Degree Programs

Health Majors

Nursing - LPNs and LVNs must complete an accredited nurse training program. These programs award a certificate or diploma and typically take about 1 year to complete. They are commonly found in technical schools and community colleges, although some nursing programs may be available directly through hospitals. Practical nursing programs combine classroom learning in subjects such as nursing, anatomy, human physiology, biology, and pharmacology. Programs also include supervised clinical experience and hospital rotations.

Medical Imaging Lab Tech Dental

Medicine - All physicians and surgeons also must pass a standardized national licensure exam. M.D.s take the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). D.O.s take the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX-USA). For specific state information about licensing, contact your state's medical board.

Sports Training - Coaching staff works to support and train players, with massage therapists, fitness specialists, nutrition, and medical personnel. Sports coaches improve the physical condition of an athlete to help increase their full performance; improve form, technique, skills and stamina. Their role involves identifying individual athletes strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of their opponents.

Majors in the Arts

Film making - Students may pursue film programs at specialized colleges, learning about film history, editing, screenwriting, cinematography, and the filmmaking process. Film makers may also have bachelors degrees in either journalism or communications. Stage directors, by comparison, may complete a degree in theater and go on to earn a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree. Classes in this major include directing, playwriting, set design, and acting. Producers and directors might start out working in theatrical management offices as business or company managers. In television or film, they might start out as assistants or in other low-profile studio jobs.

Graphic Design - Good graphic design stems from an understanding of page design, like you'd see in a magazine. If you break down the elements that make up website design, such as color palettes and mobile graphics, you'll end up with commercial art that works well. Designers must be able to create visual concepts that inspire, inform, or captivate consumers, while art directors are responsible for the layout of pages, product packaging, or other elements that affect the overall appearance of a work. The National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredits programs in studio art, computerized design, and graphics.

Fine Art - The National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredits more than 360 postsecondary colleges, universities, and independent institutes with programs in art and design. Most programs include courses in studio art, principles of design, computerized design, commercial graphics production, printing techniques, and website design. For many artists, including graphic designers, developing a portfolio is essential because employers rely on portfolios in making hiring decisions. Most established artists invest effort selling their artwork to potential customers, marketing their work online, and building a reputation.

Music - Undergrad music programs offer classes in music history, style and improvisation, and teach methods for improving instrumental and vocal technique. Voice coaching programs include courses in musical expression in live performances, which helps students develop the ability to play music comfortably under the stress of a large audience. Educational and training requirements for music directors and composers vary, although most positions require related work experience, found by submitting recordings of their compositions to bands, singers, record companies, and movie studios. Composers may promote themselves directly through licensing original recordings online.

Dance - Some of the most common dance assessment methods are auditions and stage performances, direct observations in class, self-assessments, peer responses, and video portfolios. The National Dance Association of the United States has formulated standards by which students are evaluated. These standards include a various set of skills, from being able to understand and perform choreographies to applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills to learning dance.

Business majors

Management - There are a variety of approaches to project management. Critical chain management (CCPM) puts more emphasis on the resources required to execute tasks, while event chain methodology focuses on managing events that will affect scheduling. Regardless of the method you choose, the Small Business Administration advises listing out specific project objectives, create a working timeline of both materials and personnel, and monitor all required costs as the project proceeds. Project control means keeping on-track, on-time, and under budget.

Marketing - Marketing specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent, whether in private industry or for government agencies. Public relations, on the other hand, may involve designing media releases in an attempt to shape public perception of their organization and to increase awareness of its work and long-term goals. Publicity may require consultation with advertising agencies to arrange promotional campaigns in all types of print and digital media.

Finance - Assessing a company's stability requires the use of both income statements and balance sheet, as well as non-financial indicators. Financial analysts compare financial ratios of solvency, profitability, and growth, to better judge the value of a company's performance. Liquidity ratios measure the availability of cash to pay current liabilities, while debt ratios measure the firm's ability to repay long-term debt. Profitability ratios, on the other hand, gauge asset use and expense control, to generate a market rate-of-return. Financial ratios must be considered with care, because they depend on the accounting methods used. A discount rate is used to determine the present value of expected returns, and if a business anticipates being highly profitable in the short-term, it may be wiser to take out a bank loan, rather than expand the number of shares outstanding.

Accounting - Accountants and auditors ensure that financial records are accurate and that taxes are paid properly and on time. Public accountants work with financial documents that clients are required by law to disclose. These include tax forms and balance sheet statements that corporations must provide to potential investors. Budget analysts prepare budget reports and monitor institutional spending, while cost estimators collect and analyze accounting data. A certified public accountant (CPA) may utilize these reports in preparing summaries for managerial accounting purposes, as well as in tax filings and SEC reporting.

Humanities

Education - The majority of teacher licensure programs are five-year commitments. Students earn a baccalaureate degree from the College of Arts & Sciences and a minor in Elementary, Middle School or Secondary Education from the College of Education at the end of senior year. During the fifth year, students enroll in a one-year internship to complete requirements for a teaching license and to earn graduate credits toward a master's degree. While prospective K-5 teachers may complete any Arts & Sciences major, future secondary and middle school teachers may select a major in the subject area they plan to teach.

History - History is a common undergrad major leading to law school admissions. If you enjoy learning about US history, political sciene, or European history, even as far back as ancient history, then follow your natural inclinations. What motivation do historians bring to bear when they dedicate years of research in order to uncover the facts surrounding historic developments? It's more important to understand the significance of conflicts or government actions, than it is to memorize historical dates and persons.

Law - Legal careers can range from working in a legal setting such as a courtroom or law office to corporate consulting or maritime law. Preparing legal advice or representation for a client commonly requires substantial research into applicable international trade laws and regulations. All lawyers in the US must have a law degree and must also pass their state's written bar examination. Most states and jurisdictions require lawyers to complete a juris doctor (JD) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA), including courses such as constitutional law, contracts, maritime law, civil procedure, and legal writing. Students may complete an internship at a law firm, working under the supervision of an experienced attorney.

English - As the basis of many careers, students are advised to choose an English major. For writing classes, make the paragraph your basis of composition, and limit each paragraph to a specific topic. In fact, begin each paragraph with your topic sentence, both in creative writing as well as for technical writing. Choose a method of organizing your thoughts, and then follow through with persuasive technique.

Engineering & Computer

Engineering - Mechanical engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or mechanical engineering technology. Mechanical engineering programs usually include courses in mathematics and life and physical sciences, as well as engineering and design. Mechanical engineering technology programs focus less on theory and more on the practical application of engineering principles. A Professional Engineering (PE) license, which allows for higher levels of leadership and independence, can be acquired later in one's career.

Robotics - Manufacturing facilities around the world are increasing adoption of industrial robots to increase automation and maintain competitiveness. In both the US and China particularly, application of industrial robots is on the rise. Sales of industrial robots grew by 66 percent in the past 5 years alone in the USA, according to the International Federation of Robots. The Robotic Industries Association (RIA) reported that the world market for industrial robots is driven primarily by demand from motor vehicle manufacturing, followed by the electronics industry.

Programming - Computer programmers write and test code that allows computer applications to function properly. The financial crisis has only strengthened the need for talented software engineers. C# combines the robustness of C++ with the advanced features of JAVA. The C# language is most easily compiled within Visual Studio IDE, a rapid-development platform. If you are writing a web-based application in ASP.NET, you will be required to code in C# or Visual Basic for the backend. The JAVA language further adds to the capabilities of C++, and is portable, independent of the underlying operating system.

Web Design - Website developers are responsible for both the graphical aspects of website design, as well as technical requirements including performance and capacity. In addition, either Android app development or iOS apps may be called for as an adjunct to mobile websites. Beyond a thorough background in HTML5 and CSS, webmasters must master JavaScript and PHP/mySQL.

Networking - Network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks. They organize, install, and support an organization?s computer systems, including local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), network segments, intranets, and other data communication systems. They must determine the system requirements and limitations, and make needed hardware and software upgrades to ensure that systems are operating correctly. They also maintain network security, and optimize system performance.