| 2001/2003 Undergraduate Catalog |
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All undergraduate curricula of the university lead to the bachelor’s degree and have a common area of general education subjects which provide a rich, liberal education. The selection of a particular curriculum is one of the most important decisions you will make as a college student. It determines your major area of concentrated study and also directly or indirectly determines your professional future.
The selection of a curriculum or area of specialization should be made with care after considering your academic strengths, areas of interest, plans for future study, and career goals. You may want to consult with friends, family members, university counselors, or faculty advisors before making a decision. If you plan to undertake graduate study after completing your bachelor’s degree, you should look into the admissions requirements for the schools and graduate programs you are considering.
These degree programs are offered by the College of Arts and Sciences, the John L. Grove College of Business, and the College of Education and Human Services. You may not work on two different degrees at the same time, although it is possible to have a double major for one degree.
Quality academic advice goes far beyond scheduling classes. The well-trained academic advisor helps students realize their full potential by helping them set important goals and directions. This includes life and personal goals as well as career goals.
Faculty within the academic departments provide academic advisement for students in their major programs. Both faculty and administrators advise undeclared students. Though the mode of advising may vary from one department to another, faculty have accepted advising as part of their professional responsibility. It is important to remember, however, academic advising is a joint responsibility between you and your advisor.
If you do not declare a major at the time you are admitted, you will be classified as an undeclared student. Shippensburg University has developed a program to assist its undeclared students. The Division of Undeclared Majors offers a wide variety of services to help students become familiar with academic life. Students can progress toward a degree while exploring educational and career options. Services include an academic orientation to the university, assistance in understanding the university’s policies and procedures, a career exploration and planning course, a quality academic advising and monitoring program, and an administrative unit for academic records.
The dean of Academic Programs and Services is the academic dean for all undeclared students. Unlike the three undergraduate colleges, the Division of Undeclared Majors does not grant degrees. Students must declare a major in the middle of their sophomore year at Shippensburg University.
College of Arts and Sciences
Art Department
Detailed information about program requirements and options can be found in the next three chapters of the catalog. In addition to the major requirements, all students must complete a program of general education for the bachelor’s degree.
Education at a college or university has traditionally had two equally important components—depth and breadth. Depth is provided by the academic major which a student chooses and which prepares him or her for a useful vocation; breadth of knowledge is the concern and aim of the general education curriculum. Since men and women first began to discuss the nature and purpose of education, they have seen in it something more than the mere acquisition of specific knowledge or skills, important as these may be. This something they called a “liberal” or “general” education, and the need for it has been based on the ideal a breadth of knowledge is necessary for an individual to become an informed and literate member of society.
Shippensburg University subscribes to this ideal. While the selection of an academic major and elective courses allows the student freedom of individual choice, the general education program at Shippensburg is rooted in the assumption each person shares significant relationships with the larger human community and must acknowledge the necessary balance between individual preferences and community needs. At its best, general education can help the student to see the interrelatedness and connectedness of the human experience. This collective experience, the world in which we live, has been formed within the conceptual frameworks which have been worked out by the human race in our common past and are now embodied in our institutions and modes of thought. It is only through a knowledge of these frameworks we can understand each other and make sense of our own experience. Shippensburg University believes a generally educated student is one whose university curriculum has helped him or her to understand and to operate within the main frameworks and patterns of discourse which the human mind has framed for itself.
The study of these frameworks constitutes the general education curriculum at Shippensburg University. Its goal is to help each student to develop, for his or her own sake, the capacity for rational thought, understanding and participation within our complex, changing and often overwhelming world. The complexity of our society is reflected in the diversity and wide range of experience of the Shippensburg student body and academic community. It must also be reflected in a general education program which allows that complexity and its interconnectedness to be appreciated and understood. Because there are different modes of rational thought and expression, a general education can be best achieved through a variety of intellectual experiences which provide a common agenda for study and investigation and a common discourse.
To achieve these basic skills, undergraduates are required to take five courses for a total of 15 credit hours in the following areas:
Fluency in Writing. Students must take one of the following for 3 credit hours: ENG101 College Writing, or ENG110 Advanced Placement Writing.
Fluency in Speaking. Students must take SPE 100 Basic Oral Communication for 3 credit hours.
Mathematical Competency. Students must take one mathematics course listed below in Category A, Logic and Numbers for Rational Thinking, for 3 credit hours, or must place in the Advanced College Level through the university Mathematics Examination.
Historical Perspectives. Students must take the following two courses for a total of six credit hours: HIS105 World History I and HIS106 World History II.
The mission of the Placement Testing Program is to ensure that undergraduate students are sufficiently prepared to succeed in the courses required by Shippensburg University’s General Education Program. Student proficiency is ascertained by administering reading, writing (English), and mathematics placement tests. Although all first-year students must take the English (writing) test, SAT scores are used to determine if students must take the math and/or reading tests. Students must take the reading placement test if their SAT verbal score is below 500. Students must take the math placement test if their SAT quantitative score is below 515. Students may also elect to take the math placement test if they wish to take an advanced math course or if they wish to “test out” of the mathematics requirement for graduation. The ability to “test out” of the math requirement depends on the student’s academic major.
Transfer students who need further course work in mathematics and/or writing may also be required to test. These students will be notified.Writing
The English Composition Program is designed to provide first year students with sufficient writing skills to meet undergraduate requirements. Students are placed in the composition course that best meets their needs based on their performance on the English Placement Essay. Three placements are possible. Successful completion of ENG101 College Writing fulfills the university writing competency requirement. Those who need more attention to basic skills are assigned to ENG050 Basic Writing. Upon earning a grade of “C” or better, these students are then qualified to enroll in ENG101 College Writing. Students who have well-developed writing skills are invited to schedule ENG110 Advanced Placement Writing, which also fulfills the competency requirement.
Reading
Reading efficiently is vital to college success. The Reading Placement Test measures reading comprehension in short and long paragraphs as well as the understanding of the relationship between sentences. Students who score below the minimum level are required to improve their reading skills by completing a tutoring program offered by the Learning Assistance Center or by earning a grade of at least “C” in RDG050 Developmental Reading and Study Skills.
Mathematics
Shippensburg University requires all students to complete a college-level mathematics course in order to qualify for graduation. The Math Placement Test is designed to assess mathematical skill level and places students at one of four possible levels.
Advanced— Advanced: Students who score at the advanced level have fulfilled the university competency requirement and do not need to take any math course unless it is required by their major.
College— College: Students who score at the college level must pass at least one college-level math course. The required course varies according to the student’s major.
Pre-College—Students who score at the pre-college level need to strengthen their math skills by taking MAT120 Basic Mathematical Models before they enroll in any other math course at Shippensburg. Depending on the student’s major, this course may also satisfy the college-level math course required for graduation. Students may choose to fulfill this requirement by taking an appropriate course from another institution. However, students should contact the Placement Testing Office before they take the course to ensure that it meets the university’s pre-college requirement. Although taking a pre-college course from another institution will fulfill the placement requirement, the credits are considered developmental. They will not transfer to Shippensburg nor will they count toward graduation. Upon successful completion of the course with a grade of “C” or better, students may schedule a college level math course.
Developmental—Students who score at the developmental level require additional instruction to help them pass the placement test. All students must pass the placement test above the developmental level within one calendar year of their enrollment in Shippensburg. Students who fail to meet this requirement will not be permitted to register for classes the following academic year. The following options are available to help students pass the test.
Withdrawal and the Mathematics Placement Test—Students who withdraw (voluntarily or involuntarily) from the university and who have not passed the math placement test must satisfy the developmental math requirement before they can be considered for readmission. They can do this by taking a math course at another institution or by participating in a hometown tutorial program and passing a retest. Students should contact the Placement Testing Office for more information.
Developmental Courses
Courses numbered below 100 are considered developmental in nature and cover material at a pre-college level. These courses include: ENG050 Basic Writing; RDG050 Developmental Reading and Study Skills; MAT060 Introductory Algebra; and MAT050 Developmental Mathematics. Credits earned in developmental classes are included in determining a student’s class standing, and the grades are computed in the student’s quality point average. However, these credits do not count toward the total number of credits required for graduation. Students earning these credits in developmental courses will be required to complete additional courses to meet the minimum of 120 credit hours required for graduation.
Retests
Under certain circumstances, students may retake a placement test. Students who qualify for this option will be notified. The writing placement may also be appealed through the Director of Composition, Department of English.
Undergraduates are required to take 11 courses for a total of 33 credit
hours as indicated in the following categories:
Category A—Logic and Numbers for Rational Thinking
(One course - 3 credit hours)
The courses in this category emphasize the use of symbols as
a means of expressing complex thoughts and information lucidly and accurately.
Many involve computational and mathematical operations — that is, the use
of mathematics as a symbolic language where each element and rule of operation
is defined very clearly in order to obtain precise understanding. Similarly,
the remainder of the courses which may be taken to fulfill this requirement
stress precise, logical approaches to reasoning; for example, the study
of those aspects of philosophy involving the exposition of abstract ideas.
One course must be taken from any of the following, with the exception the mathematics course selected under Basic Skills and Competencies may not be used for this requirement.
CPS103 Overview of Computer Science
CPS180 Microcomputer Basic
MAT102 Introduction to Statistics
MAT105 Mathematics for Liberal Studies
MAT108 College Algebra
MAT110 Fundamentals of Mathematics I
MAT120 Basic Mathematics Models
MAT124 Precalculus
MAT170 Elementary Statistics for Social Science
MAT181 Applied Calculus I
MAT211 Calculus I
PHL101 Introduction to Philosophy
PHL102 Critical Thinking
PHL103 Introduction to Philosophy of Mind
PHL104 Introduction to Religious Studies
PHL105 Introduction to Ethical Theories and Problems
Category B—Linguistic, Literary, Artistic, and Cultural Traditions
(3 courses - 9 credit hours)
Culture is the human-made part of the environment, and the spoken
and written word, together with the visual and performing arts, are its
foundation. The courses required in this category are designed to acquaint
the student with the richness and diversity of these aspects of culture,
especially with the recognized standards of literary and artistic excellence.
The emphasis in this category is also on the breadth and extent of the
many cultural experiences and heritages which make up our world. Knowing
only the traditions of our own immediate surroundings or even simply those
of our country is no longer enough to function effectively in a world where
contact between varied cultures and knowledge of their interaction has
become normal and expected.
All students completing a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) program will
be required to attain intermediate level of proficiency in a foreign language.
Intermediate proficiency may be satisfied by the completion of four years
of a foreign language in high school, six credits of intermediate level
college course work in a foreign language, or satisfactory completion of
an intermediate-level proficiency examination. Even if you are not completing
a B.A. degree, the university encourages study of a foreign language as
a means of fulfilling the requirement of this category. Foreign language
study introduces students to the way language works, why words matter,
and aids them in understanding more about their own language and its intricacies.
Such study also fosters greater appreciation of peoples and cultures by
crossing the language barrier and seeing more deeply how others live.
One course must be taken from those listed under Literature and
two courses in different disciplines from those listed under Humanities.
Literature (one course)
ENG150 Introduction to Fiction
ENG151 Introduction to Poetry
ENG152 Introduction to Drama
ENG243 The Art of the Film
FRN330 Masterpieces of French Literature
FRN331 Masterpieces of Francophone Literature
GER321 Readings in German Literature to the 18th Century
GER322 Readings in 19th and 20th Century German Literature
SPN360 Masterpieces of Spanish Literature
SPN361 Masterpieces of Spanish-American Literature
Humanities (two courses from different disciplines)
ART101 Art Appreciation
ART231 Art History I
ART232 Art History II
ART274 Introduction to Cultural Studio
ART339 History of American Art
FRN101 Beginning French I
FRN102 Beginning French II
FRN103 Intermediate French
FRN150 French Civilization
FRN200 Introduction to Reading
FRN202 Intermediate French Conversation
FRN320 Commercial French I
GER101 Beginning German I
GER102 Beginning German II
GER103 Intermediate German
GER150 German Civilization and Culture
GER200 Introduction to Reading
GER203 Intermediate German Conversation
GER215 Commercial German
MUS121 Introduction to Music
SOC370 Sociology of the Arts
SPE121 Introduction to Theater
SPE240 The Dramatic Narrative Film
SPN101 Beginning Spanish I
SPN102 Beginning Spanish II
SPN103 Intermediate Spanish
SPN150 Spanish Civilization and Culture
SPN200 Introduction to Reading
SPN202 Intermediate Spanish Conversation and Grammar Review
SPN250 Commercial Spanish
*Other language courses as offered may be taken in this category.
Category C—Biological & Physical Sciences
(3 courses - 9 credit hours)
Basic scientific literacy is necessary for knowledge of ourselves
as a species and of the universe in which we live. The courses in this
category have two comprehensive objectives–1) to make clear what kinds
of problems in the physical world are susceptible to scientific investigation
and what kinds of solutions such investigation can produce and 2) to provide
an appreciation of the practice of scientific research and methodology,
with its interaction of experiment and hypothesis. While the requirements
of this category may be satisfied without a course containing a laboratory
component, the university strongly encourages the selection of such courses.
Experimentation in the laboratory allows the student both to observe and
to participate directly in the systematic observation of nature and the
principles of its investigation.
One course must be taken from those listed in three of the following
disciplines.*
ANT121 Physical Anthropology
BIO100 Basic Biology
BIO105 Biological Sciences: A Laboratory Approach
BIO115 Principles of Biology I
BIO145 Problems of the Environment
BIO150 Human Biology
BIO208 Field Biology
BIO248 Field Natural History
CHM103 Chemistry: A Cultural Approach
CHM105 Chemistry: An Observational Approach
CHM121 Chemical Bonding
ESS108 Conservation of Natural Resources
ESS110 Introduction to Geology
ESS111 Introduction to the Atmosphere
ESS210 Physical Geology
PHY108 Astronomy
PHY110 Physics for Society
PHY115 Physical Science: A Laboratory Approach
PHY121 Introduction to Physics I
PHY205 Intermediate Physics I
*Note: Students majoring in the biological or physical sciences
are permitted to count one course from their major department toward satisfying
this requirement. Natural science courses which carry one of the above
courses as a prerequisite and required science courses for elementary education
majors may also be counted toward this requirement.
Category D—Political, Economic, and Geographic Sciences
(2 Courses - 6 Credit Hours)
Institutions are formal ways which societies and cultures create
over time to pursue activities important to them. Two of the most basic
institutions in any large, collective society are its governmental structure
and its economic system—that is, the ways which a society has chosen to
regulate the interaction between individuals and groups and the ways which
it has chosen to satisfy and organize its material needs. Both of these
frameworks and the remaining institutions of any society are all affected
and shaped by their physical environment, the geography in which they are
set. In an era of increasingly complex global interaction, an understanding
of these institutions in today’s society and the influences which have
helped to pattern their development are vital to the citizens of a participatory
democracy.
One course must be taken from those listed in two of the following disciplines.
ECN101 Principles of Macroeconomics
ECN102 Principles of Microeconomics
GEO101 World Geography
GEO103 Geography of the United States and Canada
PLS101 American Government: Constitutional and Political Foundations
PLS102 American Government: Institutions and Public Policies
PLS141 Introduction to International Relations
Category E—Social and Behavioral Sciences
(2 Courses - 6 Credit Hours)
An awareness and recognition of the disciplines which examine
and analyze group and individual behavior is of increasing importance for
all who seek to understand and to predict the patterns and processes of
human activity. These disciplines examine the causes of human action and
the diversity of its organization and structure. Their study will help
the student to see the connection between his or her own perspective and
that of society and to appreciate the effect social forces have on the
individual. The courses in this category will also consider the theoretical
frameworks of each discipline and the methods and results of current research.
One course must be taken from those listed in two of the following
disciplines.
ANT111 Cultural Anthropology
GEO140 Cultural Geography
PSY101 General Psychology
SOC101 Introduction to Sociology: Society and Diversity
Library/Information Skills
An integral aspect of the general education program is the development
of library and information skills. This requirement is fulfilled through
the completion of a self-paced, on-line tutorial which provides hands-on
experience in finding information in Lehman Library. This tutorial must
be completed by all students enrolled in ENG101 (College Writing) or ENG110
(Advanced Placement Writing). Students who transfer in credit for ENG101
or ENG110 must complete the tutorial individually by the time they have
earned 30 credits at Shippensburg University. Completion of the tutorial
will help give the students some of the basic research skills which they
will need to succeed in their other courses.
Additional Study
With advisement, students entering Shippensburg as freshmen will
complete, in most cases, both the basic skills and the distribution requirements
of the general education program within their first two years at the university.
However, Shippensburg University believes general education is a process
and not just a series of defined courses taken early in the academic experience.
The need for and the value of a liberal education extends beyond the freshman
and sophomore years, and the university strongly encourages students to
elect to take courses in the general education curriculum and in areas
outside of their majors as juniors and seniors. Carefully selected, these
courses can help not only to enrich and to continue the search for breadth
of knowledge, but also to integrate a student’s entire academic study,
further demonstrating the basic interdisciplinary connectedness of human
understanding.
University Diversity Requirement
Shippensburg University expects its students to understand the
diverse nature of the United States—its currently diverse society as well
as its diverse historical and cultural roots. Students should also gain
awareness of how the country continues to emerge and be shaped by the interaction
of people with different views. Finally, students should understand how
cultural, ethnic, and racial heritage, as well as gender, age, social class,
sexual orientation, and abilities have shaped their attitudes, perspectives,
beliefs, and values.
To complete the university diversity requirement, undergraduates
are required to take one approved diversity course for a total of 3 credit
hours. The following courses are the currently approved diversity courses.
ART101 Art Appreciation
CRJ361 Race, Ethnicity, and Crime
ECH460 Family, School, and Community Partnerships in Early Childhood
Education
EEC411 Introduction to Exceptionality
ENG242 Introduction to Multicultural Literature
ETH103 Introduction to Culturally Diverse Literature
GEO103 Cultural Geography
GEO140 Geography of the U.S. and Canada
MGT447 Business and Society
SOC101 Introduction to Sociology: Society and Diversity
SWK265 Understanding Human Diversity for Social Work Practice
Summary of Requirements
Required Skills and Competencies: Five courses (15 credit
hours).
Categories of Knowledge: Eleven courses (33 credit hours).
Required Skills and Competencies
Five courses (15 credit hours) in the following:
Writing—ENG101 English Composition or ENG 110 Advanced Placement English
or ENG 112 The Documented Essay
Speaking—SPE100 Basic Oral Communication
Mathematics—One mathematics course from Category A or placement in
the Advanced College Level through the Mathematics Exam.
History—HIS105 World History I and HIS106 World History II
Category A—Logic and Numbers for Rational Thinking
One course (3 credit hours).
The mathematics course selected under Required Skills and Competencies
may not be used for this requirement.
Category B—Linguistic, Literary, Artistic, and Cultural Traditions
Three courses (9 credit hours).
One course must be taken from those listed under Literature and
two courses in different disciplines from those listed under Humanities.
Category C—Biological and Physical Sciences
Three courses (9 credit hours).
One course must be taken from those listed in three different
disciplines.
Category D—Political, Economic, and Geographic Sciences
Two courses (6 credit hours).
One course must be taken from those listed in two different disciplines.
Category E—Social and Behavioral Sciences
Two courses (6 credit hours).
One course must be taken from those listed in two different disciplines.
Library/Information Skills
Fulfilled through successful completion of the library tutorial.
Diversity Requirement
Fulfilled through successful completion of 3 credits of approved
diversity courses.
Graduate Programs
Shippensburg University also offers opportunities for study beyond
the bachelor’s degree. Programs are offered through the School of Graduate
Studies leading to the following degrees:
Master of Education (M.Ed.)
Master of Science (M.S.)
Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)
The following degree programs are available:
Administration of Justice (M.S.)
Biology (M.S. and M.Ed.)
Communication Studies (M.S.)
Computer Science (M.S.)
Counseling (M.S. and M.Ed.)
Early Childhood (M.Ed.)
Elementary School Administration (M.Ed.)
Geoenvironmental Studies (M.S.)
Information Systems (M.S.)
Psychology (M.S.)
Public Administration (M.P.A.)
Reading (M.Ed)
Secondary School Administration (M.Ed.)
Special Education (M.Ed.)
Teacher certification and supervisory programs are also available. For detailed information, consult the Graduate School catalog or contact the graduate office at 477-1213.
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