6.1 MAJORS:
6.1.1 Declaring a Major:
(revised 1/11/2017 faculty meeting) A first year student may declare an academic major no earlier than the beginning of his or her second semester at Simpson College. A student previously enrolled full-time at another institution who transfers to Simpson College may declare a major as early as her or his first registration/advising appointment at Simpson.
All students (part-time and full-time) must formally declare a major by the end of the add/drop period of the next regular semester once reaching fifty (50) earned credits. If a student has not declared his or her major by this time, a hold will be placed on the student’s record preventing the student from changing his or her registration. Once a major has been formally declared, the hold will be lifted.
All students are required to have a faculty advisor from the department of each of the student’s declared majors.
The declaration of major form is available online.
6.1.2 Alterations to Major Requirements:
Alterations in the departmental prerequisites and course requirements for a student pursuing a major in that department may be approved by the department head. A course substitution or waiver form for major requirements is available online.
6.2 CATALOG
6.2.1 Catalog of the Major:
Major requirements are determined by the catalog in effect when the student’s major is declared.
6.2.2 Catalog of the General Graduation Requirements:
(revised 05/23/2011 faculty meeting) General requirements for graduation, including general education requirements, are determined by the catalog in effect on the date on which the student becomes degree seeking at Simpson (admission to Simpson College).
6.2.3 Catalog of Readmission:
(revised 04/16/2014 faculty meeting) Students who break continuity in attendance at Simpson must complete the readmission process through the office of the dean for academic affairs before they are again degree candidates. If students have been out for one calendar year or less, requirements at readmission are those in effect at the time of the original admission and declaration of major. Students who have broken continuity for more than one calendar year are subject to the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of readmission, including the requirements for general education. Students who seek readmission to Simpson after at least one calendar year of separation and during that time of separation complete an Associate of Art degree from a regionally accredited institution will be covered under 11.2.2.c.
6.3 DEFINITIONS
(revised 04/17/2012 faculty meeting)
6.3.1 Major:
(revised 09/21/2010 faculty meeting) A major is a course of study in an academic discipline or interdisciplinary field. Normally the maximum number of four-credit courses in a major at Simpson College is 10, including courses from other departments, plus a capstone experience. For those majors with one- and two-credit courses, the maximum credits will be 40 plus a capstone experience. The capstone experience will normally carry no more than four credits. Exceptions must be approved by EPCC and the faculty. Proposals for exceptions should include documentation such as accreditation requirements and examples of similar majors at other Bachelor of Arts institutions.
6.3.2 Minor:
(revised 05/23/2011 faculty meeting) A minor is a course of study in an established academic discipline or interdisciplinary field. A minor normally requires at least 16 credits and no more than 24 credits. Exceptions must be approved by EPCC and the faculty.
6.4 INDEPENDENT INTERDISCIPLINARY MAJOR (IIM):
(revised 10/19/2010 faculty meeting)
6.4.1 Interdisciplinary Studies Program:
The interdisciplinary studies (IntSt) program faculty consists of three faculty members, one of which will be the director of the program, representing three divisions of the college. The interdisciplinary studies program faculty will serve as a committee that will advise students on the development of student-chosen advisory boards and completion of Independent Interdisciplinary Major (IIM) proposals and will review, but not approve, proposals to pass on to the EPCC for final approval. The IntSt program faculty will serve as a department for students pursuing an IIM, signing graduation applications, petitions and other documents requiring department chair review.
6.4.2 Independent Interdisciplinary Major (IIM) Approval Procedure:
- The student consults with the interdisciplinary studies program faculty on choosing an advisory board and developing a proposal.
- With support from the student-chosen advisory board, the student develops a title of the IIM, a set of courses, including options to allow for changes in course offerings, and the nature of the senior project.
- The student submits a proposal to the interdisciplinary studies program faculty including the title of the IIM, a list of required courses, description of the senior project, two letters of recommendation, and an explanation for how the proposed program will meet the student’s educational goals and lead the student into a career or graduate school.
- The interdisciplinary studies program faculty will review the proposals and advise the students on the development of a proposal, but will not approve the proposals. The proposal then goes to the EPCC for final approval. The student, along with his or her advisory board, will have the opportunity to meet with the EPCC in support of the proposal.
- After EPCC approval, the interdisciplinary studies program faculty can approve changes to the required courses of the IIM.
6.5 ADDITION AND DELETION OF ACADEMIC MAJORS AND MINORS TO THE CURRICULUM
(added 10/14/2015 faculty meeting)
6.5.1 The additions of academic majors and minors are typically added to the curriculum by approval of the full faculty. Academic departments seeking to add majors and minors to the curriculum must submit proposals to the Educational Policy and Curriculum Committee (EPCC) for review using the appropriate forms.
6.5.2 Academic departments seeking to drop academic majors and minors from the curriculum must notify the EPCC of their intention to do so on the appropriate forms in time to allow EPCC and the full faculty to consider the change and have any concerns addressed, and in time to allow the college to change all of its marketing materials. Generally, in order to accomplish this, the department will need to submit the forms to EPCC at least 15 months before the major will no longer be offered. For example, a department seeking to drop a major for fall semester 2017 should plan on submitting its materials to EPCC by March 1, 2016.
- Departments dropping majors and minors from the curriculum must work with the academic dean to provide a “teach out” plan to allow students who are currently enrolled in the major or minor to finish their program of study.
- During the teach out period, the department must either provide the courses necessary for the program, provide substitutions for required courses, waive requirements, and/or make other necessary changes to allow the students to graduate on time.
- Upon receiving notice from a department about the dropping of a major or minor, the EPCC will notify the full faculty at the next regular faculty meeting and if there are no objections, the proposal will go into effect according to the schedule identified above. If there are objections, the matter will be referred back to the EPCC for additional consideration.
|
