Southwestern University
2003-2004 Catalog
Southwestern University: A Statement
The Academic Program
Degree Requirements
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SPECIAL ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENTAL HONORS PROGRAM
The faculty of Southwestern University makes available to highly motivated and able students a Departmental* Honors Program, designed to allow students to engage in a substantial project in their major area of study near the end of their undergraduate career. The honors project is an independent endeavor that is developed and executed by the student in consultation with an honors advisor. The project research could take the form of a substantial paper based on empirical and/or bibliographic research, creative works, and the like. The Departmental Honors Program is governed by the following provisions adopted by the faculty.
*“Departmental” is intended to include recognized interdisciplinary programs, e.g., American Studies, Animal Behavior, Environmental Studies, Feminist Studies, International Studies, and approved independent majors. In these cases, “department” and “department chair” refer to the committee that oversees the program and its chair.
1. To be considered for admittance to the Departmental Honors Program, a student should ordinarily have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.4 and a minimum grade point average of 3.6 in the major. Admission to the Honors Program requires approval of the department. Approval is based on an informal assessment of the student’s academic ability and motivation to carry out a substantial independent project, the coherence and feasibility of the project, and the availability and willingness of an appropriate faculty advisor and supervisory committee. No student will be formally admitted to the Departmental Honors Program without these elements.
2. Although admission to the Departmental Honors Program is formally “by departmental invitation,” students are encouraged to initiate communication with the faculty member with whom they might be interested in working. Whenever possible, such contact should be made well in advance of the proposed starting date. Note that interdepartmental honors projects are encouraged, in which case there may be co-advisors.
3. Eligible students register for honors course credit during at least two semesters. Each department has its own honors course number (XX-983), which normally is repeated to total the six semester hours (no more or less) of credit required to earn departmental honors. Students may enroll for honors course credit no earlier than the second semester of their junior year and no later than the last day for adding courses in the first semester of their senior year. However, in some cases groundwork for the honors project may be started in the fall of the junior year, or even earlier. Note that the optimal timing of the honors project varies by discipline. For instance, projects in the Humanities are normally carried out in the senior year with groundwork begun the preceding summer, whereas in the Sciences, an earlier start may be warranted.
4. At the discretion of the department involved, the honors project may be included in the total hours requirement for the major. However, it should not normally be substituted for regular curriculum requirements of the major, with the possible exception of the Capstone. Substitutions require the advance approval of the department chair.
5. The honors advisor will normally be the member of the department who has the most knowledge and expertise in the general area of the honors project. The prospective advisor, the student, and the department chair must approve of the selection. The honors advisor is solely responsible for determining the honors course grades.
6. The supervisory committee will be chosen by the honors advisor and the student, with the approval of the department chair. The committee will have at least three but not more than five members, including the honors advisor and one faculty member outside the department. The role of the committee is to provide guidance on an as-needed basis and, upon its completion, to judge whether or not the project warrants Departmental Honors.
7. When an honors project is approved, a timetable for its completion will be developed by the student and approved by the honors advisor. A final completion date for the project will be set sufficiently in advance of the student’s graduation for the assessment process and final revisions to be completed. Failure to meet this deadline will eliminate a student from consideration for University Honors.
8. If the honors project is not developed or satisfactorily executed as planned, it will be possible to convert registration in an honors course into registration for Independent Study. If this conversion is made, the project must meet the normal requirements for Independent Study.
9. Completed honors projects are presented in a public forum, attended by the honors advisor, supervisory committee, and guests. This presentation will take the form of, or be supplemented by, a traditional oral “defense” in which the committee asks the honors student questions to assist in the evaluation of the project.
10. Upon completion, the honors advisor and supervisory committee members sign a document to certify that the product of the project is worthy of Departmental Honors. For honors projects that take the form of a manuscript, this “signature page” becomes the first page of the final document. The elements of the signature page are centered and arranged as follows: 1) the title of the report, 2) the author’s name, 3) the statement “A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for Graduation with Honors in [name of the department or program],” and 4) Southwestern University, [year]. On the bottom half of the page, next to the word “Approved,” include one signature line for each member of the supervisory committee. Under each signature line, type the signatory’s name, role [“Honors Advisor” or “Committee Member”], and academic department. A copy of this page must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office prior to graduation.
11. Honors projects that take the form of a manuscript are bound, and a copy is shelved alphabetically by author with other honors theses in the A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center. The student should take at least two original, unmarked copies of the final corrected version of the manuscript to the Collection Development Coordinator, A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center. There should be no written comments on the documents submitted. The Library pays for binding two copies, one for the Library and one for the student. The student or department may request that additional copies be bound at a set fee. Theses are sent for binding in June of each year.
12. The student who successfully completes an honors project will graduate “with honors” in his or her major, and With Honors will be designated on his or her permanent record and diploma. A student who graduates with a double major or a paired major and who completes an interdepartmental honors project involving the departments of those two majors will be awarded honors in both majors. Graduation with honors in a major is distinct from graduation with academic honors specified by Latin praise (“cum laude”), which is based on a student’s overall grade point average. A student may earn both types of honors.
STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS
Southwestern University believes that cross-cultural awareness is an integral part of a liberal arts education. It therefore strongly encourages students to study abroad, in the belief that foreign study fosters cross-cultural awareness by permitting students to live in and experience other cultures. Students may choose from a variety of options for study abroad, all of which offer rigorous academic programs coupled with international experience. Additionally, these programs take advantage of subjects and facilities not normally available on Southwestern’s campus in Georgetown.
London Semester
A semester program in London is offered each fall; the current program enables up to 30 students and two Southwestern faculty members to live and study together in the Kensington district of London. In addition to courses taught by Southwestern faculty, a British Life and Culture course is taught by visiting lecturers from British academic, governmental, and social institutions; the course includes field trips in London and southern England. Southwestern undergraduates who have achieved sophomore standing before the start of the program are eligible to apply for the Semester in London Program provided they are in good academic standing. Applications are evaluated on the basis of the student’s academic record and potential, the way in which the program relates to the student’s overall educational objectives, and the student’s maturity and ability to be a good representative of Southwestern University.
Exchange Programs
As a member of the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP), Southwestern University is able to exchange several students annually with more than 100 universities in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Southwestern also has established cooperative relationships with universities overseas. As a result of these connections, Southwestern students have the opportunity to study or do research in these countries. The institutions involved are the Universität Osnabrück in Germany, and Kansai Gaidai University in Japan.
For those selected to participate, the cost of the London Semester and exchange programs is included in regular University charges, except for the cost of airfare. Modest scholarships are available for all other programs.
College Year in Athens
Southwestern University acts as the coordinating institution for the College Year in Athens (CYA) Program. Students from the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) may apply for the program through the Office of International Programs and have their CYA coursework transcripted by Southwestern for both the CYA summer and semester programs.
Additional Study Abroad Opportunities
In addition to the London Semester and exchange programs, students may choose to study through a program approved by Southwestern University. These opportunities are numerous and allow students a wide variety of choice in terms of program type, location and duration. Students should contact the Office of Intercultural Learning to receive information and advising regarding participation on these programs.
In order to ensure that students choose an appropriate program, study abroad participants are required to work through the Office of Intercultural Learning (IL) to complete the application and cross-cultural preparation for a study abroad experience. IL acts as liaison to all other administrative offices on campus, and students must communicate with the office in order to facilitate credit transfer and financial aid distribution. Students should begin working with IL staff one semester to one year before the planned period abroad. Students must complete the Southwestern study abroad application in addition to specific program application materials. The Southwestern application deadline is in early October for spring study and early March for fall study.
Summer Study Abroad
Southwestern University professors also lead summer programs in various parts of the world. Language and culture programs in recent years have included Honduras, Hungary, Jamaica, Germany, Mexico, and Turkey. In addition, a program focusing on the fine arts and humanities is usually offered in London in the summer.
Transfer of Credit
When possible, a foreign study program for which a student expects to receive and transfer credit from another institution requires previous approval by the appropriate department chair and the Registrar. In cases where students do not register for courses until arrival at the study abroad site, students must complete the credit transfer process within three weeks of their return to Southwestern University. In addition, Southwestern must receive official transcripts from the institution awarding the credit. For determining transfer credits for participation in the foreign study programs of other universities, Southwestern adheres in general to the “Policy Statement on Study Abroad Programs” approved by the Federation of Regional Accrediting Commissions of Higher Education (FRACHE). The acceptance of credit from foreign study programs sponsored by other American institutions of higher learning will be judged on an individual basis according to the following standards: 1) the program has been approved by the appropriate department chair and the Registrar at Southwestern; 2) the program was supervised by a regionally accredited institution; 3) the student was regularly matriculated in an institution of higher learning during participation in the program; and 4) the program was primarily a college program and not a mixed high school-college program.
OFF CAMPUS STUDY WITHIN THE UNITED STATES
New York Arts Program
This program is designed to provide those students seriously interested in the performing, visual, and communication arts with an opportunity to serve as apprentices and to experience the world of the established professional artist. The cultural resources of New York City are well known. Less familiar is the artist’s milieu that mix of people, places, and events which constitute the artist’s environment, world, and immediate audience. Qualified students accepted into the program spend a semester or term sharing this milieu with professionals representing all professional arts fields: visual artists, designers, museum curators, performing artists, authors, publishers, film makers, people in theatre and communication arts, etc. Each student is assigned a faculty advisor who teaches a seminar and works closely with the student and his or her apprenticeship sponsor. Students also participate in a specially designed program of seminars conducted by arts professionals, including GLCA (Great Lakes College Association) staff members, on various topics. Program offices are housed in a midtown Manhattan townhouse. Four floors are for housing with common kitchens and lounge/meeting rooms.
No Southwestern University funding is available for this program. Stafford Loans and Pell Grants are available to qualified students. Other outside loan options may also be available.
Washington Semester Program
Southwestern also has established cooperative relations with the United Methodist College Washington Consortium. This internship and academic program offers opportunities for course work and internships in politics and communications. Depending upon the specific program, students work as interns at the White House, on Capitol Hill, in the courts, or in public interest groups. Students may earn up to 15 semester hours which appear as Southwestern University credit. The cost of the program is equal to Southwestern tuition, room and board. Southwestern financial aid, as well as Stafford Loans and Pell Grants, are available to qualified students. Other outside loan options may also be available.
SUMMER SCHOOL
Southwestern University offers three summer sessions. Specific courses offered each summer will vary, depending on faculty and student interest. The University cannot guarantee that any specific course a student might need for a degree plan will be taught in the summer, so students should plan their regular fall and spring term schedules carefully. Up to one-third of Southwestern students take advantage of this opportunity in a given summer. Summer tuition rates have been very competitive.
Three academic semester hours may be earned during a three-week session starting in May and six hours during a five-week session in June and July. Students may take one additional hour of Fitness and Recreational Activity (if offered) at each session. No overloads are permitted in Summer School. In addition, a nonresidential “Summer III” session is used for Southwestern courses offered abroad or for internships and independent study. Note that these Summer III courses require registration, plus additional approval and forms. Summer school tuition and room and board charges are payable from the time of registration for each summer session. All fees must be paid before students may attend classes.
