Bachelor of Arts, Major in Political Science

at University of St. Francis USA

The Finance degree is designed for students who intend to assume professional roles as financial managers. USF will prepare you with the knowledge, skills and tools you’ll need to be an effective manager of financial resources. A student may choose one of four concentrations that combine a traditional and certification-ready curriculum, experiential learning and practitioner-based instruction.

Finance students will learn to weigh benefits and costs by applying fundamental and advanced financial concepts in the decision making process. They will design financial spreadsheet models to solve real-world financial management problems, and will help advance the study of finance and its impact, both locally and globally, to make the world a better place.

An added benefit, seniors who feel inspired to keep studying to obtain an MBA or M.S. degree may take graduate-level courses during their last two semesters for dual undergraduate and graduate credit. That means students can take nine graduate-level credit hours during senior year, and can complete their MBA or M.S. one year after graduating if they attend full time. See course catalog for additional details about the “3 to Degree” program.

The Nuclear Medicine Technology program at the University of St. Francis combines chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer technology, and biology in using radioactivity to diagnose and treat disease. Nuclear medicine uniquely provides information about both the structure and function of virtually every major organ system within the body. And the best part? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the 2017 median pay for nuclear medicine technologists was $75,660 per year. The bureau also estimates employment for nuclear medicine technologists to increase by 10% by 2026, which is faster than the average growth for all occupations. In other words, it’s a great time to study nuclear medicine technology!

Classes at the University of St. Francis are small, with an average class consisting of about 16 students. That means you’ll be part of an intimate community of students and work closely with professors, allowing for deeper learning. It’s the ideal environment for a budding nuclear medicine technologist, and this major is recommended for anyone interested in pursuing a career in the allied health profession.

Industrial-organizational psychology is the scientific study of human behavior in organizations and the workplace. As an I-O Psychology major at USF, you’ll learn about major psychological theories and their application in human resources through hiring, training and talent development, performance appraisal, motivation and work satisfaction. You’ll also learn more about organizational communication, organizational change and development, team building and leadership, culture and diversity, safety in the workplace and more. You’ll conduct field research and assessment, and will grow your skills in literature-based research, problem solving, oral and written communication, teamwork, critical thinking, and independent learning. You’ll also enrich your commitment to values and ethics while doing research and business—guided by the values of respect, integrity, compassion and service.

Graduates will be able to apply their understanding of major psychological theories and principles in their organizations and work life. They will be prepared for entry-level job positions and graduate-level training. According to a survey, jobs in the I-O psychology field are projected to increase by 19 percent before 2024.

Mathematics permeates virtually every intellectual discipline. Carl Friedrich Gauss called mathematics the “queen of the sciences” and indeed, it forms an integral part of scientific thought and is a necessary component of contemporary advances in all scientific fields. Mathematics majors are analytical, detail-oriented and methodical.

It’s a great time to be a mathematician! The career outlook for mathematicians is favorable and healthy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median salary for mathematicians and statisticians as $84,760 with a projected 33 percent increase in employment by 2026.

The mathematics program at the University of St. exposes students to the various topics in undergraduate mathematics along with analytical skills to continue lifelong learning and application of mathematics. Dedicated faculty members get excited about innovations in technology and education and bring both to their classrooms. They also work closely with their students to cultivate a student’s personal interest.

On the front page, on the home page, on camera, or behind the microphone… these are just a few of the places you’ll find University of St. Francis Communication & Media Arts (CMMA) majors.

Communication & Media Arts is a broad field that touches on every aspect of human social behavior. Along with traditional communication theory, media writing, and broadcast/print production, you will learn about new and emerging electronic media. Digital media, wikis, video sharing, podcasts, blogs and social media are altering the way we communicate. In CMMA you will explore the fast-changing fields of advertising, public relations, journalism and broadcasting.

Students are encouraged to “jump in with both feet” from the moment they step on campus by:

• Writing articles or taking photos for the USF Encounter student news magazine
• Filling air shifts on USF’s radio station, WCSF 88.7 FM
• Creating graphics for a television or video production
• Producing on-location video news stories
• Designing websites for the community and completing real world projects
• Developing storytelling techniques for social media

Concentrations

• Advertising & Marketing
• Audio
• Journalism & Public Communication
• Media Studies
• Video
• Visual Communication

The University of St. Francis Psychology program provides students with a solid foundation in psychology preparing you for successful career development — in graduate training or the workplace. You will explore ideas, learn cognitive skills, and experience both personal and professional development.

Designed using the guidelines of the American Psychological Association (APA), USF’s Psychology program offers students the knowledge and flexibility to enter a specified field for advanced post-graduate training. Students may individualize their course of study according to their personal interests such as clinical, developmental or social psychology or gerontology. You can gain more experience through USF’s Psychology Club, which offers field trips, social gatherings, admission to psychology conferences and more. Study psychology at USF, and you’ll be prepared for a successful future!

A growing field with many options, employment for psychologists is expected to grow 14 percent by 2026, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Web Application Development focuses on implementation of automated business systems on the internet. This major prepares highly technical developers for a variety of positions in the world of business marketing for the World Wide Web. The Web Development major will give you the course work to prepare you for new challenges in the world of web technology.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, web developers earn a median salary of $67,990 and are expected to see a 15 percent increase in jobs by 2026. Web development is not only planning a website, but also understanding and supporting the database technology, the planning of a system project and the network requirements.

This major incorporates the visual and oral communica­tion aspects of web development with the technology components of networking and program­ming. Students in this program will be prepared to create well-designed websites and manage the creation of those websites and will also be prepared to implement and administer web servers. The emphasis of the program is on the design and development of server applications, site planning, page creation, tools, and technologies for server automation and hosting options.

The Criminal & Social Justice major at the University of St. Francis offers students an exciting alternative to a traditional criminal justice program by offering the opportunity to build a concentration in one of several specializations. The focus of the program goes beyond the criminal justice system and examines historical, social, and legal barriers to creating a more just society. Students are educated about the structure and process of the criminal justice system with a holistic, Catholic social justice perspective.

Writing skills, ethics and integrity, service and social justice are emphasized to prepare students for a profession where these traits and skills are in high demand. The program seeks to provide students with a broad liberal arts foundation challenged by Franciscan values, and engage them in the continuous pursuit of knowledge, faith, wisdom, and justice. Students will explore and understand societal issues that lead to criminal behavior, and will learn theoretical and practical knowledge of the structures, processes, and functions of the criminal justice institutions and their relationship to other social systems.

Concentrations

• Forensics
• Language & Cultural Diversity
• Law & Politics
• Leadership
• Psychology
• Social Work

On the front page, on the home page, on camera, or behind the microphone… these are just a few of the places you’ll find University of St. Francis Communication & Media Arts (CMMA) majors.

Communication & Media Arts is a broad field that touches on every aspect of human social behavior. Along with traditional communication theory, media writing, and broadcast/print production, you will learn about new and emerging electronic media. Digital media, wikis, video sharing, podcasts, blogs and social media are altering the way we communicate. In CMMA you will explore the fast-changing fields of advertising, public relations, journalism and broadcasting.

Students are encouraged to “jump in with both feet” from the moment they step on campus by:

• Writing articles or taking photos for the USF Encounter student news magazine
• Filling air shifts on USF’s radio station, WCSF 88.7 FM
• Creating graphics for a television or video production
• Producing on-location video news stories
• Designing websites for the community and completing real world projects
• Developing storytelling techniques for social media

The Finance degree is designed for students who intend to assume professional roles as financial managers. USF will prepare you with the knowledge, skills and tools you’ll need to be an effective manager of financial resources. A student may choose one of four concentrations that combine a traditional and certification-ready curriculum, experiential learning and practitioner-based instruction.

Finance students will learn to weigh benefits and costs by applying fundamental and advanced financial concepts in the decision making process. They will design financial spreadsheet models to solve real-world financial management problems, and will help advance the study of finance and its impact, both locally and globally, to make the world a better place.

An added benefit, seniors who feel inspired to keep studying to obtain an MBA or M.S. degree may take graduate-level courses during their last two semesters for dual undergraduate and graduate credit. That means students can take nine graduate-level credit hours during senior year, and can complete their MBA or M.S. one year after graduating if they attend full time. See course catalog for additional details about the “3 to Degree” program.