Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville USA

How does a statistician design an experiment to test a new drug? What is an efficient algorithm to solve a differential equation, and when does it work? How do you determine a fair price for an annuity? Given a complex network of nodes and edges, what is the shortest path from one vertex to another? How can you teach problem solving in a diverse high school classroom?

These are only some of the questions to be explored in our five undergraduate study options in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. In the College of Arts and Sciences at SIUE, we have a faculty-to-undergraduate major student ratio of five to one, so our students receive personalized attention from faculty recognized for outstanding teaching and excellent research.

What can I do with a degree in Math?
Professionals holding positions in the mathematics field as mathematicians, statisticians, and actuaries consistently rank their careers at the top of surveys on job satisfaction and security. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook in these fields remains strong, and growth is projected at 25% over the next 10 years.

Applied Mathematics
A concentration in applied mathematics focuses on using mathematical theories to solve real-world problems, such as those related to structural stability, chemical interactions or wave propagation. Applied mathematics encompasses the use of probability theory, numerical and data analysis, modeling, algorithm development, and simulations to explore the connections between mathematics, science, and our environment.

Applied mathematics is used extensively in the fields of physics, geology, engineering and technology. Several emerging career paths have been identified by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, including bioinformatics, materials science, computer animation and digital imaging, finance, climatology, and ecology/environmental organizations.

How does a statistician design an experiment to test a new drug? What is an efficient algorithm to solve a differential equation, and when does it work? How do you determine a fair price for an annuity? Given a complex network of nodes and edges, what is the shortest path from one vertex to another? How can you teach problem solving in a diverse high school classroom?

These are only some of the questions to be explored in our five undergraduate study options in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. In the College of Arts and Sciences at SIUE, we have a faculty-to-undergraduate major student ratio of five to one, so our students receive personalized attention from faculty recognized for outstanding teaching and excellent research.

What can I do with a degree in Math?
Professionals holding positions in the mathematics field as mathematicians, statisticians, and actuaries consistently rank their careers at the top of surveys on job satisfaction and security. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook in these fields remains strong, and growth is projected at 25% over the next 10 years.

Applied Mathematics
A concentration in applied mathematics focuses on using mathematical theories to solve real-world problems, such as those related to structural stability, chemical interactions or wave propagation. Applied mathematics encompasses the use of probability theory, numerical and data analysis, modeling, algorithm development, and simulations to explore the connections between mathematics, science, and our environment.

Applied mathematics is used extensively in the fields of physics, geology, engineering and technology. Several emerging career paths have been identified by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, including bioinformatics, materials science, computer animation and digital imaging, finance, climatology, and ecology/environmental organizations.

SIUE's College of Arts and Sciences offers the art history specialization through the Department of Art and Design. At SIUE, art history students study art and architecture, both as expressions of human creativity and as uniquely informative historical documents, to promote an understanding of its cultural and social value. Art history students gain a greater aesthetic appreciation of art and a deeper understanding of its purposes in different times and places through extensive study. An understanding of the historical development of art contributes significantly to our students’ comprehension of the overall development of human culture through the ages.

The art history curriculum at SIUE is designed such that students gain an understanding of broad historical traditions in the visual arts as well as specialized knowledge in one or more specific areas in the field of art history. Our students are also challenged to think critically and reason logically in written and verbal analysis of the visual arts. Three of our faculty members are art historians who offer courses on a broad range of topics from prehistoric to contemporary art, at both the introductory and advanced levels. Art history courses are taught in two smart classrooms, housed in the newly built Art and Design West building. Students also have access to the Art History Resource Room, which provides a variety of supporting research materials, including videos, books, magazines and a digitized image database.

What can I do with a degree in Art History?
Students specializing in art history at SIUE are prepared for a wide variety of careers, including work in museums, art galleries, cultural institutions, and academia, as well as graduate school. Recent graduates have pursued advanced degrees at Washington University in St. Louis; University of Illinois, Springfield; and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Our students have gained employment at area institutions such as the Pulitzer, the Saint Louis Art Museum, and Leslie Hindman Auctioneers. Many of our graduates also pursue the certificate in museum studies at SIUE, which is an interdisciplinary post-baccalaureate certificate that offers those students with an interest in exploring a museum career an opportunity to gain expertise that will aid in their career advancement.

If you have diverse academic interests that span the disciplines and would like to turn these interests into a cohesive program, then the integrative studies program could be for you! Working professionals can also earn a baccalaureate degree to better position them for opportunities for advancement where a baccalaureate degree is required.

Integrative studies is an interdisciplinary program geared toward meeting each student’s personal, academic and career goals, as well as providing knowledge and skills to meet the needs of emerging professions. This program provides students the opportunity to embrace their individuality and widen their perspectives by exploring and making connections between different fields of study. Students design their own program of study, in consultation with a professional advisor and a faculty mentor, and in doing so take responsibility for their education and career planning.

What can I do with a degree in Integrative Studies?
Students graduating with an undergraduate degree in integrative studies will be well prepared to pursue career opportunities in a variety of professional settings, such as advertising, public service, military, sales, human services, ministry, sports promotion, higher education, public relations, and youth development, among others. Graduates will also be prepared to pursue a master’s or professional degree in various fields.

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.

Sociologists are interested in changing the world. But, we do so by systematically studying society rather than using our biases or assumptions. Once we understand the larger social forces that influence our own behavior and that of others, we can create policies, organizations, and even families that benefit the majority of people rather than the powerful few.

At SIUE, we focus on application. Students in the Department of Sociology participate in hands-on experiences so they can apply what they learn in their classes. Students pursuing general sociology work in communities helping gather data and provide suggestions on how to make those communities stronger. Diversity and social justice students complete internships in nonprofit organizations learning to write grants and help groups find resources. Students specializing in employment relations complete internships in organizations where they help uncover how to make workers more committed and productive. Through systematically gathering information from different groups, sociology can be a powerful tool for the betterment of communities and organizations.

Employment Relations
The specialization option in employment relations is designed to prepare students to apply sociological knowledge to the practical problems of the workplace. Fundamental changes in work and industry have intensified employer demands for broadly skilled professionals, supervisors, administrators, coordinators and consultants capable of critically evaluating, planning and implementing workplace changes.

The business administration program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International, and provides a broad education in the functional areas of modern business, the behavior of organizations and decision-making processes, as well as analytical methods for solving basic problems affecting commerce and business practices. Our students find that the combination of knowledge acquisition and skill development is appealing and rewarding. Students in the School of Business will also learn about the ethical and global issues facing today’s businesses, while refining their communication skills and abilities. They will also learn to make leadership decisions based on quantitative data using analytical tools.

What can I do with a degree in Business Administration?
Graduates of the business administration program are well prepared to become business professionals who understand the environment in which business operates, and can analyze how business operations are impacted by economic, social, political and legal environments. Graduates of the program are prepared for careers in administration or management of business firms, in banking and insurance, and in federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as a variety of other settings where knowledge of business functions and practices is required. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in business and financial operations occupations is projected to grow 5% through 2029.

Economics
The specialization in economics provides students with knowledge of analytical methods for solving basic problems affecting profit and growth of the business organization. In addition, economics offers courses that are fundamental to forecasting, planning, and budgeting. Graduates of the program are qualified for careers in administration and management of business firms, in banking and insurance, and in federal, state and local government agencies.

The department and outdoor venues on our beautiful campus, situated on 2,660 acres, provide excellent opportunities for innovative biological study. The College of Arts and Sciences' outdoor classroom consists of a 75-acre lake, a 35-acre botanical garden and 380 acres of forest and restored grasslands set aside as a nature preserve. The Department of Biological Sciences is located in Science Building West, a modern, science education facility with fully equipped teaching and research labs. The department is also equipped with state-of-the-art technology in microscopy, physiology, histology, cell biology, microbiology, genetics and toxicology research, and includes extensive botanical and zoological teaching collections. Opportunities for plant and animal research are available in our greenhouse and vivarium facilities.

What can I do with a degree in Biological Sciences?
Numerous career and advanced training opportunities are available to persons holding a master’s degree in biology. These include doctoral training in biology and in the health sciences; secondary and junior college teaching; environmental assessment; and employment in educational, industrial, and governmental laboratories and agencies.

Faculty in the Department of Music believe students in undergraduate academic programs in music should receive a comprehensive musical background that includes cultural knowledge through the general education program, individual performance, ensemble performance, scholarly studies in music theory and history/literature, and where applicable, teacher education courses. The intent is to develop skilled and informed musicians, able scholars, and excellent and enthusiastic teachers.

The Bachelor of Music curriculum prepares students for professional careers and advanced graduate study in music performance and music education. The Bachelor of Arts, designed for students who wish to specialize in music within a liberal arts curriculum, may serve as the foundation for advanced studies in music.

Music History and Literature
Music history is an ideal specialization for students who not only want to perform music, but are also interested in the development of musical styles, genres, and how these relate to developments in the arts, history and society. Students explore major works, composers and prominent performers in the European and American concert traditions, as well as interconnections with other traditions such as world and folk music. Students hone their critical skills in music research, analysis, writing, listening and musical thought.

SIUE's music history faculty members are musicians whose scholarly work has been published and presented nationally and internationally. As such, they are able to provide students with the benefits of their broad experience in both classroom instruction and musicological research. Class sizes are kept small and faculty members are able to offer students ample personalized instruction.

Many students specializing in music history continue their studies at the graduate level. They find work as musicologists, music librarians, music journalists, music publicists and promoters, and gain valuable training as music educators, particularly in the ability to teach music history effectively.

Graduates of the computer science program at SIUE will typically find careers as software engineers. However, some pursue careers as research scientists, technology infrastructure specialists or technology consultants. In recent years, 80-90% of graduates have accepted a career position before graduation day. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that demand and salaries for computer scientists and software engineers will continue to increase in the coming decade.