Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies

at State University of New York College at Brockport USA

The Communication Studies major explores human communication in a variety of contexts, including interpersonal, professional, public, mediated, and cross-cultural settings, and examines the social influence of language and media. Students investigate a variety of communication practices with learning experiences in theory, history, criticism, application, and performance.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Communication Major, students will be able to:

• Speak well: Deliver an extemporaneous presentation that meets the needs of a given speaking situation and audience.
• Integrate multiple perspectives: Integrate multiple Communication theories/concepts to analyze and recommend multiple solutions for a socially significant communication problem, case, or situation.
• Advance quality arguments: Advance a sequence of evidence based arguments to support a given position.
• Write well: Write clearly and at a level appropriate to a given audience.
• Critically Evaluate: Critically evaluate a communication message using relevant theories/concepts.
• Demonstrate influence: Demonstrate influence strategies to address relevant social problems.

Anthropologists study human behavior and thought in both the past and the present with the goal of improving our world. We holistically draw on sociocultural, archaeological, and biological approaches to engage with humanity’s current challenges: the outcomes of the humanity-environment relationship; human rights abuses and the need for social justice; and the complexities of human heritage and identities. Whether through ethnographic fieldwork, archaeological excavation, biological lab work, or visual and material cultural analysis, our students and faculty collaborate closely to learn and improve our knowledge of human variation. This is an invaluable resource for our students as they prepare for a more complex future.

The Anthropology Major consists of 24 required course credits plus 12 elective credits that allow students to augment their education with a dual major or minor in another field applicable to their goals and needs.

Student Learning Outcomes

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

• Knowledge base. Students gain an understanding of the broad knowledge base of human biocultural diversity through time and across cultures, as provided through archaeology, biological and cultural anthropology.
• Methods. Students gain knowledge and skills in the different anthropological research methods used in the sub-fields of archaeology, biological or cultural anthropology.
• Theory. Students learn to define and describe anthropological theory as used in current and past practice by anthropologists, in archaeology, biological and/or cultural anthropology.
• Critical Thinking. Students develop the ability to question, reflect and critique the data and arguments upon which evaluations of human diversity, behavior and change are made.
• Analysis. Students learn to apply theories and methods to explain or interpret anthropological problems, including cross-cultural patterns of social behavior, human evolution, and social change over time and space.
• Ethics. Students learn the appropriate procedures and protocols for obtaining informed consent or access permissions, in order to avoid harm or wrong to one’s human or non-human subjects and descendants.

The program is designed to help students become scientifically and humanistically prepared to become professional nurses. The program also provides a foundation for graduate study in nursing. Beginning practitioners are most frequently employed in either hospital or community settings. Hospitals offer challenging opportunities for the baccalaureate graduate as do long-term health care facilities. In the community, nurses are employed by public health departments, health maintenance organizations, community and migrant health centers, outpatient clinics, physician’s offices, voluntary health organizations and hospice car settings. Increasingly, nurses have opportunities to participate in entrepreneurial endeavors as independent health care providers. The armed services also offer excellent career opportunities for graduates.

Licensed RNs with an associate's degree who wish to pursue their Baccalaureate degree in Nursing should review the RN-to-BSN Fast-Track major. Students that already have a Bachelor's degree and are interested in earning a nursing degree should review the Nursing Accelerated (Second Degree) BS to BSN.

What You’ll Learn

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

• Integrate theories and concepts from nursing, the liberal arts, sciences, and humanities into professional nursing practice in a world of global interdependence.
• Provide safe and holistic patient centered care for all ages in a variety of health care settings utilizing the nursing process, informatics, and emerging technology.
• Provide evidence based care of patients patients across the lifespan for the delivery of optimal health care.
• Articulate a professional philosophy that reflects autonomy, advocacy, social justice, accountability, responsibility and ethical decision making in the provision of patient centered care.
• Communicate and collaborate with individuals, families, communities, population and interdisciplinary team members fostering open communication, mutual respect and shared decision-making.
• Integrate processes and skills of critical thinking, management, and leadership to promote and continuously improve the quality and safety of health care delivery.
• Evaluate nursing care outcomes within the context of clients' values, preferences, and well-being.

This major allows a typical student to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology from SUNY Brockport upon the satisfactory completion of all program requirements. A typical student fulfills the General Education and major requirements during the first three years. The fourth year, Clinical Year, is completed at an approved clinical site (Hospital/Medical Lab) and includes both theoretical study and practical work. The BS in Medical Technology is awarded upon the satisfactory completion of these program requirements. Completing the Clinical Year (sometime referred to as internship) makes the student eligible to take the National Registry Examination, which the student must pass to be certified as a Registered Medical Technologist.

Student Learning Outcomes

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

• Define and accurately use biological terminology and nomenclature.
• Evaluate and analyze biological problems using knowledge of cell structure and function.
• Integrate interdisciplinary concepts to assess tissues, organs and systems.
• Evaluate and analyze biological problems using knowledge of genetics and evolution.
• Compare and contrast origins and diversity of life to explain life processes.
• Competently employ common laboratory equipment.
• Analyze and interpret scientific data, using relevant computer skills.
• Use quantitative reasoning to analyze complex biological problems.
• Apply biological knowledge to societal issues.
• Apply clinical knowledge of Medical Technology as demonstrated by satisfactory score on the New York State Licensure Examination.

The Biology major is designed for students with an interest in aspects of the life sciences, to provide excellent preparation for postgraduate education and careers in biomedicine, health and secondary education, as well as other fields that require an understanding and practice of scientific reasoning and methods.

Students build a scientific foundation for understanding how biological systems function through courses taken during the freshman and sophomore years. In the junior and senior years, students may concentrate in areas such as: pre-professional health, biotechnology, secondary education, or an individualized program. Research opportunities with departmental faculty as well as internships and cooperative programs with public and private organizations afford students the opportunity to apply their skills outside the classroom. Due to the complex biological issues that face modern society, the department also encourages non-majors to take selected courses in the biological sciences.

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.

The English Major Adolescent Education Track leads to initial certification as a teacher of English in grades 5-12. It enables students to prepare for the English CST alone, without the requirements related to the SWD Generalist certification. Students in this track may pursue either the Literature or Creative Writing concentrations.

The English major is designed for students who wish to pursue a passion for reading and writing, and for those who seek a versatile education as they prepare for careers in education, law, business administration, public relations, advertising, government, or any field where analytical excellence and effective use of the English language are essential. English majors choose between a literature or creative writing concentration, where their course work is designed to develop analytical, research, and creative skills.

The major in English Adolescent Education (EAE) includes 36-39 credits of EDI/PRO courses and 36 credits to complete the English major. It is designed so that students can complete the program in 120 credits, including the required 32-35 credits of General Education courses. This allows students the flexibility of taking up to 13 credits of electives. This curriculum meets the requirements for initial certification as outlined by the State Education Department for Adolescent Education (grades 5 through 12). Students will have an assigned advisor in the English department who will work closely with colleagues in the Department of Education.

Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of the program,

Creative Writing Track students will be able to:

• Analyze the relationship between literary form and meaning, taking into consideration literary techniques and devices.
• Construct arguments about literary works using historical contexts.
• Apply basic elements of creative writing craft, including such elements as control of form and figurative language.
• Identify reputable and relevant sources, and incorporate the words and ideas of others without misrepresentation and with appropriate documentation practices.
• Write in conformity with standard usage and grammar.

Literature Track students will be able to:

• Analyze the relationship between literary form and meaning, taking into consideration literary techniques and devices.
• Construct arguments about literary works using historical contexts.
• Argue with a command of the rhetorical strategies, terms, and major interpretive methods characteristic of academic writing in the Humanities.
• Identify reputable and relevant sources, and incorporate the words and ideas of others without misrepresentation and with appropriate documentation practices.
• Write in conformity with standard usage and grammar.

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.

The English major is designed for students who wish to pursue a passion for reading and writing, and for those who seek a versatile education as they prepare for careers in education, law, business administration, public relations, advertising, government, or any field where analytical excellence and effective use of the English language are essential. English majors choose between a literature or creative writing concentration (outlined below), where their course work is designed to develop analytical, research, and creative skills.

Preparing for Business, Law and Public Service: Literature courses which emphasize psychological, social and verbal analysis provide a solid basis for the type of critical thinking needed in professional positions, while courses in writing, business communication, journalism/ publication, etc. provide a solid basis in communication skills central to these areas.

Student Life: The Writers Forum connects students with significant contemporary writers and critics. The English Club offers a variety of activities, including the publication of a student-run literary journal. Sigma Tau Delta, an international honor society, recognizes significant academic accomplishment. Awards are available for student scholarship and outstanding literary-critical, fiction, poetry and non-fiction writing.

Study Abroad: A variety of study abroad programs are available and encouraged. Our students have spent semesters abroad everywhere from England and Australia to France and Spain. Contact the Center for Global Education and Engagement to explore these opportunities.

Student Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the program,

Creative Writing Track students will be able to:

• Analyze the relationship between literary form and meaning, taking into consideration literary techniques and devices.
• Construct arguments about literary works using historical contexts.
• Apply basic elements of creative writing craft, including such elements as control of form and figurative language.
• Identify reputable and relevant sources, and incorporate the words and ideas of others without misrepresentation and with appropriate documentation practices.
• Write in conformity with standard usage and grammar.

Literature Track students will be able to:

• Analyze the relationship between literary form and meaning, taking into consideration literary techniques and devices.
• Construct arguments about literary works using historical contexts.
• Argue with a command of the rhetorical strategies, terms, and major interpretive methods characteristic of academic writing in the Humanities.
• Identify reputable and relevant sources, and incorporate the words and ideas of others without misrepresentation and with appropriate documentation practices.
• Write in conformity with standard usage and grammar.

Neuroscience is a growing interdisciplinary field that draws upon the knowledge-base from biology, chemistry, and psychology. You will learn how to effectively communicate and work with experts across all three fields as well as how to apply their varied approaches to problem-solving. Select from many upper-division courses to deepen your knowledge in what interests you the most about neuroscience.

SUNY Brockport is one of the first SUNY institutions to offer an undergraduate degree in neuroscience.

You will have the opportunity for hands-on instruction through lab and field courses as well as high-impact experiences through undergraduate research and internships.

What You’ll Learn

You will receive a solid foundation in biology, chemistry, and psychology in order to communicate and work with experts to uncover the how our brain and nervous system work.