If you’re passionate about improving communities, solving complex problems, or leading change within government or nonprofit organizations, a career in public administration could be your calling. Public administrators are the behind-the-scenes professionals who help bring policies to life, ensuring that essential services—like healthcare, education, and housing—run efficiently and effectively.
Earning a Master of Public Administration (MPA) can open the door to leadership roles in a variety of sectors. In this article, we’ll explore what public administrators do and the types of careers you can pursue with an MPA.
Public administration involves the design, organization, and execution of public affairs and policies. However, this definition doesn’t fully capture the importance of public administrators. These far-reaching leaders in government and nonprofit organizations plan, analyze, and coordinate activities and manage the achievement of public goals.
Public administrators can wield tremendous influence, and many of them play pivotal roles in local, state, and federal governments and in a variety of nonprofit organizations, in essential areas including:
Public administration is devoted to the noble cause of public service. This makes public administrators a source of stability within government agencies, especially during transitions of power.
To carry out this responsibility effectively, public administrators must have excellent leadership, communication, analytical, and organizational skills, all of which can help them rise through the ranks and see their aspirations brought to fruition.
The duties of a public administrator tend to vary based on the organization they are working for. For example, one public administrator may work to develop laws and policies at the state level, while another may manage a city department working on specific issues impacting the community at the local level.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the employment of public administrators is expected to grow by 6% by 2029, greater than the national average for all occupations. Well over 20,000 public administrator positions will need to be filled throughout this period, including many in the following areas:
Public administrators play a variety of roles in local, state, and federal government, developing, researching, enforcing, and managing policies to improve communities. Positions in governmental management include:
Nonprofit management will be of particular interest to public administrators hoping to tackle a specific issue in their community, such as a humanitarian crisis. Positions in nonprofit management include:
Postsecondary education administrators can create lasting change at colleges and universities. Alternatively, public administrators in education can pursue careers at government entities, where they will be able to advocate for causes deemed most beneficial for students, faculty, and staff.
Positions in educational management include:
Public administrators in local and state hospitals work closely with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers to improve the quality of healthcare delivered to patients. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for medical and health services managers is projected to grow 29% between 2023 and 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations. That growth translates to approximately 61,400 new job openings each year.
Positions in healthcare administration include:
If you’re considering a Master of Public Administration (MPA), you likely have questions about what the degree can do for your career and how it fits into the public service landscape. Below, we answer a few common questions to help guide your decision.
Devotion is a quality shared by many public administrators. For the aspiring public administrator with a desire to serve their community, we offer a convenient, affordable online MPA program.
The University of Texas Permian Basin’s online MPA program provides the tools needed to become an effective leader and changemaker for your community. You’ll discover practical, competent, ethical, and legal ways to address organizational issues and policy questions with the goal of upholding public interest.
Designed with working professionals in mind, our program is delivered entirely online and can be completed at your convenience. Our course offerings place control of your education in your hands, allowing you to tailor your degree to your interests with electives such as:
Public administration is a rewarding career unlike any other, where a single administrative decision can mean profound and positive changes for a community. Whether championing a cause or driven by a general desire to make a difference, you can make a genuine impact in your community by earning an MPA and pursuing a career in public administration.
Apply to our online MPA program and discover how to enact positive change in your personal and professional life as well as the world around you.
Sources:
https://www.academia.edu/40428458/Introducing_Public_Administration
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/administrative-services-managers.htm#tab-1
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/administrative-services-managers.htm#tab-6
https://thebestschools.org/degrees/public-administration-degree
https://www.britannica.com/topic/public-administration
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 changed the lives of millions of Americans. It guaranteed the right to vote, ended segregated public spaces, and made employment discrimination illegal. Historians rank it alongside the Constitution and the Emancipation Proclamation as one of the most important documents in U.S. history. Five months after the act passed, Martin…
If you hop on a Citi Bike in New York City, you’re doing more than just getting across town. You’re helping create real-time data that city planners use to design new bus routes and bike lanes where they’re needed most. Convenient and essential, right? Big data is reshaping our cities—and the future of public administration….
So, you’ve decided to take the next step in your career with a Master of Public Administration (MPA). You’re eyeing your next promotion, eager to lead, and one click away from applying—then reality hits: tuition, fees, books. Your ambitions shouldn’t come with a heavy price tag, and the good news is, they don’t have to….
TV legal dramas, sometimes referred to as courtroom dramas, have been popular since nearly the beginning of television’s rise to prominence. In 1955, a television could be found in half of all homes in the United States. Two years later, Americans tuned in for the premiere of “Perry Mason,” a series following the work of a fictional criminal defense lawyer of the same name. The immensely successful program ran for nearly a decade, then enjoyed various revivals in the form of additional series and TV movies through the 1990s.
Smithsonian Magazine has hailed “Perry Mason” as “the birth of the courtroom procedural.” Few probably knew just how enduring that genre—or how influential that particular show—would be. Countless legal dramas have hit television screens in the decades since, and the popularity of these shows continues to climb. “Perry Mason” provided the inspiration or foundation for many modern legal dramas. But as Smithsonian Magazine stated, the program “depicted a legal system that worked only for the innocent and the wrongfully accused.” This “the system always works” approach was a noble, but certainly not accurate, depiction.
Ripped From Today’s Headlines
The move toward accuracy among today’s legal dramas is connected to an increased appetite among viewers for gritty reality versus the escapist idealism that typified numerous earlier legal dramas. Contemporary courtroom dramas often pull their script ideas directly from actual—usually sensationalistic—cases, changing the participants’ names and a few other facts but generally adhering to those real-life stories.
Still, some common legal drama tropes stretch the truth, if not break it altogether. Let’s review a few of them, presented here with a fittingly dramatic flair:
“See you in court!”
Most criminal and civil cases never even go to trial. But that wouldn’t make a very interesting TV show, would it?
“Your Honor, this will change everything.”
The eleventh-hour introduction of damning (or exonerating) evidence makes for exciting television, but it rarely occurs.
“I’d like to call Jane Doe to the stand.”
You didn’t see this one coming: that surprise witness from the defendant’s past whose testimony may end up freeing them instead of sending them to the gallows. The appearance of surprise witnesses generally doesn’t happen, however, because a) attorneys have to submit a list of witnesses they plan to call to the court in advance and b) the opposing lawyers must be given the opportunity to depose any witness that may be called to the stand.
“Yes, I did it!!!”
It’s dramatic. It’s cathartic. It affirms that we knew all along who did the crime. But defendants rarely confess while on the stand. In fact, confessions seldom happen in the courtroom at all.
“Looks like another all-nighter for me.”
While ambitious legal students are often shown researching legal precedent for cases at all hours, the American Bar Association actually places limits on how many hours students can work while in law school.
For the sake of entertainment, many legal procedures and tricks we see on television are either made up or exaggerated. These shows are called “dramas,” after all. As one source put it:
Most of today’s real-life litigants are probably surprised to find that their lawyers are not private investigators, trials are buried in technical formalities, witnesses appear by deposition, and few of the players, including judges, lawyers, witnesses, and the parties, make beautiful orations or pithy asides.
What Real Lawyers Say
How do attorneys feel about the accuracy of TV legal dramas? Program names that come up as standouts include “L.A. Law,” “The Practice,” “Law & Order,” and “Suits.” Some of the elements that add authenticity to these programs are:
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
The University of Texas Permian Basin offers an online political science degree program for students who want to build a foundation for law school and/or pursue a career in a variety of government or law-related professions. Our program delves into judicial politics, covering the U.S. judicial system, examining the role of law and courts in our country, the structures and procedures of our judicial system, and judicial policymaking. Topics also include American politics at all levels, how the various government entities operate and work with each other, and international political systems.
The Benefits of Earning a Respected Degree Online
Courses for our political science bachelor’s degree program are delivered in an asynchronous, 100% online format, enabling you to complete your coursework on your own schedule, 24/7, from just about any location around the globe. This can be a tremendous advantage when work and/or family duties are part of your life. Our online programs feature the same rigorous curriculum and expert faculty as their on-campus equivalents, so there’s never any compromise in quality.
Earn the political science credential that can lead to a rewarding career. Learn more about our bachelor’s degree program now!
Sources:
https://www.simplemost.com/most-realistic-courtroom-dramas-according-to-lawyers/
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-tv-lawyers-get-wrong-and-right-4039997
https://www.looper.com/143427/false-things-tv-legal-dramas-made-you-believe/
https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/tv-and-culture/courtroom-dramas-change-understanding-of-law.htm
https://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1202&context=facpub
https://www.looper.com/143427/false-things-tv-legal-dramas-made-you-believe/
Political science is an examination of the foundation, objectives, and effects of power as it exists between rulers and the ruled. This study of “the state, government and politics” has shaped our society in a way that is hard to describe. Therefore, we’ll let longtime political activist Vermin Supreme put into words what we cannot: “Together my friends, we will ride our ponies into a zombie-powered future.”
Supreme, who won the New Hampshire Libertarian Party’s primary in 2020 on a platform of free ponies, zombie power, and dental hygiene, may seem like an odd choice to illustrate the importance of political science. The type of activism that Supreme practices, however, is legal and even celebrated only because we live in a democracy where political science has shaped society for the better.
Here, we take a look at the ways political science influences our society, focusing on voting rights, democracy, and objectivity. Our current political climate may be divisive, but beyond the impassioned rhetoric lies an opportunity for political scientists to champion policies that make a positive impact on the world around us.
The right to vote is fundamental to a well-functioning democracy. Under the U.S. constitution, it is a privilege afforded to every American citizen, but that wasn’t always the case. Women won the right to vote a little over a hundred years ago with the passing of the 19th amendment, and it wasn’t until the passing of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that the last of the Jim Crow-era laws preventing many people of color from voting were stricken down.
Today, states are pushing for new restrictions that will make it more difficult for citizens to register and vote. Georgia’s new voting law reduces the number of polling places, places restrictions on mail-in voting, and makes it illegal to offer water to anyone waiting in line to vote. Republicans maintain that these commonsense measures are necessary to prevent voting fraud, while Democrats describe these as voter suppression tactics. Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, your choices as an aspiring political scientist may one day influence the voting laws of our country. Of the policy analysts, political consultants, and policy makers who shape our election laws, many got their start as political scientists.
The U.S. was given a harsh wake-up call in 2017 when the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) demoted the U.S. from a full democracy to a flawed democracy. According to the EIU, the U.S. had been “teetering on the brink of becoming a flawed democracy for several years,” with the final push coming from growing distrust in elected representatives and their political parties. Dropping below the 8.0 threshold for a full democracy, the U.S. was scored on five categories:
The U.S. has since remained a flawed democracy. Although voter turnout for the 2020 presidential election was the highest in 120 years (improving our country’s political participation score), it wasn’t enough to change the public’s perception of our government.
Debate continues as to how best to hold free and fair U.S. elections, with the “For the People Act” being the latest legislation to center around mail-in ballots, early voting, voting machine standards, felons’ voter rights, restrictions on political contributions, and gerrymandering. Politicians on both sides of the aisle will continue to fight for the future of our invaluable, albeit flawed, democracy.
“Reality is a pretty frightening thing to confront, especially these days, and more and more reality is presented to the people in this overwhelming fire hose of information,” said Vermin Supreme, summing up the era of “post-truth” we live in. Facts are now frequently cast into doubt, as their interpretations are increasingly predicated upon people’s preexisting political beliefs. In a paper published by Engaging Science, Technology, and Society, researchers concluded that political polarization is due to three factors:
To promote a return to objectivity, researchers proposed a knowledge-producing “center” composed of researchers, journalists, and platforms. This center’s main goal would be to generate healthy debate, rather than focus on producing “information.” This raises two questions, however: Who gets to be a part of the center, and who determines its boundaries? Until these questions are answered, it’s up to political scientists to promote opinions and instill trust as they best see fit, whether they’re behind a desk at a news organization or on a bus with their fellow campaign staff.
Many of the policies you praise or condemn while doomscrolling are shaped by legislators and professionals with backgrounds in political science. They started out where you are now: searching for a way to rise above their station and translate their political passion into a career. If your goal is to influence the course of political events, your best course of action is to earn a degree in political science.
The University of Texas Permian Basin offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Political Science program that prepares students for careers as journalists, lawyers, lobbyists, and political analysts, among other roles. Courses like International Relations, Presidential Politics, and Public Administration provide a deeper understanding of how government agencies interact with one another, and our online, asynchronous format ensures that students learn at the pace best suited for them. In as little as one year, students graduate with the knowledge needed to begin a new, exciting career in politics.
Interested in exploring political science’s influence on our society? Apply to UT Permian Basin’s online BA in political science program to learn more about our government and your future within it.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5582435/#R33
https://heavy.com/news/2020/01/did-vermin-supreme-win-new-hampshire-libertarian-primary/
https://www.businessinsider.com/when-women-got-the-right-to-vote-american-voting-rights-timeline-2018-10#1965-congress-passes-the-historic-voting-rights-act-removing-discriminatory-barriers-that-kept-many-people-of-color-from-voting-12
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56287375
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/vermin-supreme-2020-presidential-campaign-libertarian-party-for-real
Social responsibility is a virtue that we can demonstrate through our buying habits and living practices and through an awareness of how these behaviors affect others around us. In the petroleum industry, which has a global footprint and the power to impact many economies and ecosystems, social responsibility takes on monumental importance. Companies in this field must incorporate corporate social responsibility (or CSR) into their business models to ensure that they wield their influence with the necessary forethought, perspective, and restraint.
According to Investopedia, corporate social responsibility is “a self-regulating business model that helps a company be socially accountable—to itself, its stakeholders, and the public. By practicing corporate social responsibility, also called corporate citizenship, companies can be conscious of the kind of impact they are having on all aspects of society, including economic, social, and environmental.”
In more concise terms, corporate entities need to be responsible global citizens in multiple respects.
What Are the Types of Social Responsibility?
There are many differing views on exactly what constitutes social responsibility in a corporate setting. Some commonly accepted examples of social responsibility include:
Dr. Archie B. Carroll, a noted business management author and professor, suggests a pyramid of social responsibility for corporations comprised of four hierarchical levels including, from top to bottom, philanthropic, ethical, legal, and economic considerations.
Who’s Being Responsible in the Petroleum Industry?
A list of the world’s 100 most reputable companies for corporate responsibility includes enterprises that manufacture and sell toys, software, coffee, furniture, cars, and more. However, not a single petroleum company appears on the list. The list may not be definitive, but clearly, the petroleum industry can do more.
Among petroleum companies alone, there are some standouts in terms of efforts to safeguard the environment. For example:
BP, formerly British Petroleum, has invested significant capital into renewable forms of energy, such as solar, wind, biofuel, and hydrogen, and has been recognized for its operational transparency.
Petroteq Energy has developed a unique process to extract oil from sand that creates no greenhouse gases or waste and involves the use of what the company calls “benign chemicals.”
Royal Dutch Shell is seen as a clean energy leader and is gearing its operations toward carbon reduction and investment in electricity. The company is also investing in solar energy in different parts of the world.
Total, one of the world’s largest oil producers, has a subsidiary company that’s dedicated to increasing the availability of renewable energy sources including hydropower and biomass. The company’s goal is for up to 20% of its sales to come from renewable energy by 2040.
In addition to petroleum producers, other organizations within the petroleum industry are fostering greater social responsibility. IPIECA is a not-for-profit association dedicated to responsible practices within the petroleum industry. The association also acts as a conduit for information between the industry and the United Nations.
How the Petrochemical Industry Can Do Better
How can petroleum companies earn a place among the world’s most reputable companies for corporate responsibility? The companies mentioned above are obviously going in the right direction and may inspire others in the industry to follow suit. All must work toward clean, renewable, sustainable forms of energy while pursuing their business interests. All must avoid polluting the environment and take responsibility by cleaning it up if they do.
Responsibility is not just about having good environmental practices, however. To be considered a corporate responsibility leader, a company must contribute to the greater good in a variety of ways. That includes allocating more time, money, and effort to charitable organizations and maintaining safe, inclusive, and ethical workplaces.
Online Programs to Advance Your Energy Career
The University of Texas Permian Basin offers online degree and certificate programs that can help you start or advance within a career in the petroleum industry or another energy-related field. All programs are provided 100% online through our AACSB-accredited College of Business.
This bachelor’s degree program gives you a foundation in fundamental management concepts, supply chain management, and other areas that will help you tackle technical and industrial issues for your employer. The optional graduate certificate helps you develop a comprehensive understanding of petroleum industry technology.
Master of Business Administration with Certificate in Energy Business
This graduate-level program helps you develop highly marketable operational knowledge and leadership proficiencies with regard to the energy industry.
Graduate Certificate in Energy Business
This certificate program is available as a 12-credit stand-alone credential and translates your accounting, business law, finance, management, and marketing expertise to the rapidly expanding energy industry.
Career-Friendly Online Convenience
All courses for these programs are presented in an asynchronous online format that enables you to earn a valued credential at your own pace while maintaining your professional and personal responsibilities. Our program courses are taught by the same acclaimed faculty who teach them at our campus, and many of the courses last just eight weeks!
Build the expertise needed to excel as a socially responsible leader in an energy-related career with a UT Permian Basin online program.
Sources:
https://www.fundera.com/blog/corporate-social-responsibility
https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/corporate-16-brands-doing-corporate-social-responsibility-successfully
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4679-corporate-social-responsibility.html
https://insights.energydais.com/corporate-social-responsibility-in-oil-and-gas-industry/
https://growensemble.com/socially-responsible-companies/
Are you deciding between an MBA in Accounting and a Master of Professional Accountancy (MAcc)? Both graduate programs open doors to rewarding accounting careers, but they offer different paths depending on your goals.
Whether you’re aiming for a CPA or want to pursue broader business opportunities, understanding the MBA vs. MAcc differences is key. In this guide, we’ll explore how each program prepares you for accounting jobs and help you choose the best degree for your future.
The Master of Professional Accountancy is solely focused on CPA certification and prepares you to sit for the CPA exam. The degree is a must if you wish to work as a certified public accountant and advance into management-level roles. The program is geared toward accounting undergraduates who need to get their 150 hours for the CPA exam and individuals with a non-accounting bachelor’s degree who wish to transition into an accounting career.
A Master of Professional Accountancy and CPA certification set you up for success in top management roles including:
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that some employers give preferential treatment to job candidates who’ve completed a master’s degree. In combination with a CPA license, a graduate degree can give you an even greater competitive advantage in the working world.
Yes, our Master of Professional Accountancy program offers courses on all the CPA exam topics. It also provides a comprehensive grounding in accounting standards and business applications.
During your course of study, you’ll become proficient in traditional and contemporary accounting practices as you build skills that will enable you to expertly navigate today’s quickly changing business landscape.
When you finish our Master of Professional Accountancy program, you’ll have fulfilled the main requirements to sit for the CPA exam and gained a respected master’s degree that will bolster your resume and your employment potential.
Program at a Glance
Our MBA in Accounting program is geared toward working professionals and recent graduates from undergraduate programs of various types. It provides a functional knowledge of accounting principles and business applications.
This degree is a must if you desire the flexibility to work in a variety of business-oriented careers. It provides a broader business focus with an emphasis on accounting that gives you the ability to choose what you want to do.
To that end, it has two tracks that you can choose based on your career goals:
Graduates of this program have gone on to pursue roles such as:
Program at a Glance
Both of UT Permian Basin’s accounting-oriented master’s programs are offered online through our AACSB-accredited College of Business. Each is taught by the same doctoral-level professors and CPAs who teach the programs on campus and features the identical curriculum.
When you enroll in either of these programs, you will experience the benefits of 100% online, asynchronous learning, which allows you to complete coursework on your own schedule from virtually any location in the world—from Texas to Tasmania. This flexibility is a tremendous advantage when you’re simultaneously juggling professional, personal, and educational commitments.
In addition, both programs help you develop skills that will benefit you in a range of rewarding jobs in accounting and related fields. Compensation is generally higher in those jobs, too. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of 2024, professionals who have completed a master’s degree have some of the highest earnings and an impressively low unemployment rate.
If you definitely plan to pursue a career as a CPA, the Master of Public Accountancy is your best bet. If you want to build a foundation in accounting as part of a broader business career, choose the MBA in Accounting. Again, it’s all about your professional goals.
We’d be happy to tell you more about these programs and what they can do for you! Reach out to us anytime.
Sources:
https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2025/data-on-display/education-pays.htm
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Media affects communication by changing how people send, receive, interpret, and respond to messages. From video calls and text messages to emojis and social media, different forms of media can make communication faster and more convenient.
On the other hand, they can also create misunderstandings and make nonverbal cues harder to pick up on, which is already challenging enough in person, let alone through a screen. Understanding those effects can help people communicate more clearly in both personal and professional settings.
Video conferencing affects communication by making collaboration easier across distances. If you work remotely, you’ve probably been part of plenty of video meetings: the good, the bad and occasionally the very awkward. While video calls make it possible to connect from almost anywhere, they can still change the way people communicate compared to in-person conversations.
Don’t get us wrong, these platforms are incredible tools allowing professionals to collaborate with team members they may have never met before, but are they a substitute for in-person interactions?
Not according to The New York Times. They report that disruptions during video conferences such as blurring, jerkiness, and out-of-sync audio can lead to feelings of anxiety, isolation, and—the scourge of college students—burnout.
Over time, the strain of making sense of chaos takes its toll. Humans are attuned to reading facial expressions, especially the minute muscle contractions that allow us to pick up on emotions.
Communicating through video conferencing alters our perceptions, preventing us from engaging in facial mimicry and empathizing with others. The self-consciousness that can often arise during video calls can also distract from key communication signals, as we tend to spend more time staring at ourselves than anyone on the call.
Text messaging affects communication by making conversations faster and more convenient, but it can also increase misunderstandings and make it harder to pick up on tone and emotion.
Texting has become the gold standard of communication, as text message chimes have become an overwhelming substitute for anxiety-inducing telephone rings. It’s easy to see why. A single-word text can sometimes effortlessly convey a message. Imagine the sheer number of text conversations that have been punctuated with just an “lol.”
Text messages could be doing more harm than good, however. Reducing interactions to a few choice words on a screen can lead to misunderstandings and curtailed conversations.
Engaging in a text conversation doesn’t require us to make eye contact or consider another person’s thoughts and feelings. Essentially, texting is lazy. Writing a letter, sending an email, making a phone call, or meeting someone all require far more effort, and when communication demands little to no effort, relationships can suffer.
This isn’t to say that texting isn’t convenient or that it’s somehow killing language. Research has shown that texting can improve children’s phonological awareness and reading skills. However, consideration should be given to how we communicate with people outside of a string of text messages. Notifying someone you’re late via text, though considerate, could come off as rude if you don’t bring it up in conversation.
Emojis and emoticons are visual forms of communication that have spread to our text messages, emails, and social media posts, which only makes sense: Images are a universal language. By referencing the intended emotion conveyed by a message, emojis and emoticons allow people to provide nuance to their communication that is normally lost outside of face-to-face interactions.
Emojis and emoticons are not without their drawbacks, however. They can carry different connotations across cultures, and like text messages, they can fail to convey a message’s intended meaning.
Not to worry, though. A confusing string of emojis won’t lead to any serious consequences — that is, unless it’s seen by an attorney. A review of American and European legal cases found that emojis are considered “the first step in non-verbal digital literacy with potential evidentiary legitimacy to humanize and give contour to interpersonal communications.”
This is further proof that media, regardless of the form it takes, has an incredible impact on how we interact with one another.
Social media affects communication by making it easier to connect and share with others. The vast majority of Americans have adopted social media, with about 72% of U.S. adults using online platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Grabbing our phones and scrolling through feeds has become a part of our daily routine. Uploading a picture or liking a post is a way to engage with our community and reach friends and family, regardless of their physical distance.
There’s a looming concern, however, that social media leads to social displacement: the idea that time spent online takes away from time spent socializing. A study on social media habits, however, found that participants spent the same amount of time socializing whether or not they abstained from social media.
We tend to interact with our loved ones through many modalities, including the forms of media mentioned above. There are certainly reasons to be concerned about social media, not the least of which is lack of privacy, but it has yet to stop us from communicating.
Far more than a momentary distraction, the many forms of media that surround us are changing the way we perceive and interact with one another. Professionals who are able to communicate and collaborate across media platforms are invaluable in practically any industry, which is why The University of Texas Permian Basin offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Communication.
Our online BA in communication program takes an in-depth look at the theories of communication and how they can be applied in everyday life, especially in professional settings where success often hinges on effective messaging.
Through its exploration of crisis, interpersonal, and oral communication, our program can prepare you for many positions associated with communication, such as public relations professional, social media manager, or media specialist. Thanks to our program’s entirely online and asynchronous format, you can continue working in your current position while pursuing your degree. Join our online program to develop the knowledge and skills needed to navigate challenging workplace situations and facilitate workplace harmony.
Ready to become a UT Permian Basin Falcon? Apply now to our online BA in communication program to accelerate your career and become a more effective communicator.
Sources:
https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/texting-really-ruining-personal-relationships-ncna1097461
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/emojis-forever-pringle-1.4577456
https://www.apa.org/members/content/social-media-research
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Many teachers are driven by the desire to impart the knowledge and skills that will help students thrive throughout their lives. However, some students have specialized education needs due to a disability or disorder, which means accomplishing this goal may require additional training. If you’re considering pursuing a graduate degree and eventual career in special education, you have some important choices to make. Some students may want to pursue a general master’s degree program in special education, while others may want to focus on specific types of students or roles within special education.
Your choice depends upon several factors including your passion and your educational background. Naturally, you will need to have a related bachelor’s degree before you can apply for a master’s degree program. Ideally, you should also consider your answers to the following questions before making your decision:
While a special education career may include teaching all of these types of students, choosing a program that connects with what really drives you is always a good starting point. Let’s look at some online programs from The University of Texas Permian Basin and consider how the curriculum of a specific program can guide your choice of special education master’s degree track.
Choose From Three Online Special Education Master’s Degree Paths
UT Permian Basin offers three online master’s-level special education degree programs to help you prepare for or advance within a rewarding career in special education. Choose our general master’s program or one of our two specialized tracks:
Master of Arts in Special Education
We designed this program for individuals who want to help students with developmental and learning disabilities enjoy fuller, more independent lives. Our master’s degree in special education emphasizes the critical role of technology and innovation in today’s special education classroom and empowers students to overcome many of the specific issues today’s teachers face, including resource limitations, the struggle to create a diverse, inclusive environment, and determining and meeting the needs of individual students.
Select highlights of this program:
Master of Arts in Special Education, Autism Spectrum Disorders track
We created this program for individuals who desire to fulfill the unique needs of students on the autism spectrum. Our MA in special education, autism spectrum disorders track explores the place of technology and innovation in today’s special education classrooms and demonstrates how educators can prevail over contemporary challenges such as resource constraints, parental participation, and diversity and inclusion issues, all with regard to students on the autism spectrum.
Select highlights of this program:
Master of Arts in Special Education, Educational Diagnostician track
We developed this program for individuals who wish to focus on diagnosing and assessing the learning requirements of students. Our MA in special education, educational diagnostician track examines the function of technology and innovation in the modern special education classroom and delivers wide-ranging instruction in the use of standardized and curriculum-based methods for recognizing learning or developmental disadvantages in students.
Select highlights of this program:
What It’s Like to Earn a Special Education Degree Online From UT Permian Basin
When you choose a master’s degree in special education from UT Permian Basin, you’ll experience many advantages. Our programs are delivered in a 100% online, asynchronous format that gives you the flexibility to complete coursework on your own schedule, from just about anywhere in the world, with no campus visits. You’ll find these benefits invaluable if you’re trying to balance earning a graduate degree with your ongoing work and family commitments.
All of our online courses feature the same curriculum taught by the same renowned faculty who teach on campus. That means you can expect a high-quality educational experience from our program whether online or on campus. Class sessions last just eight weeks—or seven weeks during Summer A and Summer B sessions—enabling you to add new skills at an accelerated pace, with assistance available to you 24/7.
Develop the expertise you need to excel in special education with an online master’s degree from UT Permian Basin!
Sources:
https://www.dodea.edu/dodeaCelebrates/upload/Disabilities_Defined_IDEA.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/developmentaldisabilities/facts.html
https://www.ncedonline.org/
http://personnelcenter.org/edu_diag.cfm
http://aasep.org/career-center/career-profiles-in-special-education/educational-diagnostician/index.html
A BSN, or Bachelor of Science in Nursing, is a respected undergraduate degree that many nurses use as a stepping stone from working as an RN to taking on greater professional responsibilities. Here we’ll discuss the BSN and its benefits in greater detail. But before we go deeper into that specific topic, let’s establish some context with the basics of what a bachelor’s degree is and why you might want to pursue one.
What Is a Bachelor’s Degree?
A bachelor’s degree is designed to give you the foundation for a satisfying, successful career and a more fulfilling life overall. (If you’re interested in knowing the reasons why it’s called a bachelor’s degree, you’ll find that information here.) Bachelor’s degree programs begin with courses in general studies, which may include English composition, literature, history, communication, public speaking, and mathematics, among others. From that well-rounded educational cornerstone, students move on to courses that focus on different aspects of their chosen major.
Most bachelor’s degrees are either a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS). What’s the difference? A BS may be more technically oriented and sometimes puts more focus on a topic by requiring more core courses (as opposed to electives). A Bachelor of Science may have more required math and science courses than a BA, as well as related lab sessions and/or clinical courses.
What a BSN Can Mean for You
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing, also called an RN to BSN or an RN to BS in Nursing, can transform your career—and your life—in significant and enduring ways. A BSN represents:
The Advantages of Earning an Online RN to BSN From UT Permian Basin
Experience an RN to BSN program of exceptional quality and convenience, 100% online. Through a variety of courses on topics including social determinants of health, healthcare research methods, public health systems, and healthcare leadership and policy, The University of Texas Permian Basin’s CCNE-accredited online RN to BSN enhances your proficiency in providing evidence-based, patient-centered care and meeting the many challenges of treating multicultural patients. Most courses in the general studies portion of our degree program and all of the nursing major courses last just eight weeks. You can complete your RN to BSN in as little as one year.
Acclaimed Faculty
UT Permian Basin’s online RN to BSN program features the same accomplished faculty who teach the program on campus and the same robust curriculum. You’ll be led on your journey toward nursing leadership by proven nursing leaders who have moved beyond their RN status and who can help steer you toward greater success. Our program is guided by master’s- or doctorally prepared nurses, including some who have decades of experience working in the nursing field.
Convenient Online Classroom
As nurses, we understand the busy life you’re living, and we want to make sure that earning an RN to BSN is not only possible but as convenient as possible for you. That’s why we designed our online RN to BSN program to give you the freedom you need to manage professional and personal responsibilities while you earn your degree. Delivered in an online format, our program allows you to complete all coursework (with the exception of our two clinical courses, conducted at a location convenient to you with a local preceptor of your choice) from just about anywhere in the world and on your own schedule. With that 24/7 flexibility, you won’t have to choose between earning a career-enhancing degree and meeting your ongoing work and family responsibilities.
Flexible Clinical Experience
Any future leader can benefit immeasurably from having a mentor to personally guide them. As a student in our online RN to BSN program, you’ll work closely with a preceptor, who will help you understand how you can translate the nursing theories you’ve learned into real-life practices in various work settings. You may choose the individual who will act as the preceptor for your two required clinical courses, as long as they have completed their own BSN and are presently employed in a nursing leadership role. As with all the other program courses, our clinical courses do not require any campus visits.
Prepare for an even more rewarding nursing career by earning your online RN to BSN from UT Permian Basin.
Sources:
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/bachelor.doc
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/understand-the-difference-between-a-ba-and-bs-degree
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2015/02/02/whats-the-purpose-of-college-a-job-or-an-education/
https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2016/10/06/5-the-value-of-a-college-education/
https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2016/10/06/5-the-value-of-a-college-education/
Black Friday may get the headlines for crowded stores and doorbuster chaos, but Cyber Monday has become one of the biggest shopping days of the year without requiring anyone to leave the couch.
Cyber Monday is the Monday after Thanksgiving, when retailers offer online deals and limited-time discounts to holiday shoppers. What started as a marketing term has grown into a major retail event and a big part of how people shop during the holiday season.
So, where did it come from? This article covers:
As online shopping took off in the early 2000s, retailers noticed that online sales tended to spike on the Monday after Thanksgiving, and they wanted a name for the trend.
At the time, one theory was that people were returning to work after the holiday weekend and shopping online from their desks, where internet connections were often faster than what they had at home. Whether that was the whole story or not, the pattern was clear: Shoppers were still in gift-buying mode, and online deals made it easy to keep going.
The term “Cyber Monday” was coined in a 2005 press release from Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation (NRF). The term was proposed by Ellen Davis, a PR executive at the NRF at the time. “It’s a random bit of cocktail party conversation I like to bring up sometimes,” Davis told Fast Company. “It’s surreal to think that I’m associated with a term that has taken off like this.”
Before settling on Cyber Monday, the team considered the name “Black Monday” to match the already-established Black Friday—but that name was already tied to the 1987 stock market crash.
Online sales on the Monday after Thanksgiving had been steadily increasing in the early 2000s. Retailers, always eager to promote the holiday season, responded by offering special promotions and discounts on that day. Experts lacked a definitive reason for the spike in sales but suspected it was a combination of better internet access at work, leftover shopping lists from the weekend, and the looming pressure of holiday gift-giving.
What started as a catchy marketing term quickly became an industry-changing phenomenon—and a new kind of holiday tradition.
One big reason Cyber Monday became so popular is that shopping online is more convenient than driving to the stores and waiting in line for a product (that may or may not already be sold out). No one has time for that.
Instead, Cyber Monday made it easy to browse the hottest deals from your favorite stores on your phone or laptop—from anywhere. For a lot of shoppers, it was a welcomed alternative.
Retailers also helped turn Cyber Monday into a bigger event by offering deeper discounts, flash sales, and online-only promotions. Over time, the day grew from a one-day shopping push into something closer to Cyber Week, with deals stretching across several days.
Cyber Monday helped change the way people think about holiday shopping. It showed that online retail could compete with (and often outperform) traditional in-store events like Black Friday.
It also helped normalize the idea of shopping online for everything from electronics and clothing to gift cards and streaming subscriptions. These days, buying gifts with a few taps feels like the norm. In 2005, that still felt new to most shoppers.
And while plenty of people still enjoy the Black Friday experience, Cyber Monday has become a go-to option for anyone who prefers less chaos and more clicking.
The University of Texas Permian Basin offers an online undergraduate Certificate in Digital Marketing that helps students build skills in areas like digital branding, e-marketing, and e-commerce.
If you want to better understand the strategies behind online shopping trends like Cyber Monday, UTPB’s online program can help you build practical knowledge for the digital marketplace.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/03/business/cyber-monday-record-sales/index.html
https://money.cnn.com/2010/12/01/news/economy/billion_cyber_monday/index.htm
https://www.inc.com/anna-meyer/holiday-cyber-monday-sales-forecast-golden-hours-retail.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/12/01/the-surprisingly-political-origins-of-cyber-monday/
https://www.statista.com/statistics/379046/worldwide-retail-e-commerce-sales
https://www.businessinsider.com/2008/12/cyber-monday-traffic-amazon-killed-amzn
What’s Valentine’s Day without a bouquet of roses, heartfelt greeting card, or heart-shaped box of chocolates? At least, that’s what it feels like for anyone shopping for their significant other, if only to outdo the previous year. No wonder so many people believe that this commercial holiday started as a marketing ploy. In actuality, the…
Gen Z and younger millennials haven’t just entered the consumer marketplace. They’re reshaping it. According to a 2024 survey, 20% of U.S. consumers made purchases on a social media platform at least weekly. This means Gen Z and millennials are setting the tone for how future generations will discover and buy from brands. These digital…
Earning a university degree can equip you with skills and credentials that will be a tremendous asset in your professional life. As Abigail Johnson Hess reports on CNBC.com, the long-held notion that a college degree “can be a clear path to stronger job opportunities and higher earnings” still holds true. College graduates take home about $30,000 more each year than those whose highest level of education completed is high school. When choosing a college degree, it’s…
Called “the most binding and central concern of sociology,” social stratification is a topic of intense study among sociologists. But what does this lofty term mean? At the simplest level, stratification refers to the formation of layers, or strata. From a sociological perspective, this term can also be used to refer to the divisions separating social classes and other forms of inequalities.
Social stratification exists in nearly every society worldwide and is often based on factors like race, gender, religion, and economic status. Classical sociologists such as Karl Marx emphasized the role of social class as a driving force in societal change, while others, like Max Weber, debated the extent of class divisions in modern societies like the United States. However, historical and contemporary studies show that inequality and social stratification are persistent and global issues.
Social stratification seeks to define individuals’ “place” in society. In doing so, it observes inequalities that are often based on arbitrary, biased, and immutable criteria. Historical examples of social stratification include:
In modern times, particularly in the Western world, social stratification is generally seen in the form of socioeconomic inequality. A prime example is the ongoing wage gap between white men and women of all races or ethnicities. Recent studies have shown that white women make only 82 cents for every dollar that white men earn. Women of color earn even less, with Latina women earning just 54 cents for every dollar that white men earn.
The study of social stratification brings the disparities of our society to light, which is the only way we can address them. Learning about social stratification and sociology in general makes one more aware of how society has been structured and the factors that figure into that structure: education, lack of economic opportunity, etc.
Sociologists have determined that sexism, racism, homophobia, and other prejudices commonly force people into a specific layer of society—one that they may find difficult to rise above. That is to say, people in certain strata of society have less upward mobility, or the ability to better their economic status.
The more people understand social stratification, the more likely they are as members of a society to dismantle many of its detrimental forms, especially the institutional forms of racism, sexism and other inequalities. A very acute example of this would be the historical and recent attacks on people of color.
The University of Texas Permian Basin offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Sociology program for individuals guided by a desire to help promote greater equality among all groups and individuals within diverse societies. Our program dives deep into several crucial areas, including:
In addition, the program investigates ways in which social and political identities can impact how certain subcultures are thought of within their larger society.
Our online bachelor’s degree in sociology provides a comprehensive general education in a range of subjects including U.S. history, English composition, college algebra, and biology. With this foundation, you’ll develop critical and transferrable skills that will enrich you in your professional life and beyond, like communication, critical thinking, and research. Upon completion of the UTPB program, you’ll also be eligible to advance into graduate-level programs within sociology and other disciplines, if you so choose.
If you have a passion for social studies and social justice, we encourage you to apply to our online Bachelor of Arts in Sociology program. Build a foundation for a more fulfilling life and career starting here!
Sources:
https://www.asanet.org/topics/inequalities-and-stratification
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/social-stratification
https://www.omicsonline.org/social-stratification-scholarly-open-access-journals.php
https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.an.05.100176.001303?journalCode=anthro
https://www.thoughtco.com/visualizing-social-stratification-in-the-us-3026378
https://opinionfront.com/social-stratification-types-characteristics-examples
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/sociology/social-stratification-meaning-types-and-characteristics-sociology-2446-words/6199
