If you’re pursuing an online program at The University of Texas Permian Basin, you know that studying online has its perks and conveniences, including the ability to complete coursework at any time from the comfort of your own home. However, an online format can also pose unique challenges. Some students may feel isolated, which can impact their motivation to engage in courses. For other students, faulty or out-of-date technology may pose an issue. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways that online students can overcome these challenges, manage their time and resources successfully, and find their place in the UTPB Falcon Family.
Online education can trace its origins to the mid-1800s, when the U.S. Postal Service developed “correspondence colleges”: a new educational format in which professors sent materials by mail to students who couldn’t be on campus. Over a century later, in 1982, the first online courses were offered by Western Behavioral Sciences Institute in La Jolla, California. Since then, virtual education has become mainstream. About one in four college students are currently enrolled online across the United States, a number that has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, and technology has been keeping up with the changing times.
If you’re a prospective or current online student wondering what kind of technology you’ll use in your online classes, you’ll find it helpful to become acquainted with Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp, and your school’s apps and online platforms. Set up your computer’s camera and microphone ahead of time and check your connections. If you have spotty access to the internet, don’t be afraid to inform your advisor or professors. Some teachers will even record class sessions for students to watch later.
If you’ve ever felt tired or down when faced with long days studying at the computer, know you’re not alone. “Zoom Fatigue” isn’t just a pandemic-spurred catchphrase —it’s a real psychological phenomenon. Communication and peer interaction are just as important as your academic efforts when earning your degree. These social elements are sometimes missing when you study online, and virtual education may worsen existing mental health issues. Therefore, it is important to attend every class, introduce yourself, connect with peers, and participate in group discussions online.
Since you don’t have your professor and fellow classmates in the room with you, it’s important to ask questions if you have trouble understanding something. Participating online will help you relate and engage with your peers. It will also help you meet minimum participation requirements.
Join online clubs, forums, and groups (or create them if they don’t yet exist online for your school). Students can also seek out a virtual advisor or tutor, or attend online events. It’s also important that online students know that they’re not always limited to virtual coursework. Some programs may offer in-person field trips, internships, or practicums that allow them to connect with other professionals, especially if you live close to the university.
UT Permian Basin is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges and is ranked nationally by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top public schools, best regional universities, and a top performer on social mobility. At UT Permian Basin, we’ve made it easy to earn an online degree, and we’re committed to providing accessible, affordable education for our students.
UT Permian Basin offers over 40 online programs with six annual start dates, so you choose the program of study that interests you most and pursue it at the time that suits your life best. Meet with an academic advisor or schedule time online with a student outreach and engagement specialist as a prospective or current student to sort out any questions, comments, or issues you may have.
You can find more information on an immersive online management system called Falcon Online, which offers all the resources that online students need. Online students attend orientation virtually and attend classes using Canvas. Any UTPB student can use the university’s online library, which offers extensive online databases and chat options.
Ready to pursue the career of your dreams and become a member of the Falcon Family? Apply to one of UT Permian Basin’s online programs today!
Our criminal justice system relies on the efforts of numerous individuals to keep the wheels of justice turning. Peace officers have the power to enforce laws, cite offenders, and temporarily take suspects into custody. These suspects may then go before a judge, with or without a jury, to determine their guilt or innocence and any appropriate penalty. Upon conviction, correctional officers are then tasked with managing imprisonment, parole, and probation.
But what happens when there aren’t enough officers or judges to meet the demands of our society?
Understaffing in the U.S criminal justice system is on the rise, according to multiple sources. An alarming report issued by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) showed that 78% of law enforcement agencies had trouble finding qualified candidates and 65% did not have enough applicants to meet their needs. The consequences of the shortage are widespread and profound, and it appears to be on track to worsen soon.
From Florida to Minnesota to Arizona, law enforcement academies are facing recruitment shortages, and agencies are seeing fewer applicants and greater attrition among their personnel. “Less officers translate into a less effective response time,” police science professor Maria Haberfeld told a Philadelphia news outlet. With fewer officers to respond to calls, valuable time can be lost during or following a crime.
Underserved areas, where existing law enforcement personnel may become overworked and demoralized, are even more vulnerable to crime. “If you are in your 13th, 14th, 15th hour of overtime, your effectiveness obviously goes down,” Haberfeld explained. These conditions are leading an increasing number of frustrated officers to retire or resign.
The staffing outlook isn’t looking any more encouraging in corrections, where, according to some reports, corrections officers are in short supply due to COVID-19 concerns, economic uncertainty, and other job opportunities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects the loss of nearly 30,000 corrections officers—a 7% decline in employment—from 2020-2030, leaving prisons severely understaffed.
To quantify recent judge shortages, take as an example federal courts, which had more than 715,000 cases on their docket in the summer of 2021. That’s an increase of nearly 20% over the number of cases just one year prior and a 36% increase over the number of cases from five years earlier. Yet the same number of judges presided over all these cases. No new federal judges are likely to be seated before 2025, and state and local courts coast to coast are similarly facing a shortage of judges.
Such shortages lead to a backlog of court cases, which can force complainants and defendants to wait longer for justice to be served. Judges may also be inclined to dismiss more cases to lighten their caseload or speed up individual cases, potentially denying the involved parties a full and fair hearing.
What’s to be done about these problematic staffing shortfalls? Unfortunately, there’s no fast or easy fix. Systemic issues such as police accountability, poor working conditions, and budgetary concerns will need to be addressed to attract skilled candidates. While our society progresses toward a more effective and equitable criminal justice system, the field needs additional qualified personnel, making the employment opportunities for those with the right skills and credentials plentiful.
You can help fill the need for more knowledgeable, credentialed personnel in our criminal justice system. Whether you aspire to enter a criminal justice career upon graduation, want a stepping-stone to law school, or hope to advance in your current career in the field, UT Permian Basin has online degrees that can help you achieve your goals. Choose the program that aligns with your education and career level:
Online Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Criminal Justice Studies
Explore criminal justice from multiple perspectives and gain a broad foundation in general education topics to round out your education. If you want to go into public service, this is where you start.
Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration
If you have a bachelor’s degree in a criminal justice-related major and are active in a criminal justice career or recently completed your undergraduate studies and plan to enter the field, this online master’s degree program can provide the expertise and credentials you need. You’ll build advanced-level abilities that will prepare you for leadership positions with greater compensation potential. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, master’s degree holders earn about 18% more than bachelor’s degree holders. And you can finish this program in as little as one year!
Continuing your education in one of our online criminal justice programs is one of the most convenient and effective ways to start affecting positive change from within the criminal justice system. Research has consistently shown that officers with increased education levels are associated with fewer injuries, more positive supervisor evaluations, and decreased departmental use of force complaints. With your UTPB credentials, you can shape a stronger, more ethical criminal justice system.
Our online criminal justice degree programs feature the same robust curriculum used in their campus-based equivalents. Courses are taught by the same acclaimed faculty that teach on campus at UTPB— criminal justice experts with significant experience in both the field and the classroom. Who better to guide you through these career-enhancing programs than authorities who know the system from the inside?
Both our online criminal justice degree programs are presented in an asynchronous format that allows you to complete your studies anywhere, at your own pace, with no campus visits required. You can earn a respected university degree while continuing to meet your professional and personal commitments.
Want to be part of building a stronger criminal justice system? Apply now to gain the skills and credentials you need to succeed.
General education courses are required for every bachelor’s degree because they help students build a strong foundation before focusing on a major. No matter what field you choose, these courses teach skills that support college learning and everyday problem-solving.
General education classes also give students the chance to explore different subjects, such as communication, math, science, and the humanities, while improving communication skills and critical thinking. This broad foundation helps prepare students for their major and for life beyond college. In this article, we explain:
While they sound similar, a general education degree and general education courses refer to two very different things. General education courses are the foundational classes that every student must complete as part of a bachelor’s degree program, regardless of their major. These courses cover a wide range of subjects to help students build critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
On the other hand, a general education degree typically refers to an associate degree or a broad, multidisciplinary bachelor’s program that doesn’t focus on one specialized field. If you’re pursuing a traditional bachelor’s degree, general education courses are just one component of your overall curriculum—not a separate degree in themselves.
General education courses span a wide range of academic subjects and are a required part of nearly every bachelor’s degree program. These courses typically include:
This interdisciplinary curriculum helps students build essential skills in communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving—skills that are in high demand across virtually every field. According to the American Association of Colleges and Universities, general education empowers students to approach complex issues from multiple perspectives and participate effectively in a diverse, democratic society.
No matter what career path you follow, general education courses explore the fundamental subject matter that you will need to function and thrive within society. Advanced degrees, such as a master’s degree, require the completion of a bachelor’s degree; hence, they assume students already have this foundation and are ready for fully specialized learning. But bachelor’s degree students need more advanced instruction in these essentials than a high school education can provide.
Not everyone enters college at the bachelor’s level already knowing what they want to do with their life. General education courses introduce students to a broad variety of subjects that can help them determine where their interests and natural talents lie.
While completing a bachelor’s degree program’s general education requirements, students also develop important communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills that will serve them well throughout every aspect of their lives. These so-called “soft” skills are in high demand among employers, according to studies of major employers and the U.S. Department of Labor, and can therefore increase a graduate’s career opportunities.
General education courses are essential to every bachelor’s degree, but many students still have questions about them. Here are some quick answers to the most common ones:
General education courses are required classes that all undergraduate students take. They cover subjects like math, science, communication, and the humanities to build important skills.
They help students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills that are valuable in any career.
General education courses are part of a degree program, while a general education degree usually refers to an associate degree or a broad program with no specialized focus.
Most bachelor’s programs require 40 to 60 credits in general education courses before you focus on your major.
Yes, you can usually transfer general education credits from other accredited institutions, but check with your school to confirm.
UT Permian Basin’s online undergraduate programs provide the flexibility to complete coursework at your own pace from anywhere in the world. If professional and personal obligations currently keep you busy, you’ll find this flexibility makes all the difference.
All our online programs are based around the same rigorous curriculum taught by the same renowned faculty who teach at our Odessa, Texas campus. Each program offers exceptionally high quality and value, with affordable tuition rates that most accredited universities of our stature can’t match.
Expand your horizons with general education courses as part of an online bachelor’s degree program from UT Permian Basin! Browse your options now.
Sources:
https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/higher-ed-gamma/general-education-curriculum-we-need
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/ethics-everyone/201104/the-value-general-education
http://www.tfhe.net/report/downloads/report/chapter6.pdf
https://www.goacta.org/2019/07/the-role-of-liberal-arts-education-in-a-democracy
https://www.jstor.org/stable/27796755
You only get one chance to make a first impression. Cover letters have long been one of the best ways to set yourself apart in a competitive market. But in the era of AI screeners, even the most polished resumes—and their accompanying cover letters—feel like they’re disappearing into the void. With the job market more…
Getting accepted to The University of Texas Permian Basin is a big milestone. If you’re a working professional, the next step—asking your employer about tuition reimbursement—can feel a little intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be. Most organizations want employees who grow, stay, and contribute at a higher level. And many companies offer tuition reimbursement,…
The University of Texas Permian Basin is home to over 7,000 students. Whether on campus in West Texas or from a laptop hundreds of miles away, they’re part of a diverse community that values culture, connection, and progress. Every member of our Falcon Family deserves some time in the spotlight. But with Hispanic Heritage Month…
If you have served in or are currently serving in the United States military, we thank you for your service! Over the years, our country has developed ways to show its appreciation to service members and help them excel outside the military with legislature that assists with education costs and other important aspects of life. We wanted to let you know about some of these assistance options to show you that, as a military veteran, you can afford to pursue the university education you want and deserve.
The most common type of modern veteran assistance—the GI Bill—stems from the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, passed toward the end of World War II. This act gave service members returning from the war financial assistance with home loans and education expenses in addition to funding veterans hospitals. Today, the GI Bill focuses on funding education and training programs. You may see the GI Bill referred to in several ways, including:
In addition to the GI Bill, UT Permian Basin participates in:
The Hazlewood Act is a significant source of education funding assistance designated for Texas military veterans. Let’s take an in-depth look at this option now.
The Hazlewood Act originated in the Texas Legislature in 1923 and is named after Sen. Grady Hazlewood, a University of Texas graduate who later helped revise the act to benefit World War II veterans. Exclusive to the state of Texas, the Hazlewood Act “provides qualified Veterans, spouses, and dependent children with an education benefit of up to 150 hours of tuition exemption, including most fee charges, at public institutions of higher education in Texas.” If you’re a military veteran who was a Texas resident when you entered active duty, or a spouse or dependent of a veteran who was killed or permanently disabled while in service, you may qualify for this significant benefit.
When you consider the 120 credit hours needed to complete a bachelor’s degree program and 30 credit hours required to complete some of our master’s degrees, the full value of the Hazlewood Act becomes clear: At up to 150 hours, it can cover your undergraduate tuition and most fees as well as most or all of your graduate tuition and fees. Depending on the program you choose, you can earn not one but two valuable degrees to enrich your resume and gain an advantage with potential employers.
The Hazlewood Act can provide a complete education, helping you thrive in your professional life and beyond at relatively little personal expense. While you’ll pay for any books and supplies and cover your own living expenses while enrolled, when you choose an online education program, you can save on these expenses by earning your credentials from home.
The Hazlewood Act can help you pay for UT Permian Basin’s bachelor’s degree and master’s degree programs, our professional certificate programs, or a combination of these credentials up to 150 credit hours. You gained valuable life and career skills while serving in the military. Why not choose one or more of our 40+ online programs—in diverse disciplines including business administration, communication, nursing, and cyber security—to further boost your career prospects? When you enroll in one of our online programs, you’ll experience considerable benefits practically from day one.
Presented almost entirely in an asynchronous format, our online degree and certificate programs offer unmatched flexibility and convenience. You can complete coursework at your own pace from practically anywhere in the world with no campus visits required. If you currently have professional and personal responsibilities, you’ll immediately discover how advantageous online education can be. For many students, it’s what makes earning a degree possible while continuing to meet their existing commitments. During your program, you’ll also have online access to faculty and classmates as well as extensive student services, all of which add up to a huge support network that will make online learning an enriching and smooth experience.
A bachelor’s degree equips you with critical thinking, problem-solving, and other skills that will benefit you daily in your personal and professional life. These “soft” skills are highly sought after by employers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor and surveys of major employers. Having a master’s degree on your resume can also significantly increase your compensation and professional opportunities. Data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that master’s degree holders earn about 20% more than those who hold a bachelor’s degree alone.
We encourage you to take advantage of the education benefits you’ve earned! For more information about your military funding options, please contact UT Permian Basin Military and Veteran Student Services.
Texas veterans: For complete Hazlewood Act eligibility requirements and application instructions, visit this site. From there, you’ll also be able to initiate an application for UT Permian Basin. We look forward to hearing from you!
Sources:
https://www.militarytimes.com/education-transition/2021/03/10/a-brief-history-of-the-gi-bill/
A Master of Business Administration brings with it tremendous prestige and countless potential career benefits. That’s why so many degree holders take pride in saying, “I’m an MBA.” It’s a degree that can define your professional expertise and underscores your dedication to reaching higher. For many professionals, a graduate degree is a pathway to coveted leadership roles within their current company or with a prospective employer.
Arguably the most valued business credential, an MBA doesn’t just come in one “flavor.” There are concentrations or specializations within business that are often the foundation of an MBA program. With different programs available, and a more rewarding career awaiting you, determining which program you want to join is often easier said than done.
Picking an MBA concentration begins with asking yourself a few questions:
Finance? Accounting? Marketing? If you’re unsure, a general MBA, which examines all the aspects of business, may be your best bet. If you start a general MBA program and then realize you want to switch to another concentration, you can do so by completing a Graduate Change of Program Request. Many of the core courses are the same across UT Permian Basin’s online MBA programs, so you may be able to keep the credits you’ve already earned toward the degree.
No matter which concentration you choose, the commonalities among our MBA programs will give you a comprehensive understanding of how today’s business world operates. Business is becoming increasingly data driven, with analytics applications providing data that enables managers to make informed business decisions. Each one of our MBA programs has an analytics course as part of its curriculum. Another integral part of that curriculum is International Business, which addresses the complexities of conducting business in our global marketplace. All successful business professionals must have a firm grounding in these topics.
If you’re already interested in a specific area of business before applying to one of our MBA programs, you’ll probably want to choose the program with that concentration. However, there’s another question you may want to ask yourself first:
Factors like demand and compensation for professionals with specialized MBA degrees merit consideration as part of your MBA decision-making process. Consider information published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) regarding projected growth from 2020 to 2030 in a few MBA-related job sectors:
UT Permian Basin offers five online MBAs, four of which feature concentrations that enable you to focus on an area of interest:
You can complete this 30-36-credit program in as little as one year.
You can complete this 33-42-credit program in as little as four semesters.
You can complete this 33-42-credit program in as little as four semesters.
You can complete this 33-42-credit program in as little as four semesters.
You can complete this 36-45-credit program in as little as four semesters and add two respected credentials to your resume.
Regardless of which MBA program you decide upon, you’ll be able to enjoy many of the same benefits during your studies and beyond. These include:
When you choose UT Permian Basin for your MBA, you can be sure you’ll get a top-quality education. Our College of Business’ business administration programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). A designation shared by only 5% of business programs worldwide, AACSB accreditation is your assurance that our program was founded on and maintains the highest academic standards.
UT Permian Basin’s online programs offer unmatched convenience and flexibility. The online format enables you to complete coursework on your own schedule, 24/7, from just about any location in the world. Your professional and personal commitments need no longer keep you from going back to school for a graduate degree.
UT Permian Basin is widely acknowledged as having some of the most affordable tuition rates among accredited higher education institutions.
According to the BLS, master’s degree holders earn almost 20% more than those who have only a bachelor’s degree. In addition, the BLS reports that individuals who’ve attained higher levels of education are also more likely to stay employed. It can literally pay to have an MBA!
If you’re considering an online MBA program from UT Permian Basin but aren’t quite sure which concentration is right for you, academic advisors are always here to guide you. If you’re ready to get started, apply now.
The Age of Johnson was an eighteenth-century period of English literature named for Samuel Johnson (1709-1784), an acclaimed poet, essayist, literary critic, lexicographer, and biographer. Also referred to as the Age of Sensibility, the Age of Johnson was nestled between the Augustan Age—distinguished by writers such as Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope—and the Romantic period, when Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Mary Shelly, and William Wordsworth wrote their most celebrated works.
Why is an entire age of literature named after one man? We’ll find out through an examination of Johnson’s major accomplishments and distinguishing features as a writer.
The Life and Work of Samuel Johnson
For one who came to define an era, Johnson had a lot going against him. A man of imposing stature, he suffered from involuntary gesticulations that garnered him unwanted attention. He battled health issues for most of his years, beginning with a childhood bout of tuberculosis. Still, he managed to live to 75—a ripe old age even by modern standards. For what he accomplished during those 75 years, Johnson came to be considered one of the most consequential English writers of his or any age. Let’s look at a few highlights:
Johnson published countless essays, critiques, biographies, and works of fiction throughout his career. Through these, he demonstrated his willingness to challenge the political workings and foreign policies of his home country of England and others. He expressed dissenting views on war, colonialism, and slavery, and pleaded for compassionate treatment of criminals, the disadvantaged, native peoples, and even enemies of his own country.
It’s perhaps fitting that Johnson capped off a 50-year career by contributing prefaces and biographies for the multi-volume “The Lives of the Poets,” arguably his final work of note. A biography of Johnson, written after Johnson’s death by longtime friend James Boswell and drawn from many conversations the two had over the years, further illuminated Johnson’s personality, unique viewpoint, and work and brought greater attention to him in the 19th century and beyond.
Due in part to Boswell’s biography, Johnson became known for his aphorisms, some of which are still familiar today. For example:
“Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.”
Still other lesser-known examples illustrate his distinctive wit:
“No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money.”
“Marriage has many pains, but celibacy has no pleasures.”
Johnson’s writing style and contributions earned him the honor of being forever associated with the consequential era in which he lived. He’s also the namesake of a course featured as part of UT Permian Basin’s Bachelor of Arts in English program. ENGL 4335: The Age of Johnson explores the author’s works as well as those by some of his noted contemporaries, including Edmund Burke, Oliver Goldsmith, and David Hume. Let’s discuss our online BA in English program in greater detail so you can understand the breadth of its value.
Explore English Literature and More Online
Discover the intricacy of the English language through an exploration of fiction, drama, and poetry, including works from Age of Johnson writers. Our 100% online Bachelor of Arts in English offers an intensely rewarding, in-depth examination of the language and culture that helps you develop crucial life and career skills. Forbes reports that today’s employers are increasingly seeking these “soft” skills in their potential hires, including:
Beyond helping you develop key skills, our BA in English offers a strong foundation for a variety of careers and graduate studies in English. Our program is also an outstanding value in education, offering competitive tuition rates that most regionally accredited universities of our standing can’t match.
The Quality You Expect, With Convenience You Don’t
Our online BA in English program is based around the same robust curriculum we use on campus and led by the same renowned faculty who teach there, so it’s easy to see why it’s synonymous with high quality education. Further, our program’s asynchronous online format enables you to complete classwork at your own pace from just about anywhere in the world. There’s no better way to maintain your personal and professional duties while earning a respected university degree.
Revisit the Age of Johnson through our online BA in English program!
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Samuel-Johnson
https://www.infobloom.com/what-is-the-age-of-johnson.htm
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/learn/glossary-terms/augustan-age
https://literariness.org/2017/12/05/literary-criticism-of-samuel-johnson/
https://www.thoughtco.com/british-literary-periods-739034
https://www.theweek.co.uk/88442/samuel-johnson-eight-best-quotes-from-the-father-of-the-dictionary
No one likes to admit it, but we’ve all been drawn into purchasing a product or service by the subtle techniques advertisers use. Most of the time you may not even be aware of these efforts, but many of these tricks have been around for years and transitioned seamlessly from traditional advertising into the digital realm. Some, however, have been created specifically for digital platforms. Here are seven examples that may sound familiar to you:
Have you ever been astonished by the number of followers a brand has on social media? To generate interest, some companies have created ghost followers—primarily fake accounts or bots—that deceptively drive up their follower numbers. This is done to make a brand seem more popular than it is. It’s human nature to be curious about something that’s popular, so those high numbers may draw your attention—and even make you a follower. It should be noted that social media platforms have banned such deceptive tactics.
When products become “hot,” sometimes their brand identity follows suit. While you may wear Nike shoes because you find them comfortable for walking and running, you may also want others to know that you’re wearing them. Companies often make that easy to do, with large, distinctive logos that are immediately recognizable. When you’re so enamored with a brand that you’ll also wear a t-shirt featuring their name and logo, the company has achieved an advertising goal. Congratulations, you’re a walking billboard for them. You’re providing a service that they also pay ad agencies a lot of money for—but don’t expect a paycheck!
One way TV advertisers get you to pay attention is to tie their content in with content you’re already watching, e.g., the Super Bowl. Football- or sports-themed commercials featuring superstar athletes make the commercials seamlessly blend with the game and keep you in your seat. Advertisers logically surmise that, if you’re watching the game, you have an affinity for sports. Companies that market children’s products also commonly make their TV spots resemble the programming during which they air, e.g., animated shows.
You see it inside apps, on web pages, in emails, and on the direct snail mail that arrives in your mailbox. The price says “$400,” but it’s crossed out. Underneath it, another lower price, “$299” for example, is displayed. That is ostensibly a good deal, but it may compel you to purchase something you didn’t want or to pay a higher price than you’d planned (say, $250 max) for the same product. Often, what the advertiser has done is artificially inflate the price up front to make the actual price they’ll charge you seem irresistible.
There may be another reason behind this $299 price tag. The company marketing this product or service may have originally planned to charge you $300 but brought it down to $299 to make their price more appealing. When an item costs hundreds of dollars, does one dollar really make that big of a difference with consumers? Many times, the answer is yes. Seeing a price of $299 moves the product from the $300 range to the $200 range in the mind of the consumer. It’s instantly much cheaper! In actuality, it’s not, but that’s human psychology. The same tactic is used in grocery stores daily, often in the cent range rather than the dollar range, e.g., a can of peas for $0.99.
That man in a lab coat trying to recommend a pain reliever for you is probably an actor or a model, not a doctor, unless the ad specifies otherwise. You may see that same “doctor” appear minus the lab coat in stock photography libraries.
Were you ever intrigued by an ad for guacamole-flavored toothpaste, artificially intelligent Legos that move when someone is about to step on them, a mobile stationary bike, a skin cream made of Velveeta, or maybe a hamburger designed specifically for left-handed people? These April Fools’ Day advertisements eventually made it clear that the products weren’t real, but they might’ve had you going for a little while! More importantly, with every click of a curious onlooker’s mouse, these companies were driving traffic to their websites and social media accounts and creating priceless engagement and buzz around their brands.
Discover all of today’s advertising and marketing tricks through UT Permian Basin’s online programs. Our AACSB-accredited College of Business offers two online undergraduate credentials that can launch your marketing career or propel it to new heights. Both programs are presented in a flexible online format that enables you to complete coursework on your own schedule from just about anywhere. No campus visits are required. Choose from:
Online Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing
In this degree program, you can:
Online Undergraduate Certificate in Digital Marketing
In our stand-alone, 12-credit online certificate program, you’ll:
Learn everything you need to excel in marketing with UT Permian Basin’s online marketing programs. Apply today!
Sources:
https://www.adweek.com/creativity/9-subtle-marketing-tricks-we-fall-every-time-we-shop-159332/
https://www.grunge.com/50872/marketing-tricks-fool-every-time/
https://www.simon-kucher.com/en-us/blog/why-prices-end-99-and-other-psychological-pricing-tactics
Where do you want a bachelor’s degree to take you? For many, an undergraduate degree is a stepping stone to professional life. Ideally, you want the expertise you’ve developed during your degree program to translate to professional opportunities in high-growth fields in which you can excel after graduation. In this regard, a degree in communication has some considerable advantages.
A communication degree program is designed to help you develop many broadly applicable skills, not only in written and spoken communication, but also in areas including:
According to a study cited in Forbes, 92% of business executives believed that “soft” skills were just as crucial as specialized job skills for job candidates, and 89% of executives said that finding these traits in potential hires was a challenge. Data from the U.S. Department of Labor also backs up the demand for such skills among employers.
This demand can translate directly to career options for candidates with the right education credentials and broadly applicable skills.
Let’s examine some possible careers you can pursue with a degree in communication and highlight where the most robust job growth and premium salaries might be. All statistics and education requirements are drawn from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projections for the years 2020 through 2030.
Public Relations and/or Fundraising Manager
Manage public image and/or help raise awareness and funds for an organization.
Median annual pay: $118,430
Growth rate: 13% (faster than average)
Minimum education credential needed: Bachelor’s degree
Advertising, Promotions, or Marketing Manager
Generate interest in and demand for a company’s products and services.
Median annual pay: $141,490
Growth rate: 10% (steady)
Minimum education credential needed: Bachelor’s degree
Coordinate all elements of corporate events and conventions.
Median annual pay: $51,560
Growth rate: 18% (much faster than average)
Minimum education credential needed: Bachelor’s degree
Supervise duties such as hiring, compensation, and benefit enrollment for an organization.
Median annual pay: $121,220 per year
Growth rate: 9% (steady)
Minimum education credential needed: Bachelor’s degree
Help an organization maintain a strong, favorable public image.
Median annual pay: $62,810 per year
Growth rate: 11% (faster than average)
Minimum education credential needed: Bachelor’s degree
Reporter, Correspondent, or Broadcast News Analyst
Research, gather, and convey information about important current events and topics of interest.
Median annual pay: $49,300 per year
Growth rate: 6% (steady)
Minimum education credential needed: Bachelor’s degree
Choose a bachelor’s degree that can give you a wide range of career options! UT Permian Basin’s 100% online Bachelor of Arts in Communication program offers a comprehensive exploration of the subdisciplines of communication, including public relations, public speaking, advertising, political communication, and interpersonal communication. As you complete your degree, you’ll hone written and verbal communication skills that will be invaluable to you throughout your career and beyond.
Our program provides a broad range of elective courses and general education courses that enable you to gear your studies toward the areas that interest you most. What’s more, you can customize your degree with a specialized communication track that can lead to an even wider selection of career options. Choose from tracks in:
Our BA in communication program is presented in a 100% online, asynchronous format with no campus visits required. This flexible structure empowers you to finish your degree at your own pace and from practically any location of your choosing. With our online program, you don’t need to live in Texas—or even in the United States—nor do you have to choose between earning a degree and continuing to live your life. Once enrolled, you’ll quickly discover that our program allows you to maintain your existing professional and personal commitments.
Quality is also a hallmark of our online program. As a student, you’ll be taught the same curriculum featured in our campus-based program from the very same acclaimed faculty who teach the classes here at the UT Permian Basin campus.
Earn the degree that gives you countless possibilities for a rewarding career and more enriching life. Apply now to our online Bachelor of Arts in Communication program.
Sources:
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/top-communications-degree-jobs
Have you reached the point in your college career where you’re ready to move to the next level? Maybe you’re ready to transfer out of your two-year program, or your experience at another school isn’t what you expected it to be, and you want to finish your degree in a program that better suits you. We’d be honored to welcome you over to The University of Texas Permian Basin, where you can enjoy the considerable advantages of online learning as you earn a valuable online degree. Before we go any further, let’s first see if you fit into one of our transfer student categories:
Do any of those scenarios describe you? If so, let’s see if you meet UT Permian Basin’s transfer admission requirements.
Admission Requirements for Transfer Students
To transfer to a UT Permian Basin online program, you must:
If you meet all of the admission requirements above, you’re most likely eligible to transfer to an online program at UT Permian Basin! But first, we’ll need a few additional things:
Application Materials
When you seek admission to one of our online programs, you must submit:
What You Should Do Next
If you haven’t already applied to an online UT Permian Basin program and you meet the requirements, apply now! This is where your journey to new educational horizons and a more fulfilling life begins. If you need assistance with the application process, please contact Student Outreach and Engagement at studentinquiries@online.utpb.edu.
What If …
If you don’t meet certain admission requirements, you may still be admitted to the University, with some caveats:
What to Do If You Need Financial Aid
There are numerous forms of financial aid available, and many of our students qualify for one or more of them. Additional details and contact information for our financial aid office are here.
Haven’t Picked a Program?
UT Permian Basin offers a broad spectrum of online bachelor’s degree programs representing in-demand fields including multiple business specializations, criminal justice, healthcare management, communication, industrial technology, the social sciences, and humanities. All of our programs help prepare you for success in a current or future career by providing essential expertise. Browse our online bachelor’s degree programs now. We also have master’s degree programs and undergraduate and graduate certificates you can pursue in the future.
Advantages of Online Learning
Most of the courses in our online bachelor’s programs are delivered in a 100% online, asynchronous format that allows you to set your own class schedule. Complete coursework at any hour, any day, from virtually any location in the world. You’ll find this flexibility particularly beneficial if you have professional and/or personal obligations to keep. And you don’t have to sacrifice quality for convenience: Our online degree programs feature identical curricula to their on-campus counterparts and are taught by the same acclaimed faculty.
While we’ve outlined most of the transfer and admissions processes here, we have dedicated student representatives who are eager to give you personalized and detailed assistance. Contact us today!
To call some of the most famous psychology experiments of all time scary would be an understatement. The Monster Study, Little Albert Experiment, and Stanford Prison Experiment are some of the most shocking and provocative studies ever conducted. Though they’ve captivated psychologists for decades, studies like these do little to accurately describe experimental psychologists or the important work they do.
What Is Experimental Psychology?
Experimental psychology or research psychology is devoted to the study of mental processes, emotions, and behavior by way of empirical research methods. All branches of psychology that collect data and conduct research on human and animal behavior are a part of experimental psychology, so in a way, all psychologists owe their profession to this inquisitive and innovative field.
Every worthwhile endeavor begins with an idea, and psychological science is no different. It starts with a hypothesis: a testable and tentative explanation regarding the relationship between two or more variables. For example, Russian psychologist Ivan Pavlov hypothesized that dogs experienced a physical response (conditional reflex) upon seeing or hearing something they associated with food (conditional stimulus). To test his hypothesis, Pavlov developed an objective way to measure a dog’s salivary and digestive secretions once it had associated food with a precise stimulus, such as the tick of a metronome. This manipulation of variables to establish cause-and-effect relationships is at the foundation of experimental psychology.
The Frightening History of Experimental Psychology
Pavlov’s dog is often depicted salivating to the sound of a bell, a stimulus too imprecise for such an experiment. This is one of the more innocuous changes made in the retelling of Pavlov’s research. In reality, the treatment endured by his dogs would cause public outrage today. (We won’t go into detail, but Pavlov went to great lengths to measure digestive fluids.) By all accounts, Pavlov was an unpleasant man, and the experiments he conducted give credence to experimental psychology’s reputation for being cruel or inhumane, but his work at the turn of the 20th century provided the basis for much of what experimental psychology is today.
Learning From Past Mistakes.
Pavlov’s research was some of the first in experimental psychology to blur the lines between progress and recklessness, but it was by no means the last. Although experimental methods were being developed and utilized as early as the 1880s, the 1950s and 1960s were a seemingly lawless time in this field of psychology. Many of the most famous (or infamous) behavioral and social experiments conducted during these years would never receive approval today. Some like the Syphilis Study at Tuskegee can hardly be called experiments due to their unethical methods and meager results. This study, in particular, led to the formation of the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research in 1974 and the development of ethical standards that now protect the rights and welfare of human subjects.
Experimental Psychology Today
Interested in testing a hypothesis through research? Today, your research proposal must go through a rigorous approval process conducted by an institutional review board (IRB), a federally mandated group review composed of volunteers. Your study will gain approval if and only if it’s deemed ethical by the IRB. You’ll also need to abide by the American Psychology Association’s (APA) Ethics Code. Notably, Principle A of the APA’s Ethics Code states that psychologists must “strive to benefit those with whom they work and take care to do no harm.”
“Be Here Now: Perceptions of Uncertainty Enhance Savoring” contains two recent IRB-approved studies that netted impactful results without subjecting participants to undue duress. In one of these experiments, participants were handed fliers that said, “Life is unpredictable: Stop and smell the roses,” or “Life is constant: Stop and smell the roses” before being presented with a small wooden table with a bouquet of red roses. Those who were reminded of life’s unpredictability were over twice as likely to stop and smell the roses, adding to growing evidence that negative experiences help people to appreciate positives in the present moment.
Not long ago, psychology presented scientists with a new frontier to explore, where the answers to some of life’s greatest mysteries awaited. Many scientists in the past ventured into the unknown with reckless abandon, but modern safeguards are now in place to prevent the past from repeating itself.
So, is experimental psychology scary? That’s for you to decide. We can, however, tell you that the first step on a journey is often the scariest.
Psychology Is What You Make of It
The University of Texas Permian Basin offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program that will help you start your career in psychology. Our program provides a foundational understanding of psychological science and research, covering such topics as observational, correlational, and experimental research methodologies. As a student, you’ll develop an in-depth understanding of empirical research and the theoretical and applied aspects of psychology. You’ll also explore the major branches of psychology, including abnormal, cognitive, physiological, developmental, and social psychology, giving you a clearer idea of what to do with your career.
However, if you’re unsure of your career path, the knowledge imparted in our program can prove invaluable not only in psychology but in many other professional fields.
UT Permian Basin’s online BA in psychology program is an opportunity to bring positive change to your life, the lives of others, and the field of psychology. Apply now to take the first step in becoming a psychology professional.
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/science/experimental-psychology
https://www.apa.org/education-career/guide/subfields/experimental
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychoanalysis-unplugged/201902/the-truth-about-three-identical-strangers
https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2015/09/irb-approval