INTERDISCIPLINARY AND PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS

The Honors College
Intensive English Program
Kansas/Paraguay Exchange Program
Science Education Center
Undergraduate Studies
Women's Studies
Writing Across the Curriculum
Pre-Professional Programs
Engineering and Pre-Engineering
Five Year (3,2) Cooperative Programs
Pre-Law
Pre-Medicine
Pre-Dentistry
Pre-Pharmacy

INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS

The Honors College

Director: Becky S. Brannock
Telephone: 620-235-4569
Office: 112 K Hughes Hall
E-mail: rbrannoc@pittstate.edu

The primary mission of the Honors College is to provide a more meaningful educational experience for select superior students. The Honors College curriculum at the freshman-sophomore level offers intellectually stimulating general education courses. The junior-senior level Honors College students become integrated into the Departmental Academic Honors program. The goals of the Honors College are:

First and foremost, the Honors College at Pittsburg State University has the goal of not only attracting high-quality applicants, but also of retaining them as high-achieving students until graduation. A second goal is to provide educationally enriched experiences (reflected both in and out of the classroom) for the members of PSU's Honors College. A third goal is to provide a socially responsive, supportive environment to the students in the Honors College whereby members feel personally connected to others throughout the college. A final goal is to promote a sound start for incoming freshmen as well as transfer students. Freshmen begin bonding from the beginning through overnight orientation experiences (including team-building activities), enrollment in an Honors Freshmen Experience course, and completion of a community service requirement. Beginning 2003-04, transfer students will be involved in participating in an Honors College transfer seminar in their first semester of enrollment at PSU.

Honors College members are a carefully screened select group of scholarship recipients. Most enter the program their freshman year after formal application and acceptance. A small number of junior level transfer students are also admitted. Freshmen, to be eligible for application, must have a 28 ACT composite or equivalent, a minimum 3.5000 (un-weighted) high school grade point average on a four point scale, and/or provide proof of adding multi-cultural diversity to the honors program. Students with lower than 30 ACT composite score need to demonstrate outstanding academic records to be seriously considered for Honors College acceptance. Transfer students must have completed 40 semester hours with a minimum grade point average of 3.7500 on a four point scale. A transcript verifying class standing and course preparation, a letter of application, a completed application form displaying activities and awards, and recommendation forms comprise the application package.

The deadline for high school applicants and transfer students is February 1.

Application packets may be obtained from the Office of Academic Affairs, 220 Russ Hall, or by contacting Dr. Becky Brannock, Director of the Honors College.

Most Honors College students receive either a Presidential or full tuition scholarship. Presidential scholars receive a full annual scholarship (tuition and fees, a living stipend, and a book stipend). University scholars and transfer scholars receive a full in-state tuition and fees scholarship and are eligible for other scholarship awards. These scholarships are renewable annually provided the student maintains a 3.4000 grade point average. Honors College graduates receive special recognition at commencement ceremonies and their college transcripts indicate completion of the university and applicable Departmental Academic Honors programs.

Members of the Honors College have the opportunity to enroll in select honors sections of the general education program. Freshman students in the Honors College will automatically be eligible for an honors section of ENGL 190 Honors English Composition. They will also take an honors section of UGS 100 The Freshman Experience during their first semester. Honors sections are generally limited to 25 students, which allows for increased student interaction and course enhancement. Transfer students will enroll in HONOR 100 Honors College Orientation which is a special seminar course designed specifically with the honors transfer student in mind.

HONOR 100. Honors College Orientation. 1 hour. A seminar for transfer students entering the Honors College. Emphasizes goals of the Honors College, assisting with transition to university life, campus resources, and other designated needs of transfer students. Graded on a Pass/ Fail basis only. Prerequisite: Admittance to the Honors College as a transfer student.

UGS 100. The Freshman Experience. 2 hours. Development of critical thinking skills is an essential component. Topics covered include development of higher order thinking skills through exposure to a variety of problem solving methods; study skills; a study of the General Education curriculum and objectives of a liberal arts education; career choice and course selection; a discussion of social issues that impact on University life; PSU resources; health, time, and money management issues; and diversity topics. Offered on A, B, C, No Credit basis only.

Intensive English Program

Director: Christine Mekkaoui
Telephone: 620-235-4644
Office: 120-C Whitesitt Hall
E-mail: cmekkaou@pittstate.edu

The mission of the Intensive English Program is to help international students to achieve their academic and professional goals through the development of their English language skills.

The IEP is a full-time program featuring four eight-week sessions during the academic year and one eight-week session during the summer. Classes are offered at six levels, from beginning to advanced. Students spend approximately 20 hours per week in class, taking courses in grammar, reading, listening/speaking, writing, and academic preparation. The program is flexible, and every effort is made to meet individual student needs.

The successful completion of the highest level of the Intensive English Program (Academic Preparation Course) is the equivalent of a 550 TOEFL score and can be substituted for the TOEFL requirement.

All members of the Intensive English Program faculty hold at least a master's degree in teaching English as a foreign language. The instructors are full-time faculty with teaching experience both in the United States and overseas. Most faculty members have successfully mastered a foreign language, making them aware of the language learning process that their students face.

IEP 011. Elementary Structure. 0 hours. The study of structures required for basic communication needs. Structures include simple tenses, simple sentence structure, and elementary parts of speech. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 012. Elementary Composition. 0 hours. Writing using basic sentence structure. Simple mechanics of writing, including word order, capitalization, and punctuation. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 013. Elementary Reading. 0 hours. Students read simple passages which contain basic structures and easy vocabulary. They begin to learn skills needed to understand the passages. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 014. Elementary Listening/Speaking. 0 hours. Survival communication skills. Students learn reduced forms common in informal speech. Students learn the number system, time, questions and common answers, key verbs, common nouns and pronouns, slow and fast speech. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 021. Pre-Intermediate Structure. 0 hours. Students review simple tenses and study future tense, past and future continuous tenses, modal auxiliaries and count and non count nouns. Conditional I complex sentences are studied, as well as comparative structures. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 022. Pre-Intermediate Composition. 0 hours. Students learn to write simple paragraphs on familiar topics. The focus is on correct sentence structure. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 023. Pre-Intermediate Reading. 0 hours. Students study relatively simple reading passages and add to their working vocabulary and reading skills. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 024. Pre-Intermediate Listening/Speaking. 0 hours. Students develop communicative skills which reinforce their knowledge of structure and vocabulary. Extensive practice in listening/speaking is provided. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 031. Intermediate I Structure. 0 hours. A continuation of knowledge of basic structures. Students study present and past perfect tenses and two-word separable and inseparable verbs. In addition, more complex structures are introduced, including gerunds and infinitives and connectors. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 032. Intermediate I Composition. 0 hours. Students learn to write well-developed paragraphs which employ specific rhetorical patterns. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 033. Intermediate I Reading. 0 hours. Students learn to understand moderately difficult passages by improving their reading skills, adding to their vocabulary, and increasing their reading speed. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 034. Intermediate I Listening/Speaking. 0 hours. Students learn specific listening skills. These skills include predicting, making inferences, listening for general comprehension and listening for detail. Conversation skills are also stressed. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 041. Intermediate II Structure. 0 hours. Students consolidate their previous knowledge of verb tenses and modal auxiliaries. They also study active versus passive voice and the article system. Students begin studying complex sentence structure, including phrases versus clauses and adjective clauses. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 042. Intermediate II Composition. 0 hours. Students review paragraphs and begin writing multi-paragraph essays. They also learn some paraphrasing and summarizing skills. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 043. Intermediate II Reading. 0 hours. Students learn to understand reading passages which contain moderately difficult vocabulary and complex sentence structure. They continue to apply the reading skills they are studying, increase their reading speed, and add to their working vocabulary. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 044. Intermediate II Listening/Speaking. 0 hours. Further development of the listening skills introduced in the previous level: predicting, listening for main ideas and details, and making inferences. Students also examine language use and engage in discussions and debates. Students listen to authentic radio broadcasts and academic mini-lectures. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 051. Advanced I Structure. 0 hours. Emphasis is on complex grammatical structures. Students start with a review of clauses/phrases, followed by detailed study of noun clauses, adverb clauses, conditional sentences of all types, comparative sentences, gerunds, and infinitives. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 052. Advanced I Composition. 0 hours. Students write multi-paragraph essays using a variety of rhetorical patterns. They also refine paraphrasing and summarizing skills. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 053. Advanced I Reading. 0 hours. Students learn to understand college freshman level reading passages with unrestricted vocabulary. They continue to apply reading skills, increase their reading speed and add to their working vocabulary. Offered on Pass-No Credit Basis only.

IEP 054. Advanced I Listening/Speaking. 0 hours. Students continue to add to their listening and speaking skills. They concentrate on listening and note taking strategies. They listen to actual university level lectures on a variety of subjects. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 061. Academic Preparation Text/Lecture. 0 hours. Students practice listening to and comprehending academic lectures, reading an academic textbook, making short oral presentations and participating in discussions. Course is closely modeled on an actual academic course. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 062. Academic Preparation Writing. 0 hours. Prepares students for university level writing. Students learn to conduct extensive research, evaluate sources, and choose types of evidence. Students write two single-source essays and a multi-source research paper. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

IEP 063. Directed Study by Appointment. 0 hours. TOEFL Preparation Class/Advanced Grammar (level 5)/APC Text Lecture (review). Offered only to Academic Preparation Course students who graduated during the first 8-week session of the fall or spring semester. Offered on Pass-No Credit basis only.

Kansas/Paraguay Exchange Program

The university is a member of the six Board of Regents universities in Kansas that have a reciprocal faculty and student exchange program with the two universities in Paraguay--the National University of Asuncion and the Catholic University of Our Lady of Asuncion. This program provides the opportunity for faculty and students to study, to do research, and to live in Paraguay, with students also having the opportunity to earn academic credit. This program is coordinated through the Office of the President, 207 Russ Hall.

Regents Honors Academy

REGNT 100. Regents Honors Academy (____). 1-6 hours. Provides an overview of a special topic to students enrolled in the Kansas Regents Honors Academy. The Academy is held on the Pittsburg State University campus every six years. The topic of social justice relating to such issues as business, technology, education, biology, social science, law, arts and history were studied in summer 2001.

Science Education Center

As part of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Science Education Center coordinates the education out-reach and teacher training programs for the Department of Biology, Department of Chemistry, Department of Mathematics, and Department of Physics. The mission of the Center is to increase awareness and quality of science and mathematics education in the region through the sharing of expertise and resources with the area educators and agencies; designing model programs for K-16 science and mathematics education; presenting science education programs to the general public; providing university faculty enhancement seminars; and training highly qualified pre-service and in-service teachers for science and mathematics education. The Center staff is composed of members from each of the science and mathematics departments who offer a number of content-based courses specifically designed for educators. The Center also coordinates the scheduling of Kelce Planetarium programs, Chemistry demonstrations, Mathematical Musings presentations, and Nature Reach tours for elementary-level school children.

Undergraduate Studies

UGS 100. The Freshman Experience. 2 hours. Development of critical thinking skills is an essential component. Topics covered include development of higher order thinking skills through exposure to a variety of problem solving methods; study skills; a study of the General Education curriculum and objectives of a liberal arts education; career choice and course selection; a discussion of social issues that impact on University life; PSU resources; health, time, and money management issues; and diversity topics. Offered on A, B, C, No Credit basis only.

Women's Studies

Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary certificate program which examines the roles, status, and opportunities of women in society and history. The coherent picture presented of women's past and present contributions should affect the ways in which students view women's lives, work, and futures.

The requirements for a certificate are 15 hours, including a 6 hour core consisting of Women 200 Introduction to Women in Society and Women 299 Issues in Women's Studies. With the approval of the Women's Studies Program Coordinator and Committee, 9 hours of departmental courses on women will supplement this core.

Both Women 200 Introduction to Women in Society, and Women 299 Issues in Women's Studies can be used to fulfill general education requirements for the social and behavioral sciences.

Women 200. Introduction to Women in Society. 3 hours. An interdisciplinary survey of the images of women which reveal how society views women and how women of diverse backgrounds view themselves and others.

Women 299. Issues in Women's Studies. 3 hours. An interdisciplinary study of feminist theory and issues affecting women from diverse cultures.

Writing Across the Curriculum Program

The Writing Across the Curriculum program encourages faculty to use writing assignments in their courses at all levels and across the disciplines. Under the program, students take a series of composition and Writing To Learn (WL) courses in their first two years to develop and maintain their writing skills in preparation for additional writing assignments in their junior and senior classes.

The Writing To Learn Series of Courses

Central to the Writing Across the Curriculum program is the Writing To Learn series of courses. All students must take the Writing To Learn courses, unless they transfer to PSU with 55 passed credit hours or more or obtain a special waiver. The Writing To Learn courses are taught across-the-curriculum, in almost all of the university disciplines. A Writing To Learn course incorporates writing as an integral part of the course structure; therefore, students write frequently, both formally and informally, about course content. The purpose of the Writing To Learn classes is to develop the student's ability to organize clearly-stated, well-reasoned responses to the course content. Students needing special assistance with word and sentence mechanics are referred to the Writing Center. General education courses comprise a vast majority of the Writing To Learn courses; however, no course at the 100 or 200 level is precluded.

The flow chart below shows the normal progression through the Writing To Learn series. ENGL 101 English Composition should be considered a prerequisite for the Writing To Learn courses. ENGL 101 English Composition and two Writing To Learn courses are a prerequisite for ENGL 299 Introduction to Research Writing. Students who have completed ENGL 102 English Composition or its equivalent cannot take ENGL 299 Introduction to Research Writing.

(Attach Writing To Learn Chart)

PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS

Engineering and Pre-Engineering

Students preparing for careers in engineering have four kinds of programs available at Pittsburg State University: (1) Two-year pre-engineering; (2) The first three years of Five Year (3, 2) Cooperative Programs in chemistry or physics and engineering; (3) A chemistry or physics B.S. degree as preparation for graduate work in engineering. (4) An engineering technology B.S. degree as preparation for transfer to engineering B.S. program or graduate work in engineering.

Pre-Engineering

Pre-engineering is the name given to the first two years of study for students who plan to transfer to an engineering school. Unlike some "pre"-programs, pre-engineering is an engineering curriculum and not something taken before studying engineering.

The chairperson of the Department of Physics coordinates the pre-engineering curricula. These are administered by the Departments of Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Engineering Technology. Advisers for specific engineering specialties may be contacted in these departments:

Department of Engineering Technology
Architectural Engineering, Construction Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering and Plastics/Polymer Engineering

Department of Chemistry
Chemical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering and Petroleum Engineering

Department of Mathematics
Civil Engineering and Mining Engineering

Department of Physics
Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Agricultural Engineering, Aeronautical Engineering, General Engineering, and Industrial Engineering Students who have not yet chosen a particular specialty will be advised in the Department of Physics initially.

Five Year (3, 2) Cooperative Programs

Pittsburg State University has cooperative 3,2 programs with Kansas State University at Manhattan, Kansas, and the University of Kansas at Lawrence, Kansas. Students in the program receive a B.S. degree in chemistry or physics from Pittsburg State University after four years and a B.S. degree in engineering from KSU or KU after the fifth year. For details of the programs contact the chairperson of the Department of Chemistry.

Representative programs include:

CHEMISTRY-CHEMICAL ENGINEERING-- With Kansas State

University or the University of Kansas.

CHEMISTRY-NUCLEAR ENGINEERING-- With Kansas State

University.

CHEMISTRY-PETROLEUM ENGINEERING-- With the University

of Kansas.

PHYSICS-NUCLEAR ENGINEERING-- With Kansas State University

PHYSICS-METEOROLOGY-- With the University of Kansas.

Pre-Law Curricula

Pre-Law Advisor: Dr. Michael A. Kelley, Social Sciences
Room: 412 F Russ Hall
Telephone: 620-235-4324
E-mail: mkelley@pittstate.edu

Law schools, unlike medical or some other professional schools, do not require any particular degree or course of study for admission. Each applicant is required to have completed only a bachelor's degree and the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Someone who is interested in pre-law at Pittsburg State University may choose any field in which to complete a baccalaureate degree. However, prospective law students should possess three basic qualities, which should be developed and amplified by their major/ minor during their matriculation at the university: • Skill in the comprehension and use of language. Language is the lawyer's working tool. In seeking to convince, in drafting legal instruments and legislation, and in oral and written arguments, a lawyer must have the capacity to communicate with clarity, precision, and persuasiveness-a program of study which requires one to write is, therefore, essential. • Analytical and problem-solving skills. An important part of a lawyer's work is problem solving, which demands creative and analytical thinking. Any pre-law curriculum should, therefore, foster student development of research skills, use of facts, deductive and inductive reasoning, critical concepts and logic, and the systematic formation of principles and concepts. • An understanding and interest in human institutions and values. Lawyers are not just engaged in a process like that of an assembly line worker; rather, they are forces in the actual operation and shaping of the institutions and values with which humankind is concerned. The work lawyers do can have a tremendous impact on the lives of both individuals and the broader community. A broad background in politics, history, philosophy, economics, and the arts is, therefore, quite important. The political science major provides students with a pre-law emphasis area. The emphasis area allows students not only to develop the requisite skills necessary to law school success but also will expose them to the "Socratic" approach to learning employed at most law schools. The pre-law curriculum offered by the Department of Social Sciences is given on page 160.

Pre-Medicine

The program of study for pre-medical students is designed to meet the course work requirements for application to most medical schools. While students may major in any field of study, most choose either biological or physical science. Most pre-medical advisors are in the Department of Biology or the Department of Chemistry. For a suggested program of study, see the pre-professional curriculums listed in the catalog sections for the Department of Biology and the Department of Chemistry or consult pre-medical advisors in the Department of Biology or the Department of Chemistry.

Pre-Dentistry

The pre-dental student may pursue either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree in a major of their choice, although most choose either a biological or a physical science. Although the minimum requirements for admission to approved schools of dentistry as established by the Council of Dental Education, American Dental Association provides for admission to most dental schools after the completion of two full years of college work, the applicants will find their chances of being accepted are increasingly improved with the completion of the third or even the fourth year of college work. Early contact with a pre-dental advisor is imperative.

Pre-Pharmacy

The university offers pre-professional work in pharmacy. Details concerning this two year program can be obtained from the Department of Chemistry. Following pre-pharmacy studies at Pittsburg State University, students must be admitted to a school of pharmacy to complete their training. Names and addresses of nearby schools of pharmacy are available.

Other Pre-Professional Programs

The Department of Biology offers pre-professional work in forestry, medical technology, physical therapy, optometry and veterinary medicine. Consult the chairperson of the department for details concerning these programs.