An area of emphasis gives R.B.A. students at Marshall the opportunity to show a focus as part of the R.B.A. degree. An area of emphasis requires a minimum of 15 hours of 300-400 level courses with a C or higher for each course. Substitutions are only allowed with the appropriate department’s written permission.
Areas of emphasis are not required for the R.B.A. degree and not all options are available online. Students should check with the appropriate department first if you hope to complete an area of emphasis online.
Computer-Related
Area of Emphasis in Digital Forensics (25 hours): NOT online
CFS 261 – Intro to Linux (3 hrs); IST 264 – Technology Foundations (3 hrs) OR CFS 200 — Intro to CFS (3 hrs); CFS 400 — Intro to Digital Forensics (3 hrs); CFS 440 — Digital Evidence (4 hrs); CFS 460 — Applied Digital Evidence (4 hrs); CFS 462 – Network Forensics (4 hrs); CFS 467 — Mobile Device Forensics (4 hrs)
Area of Emphasis in Information Assurance (23 hours): NOT online
CFS 261 – Intro to Linux (3 hrs); IST 264 – Technology Foundations (3 hrs) OR CFS 200 – Intro to CFS (3 hrs); CIT 352 – Network Admin & Protocols (3 hrs); CFS 305 – Open Source Intelligence (3 hrs); CFS 357 — Network Penetration & Attack (4 hrs); CFS 454 – Network Defense (4 hrs); CFS 461 — Cyber Warfare (3 hrs)
Area of Emphasis in Web Application Development (21 hours): NOT online
CIS 110 – Computer Science I; CIT 263 – Web Programming; CIT 313 – Web Programming II; CIT 365 – Database Management; CIT 466 – Database Programming; CIT 416 — Adv. Web Programming; ART 454 – Designing for Multimedia. Other courses substituted with permission of the CIT department chair
Area of Emphasis in Game Development (24 hours): NOT online
CS 110 – Computer Science I; CS 120 – Computer Sience II; CIT 340 – Game Development I; CIT 440 – Computer Graphics for Gaming; CIT 441 – Game Development II; CIT 443 – Game Development III; ART 454 – Designing for Multimedia and choose one of the following: CIT 446 — 3D Modeling and Game Development or CIT 447 – Modeling/Simulation Development or CIT 448 – Mobile Game Development
Area of Emphasis in Instructional Technology and Library Science (15 hours) Online only
ITL 350 – Advanced Digital Literacy; ITL 365 – Orient. to Technology Applications, ITL 466 – Production of Instructional Technology Material, ITL 400 – New Literacies and ITL 455 – Pedagogy of New Literacies.
Substitution of other ITL courses such as ITL 406 or ITL 483 is possible, talk to the RBA program director.
Creative Writing/Art Related
Area of Emphasis in Creative Writing in English (15 hours): Check with department about online
15 hours of 300-400 level courses listed as Creative Writing by Marshall’s Department of English
Area of Emphasis in Studio Art (21 hours): NOT online
Check with the RBA office and faculty in the School of Art and Design for appropriate courses for this emphasis
Communications-Related
Area of Emphasis in Communication Studies (18 hours): check with department about online
CMM 103 and 15 additional hours of Communication Studies courses at the 3-400 level.
Humanities-Related
Area of Emphasis in Religious Studies (18 hours): Check with department about online
Any 18 hours of 300-400 level Religious Studies courses. At least 6 hours must be taken through Marshall University.
Area of Emphasis in Literature in English (15 hours): Check with department about online
15 hours of 300-400 level courses listed as Literature by Marshall’s Department of English.
Social Science-Related
Area of Emphasis in Anthropology (18 hours): NOT online
ANT 201 (Cultural Anthropology), ANT 322 (Archeology), ANT 361 (Ethnographic Methods) or ANT 491 (Theory in Ethnology), and 3 additional Anthropology courses at the 300-400 level.
Area of Emphasis in Criminal Justice (18 hours): Online possible
CJ 200 (Intro to Criminal Justice) and 15 additional hours of Criminal Justice courses at the 3-400 level.
Area of Emphasis in Geography (18-19 hours): Online possible
3- 4 hours of 1-200 level Geography courses and 15 additional hours of Geography courses at the 3-400 level.
Area of Emphasis in GIScience Geography (18 hours, at least 15 hrs at the 3-400 level): Online possible
Select from the following: GEO 110 (1), 111 (1), 112 (1), 113 (1), 423 (3), 426 (4), 432 (3), 433 (3), 429 (4), 430 (4), 431 (3), 432 (3), 440 (4), 454 (3), 490 (1-6; Internship in Geoscience)
Area of Emphasis in Human Geography (18 hours, at least 15 hrs at the 3-400 level): Online possible
Select from the following: GEO 100 (3), 203 (3), 222 (3), 206 (3), 317 (3), 401 (3), 402 (3), 404 (3), 406 (3), 408 (3), 410 (3), 422 (3), 426 (4)
Area of Emphasis in Physical Geography (18-19 hours, at least 15 upper level): Online possible
Take one of: GEO 101 (3), 222 (3), 230 (4), then at least 15 hours of the following: GEO 350 (4), GEO 360 (4), GEO 422 (3), GEO 425 (4), GEO 426 (3), and GEO 431 (3).
Area of Emphasis in Military Science (18 hours): NOT online
At least 15 hours of 300-400 level Military Science, including MS 301, 301L, 302, 302L, 401, 401L, 402, 402L. Note that MS 101, 101L, 102, 102L, 201, 201L or MS 251 or departmental permission is required to begin this sequence with MS 301, specifically designed for ROTC students.
Area of Emphasis in Political Science (15 hours): Check with department about online
15 hours of 300-400 level Political Science courses.
Area of Emphasis in Psychology (18 hours): Online possible
PSY 201 and 15 additional hours of Psychology courses at the 300-400 level.
Area of Emphasis in Sociology (18 hours): NOT online
SOC 200 (Introductory Sociology), SOC 344 (Social Research I), SOC 360 (Sociological Perspectives), and 9 additional hours of Sociology courses at the 300-400 level.
Area of Emphasis in Women’s Studies (18 hours): Check with program director about online
WS 101 (Introduction to Women’s Studies) and 15 hours of WS designated courses at the 300-400 level. To be acceptable courses must have the WS designator.
Education-Related
Area of Emphasis in Preschool Development (21 hours): NOT online
ECE 215 – Family Relationships: ECE 303 – Child Development; ECE 322 – Language, Literacy, and Numeracy for Young Children; ECE 323 – Assessment in Early Childhood; ECE 430 – Preschool Curriculum and Methods; CISP 320 – Special Education: Survey of Exceptional Children I; CISP 420 – Special Education: Survey of Exceptional Children II.
*To be eligible for lead teaching positions in Universal Pre-K community classrooms students should take CISP 421 and CISP 428 instead of CISP 320 and CISP 420.
