Bachelor of Science in English

at State University of New York College at Brockport USA

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

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 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.

The Department of Kinesiology, Sport Studies and Physical Education offers a 45 credit sport management major to prepare students for careers in profit and non-profit sport, recreation and fitness organizations. Sport Management at SUNY Brockport is one of the oldest undergraduate programs in the world, having been initiated in 1975. The curriculum provides a thorough foundation of sport management and studies theory, coupled with an extensive array of domestic and international, real-world experiences through various field experiences (practica), research and problem solving opportunities, as well as a full semester long off-campus internship.

As a sport management major, you'll apply classroom learning to three on- or off-campus mini-internships and one full semester off-campus internship that can be completed locally, nationally, or internationally. To complement the sport management major, you'll choose a minor or second program of study one from the following, or spend a semester studying abroad.

• Business
• Marketing
• Finance
• Communications
• Journalism, Broadcasting, and Public Relations
• Recreation and Leisure
• Coaching
• Kinesiology

What You’ll Learn

You'll develop a comprehensive set of skills to help you in the sport management field, including marketing, fundraising, finance, facilities, and research.

You'll also learn about the societal, ethical, and philosophical perspectives related to sport organizations and employee and athlete behavior within sport organizations.

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.

Environmental problems are among the most urgent issues facing our civilization. In order to manage Earth's environment well, we must understand the processes that shape its surface; control its air, water and soil chemistry; and produce the biological and other resources upon which humans depend. We must also understand the interactions of animals, plants, and other living organisms with their physical and chemical environments.

The Master of Science in Environmental Science and Ecology is a demanding, thesis-based experience. The curriculum is designed to challenge students to think critically, independently, and creatively, while providing the intellectual depth and breadth necessary to support the research formally developed in the thesis proposal. The curriculum, with a common core and an individual course of study, allows graduate candidates to develop the conceptual knowledge and technical skills necessary to understand and solve environmental problems in ecology, chemistry, and the earth sciences. The fields of study encompassed by the program include:

• "Green" and water chemistry
• Watershed analysis
• Limnology
• Fisheries and wildlife science and management
• Conservation biology
• Wetland ecology
• Ecosystem ecology and global change
• Aquaculture

Graduates in environmental science and biology have been very successful in gaining admission to doctoral programs or finding professional employment in their chosen field.

Student Learning Outcomes

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

• Explain advanced environmental science topics and policies, biological processes, and ecological principles.
• Design and execute an original research study involving data collection.
• Summarize, analyze, and interpret scientific data, using relevant quantitative skills and applying major environmental concepts.
• Summarize, organize, and communicate scientific data and analyses in oral/or written formats.
• Employ decision-making and problem-solving skills, such as evaluating competing explanations or applying scientific knowledge to environmental problems.
• Develop professional skills necessary to succeed in the environmental science and ecology fields.

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.

The Department of Dance at SUNY Brockport seeks to provide a rigorous and nurturing environment for the development of artists, scholars, choreographers, and educators. We support creativity through conceptualization and performance. The Department of Dance comprises artists, scholars, and educators who train dancers on the graduate and undergraduate level for a wide variety of careers in the arts.

The department has some of the best dance facilities in the country, including its own fully equipped proscenium dance theater, a large-space studio theater, five studios, a body-conditioning lab, costume and scene shops, and computerized music and design studios. Faculty and professional staff are nationally and internationally recognized in their areas of expertise and are leaders in professional organizations such as CORD, NASD and NDEO.

Undergraduates with a strong foundation of dance training are invited to participate in the program by auditioning to enroll as dance majors or minors in the BA or BS programs, and are eligible to apply to the BFA program in the second semester. Additionally, the department offers three graduate degrees, and serves a large number of students through courses that fulfill General Education requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes:

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

• Apply artistry through qualitative and rhythmic phrasing, dynamic range & individual expressivity.
• Embody consistently clear physical knowledge, movement accuracy and technical expertise of contemporary dance idioms.
• Create choreography that integrates imaginative and structural concepts.
• Articulate an understanding of aesthetics through dance-making and/or oral and written forms.
• Analyze human movement from varied theoretical and experiential perspectives.
• Identify individual interests and abilities in order to situate within the larger dance field.
• Exhibit appropriate professional conduct throughout choreographic process, performance, collaboration, and production.

Our accounting major can take you in a wide variety of career directions, including:

• Public Accounting
• Non-profit/Government Accounting
• Corporate Accounting

Our accounting professions seminar prepares you for the extensive recruiting activities that annually occur on campus.

Qualified undergraduates can also take advantage of our one-year MS in Accounting program, granting them the necessary 150 credit hours to become eligible for the CPA license.

Our accounting program is accredited and registered with the New York State Board of Education.

What You’ll Learn

You will gain a strong foundation in accurately reporting financial data and utilizing this information to evaluate and make strategic business decisions. Our students complete specialized coursework in accounting software and learn about the current regulatory environment. 

The Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) major leads to "initial certification" to teach physical education in grades PreK-12 in New York State.The major also certifies candidates to coach in NYS. To obtain "professional certification" students must earn a master’s degree within five years of initial certification.

Student Learning Outcomes:

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

• Physical education candidates demonstrate an understanding of common and specialized content, and scientific and theoretical foundations for the delivery of an effective preK-12 physical education program.
• Physical education candidates are physically literate individuals who can demonstrate skillful performance in physical education content areas and health-enhancing levels of fitness.
• Physical education candidates apply content and foundational knowledge to plan and implement developmentally appropriate learning experiences aligned with local, state and/or SHAPE America's National Standards and Grade-Level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education through the effective use of resources, accommodations and/or modifications, technology and metacognitive strategies to address the diverse needs of all students.
• Physical education candidates engage students in meaningful learning experiences through effective use of pedagogical skills. They use communication, feedback, technology, and instructional and managerial skills to enhance student learning.
• Physical education candidates select and implement appropriate assessments to monitor students' progress and guide decision making related to instruction and learning.
• Physical education candidates demonstrate behaviors essential to becoming effective professionals. They exhibit professional ethics and culturally competent practices; seek opportunities for continued professional development; and demonstrate knowledge of promotion/advocacy strategies for physical education and expanded physical activity opportunities that support the development of physically literate individuals.