University
offers students more choices
Education:
CSULB expands programs to offer new options
in various areas of study.
By
Mandy Wright
On-line Forty-Niner
Students
unsure of which academic direction to take
now have some new options available. As
of this year, Cal State Long Beach is offering
three more undergraduate majors, a new joint
doctoral program, an additional minor program
and four new options within majors.
In
the new environmental science and policy
program, students can choose whether they
want to receive a bachelor of arts or a
bachelor of science degree. While both degrees
require that students take some combination
of natural science and social science courses,
the program allows students to focus on
their area of interest. Because of the flexibility
of the program, students can also change
their focus if needed.
"The
program really offers some unique junctures
during which a student can change their
mind," said Darwin Hall, a director
of the program and professor of economics.
Students
involved in the environmental science and
policy program will study a variety of issues
ranging from the effects of pollution on
absenteeism at work and school to the environmental
benefits
of planting trees and painting surfaces
white to reflect heat.
With
a degree in environmental science and policy,
students can choose to attend medical school
or law school, or pursue careers in anything
from government to education.
Another
new major currently being offered is French
studies. The program differs from the French
major in that it focuses on French history,
economics and political science in addition
to the language and literature.
"The
French Studies major really positions CSULB
at the forefront of innovation," said
David Shafer, assistant professor of European
studies and director of the new program.
"We are the first public university
in California (and possibly west of
the Mississippi River) to offer a truly
interdisciplinary French studies major.
Other universities might call their French
major 'French studies,' but they are little
different from our French major where students
concentrate on French language and literature."
Students
with a degree in French studies will be
well prepared to pursue a teaching credential
in French, or a career in international
business.
CSULB
is also now offering a joint doctoral program
in educational administration and leadership.
The program was developed because of the
overwhelming need for educational leadership,
especially at the community college level.
"The
Long Beach specialization area, educational
leadership at the community college level,
is especially attractive to students as
there is a limited number of doctoral programs
in this field in the United States,"
said Jean Houck, dean of the College of
Education.
A
new minor being offered is within the family
and consumer sciences department. A minor
in child development and family studies
will prepare students for careers in counseling,
parent education and child development education.
Among
the new options available is an option in
dance science for the bachelor of
arts in dance program. While the B.A. in
dance focuses on technique and performance,
the dance science option is for students
who want a more complete understanding of
how the human body works in dance. In addition
to the required dance courses, the option
also requires human anatomy, human physiology,
biomechanics of human movement, Pilates
and a number of kinesiology courses. This
option will prepare students for careers
in teaching dance or graduate studies in
dance science.
Other
options now offered include an option in
elementary science education for the master's
of science in science education, which is
geared toward those interested in teaching
grades K through 8, an option in theatre
management within the master's of fine arts
program in the theatre arts, and an option
in applied statistics in the M.S. of mathematics
program.
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