Life is a series of  moments designed by the decisions a person makes. When walking into Starbucks one must decides between 50 different flavors just to get a cup of coffee, but what about the many flavors of knowledge that stimulate the mind?

When deciding to go to college there are so many other decisions that follow that single one.  There is choosing a major and career, after first deciding on what inspires the imagination. A student must chose a direction that will provide for them financially.

It's hard to make so many important decisions at such a young age, when a person's really just trying to figure out who they are, let alone who they want to be.  But, seeing as we all have to make these decisions, it's best to find out what choices we have and Buffalo State College definitely has a lot to offer.

In deciding on a career one must look at the job market and stay current.  New technology is being developed daily, creating new job opportunities.  Luckily, BSC is staying on top of these new trends and has made efforts to create new programs and courses, also to revise old ones in order to keep up with the ever-changing job markets.  Recently, the president of BSC approved two new programs, three program revisions, 11 new courses, and two course revisions.

The news programs that will be available are:

-post-master's certification, literacy specialist, birth-grade 6
-post-master's certification, literacy specialist, grades 5-12

These programs are for teachers with master's in elementary education and high school subjects to be certified in literacy. For information contact elementary education, or apply at the graduate admissions office: www.gradoffice@buffalostate.edu

Program revisions:

-B.A. in geography (0715)
-B.S. in urban and regional analysis and planning
-minor in meteorology and climatologic
-B.S. in forensic chemistry

According to Dr. Gregory W. Ebert of the chemistry department, “The revision in forensic chemistry will add a laboratory component for a more practical, hands-on experience.”

There will also be changes in adding new biology courses in an effort to provide students with a better overall understanding.

Ebert stated, “This is an area of growing interest, and BSC will be one of three schools in the state to offer this degree program.”

For more information: www.buffalostate.edu/depts/chemistry

New courses are: -ADE/CTE 655 diversity issues in adult education and training For more information: www.buffalostate.edu/depts/edfoundations

-BIO 211 Introduction to Cell Biology and Genetics
-BIO 212 Introduction to Organismal Biology and Diversity
-BIO 213 Introduction to Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior These biology courses are a new introductory sequence which will replace the old BIO 115, 116,  and 200 courses, to provide a more modern coverage of this subject.

When I spoke with Dr. Randall Snyder, Chairman of the department of biology, he stated that, “They are in the process of revising their B.A. and B.S.ED degree programs, and will soon offer Aquatic Biology and Biotechnology. These course will be useful to biology and biology education majors as well as elementary education majors with a science concentration.”

For more information: www.buffalostate.edu/depts/biology

-BUS 367 Strategic Management of Innovation and Technology This course focuses on management from the perspective of marketing, operations, manufacturing, retail and distribution.

According to Dr. James Maxwell of the department of business, “It will deal with managing technology and innovation,  along with it's pace, scope and change” and “will provide you with a competitive advantage over other schools by teaching how to forecast new technology, it's effects, and how to minimize its risks.”

-BUS368 Sports Management and Marketing This course focuses on administration, management, coordination and evaluation of sports events. It will discuss marketing and management from professional to amateur sports.

Maxwell said, “It will allow applicable experience for a real world $60 billion market of sports management.”

-BUS 425 International and Cross-Cultural Training This course will explore our diverse community and  provide an opportunity to teach students how to deal with oversees assignments.

“It will prepare you for culture shock and overcoming such barriers as language, religion and culture,” says Maxwell.

For more information: www.buffalostate.edu/depts/business

-CIS 475 Programming for the Internet Environment II This course teaches about software that runs on servers for Internet commerce and trading.

According to Dr. Lawrence W. Scott, Chairman of the department of computer information systems, “It will feature programming from behind the scenes, and creating active server pages.”

-CIS 480 Networking Laboratory I This course allows students to get inside computers to install software and change software configurations.

Scott believes that, “It will provide high level access to computers and the ability to experiment with network administration.”

For more information: www.buffalostate.edu/depts/cis

-GEG 359 Arctic Geography from an Inuit Perspective

-GEG 428 Environmental Assessment and Planning Applications in Geographic Information Systems

For more information: www.buffalostate.edu/depts/geography

Course Revisions:

-CIS 380 Microcomputer Applications This revision will update the course to help keep up with new advances in technology.

-GEG 425 Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems