RFI

Digital media literacy is the ability to access, analyze, create and use digital media. This includes everything from knowing how to find credible information online to being able to communicate using digital media. A few examples of digital media literacy include knowing how to use digital media technology, spotting misinformation, creating digital content and evaluating the social, cultural and historical impact of media.

Digital media literacy goes beyond digital literacy and using digital tools. Instead, digital media literacy is the ability to use digital media to understand and interact with the world around you. Upon graduating from this program, you’ll have the skills needed to interpret digital media and produce digital content in a way that can benefit society.

Why is digital media literacy important?

Digital media is all around us. Nearly every message is created or distributed using digital technology, making it easier than ever to access important information. While this is generally seen as a positive, the rapid spread of misinformation can threaten our democracy. Being able to navigate these digital media challenges is fundamental to being a well-informed member of society.

Digital media literacy is not only important on a personal level, but also in the workplace and community. Understanding how people interact with information is essential in many communications careers. If you want to further develop your digital media skills, you can pair this degree with an online Bachelor of Science in digital audiences or further your education with the Master of Science in digital audience strategy.

Who’s a good candidate for this program?

If you’re interested in content creation, digital humanities, representation in media and education communication or other related fields, this online digital media literacy degree may be a great fit for you. Preparing you to be at the forefront of strategic digital media decisions with a deep understanding of how information and technology affect our daily interactions, you’ll graduate with the skills and knowledge needed to advance your career or pursue master’s, PhD or other professional programs.

One thing that sets this degree apart from other communication degrees is its focus on what happens after the content is made and distributed. You’ll learn how to examine who saw the content, who trusts it and what the audience did with it. This degree aims to help you become a professional communicator and understand how digital content helps or harms your audience and their communities, so you can create content that has a positive impact. 

This counseling and applied psychological science degree equips you with foundational training in trauma, lifespan development, group counseling and professional ethics. A unique aspect of this program is its attention to cultural diversity, which focuses on age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion and socioeconomic status. In addition, you’ll also gain transferable skills that will prepare you for many roles, including:

• Adaptability
• Analytical skills
• Cultural sensitivity
• Interpersonal skills
• Leadership
• Problem solving
• Research methods
• Understanding group dynamics

Tailor your studies to fit your career goals

In this program, you’ll learn the foundational principles of counseling and explore strategies that promote psychological well-being in others. Ideal candidates include those interested in improving behavioral health among individuals and families. This program is beneficial if you have an associate degree in a related field or are working in human services roles, such as care coordinator, caseworker and clinical school liaison.

Interested in exploring specific areas of counseling and applied psychological science? Check out the three online concentrations available:

• Counseling military members and veterans.
  • In this concentration, you’ll explore the distinct challenges that military members and veterans encounter. You’ll also learn how to effectively address these issues, enabling you to make a meaningful impact in their lives.
• Sports and performance counseling.
  • In this concentration, you’ll discover the psychological challenges athletes face after a major injury or retiring from their sport. You’ll also examine why humans are captivated by sports and how games bring people together.
• Substance abuse and addictions.
  • In this concentration, you’ll focus on counseling strategies for clients experiencing addiction. You’ll learn how to screen, assess, diagnose and treat those with substance abuse problems, behavioral addictions or other related conditions.

Does this program lead to counseling licensure?

While this program doesn’t lead to counseling licensure, it’ll prepare you for graduate programs and other advanced training. Upon graduation, you’ll feel confident supporting licensed counselors in behavioral health care delivery settings or beginning a graduate degree program in a counseling-related field. As part of the program, you’ll also participate in a hands-on internship where you may shadow a licensed therapist and practice counseling theory in a supportive training environment.

Please note: Only the BS with a concentration in substance abuse and addictions offers a pathway to licensure in Arizona as a Licensed Addiction Counselor Technician (LACT).

Mechanical engineering is the most diverse and versatile field of engineering, playing a critical role in numerous modern industries such as aerospace, construction, power, technology and transportation. As a mechanical engineer, you'll design, build and control devices, machines, processes and systems that are the cornerstones of our industrialized society. These systems include heating and cooling systems, solar power solutions, robotics, manufacturing processes and electronics.

To succeed in this field, you'll need advanced knowledge of physics and mathematics to tackle the complexity of these mechanical systems. The job duties of a mechanical engineer are incredibly versatile, allowing you to find a position that aligns with your interests. Whether designing biomedical devices, internal combustion engines, fuel-efficient vehicles or planning energy systems in the electrical power industry, the opportunities are vast and varied.

The skills you’ll develop in this program

Throughout this mechanical engineering degree concentration, you’ll gain the skills needed to design, manufacture and operate components, devices and systems, including:

• Computer-aided design.
• Computer programming.
• Data science and statistics.
• Engineering design process.
• Finite-element analysis.
• Rapid prototyping.
• Technical writing.
• Testing and validation.

You’ll also learn how to use governing energy transfer, mechanical design, sensors and control devices principles to solve practical and timely engineering problems. This might include analyzing pollution, dissecting mechanical systems or creating automatic control systems.

What you can do with a mechanical engineering degree

Upon graduation, you’ll be prepared for careers in automotive research, heating and cooling systems design, robotics development and more. This mechanical engineering degree concentration provides a robust foundation for diverse engineering and technical roles, and may lead you to advanced graduate programs.

This bachelor’s degree can be completed as part of an Accelerated Master’s program. When accepted, you can earn a master’s degree in as little as one year after completing your undergraduate degree. This opportunity saves you time and money while giving you advanced knowledge in your field. Applicable master's degrees include:

• Master of Science in materials science and engineering.

In this program, you’ll uncover what it means to be human by studying both history and biology. You’ll also gain expertise in data analysis and research design, focusing on human evolution, archaeology and the broader field of anthropology. By mastering the scientific method, you’ll learn to formulate and test hypotheses, gather data through observation and excavation, and analyze it using statistics.

Beyond building technical skills, this degree encourages you to ask profound questions about humanity. You’ll explore what defines us — our cultures, beliefs, social behaviors, evolution and biology — and connect with the lives of people from both the recent and distant past. Through this journey, you’ll seek to understand how human behavior has evolved and continues to change, gaining a deep insight into what it truly means to be human.

The skills you’ll develop as an anthropology major

As an anthropology major, you’ll develop a unique set of skills that are valued across fields. You’ll learn to “think like an anthropologist,” honing your ability to manage, evaluate and interpret large amounts of data with an analytical mindset. You’ll also gain a broad, holistic perspective that allows you to appreciate our place in nature and understand the history of human societal change. This deep understanding of human behavior, combined with the ability to grasp nuance and ask important questions, will prepare you for success in science, medicine, business and more. Additionally, ASU offers a variety of hands-on research opportunities to undergraduate anthropology students.

The differences between a BA and BS in anthropology

When choosing between a BS and a BA in anthropology, it’s important to consider your interests and career goals. If you’re drawn to the scientific and mathematical aspects of the field, including evolutionary anthropology, bioarcheology or specialized areas of archaeology, the BS degree will be a good fit. On the other hand, if you're more interested in exploring human behavior through archaeology or sociocultural anthropology, or if you prefer a general overview of the field without focusing on a specialty, the BA degree will be ideal for you.

Both the BA and BS programs can be completed as part of an Accelerated Master’s program. When accepted, you can earn a master’s degree in as little as one year after completing your undergraduate degree. This opportunity saves you time and money while giving you advanced knowledge in your field. Applicable master’s degrees include:

• Master of Science in global health

This justice studies degree is a social science-based undergraduate program that examines justice and social inquiry from diverse perspectives. As a justice studies major, you’ll analyze how the definition of justice changes based on classical, contemporary, domestic and global contexts.

This degree is ideal if you want to understand what justice is and how to achieve it, as well as have the desire to drive social transformation.

The skills you’ll develop in this program

This justice studies degree provides you with tools to understand and achieve justice in the U.S. The curriculum includes classic and contemporary philosophies and theories of justice. You’ll gain a broad foundation in social science, the humanities and other focus areas needed for success in the field.

This program will prepare you for a wide range of career paths in law, government, politics, education and more. You’ll develop valuable, transferable skills, such as critical thinking, oral and written communication, collaboration, critical analysis, digital technology and intercultural fluency.

What’s the difference between a BA and a BS in justice studies?

This BA is very similar to ASU’s BS in justice studies online. The primary difference between these two programs is the foreign language requirement in this BA program.

Additionally, if you have an interest in social science, you may lean toward the Bachelor of Arts. If you want to prioritize statistical analysis and quantitative inquiry in your studies, the Bachelor of Science may be better for you.

If you’re interested in pursuing a law degree, earning a BA or a BS justice studies degree will provide a well-rounded education that prepares you for law school. You'll gain abstract thinking skills, the ability to interpret texts and a high reading comprehension, which will help on your Law School Admission Test (LSAT). You'll also learn to think reasonably and logically, which law schools typically look for in candidates.

It’s important to note this isn’t a criminology program. It doesn’t prepare you for a career in criminal justice.

Data science is an interdisciplinary area between statistics, mathematics and computer science. This degree prepares you to be a critical analyst and user of data in a variety of areas such as business, research and government.

This program also focuses on the ethical production and use of data. Utilizing cutting-edge trends in data, you’ll gain a strong mathematics background to understand how it works. You’ll learn from esteemed faculty who are performing their own research in the areas of probability, statistics, scientific computing, applied math and more.

Designed to support your career goals, you can choose a focus area and complete six courses tailored to relevant topics. Available tracks include:

• Behavioral science: This track positions you for data science careers centered on human behaviors and attitudes, cognitive science, human development and medicine. It also prepares you for graduate training in quantitative psychology, human development, education and biostatistics.
• Bioscience: In this track, you’ll learn how to apply computational skills to life sciences research.
• Business analytics: This track teaches you how to be an effective data scientist within a business environment.
• Chemistry and biochemistry: This track provides you with the foundational knowledge of chemistry and biochemistry necessary to understand and analyze complex chemical and biochemical datasets.
• Computer science: In this track, you’ll build enhanced programming and data skills, with a focus on information assurance.
• Mathematics: This track provides a broad set of data science skills. In addition to providing you a solid background in statistics and computational and applied math required for solving engineering problems, this track also trains you for practical solutions regarding databases, agricultural and environmental data, and more.
• Social science: This track provides you with the knowledge and skills to understand and analyze how macro-scale patterns of organization and social structures emerge from individual behavior and decentralized decision-making.
• Spatial science: This track offers you a unique angle for analyzing the world with geospatial big data that’s being generated in real-time today.

What data science skills will I learn?

You’ll develop data-related skills beneficial to solving practical issues in a variety of fields. You’ll learn how modern science and technology use sophisticated mathematical, statistical and computational tools to extract patterns from large, complex and often unordered data sets. You’ll also become proficient in:

• Machine learning and data mining.
• Personalizing medical treatments based on a tumor’s unique genetic profile.
• Technologies with applications as diverse as detecting fraudulent online credit card transactions.
• Understanding the dynamic of social movements.

Additionally, you’ll expand your teamwork, critical thinking, programming, research and coding skills.

Data science: An in-demand, high-paying career

There’s a high need for those who can think critically and provide analysis of the world around them through large data sets. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for data scientists was $108,020 in 2023. And employment of data scientists is projected to grow 36% from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Earning an online data science degree and becoming a proficient user and producer of data prepares you to be a strong candidate for these roles. From predicting consumer behavior to extracting information from medical images and more, you’ll graduate ready for a career that inspires global change.

In addition, this bachelor’s degree can be completed as part of an Accelerated Master’s program. When accepted, you can earn a master’s degree in as little as one year after completing your undergraduate degree. This opportunity saves you time and money while giving you advanced knowledge in your field. Applicable master's degrees include:

• Master of Science in computational life sciences.

This multifaceted program focuses on the experience of African-descended people in the past and present. You’ll examine pre-colonial Africa, the trans-Atlantic slave trade and African migration in history-based courses. The program places a special emphasis on studying the African diaspora, or the communities of African-descended people around the world resulting from migration.

Courses in this program also explore the culture, art, histories and politics of communities across the African diaspora in the Americas, Caribbean, Europe and continental Africa. You’ll also delve into the impact of institutional racism around the world. In a critical race theory course, you’ll examine how race is used, constructed and contested in America. Elective courses focus on racism in fields such as medicine, criminal justice, politics and education.

The skills you’ll develop in this program

This program bridges the humanities, social sciences and arts, and you'll learn a wide range of skills from these disciplines. Your courses will teach you how to combine information from various fields to analyze and solve complex problems. You'll also develop strong research abilities, cultural communication skills and diversity awareness. These skills will prepare you to lead efforts to build more equitable workplaces and environments across society.

What can you do with an African and African American Studies degree?

The interdisciplinary nature of this program means you’ll gain valuable transferable skills that apply to many career opportunities. You’ll be well-equipped for jobs focused on communication, social policy or diversity awareness. Upon graduation, you may also pursue an advanced degree in a related field such as sociology, political science or law.