominantly Latino/a populations in the United States. Spanish and Portuguese degrees are useful in such diverse careers as advertising, marketing, journalism, health services, government, social welfare, and public administration, among others.

A bachelor’s degree in law and society provides undergraduate students with a strong background in how law works in practice in public administration, courts, the non-profit sector, policy, policing, and the justice system. Students learn about legal history and legal policy, how law shapes managerial processes, how it shapes government and the system of justice, and how it affects ordinary people in every walk of life.

Graduates of the program will be ready to work in a variety of settings, including criminal justice organizations, non-profits, policy think tanks, and political institutions. There’s significant demand for this type of degree among the region’s police departments.

The law and society program is designed for students who have earned an associate's degree or equivalent hours and are looking to complete the final two years necessary for a bachelor's degree in law and society.

The bachelor's degree in foreign language education at the University of Kansas prepares individuals to teach foreign language to children and adolescents in PK-12 settings. The program serves both native language speakers, as well as second language speakers, and allows students to select from five different language options: French, German, Latin, and Spanish. The foreign language program combines general education, professional education, and language-specific courses with multiple field experiences in diverse communities.

The bachelor's degree in secondary history and government teacher education at the University of Kansas prepares individuals to teach in both middle school and high school classrooms. History and government is also commonly known as social studies. The teacher education program combines history, political science, and geography courses and professional education coursework with multiple field experiences in diverse communities.