Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies

at State University of New York College at Brockport USA

Administered by the Department of Journalism, Broadcasting and Public Relations, the major in Journalism and Broadcasting (JRB) prepares students for careers in online, TV, radio, newspaper and magazine journalism; public and community relations; public information; advertising; corporate communications; television and radio station sales, promotions and management, independent and corporate production studios, corporate media centers and government service.

What You’ll Learn

The media impact our politics, economy, and culture. Prepare yourself to enter the fast-growing field of journalism, broadcasting, and public relations. Learn to craft compelling stories, research sources and subjects, pitch stories to the media, and perform production work in the field and the studio.

Choose from four concentrations: Multimedia Journalism, Media Production, Media Studies, or Public Relations.

The Department of Women and Gender Studies works to make the diversity of women’s and gendered perspectives visible and to promote student success within an academic, professional, and personal context. The major curriculum seeks to provide students with the occasion to investigate the intersections of sex, gender, race, ethnicity, class, age, sexuality, and ability as dimensions of social identity, and as considered at local, national, and transnational levels.

This interdisciplinary major offers students a well-rounded undergraduate education leading to expertise in a wide variety of skills that prepare students for career and graduate school success. Students have an opportunity to understand themselves and their society within an inclusive view of the human experience.

Recent Women and Gender Studies graduates have gone on to highly competitive masters and doctorate programs in law, sociology, gender studies, history, social work, communications, public health, and English at nationally recognized research universities. Graduates stepping into the workforce have assumed careers as crisis counselors, government officials, librarians, human rights activists, and Peace Corps/AmeriCorps volunteers.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Describe why centering anti-racist and decolonizing work is essential to effective social justice work and feminist thinking.
• Explain how patriarchy and other sex/gender systems of power intersect with other systems of power.
• Theorize ways in which bodies and social identities are culturally and historically constructed and shaped.
• Identify and critically evaluate research and scholarly arguments within the field of Women and Gender Studies.
• Identify and analyze language, media representation, and dominant forms of communication to produce an original argument about how power and privilege operate in society.
• Apply collaborative strategies and knowledge of Women and Gender to imagine and create transformative feminist futures.

The BS in Healthcare Administration program prepares students to enter the healthcare field as entry-level healthcare management practitioners. Upon graduation, students are prepared to seek employment in the healthcare field in a variety of settings including, but not limited to hospitals, physician practices, nursing homes, public health institutions, insurance companies, and consulting firms. Students pursue study in a series of well rounded, yet focused healthcare administration courses that include key aspects of business, systems, research, leadership, and relationships with colleagues and consumers across the healthcare spectrum. A management internship is also required. The healthcare faculty create educational experiences that bring students the knowledge and skills needed to prepare them for employment in the multi-faceted healthcare field.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the Healthcare Administration major, students will be able to:

• Apply knowledge of the healthcare system.
• Communicate clearly with individuals and groups.
• Apply critical thinking skills to deliver written and oral communication.
• Demonstrate accountability behaviors in the healthcare environment.
• Apply effective leadership and management skills.
• Apply financial skills to the creation of sustainable healthcare programming and service lines.
• Apply business principles, including systems thinking, to the healthcare environment.
• Demonstrate the use of information systems, particularly electronic health records.
• Behave in accordance with ethical and professional standards.

Political Science is the study of the state and of power relations within and among states, as they are and as they ought to be. It seeks a better understanding of political and governmental behavior and institutions in order to enable society to use its collective resources more effectively for the general welfare. The principal sub-fields of the discipline are: American politics, comparative politics, international relations and political theory.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Students should have a college level understanding of American Government
• Students should have a fundamental understanding of the politics of at least 1 country/region/ system of government outside of the US
• Students will have a working familiarity with social science methodologies common to PLS/INS (including Theory and Quantitative methods)
• Students should have writing and speaking skills commensurate with BA/BS at SUNY Brockport

The Kinesiology major (56 credits) is an undergraduate option that permits the student to individualize a course of study from several academic offerings in the Department of Kinesiology, Sport Studies and Physical Education. The Kinesiology major is intended for the student who desires greater flexibility in choosing courses related to the study of human movement and physical activity, but is not interested in a specific professional major. The program of study chosen can prepare the student for graduate work in a specific discipline or degree program in human movement science (e .g. sport philosophy, history of sport, biomechanics, sport psychology, motor behavior, or other related areas) or allied health fields (e.g. physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, athletic training), or pursue careers in fitness or sport development. Students majoring in Kinesiology are required to complete a 43-credit academic core and a 9-credit elective pool in consultation with a major advisor.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Students will be able to explain physiological, kinesiological, and biomechanical principles related to physical activity.
• Students will be able to evaluate the socio-cultural and historical context of physical activity.
• Students will be able to explain psychological and motor behavior principles related to physical activity.
• Students will be able to explain physical activity's importance for health, wellness, and quality of life.
• Students will be able to analyze philosophic issues and arguments related to physical activity.
• Students will be able to exhibit the skills required for proficient performance in physical activity.

Physics is the study of the physical properties of the universe and of the fundamental properties and interactions of matter and energy. Physicists work to understand why and how things work, addressing questions ranging from how the efficiency of a solar panel can be improved to why the expansion of the universe is accelerating. Physics underlies and has applications in the pure sciences – astronomy, chemistry, biology, earth science – and applied sciences, such as engineering, optics, and materials science.

Physics majors take a wide variety of courses that develop technical and essential skills, including problem-solving, instrumentation, data analysis, teamwork and communicating results. Graduates who enter the job market immediately find their knowledge and skills, particularly any specialized training gained through research experiences, are strong selling points. A physics degree is also excellent preparation for graduate or professional school, and recent graduates have pursued advanced degrees in physics, astronomy, applied math, engineering, and medicine.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Apply the principles of Classical Mechanics in the analysis of physical problems.
• Apply the principles of Classical Electrodynamics in the analysis of physical problems.
• Apply the principles of Quantum Mechanics in the analysis of physical problems.
• Use scientific instruments to gather, analyze, and display data with the intention of identifying patterns.
• Communicate scientific concepts and the results of scientific research both orally and in writing.
• Apply conservation principles appropriately in the investigation of physical problems.

As the nations of the world become more interconnected and interdependent, proficiency in other languages is a vital skill that allows you to engage with the world in a more immediate and meaningful way. French language and culture studies prepare you for future opportunities to compete and succeed in the global economy. Through interdisciplinary instruction and the development of intercultural understanding, our curriculum is designed to help you become proficient in French and prepares you to reach your career aspirations in your chosen field of interest. We encourage our students to double major and to participate in study abroad programs in French-speaking countries sponsored by the Center for Global Education and Engagement.

The French major consists of 33 credits and enables students to acquire an advanced level of proficiency in the language. Literature and culture courses are designed to provide a historical, political and social overview of the French-speaking world. All courses are taught in French unless otherwise noted. As with all other undergraduate degrees, students in this major must also complete the General Education program requirements.

Recent Modern Languages and Cultures' graduates have gone on to highly competitive Master's and PhD programs in Higher Education Administration, TESOL, French Literature, and Counseling at recognized research universities. Others have joined the workforce as Bilingual, French, and Spanish elementary and high-school teachers in Rochester and around NY state, ESL teachers for adult learners, translators, interpreters for defense attorneys, social workers, law enforcement officers, and health professionals.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of a baccalaureate degree in French, graduates will be able to:

• Narrate and describe using a variety of time frames, extended discourse, and specialized vocabulary.
• Deliver oral presentations on a wide variety of topics, using a variety of strategies to tailor the presentation to the needs of their audience.
• Narrate and describe in all major time frames with good control of aspect and a range of general vocabulary in writing for personal and professional needs.
• Identify the main facts and many supporting details in conventional narrative and descriptive oral texts.
• Identify some of the essential points of argumentative texts in areas of special interest or knowledge.
• Explain key perspectives of some French-speaking cultures within a comparative framework and connect them to cultural products and practices.
• Interpret and synthesize ideas and critical issues from a wide range of historical and contemporary cultural artifacts.

The 30-credit Consumer Health program within the Department of Public Health and Health Education provides students with foundational knowledge of public health. The Consumer Health Concentration can complement a related second major, such as Psychology, Recreation and Leisure Studies, or Women and Gender Studies.

The program consists of Required core courses and content electives focused on various dimensions of health. Students interested in becoming a public health educator or sitting for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) Exam should speak with an advisor about our professional program in Public Health Education.

Student Learning Outcomes

The Public Health Education program is aligned with the seven Areas of Responsibility as defined by the National Commission on Health Education Credentialing.

Public Health Major

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Assess individual and community needs for health education
• Plan health education strategies, interventions, and programs
• Implement health education strategies, interventions, and programs
• Conduct evaluation and research related to health education
• Administer health education strategies, interventions, and programs
• Serve as a health education resource person
• Communicate and advocate for health and health education

Consumer Health Concentration

The Consumer Health concentration is aligned with three of the seven Areas of Responsibility as defined by the National Commission on Health Education Credentialing.

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Administer health education strategies, interventions, and programs
• Conduct evaluation and research related to health education
• Serve as a health education resource person

SUNY Brockport's Theatre program is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre.

In an alliance with Geva Theatre Center, Rochester's leading professional theatre, professionals teach at the College, a Directing Fellow directs an annual production at Brockport, and theatre students enjoy increased opportunities to participate in internships, and to attend Geva productions.

The Department of Theatre and Music Studies is committed to providing its students with theatre training within a liberal arts environment. The department is focused on student learning acquired through classes and productions as its highest priority, and is dedicated to upholding the integrity of theatre as it fosters an artistic environment that nurtures developing theatre artists, scholars and technicians. Theatre education is relevant in many applications and is useful to people in many different occupations.

The department is committed to sustaining a vital artistic synergy with the surrounding community and the greater society through productions and other theatrical and musical presentations by its students, faculty and guest artists.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Analyze and discuss theatrical activity within an historical perspective
• Analyze and research a theatrical text
• Apply critical thinking skills to the discipline of theatre
• Discuss a broad range of dramatic literature
• Apply skill in the craft of theatre/creation/production
• Collaborate in the creation/production of theatre
• Apply appropriate theatrical protocol

The study of History promotes the knowledge, breadth of perspective, intellectual growth, and skills essential to achieving career success, leading a purposeful life, and exercising responsible citizenship. History majors develop strong critical thinking, research, communication and problem-solving skills that prepare them to succeed in a wide range of rewarding careers, including law, teaching, business, entrepreneurship, public administration, journalism, information technology/library science, publishing, urban and regional planning, social work, and government.

The Department of History offers students a comprehensive range of courses that covers the world across all time periods and features a diverse array of topics. In addition, it offers professional development courses that help students reflect on how the study of history can help serve their personal and professional goals after graduation. The History major is flexible, allowing students to select classes that match their interests, and at 36 credits enables students to complete other majors or minors that complement the History degree. This flexibility also allows majors the opportunity to broaden their horizons through study abroad and to explore future career paths through internships coordinated through the Department of History.

Students who want to teach history at the middle or high school level should enroll in the Social Studies Inclusive Education (SSI) major, which leads to certification as both a Social Studies and Special Education teacher, or the Social Studies Education (SSE) major, which leads to certification solely as a Social Studies teacher. 

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

• Articulate a thesis in response to a historical problem
• Advance in logical sequence principal arguments in defense of a historical thesis.
• Provide relevant evidence in defense of a historical thesis.
• Evaluate the significance of a historical thesis by relating it to a broader field of historical knowledge.
• Express themselves clearly in writing that forwards a historical analysis.
• Use disciplinary standards (Chicago Style) of documentation when referencing historical sources.