Bachelor of Arts in Economics

at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville USA

The environmental sciences undergraduate program, in the College of Arts and Sciences at SIUE, is interdisciplinary, and is designed to cultivate students' perspectives of environmental issues, and to provide them with refined knowledge of environmental issues on a local, regional and global scale. The curriculum within the Department of Environmental Sciences will increase students’ technical competence in addressing these environmental issues, their origins, ramifications and resolutions. The program will promote experiential learning and professional education to prepare students for career opportunities in a wide variety of workplaces.

What can I do with a degree in Environmental Sciences?
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment of environmental scientists and specialists is projected to grow 8% through 2028, which is faster than the average for all occupations in the U.S. Graduates with a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts with specializations in environmental health, environmental toxicology and environmental management will have career opportunities in their areas of interest. For example, a licensed environmental health practitioner can be employed for inspection, sampling and reporting for sanitary, food safety, sewage and waste disposal, drinking water, pest control, or industrial hygiene.

Environmental Management
The environmental management specialization prepares students for careers in management and protection of natural resources, and for providing services related to environmental quality and sustainability. The curriculum offers an interdisciplinary approach to deal with various environmental management issues, including:

• Pollution control
• Regulations
• Remediation
• Hazardous waste disposal
• Sustainability

The program also includes hands-on technical training, such as geographic information systems (GIS) and environmental risk assessment. Examples of careers for graduates include environmental consultants; environmental educators; social and environmental impact analysts; resource policy analysts; natural resource planners; managers of wildlife, parks, forests and rangelands; conservation officers; watershed managers; soil conservationists; and sustainability officers.

The newly redesigned secondary education program in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior focuses on anti-racism and social justice. In response to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, this program utilizes the brand new Culturally Responsive Teacher and Leader Standards as they join Illinois in their collective effort to have the teaching force reflect the demographics of students in K-12 in the next four years.

What can I do with a degree in Secondary Education?
Students pursuing most majors in the College of Arts and Sciences and Professional Educator Licensure through the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior are presented with two career pathways; that of their major area of study, and that of a career educator. According to the U.S. Bureau of Education and the Illinois State Board of Education, the employment outlook for 2016-2026 is strong for high school teachers, both nationally and within the state. As is the case with all teacher education programs at SIUE, the secondary education program has an exceptional record of preparing highly effective teachers.

The Master of Arts in history program in the Department of History contributes to the personal enrichment of students, as well as lifelong learning skills and recognition of responsibilities as members of a society composed of many communities of memory. Graduates of the program, housed within the College of Arts and Sciences, leave SIUE with a firm education in the liberal arts and with excellent communication and critical thinking skills. Students can also gain crucial hands-on experience in documentary editing, digital history projects and archival research.

What can I do with a degree in History?
The master's in history serves as important preparation for the pursuit of a variety of career opportunities. Some students choose to pursue careers as history instructors, while others choose to pursue careers in various other fields.

Psychology is all about understanding people, which is not only interesting, but also crucial to workplace success. Psychology is both a scientific discipline which seeks to understand and explain behavior, and an applied profession which seeks to alleviate psychological problems and enhance human potential. In the Department of Psychology at SIUE, undergraduate courses in psychology acquaint students with the methods used and the knowledge gained by psychologists in their continuing efforts to understand mental processes and behavior. Students majoring in psychology study basic psychological processes, such as learning, cognition and motivation; the development of behavior, personality, and coping skills from conception through old age; human interaction in social settings; and the effects of physical and psychological stress upon coping skills and mental health. The psychology program is housed in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior.

What can I do with a degree in Psychology?
Students obtaining an undergraduate degree in psychology from SIUE will be well-prepared to pursue a variety of both public and private sector careers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, growth among popular career choices for those majoring in psychology is expected to be strong through 2028. Examples include mental health counselor (22%), social and human services assistant (13%), market research analyst (20%) and human resources specialist (5%).

The Department of Civil Engineering offers a curriculum that provides students with a solid background in mathematics, physical science and civil engineering. Elective courses are available in environmental, geotechnical, structural, transportation and water resources engineering. Laboratory facilities in the School of Engineering are available for conducting basic environmental analyses, hydraulic experiments, material tests, soil mechanics procedures and transportation studies. Baccalaureate graduates are prepared to assist public and private employers, or to pursue graduate study.

What can I do with a degree in Civil Engineering?
Civil engineers work in a wide range of fields in both technical and managerial positions. Job opportunities can be found in consulting companies, industry and government agencies. Civil engineers work in offices and on job sites. They design, build, inspect, maintain, rehabilitate, and preserve buildings, bridges, treatment systems and roads—all the essential infrastructure for society. Due to the nature and importance of the profession, civil engineers are always needed.

Our comprehensive program, offered through the School of Engineering, allows students to pursue a graduate degree in civil engineering while gaining expertise in the field. Students may choose a concentration in environmental/water resources, geotechnical, structural or transportation engineering. Whether students are working professionals or full-time students, the graduate program introduces them to the skills and knowledge they need for professional advancement. Students will have opportunities to conduct field and lab-based research, and learn from highly qualified faculty who are experts in their respective fields.

Why earn a master's in Civil Engineering?
Future professional engineering (PE) licenses might require a Master of Science. Our program prepares students to meet engineering education requirements established by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Improve your ability to take and pass the Practices and Principles of Engineering exam.

• Our graduate program allows you to complete one year of experience toward your PE license, a benefit that does not apply to an MBA. (Learn more.)
• Learn materials relevant to the PE exam.
• Take advantage of courses to refine your study skills for preparing to take the PE exam.
• Textbooks from your master’s courses are useful references for the PE exam and to build your personal library.

What can I do with a degree in Civil Engineering?
A graduate degree in civil engineering from SIUE opens doors for students in a variety of areas. Potential employers consist of consulting engineering companies, government agencies, industries, or academia. With the right experience and advanced education, students can become self-employed consultants. An education from SIUE prepares students for advancement opportunities and places them in a better position to get the job they want in a competitive employment market.

Structural Engineering
Structural engineering includes the design of buildings and bridges, considering loads such as wind, earthquakes and people. Designs could include materials such as concrete, steel, timber, masonry and fiber-reinforced polymers.

The Department of Applied Health prepares students for the next step in their career with three specialization options within the kinesiology program.

Graduates of the Department of Sociology master’s program are equipped with the skills and understanding necessary to address today’s social problems and policies. Through the program’s advanced study, students examine theory, conduct research and analyze data on issues such as:

• Deviance and crime
• Gender/sexualities
• Race and ethnic relations
• Medicine
• Leadership and organizations
• Sustainability
• Social inequality
• Research methods and statistics

What can I do with a degree in Sociology?
Many graduates of the master’s program are regionally recognized leaders in their fields who command titles such as director, executive director, manager or owner quickly upon graduating. Others have used their degrees as stepping stones to a PhD or law degree, a credential for a teaching position at a community college, or preparation for doing research for private business or public service agencies.

The biological sciences encompass the study of all life on Earth. Biological sciences programs are offered through the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. At SIUE, our diverse programs of study include specializations that allow students the opportunity to pursue any areas that are of interest to them. Students can customize their academic program in order to better prepare them for their chosen career.

What can I do with a degree in Biological Sciences?
Many careers are available for people with basic or advanced training in biology. There are opportunities in botany, ecology, education, fisheries, forensics, forestry, genetic engineering, horticulture, medical technology, microbiology, molecular biology, parasitology, physiology, wildlife management and zoology. Technical and supervisory positions are available in federal, state, industrial and university laboratories. Environment and health-related occupations almost always require sound, basic training in biology. Most students entering schools of medicine, dentistry, optometry, osteopathy, veterinary science, chiropractic and podiatry are biology majors. Basic training in biology is essential for careers in allied health sciences, including nutrition, pharmacy, occupational therapy and physical therapy.

Medical Science
The medical sciences specialization, a pre-health professions curriculum, will prepare students for entry into medical, dental, pharmacy, veterinary, optometry, osteopathy, chiropractic, and podiatry schools, as well as into many other allied health programs.

Students who are curious about the world around them, interested in the environment, sustainability, culture and technology should consider majoring in geography at SIUE. Geography is more than learning to read maps and memorize state capitals. The Department of Geography and Geographic Information Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences offers a variety of courses in human, physical, and regional geography, as well as geospatial techniques. Our faculty conduct research on a wide variety of topics at the local, regional and global scale. Majoring in geography prepares students for careers in a wide range of fields.

What can I do with a degree in Geography?
A variety of career opportunities await graduates with a degree in geography from SIUE. We offer the only geography program in the St. Louis metropolitan area and as such, our graduates are in demand for positions in the region’s growing geospatial workforce. Employers include federal and state government agencies; national security contractors; tech companies; engineering firms; utility companies; local and regional governments; agricultural companies; and environmental nonprofit organizations. Our geography graduates work as geospatial analysts, cartographers, imagery analysts, urban planners, retail location analysts, climate scientists, resource managers, sustainability consultants, and park rangers.