Master of Arts in Communication and Media Studies

at South Dakota State University USA

The German Teaching specialization at SDSU consists of the same aims and content as the German B.A. In addition, teaching candidates are given training in the most current professional standards and methods for teaching excellence in Germanic language and cultures. Former candidates have gone on to teach in public and private schools and have gone for further training in order to teach English as a Second Language and prepare for University-level teaching.

Student Learning Outcomes
Upon the completion of the German major, students should be able to:

• Speak, read and write German at the Intermediate-High or Advanced level, developing solid competence in the language needed for everyday life and advanced narrative skills in the past, present, and future. (Cross-curricular Skills: Intercultural Knowledge; Inquiry & Analysis; Information Literacy)
• Demonstrate understanding of and growth in the skills required for intercultural communication and competence and life-long learning. (Cross-curricular Skill: Intercultural Knowledge; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity; Critical & Creative Thinking)
• Identify the cultural perspectives of the German-speaking world’s civilizations and their cultural products, such as literatures, arts, institutions, pop cultures, etc. and compare the cultural frames that determine everyday life in French- speaking cultures and the U.S. (Cross-curricular Skills: Intercultural Knowledge; Critical & Creative Thinking; Inquiry & Analysis; Information Literacy)
• Adapt behavior to a variety of cultural contexts through critical analysis of cultural frames. (Cross-curricular Skills: Intercultural Knowledge; Creative & Critical Thinking; and Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
• Articulate the value of their language and cultural studies and apply this knowledge in future employment. (Cross-curricular Skill: Intercultural Knowledge; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)

The specialization in Agricultural Economics is an applied field of economics concerned with the application of economic theory in optimizing the production and distribution of food, biofuel and fiber. Students develop analytical and critical-thinking skills, and are well prepared for careers in agricultural policy analysis, natural resource stewardship, or future graduate study. The curriculum emphasizes economic theory, agricultural economics, quantitative methods, and agricultural and biological sciences electives. This program also provides strong preparation for students who wish to pursue a graduate degree in economics, agricultural economics, law, or related fields.

Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates will

• Be able to use analytical methods to make effective decisions. (Cross-curricular Skills: Inquiry and Analysis; Critical and Creative Thinking; Problem Solving)
• Be able to communicate effectively. (Cross-curricular Skill: Information Literacy)
• Be able to evaluate matters of ethics in the profession and the culture more broadly. (Cross-curricular Skills: Ethical Reasoning; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
• Have the requisite body of knowledge in management and economics.

The Dairy and Food Science Department provides research opportunities leading to Masters and PhD degrees. SDSU is one of two universities in the US with a Dairy Science Program that offers Dairy Production and Manufacturing majors. It is equipped with excellent laboratories, and a state of the art dairy processing plant which has the capability of processing fluid milk, cheese, butter, ice cream, concentrated and dried products, and other products. It also has a dairy research and training facility where a herd of 300 Holstein and Brown Swiss cattle for teaching and research is maintained. Metabolism and surgical facilities in the Animal Science Complex, and specialized laboratory equipment in the Genomics Lab and other departments on campus, including, Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, and Health and Nutritional Sciences Programs are also available. Graduate students accepted in the program will have opportunities to utilize these facilities to develop basic and/or applied research programs in dairy product processing, microbiology, chemistry, food safety, dairy cattle nutrition, metabolism, breeding, microbiology of the rumen, immunology, and management, while interacting with well qualified faculty.  The SDSU Dairy Science Program, in collaboration with the Food Science and Nutrition Program at the University of Minnesota and the Food Science and Human Nutrition Program at Iowa State University, is the Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center. This provides graduate students in the manufacturing area a unique opportunity to be involved with current issues and research needs.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate adequate presentation and communication skills, including thesis and journal article writing, poster and oral presentation skills.
• Demonstrate information literacy for science-based inquiry and critical review of existing knowledge sources.
• Demonstrate an understanding of scientific methods and application of analytical techniques for solving research problems.
• Develop a deep understanding of experimental design, statistical analysis and use of inferential statistics to make valid judgements based on scientific data.
• Specialize research focus in some area such as dairy manufacturing, dairy microbiology or dairy production, but still be broadly based in knowledge of dairy science.
• Be able to conduct and publish scholarly research. (Option A)
• Demonstrate professional development and competence so that they may enter the work force in academia or industry.

This area of specialization is designed for the person who plans to become a communication educator. While the emphasis is primarily on secondary education, the area can serve as a specialization for teaching higher education as well.

Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates will be prepared to:

• Describe the Communication discipline and its central questions by employing communication theories, perspectives, principles, and concepts. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis)
• Engage in Communication inquiry. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis)
• Create and critically analyze messages appropriate to the audience, purpose, and context. (Cross-curricular Skill: Critical and Creative Thinking)
• Demonstrate the ability to accomplish communicative goals (self-efficacy). (Cross-curricular Skill: Foundational Lifelong Learning Skills)
• Prepare for ethical public influence that embraces differences. (Cross-curricular Skill: Civic Knowledge and Engagement; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)

The program offers a variety of courses that encompass a broad range of Electrical Engineering areas including: alternative energy and power systems; computer engineering, communications; electronic materials, devices and sensors; nano technology, photovoltaic devices and systems; and signal and image processing. The department’s graduate faculty conduct active research in these areas using modern research facilities and equipment.

Program Educational Objectives

The EE graduate program objectives are to equip individuals to

• Discover and disseminate knowledge relevant to the discipline of electrical engineering.
• Provide leadership for increasingly complex roles in electrical engineering and industry.
• Contribute to the advancement of the science of electrical engineering serving regional and national needs.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Understand fundamental principles: Articulate a solid understanding of the fundamental principles in the area of specialization and supporting areas.
• Communication skills: Demonstrate an ability to communicate, both orally and in writing, technical information in an effective manner.
• Conduct research and/or design project: Conduct research and/or design projects that demonstrate ability to model, analyze and design electrical engineering processes and systems.

The major in Economics provides rigorous training in economic theory and quantitative methods. Students develop analytical and critical-thinking skills, and are well trained for careers in policy analysis, financial analysis, business, or law school. Students may choose the general economics major in which they will customize their program of study by selecting electives in economics, finance or policy, or they can pursue the specialization in Agricultural Economics through the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences.  This program also provides strong preparation for students pursuing a graduate degree in economics, law, or a related field.

Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates will

• Be able to use analytical methods to make effective decisions. (Cross-curricular Skills: Inquiry and Analysis; Critical and Creative Thinking; Problem Solving)
• Be able to communicate effectively. (Cross-curricular Skill: Information Literacy)
• Be able to evaluate matters of ethics in the profession and the culture more broadly. (Cross-curricular Skills: Ethical Reasoning; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
• Have the requisite body of knowledge in management and economics.

The study of Political Science examines political processes, governments, and international relations. The Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science prepare graduates for a career in government - at state, local and federal levels, private sectors, advocacy organizations including political parties, and non-profit agencies. It is a flexible degree that offers multiple career tracks. Many of our students successfully pursue advanced degree in law school and other graduate programs.

Student Learning Outcomes
Students with a major in Political Science will:

• Demonstrate knowledge of concepts, theories and methods of political science, political systems beyond the United States, and political issues facing traditionally underrepresented communities. (Cross-curricular Skill: Civic Knowledge and Engagement; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
• Develop critical thinking skills by a) including a disciplined, skeptical outlook on the world; b) assessing multiple - and often countervailing - theoretical perspectives, and c) recognizing the difference between strong and weak arguments based on evidence. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis)
• Understand international perspectives, a necessary prerequisite to becoming active and responsible global citizens. (Cross-curricular Skill: Intercultural Knowledge)
• Express themselves effectively through oral and written communication. This includes framing scholarly questions and developing discipline appropriate research strategies to address them. (Cross-curricular Skill: Information Literacy; Problem Solving)

The major in Economics provides rigorous training in economic theory and quantitative methods. Students develop analytical and critical-thinking skills, and are well trained for careers in policy analysis, financial analysis, business, or law school. Students may choose the general economics major in which they will customize their program of study by selecting electives in economics, finance or policy, or they can pursue the specialization in Agricultural Economics through the College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences.  This program also provides strong preparation for students pursuing a graduate degree in economics, law, or a related field.

Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates will

• Be able to use analytical methods to make effective decisions. (Cross-curricular Skills: Inquiry and Analysis; Critical and Creative Thinking; Problem Solving)
• Be able to communicate effectively. (Cross-curricular Skill: Information Literacy)
• Be able to evaluate matters of ethics in the profession and the culture more broadly. (Cross-curricular Skills: Ethical Reasoning; Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
• Have the requisite body of knowledge in management and economics.

Psychology is the discipline concerned with the study of behavior and mental processes. The teaching specialization prepares students to qualify for certification to teach psychology in one of thousands of schools nationwide.  Students pursuing this specialization should contact the College of Education and Human Sciences before their junior year.

Student Learning Outcomes
In the Psychology - Teaching Specialization, students will:

• Express fundamental knowledge and comprehension of major concepts in psychology. (Cross-curricular Skill: Inquiry and Analysis)
• Apply scientific reasoning to psychological issues/problems. (Cross-curricular Skill: Critical and Creative Thinking; Problem Solving; Ethical Reasoning)
• Show an understanding of diversity and ethical/social responsibility in professional settings. (Cross-curricular Skill: Diversity, Inclusion and Equity)
• Write competently in APA style. (Cross-curricular Skill: Information Literacy)
• Demonstrate oral competency. (Cross-curricular Skill: Information Literacy)

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics is a large, diverse, and active organization. The department’s mission is to provide excellent instruction, conduct high-quality research and scholarly activity, and prepare graduates and provide mathematical and statistical services that are both regionally relevant and internationally competitive. The department offer students the opportunity to pursue master’s and doctoral level graduate studies in a collegial environment with small class sizes and high faculty-student interaction and research activity.

The focus of the M.S. in Mathematics Program is the development of sophisticated mathematical models and their implementation on high performance computing platforms. The curriculum features a balance of application, computation, and theory with particular emphasis in the areas of operations research, computational science, and the development of probabilistic and deterministic models. Areas of faculty and graduate student research activity include computational biology, computational finance, molecular dynamics simulation, operations research, optimization, and Ramsey theory. The program is particularly effective at preparing graduates to work in business, industry, or government as well as preparing students to continue on to the CSS PhD or other PhD program.

Student Learning Outcomes

• Students will understand mathematical or statistical models.
• Students will be able to construct and apply standard mathematical and statistical models.
• Students will be able to solve problems using appropriate software to implement the appropriate models.
• Students will be able to disseminate the results of their work to others.
• Students will be able to apply Argument Deconstruction in mathematics and statistics