College of Arts and Science Academic Catalog 2008-2009
Academic Resources
LIBRARY
Simpson Library is the central library of the University of Mary Washington Libraries. Simpson Library is one of the finest medium-sized libraries in Virginia and it constitutes a vital focus for the academic life of the University of Mary Washington. Through services provided by its highly trained staff, the Libraries enhance and support the instructional programs of the University while providing assistance in support of the research needs of students and faculty.
The Simpson Library is open to the public 92 hours per week during regular semesters. Many of its resources are available 24/7 via the Internet. The Library’s collections include over 367,000 cataloged items, 1,500 current magazine and newspaper subscriptions, and an extensive microform collection of newspaper and periodical back issues. With more than 35,000 electronic books The Libraries also provide access via the Internet to an extensive array of electronic databases and e-journals. The Libraries add 6,000 or more volumes to their collections each year to support the University’s wide-ranging curriculum. An official partial depository of both federal and state publications the Libraries also maintains an online digital repository, a rare book collection, and the archives of the University. The University of Mary Washington is an active member of the VIVA (The Virtual Library of Virginia, a consortium of colleges and universities in Virginia that provides students and faculty access to a rich array of electronic resources through the campus network. VIVA resources range from online encyclopedias and dictionaries to bibliographic databases and full-text periodical services.
One of the largest buildings on campus, Simpson Library offers 400 seats for public use, including 260 individual study desks and several small rooms for group-study. A large classroom, used for the Library’s instructional program, has facilities for acquainting students with the Library’s information portal and automated systems. Most of the resources made available through library portal are accessible from any computer on campus, and many are accessible from remote locations. Simpson Library has numerous Internet accessible stations available for public use. Simpson Library also provides wireless access to the campus network. The online VIRTUA catalog provides access to the Libraries’ print and electronic collections. A full range of instructional services is offered faculty and students to aid in the use and interpretation of the Libraries’ resources, research methods and the efficient use of new information technologies. Librarians teach a wide array of course-related instruction in addition to the provision of reference assistance. The Libraries also support an efficient interlibrary loan service.
ACADEMIC INTERNSHIPS AND CAREER SERVICES
The Office of Career Services coordinates the program of academic internships, through which qualified juniors and seniors work in off-campus settings. Academic departments sponsor these pre-professional internships, under the joint direction of a faculty member and an on-site supervisor, and award academic credit for their successful completion. Career Services maintains files of internships both on-line and in print. Current internship policy and procedure guidelines are available from the Office of Career Services
The Office of Career Services assists students and alumni in assessing their skills, interests, and values; exploring and testing occupational areas; and implementing their career goals. Career Services offers programs for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate students, and alumni. These services can help students decide their majors and career direction. Students can also assess their strengths and learn how to research occupational areas through workshops, individual career counseling, and a computerized career guidance system. The office maintains a Career Resource Center that contains over 700 books and magazines about a variety of occupational areas as well as directories of organizations.
Career Search, a computer database of more than 4,000,000 employers nationwide, is available for students and alumni to use in their job searches. The Resource Center also houses information on graduate and professional school programs, including law and medicine, as well as internship listings and full-time, part-time, and summer job vacancies. Listings for internships and full-time positions are also available online. Informational interview binders and a computer database list alumni and others who are willing to discuss their career fields.
Career Day, held each fall, provides an opportunity for representatives from businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations to explain their career opportunities. A similar program, Employer Fair, brings school systems, government agencies, business and non-profit agencies. Workshops on resume writing and interviewing skills, as well as videotaped mock interviews, help students with their job search. Through the on-campus recruiting program, graduating students have the opportunity to interview with organizations hiring for full-time positions. The office also maintains credential files for seniors and alumni. A resume referral service is available for seniors and alumni. Resumes are available to employers through a web-based system.
SUMMER SESSION
The Summer Session offers numerous opportunities to enrich and accelerate a student’s academic program. Additional Summer Session offerings include internships, study abroad courses, courses that satisfy state teacher certification requirements, and some offerings that are only available in the summers. Students attend the summer session for many reasons: to get ahead on their work toward a degree; to catch up by taking a course the student had been previously unable to take; or to explore an area of personal or career interest. Qualified high school students may apply to attend the summer session and may take courses if their application is approved.
STUDENT OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT
plan for evaluating the impact of its programs and services on its students. Developed in response to guidelines set forth by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the outcomes assessment program examines the extent to which the University is meeting its intended goals for its students. Assessment results are used to evaluate programs and curricula, not individual students.
Although the data collected are maintained in the institution’s computer database, they are not included on official transcripts, nor are the aggregated data used for any purpose other than comparative analysis. The long-range goals of outcomes assessment are to identify and rectify the University’s shortcomings and build upon its strengths. Only by examining closely the effects of what it does can the University become a stronger and continuously improving institution.
The University’s commitment to assessing its effectiveness necessitates the participation of students, who are required to be involved directly in the evaluation of the various academic major programs as well as the General Education curriculum. Students who choose not to participate in assessment activities may have sanctions placed against them.
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS AND STUDY ABROAD
The University of Mary Washington encourages students to enrich their liberal arts education with a study abroad experience. A wealth of summer, semester, and full-year programs are available in a variety of locations for nearly all academic disciplines. UMW develops relationships with institutions and organizations that offer a fulfilling academic and cultural experience. The University also sponsors several faculty-led summer abroad opportunities founded on the expertise and interest of the instructor.
Students considering studying abroad work with the Office of International Academic Services (IAS). IAS assists students in program selection and approval, transfer credit, and other administrative and cultural preparations, and supports them while abroad and upon re-entry to UMW. Students may use study abroad coursework and internships to fulfill degree and major requirements with careful preparation and planning made in conjunction with IAS and the student’s academic advisor(s).
IAS also assists international students from approximately 25 countries with immigration, and academic and social adjustments. The office acts as the first point of contact for issues specific to the needs of international students at the University, such as US Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS), Department of Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), Department of State, and Department of Justice regulations, and their compliance with federal rules governing international student status in the United States.
Any currently enrolled student with at least 12 accumulated UMW credits and a 2.0 GPA may make study abroad part of their Mary Washington experience. Students may enroll in programs sponsored by UMW, other American universities, or apply directly to foreign institutions. Study abroad coursework and internships may be used to fulfill degree and major requirements. The procedure for transferring credits earned on study abroad programs is different than transferring credits earned at U.S. institutions. Preparations must be made well in advance and include the guidance the Office of International Academic Services and the student’s academic advisor(s).
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH AND RESEARCH GRANT PROGRAM
Faculty are committed to the mutually supportive values of undergraduate teaching and academic research. Seeking to extend those values to its students, UMW has a well-established and nationally-recognized Undergraduate Research Grant Program, whereby collaborative teams of faculty member(s) and students apply for University-funded research project support. This grant program enables undergraduates to work intensively with faculty members on a broad range of research topics, work which in many instances leads to student presentation at state, regional, or national academic conferences.
Students engaged in undergraduate research earn credits by registering for individual studies (courses numbered 491 or 492). Every academic discipline offered at the University has such courses available. Students should check with the department in which they are interested in doing an individual study because different programs have different requirements for enrolling in individual study courses.
Another undergraduate research option is the URES 197 course. In this case, the student works on the faculty member’s research project and completes research tasks connected with that project as determined by the faculty member. Beginning students are eligible to register for URES 197, and the students who complete URES 197 will likely develop their own individual study project at a later time, thereby building on the first research experiences. Individual studies are most often done by more advanced students (juniors and seniors) who have the necessary background to successfully formulate an individual study project.
WRITING CENTER
The Writing Center located on the Fredericksburg campus is part of the Writing Intensive Program and is open to all Mary Washington students. It expresses the University’s belief in writing competence as an essential ingredient of a liberal arts education. Operating within the Honor Code, the Writing Center offers free tutorial assistance to students, regardless of major, both for course assignments and for personal writing needs.
The Writing Center works with student writers at every skill level to improve their writing performance. Staffed by a faculty director, an assistant, and well-trained student tutors, the Center provides advice in getting started on papers, developing ideas, achieving unity and coherence, reviewing troublesome parts of papers, understanding and correcting recurring grammatical and punctuation errors, and overcoming writer’s block. The Writing Center welcomes students writing research papers, short essays, letters of application, and laboratory reports. It also provides access to various writing guides. The director conducts several workshops each year on writing skills important to success in college work.
SPEAKING CENTER
The Speaking Center supports the Speaking Intensive Program by providing free consultations to students interested in developing oral communication skills. The Center houses a collection of instructional resources (books, handouts, videotapes, and equipment) which address a variety of topics ranging from public speaking anxiety to constructing effective visual aids. Consultants are available to videotape practice presentations and to provide feedback.
The Center adheres strictly to the Honor Code: consultants will not compose any portion of a presentation for a student, nor will they do research for a student’s presentations. Consultants also are prepared to offer advice on special types of oral communication activities such as speeches, group presentations, debates, or interviews.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES AT THE UNIVERSITY
The University of Mary Washington is making steady progress toward status as a national model in the use of technology in teaching and learning. That progress is due in large part to the emphasis placed by the Division of Information Resources on the academic mission of the University. The division focuses not only on the construction and maintenance of networks and information systems, but on the exploration and deployment of technologies that effectively and efficiently promote a liberal arts and sciences education.
The University believes that technology helps stimulate creative thinking, enabling students and faculty to take advantage of all that the current worldwide information environment has to offer. Technology allows students to view, learn, assemble, and personalize information and resources from diverse sources, and enables faculty collaboration with colleagues without geographic limitations. In every discipline throughout the University, courses make use of technology to help actively engage students in the learning process. Faculty and IT staff work in close collaboration to ensure that technology here expands the benefits of personal interaction and serendipitous discovery characteristic of the University of Mary Washington experience.
Student Computing Needs. Nearly all students bring their own computers to campus, and new students are encouraged to bring laptop computers to take advantage of their mobility. The University makes wireless network access available in all major academic and administrative buildings, including the University libraries, and in student “commons” areas as well.
Residence hall rooms are equipped with high-speed Internet access for each occupant. University network resources, such as student personal Web space, registration, personal class schedules, course materials, library offerings, and e-mail, may be accessed over the Internet. There are some 24 computer labs on campus, equipped with both PC and Macintosh computers and printers. Labs are located throughout the campus in academic buildings, and are available at posted times for student use.
The University schedules a technology orientation program among new student orientation events just prior to the start of each semester. For more detailed information on computer and software recommendations, and on what to expect in the UMW computing environment, incoming students should visit the UMW Student Computing Web site (www.umw.edu/technology/studentcomputing).
Technology Services. In addition to on-line documentation available at its Web site (www.umw.edu/technology/), the Division of Information Resources offers help to its users through the Help Desk, which is the campus clearinghouse for all technology-related questions. In helping diagnose and solve problems, the Help Desk staff may walk users through some steps on the phone, point them toward online resources that can help, provide technical consultation in person at the Help Desk location, or, if needed, identify someone to provide on-site help. The specialists staffing the Help Desk know whom to call, and can save users the time and confusion of trying to figure out who on campus can help.
Other Information Resources staff are at work behind the scenes, continually investigating, developing and testing new technologies while making sure that existing services and systems are delivered on a consistent basis. The division includes five major information-technology focused units, and it works closely with a related unit that manages University data:
Teaching and Learning Technologies, which is focused entirely on the academic mission of the University, features a team of Instructional Technology Specialists working one-on-one with faculty and students to find and make good use of technologies that improve the effectiveness of teaching and learning here.
Networks and Communication Services manages the University’s technically advanced computing network, the servers that provide network-based file storage locations and printing, e-mail systems, and telephone/voice services on campus.
Enterprise Applications Infrastructure manages the hardware environment that houses University administrative data and some academic software and learning tools.
User Services manages the Help Desk and support for the computers and other information technologies in University classrooms and computer laboratories (as well as those in faculty and staff offices).
University Data Management manages the data and the software that together allow University offices to offer on-line course registration, on-line course information and resources (through tools such as Blackboard), and a growing number of other Web-accessible services.
ACADEMIC ADVISING
All students who have not declared a major are advised by academic advisors assigned to students upon entry to the University. When students choose their major fields and declare their majors through the Office of Academic Services, they are assigned advisors from the major department. B.A./B.S. students may also consult the Office of Academic Services on a variety of academic situations. BLS students may contact the BLS Office. Assistance in developing academic skills and in choosing a major field is also offered by these offices as well as by the Office of Career Services. Any B.A./B.S. student may request a change in his or her pre-major advisor by submitting a written request to the Office of Academic Services or a change in his or her major advisor by consulting the chair of the major department. BLS students must contact the BLS Office.
The First-Year Advising Program is specifically designed to help students with the transition from high school to college. Each incoming Freshman is assigned to a First-Year Faculty Advisor based on the student’s interests. The program begins with Orientation, where they meet their First-Year Advisor for advising and schedule review. A series of group and individual meetings sees them through the first academic year. Orientation, and the subsequent meetings with the first-year academic advisor are planned around the UMW academic cycle and meant to alleviate stress as well as to assist students in their journey towards graduation and becoming self-sufficient adults. At the conclusion of the freshman year students may declare a major if they are eligible or indicate an Academic Interest . Each declared student will then be assigned to a major advisor. Students who do not declare a major will remain with their first-year advisor.
Non-Major Advising is provided for B.A./B.S. students who are not eligible or ready to declare a major. Non-major faculty advisors are assigned based on a student’s academic interest. Non-major advisors along with Career Services staff can assist students in deciding on a major.
BLS Advising for incoming BLS students is provided by the BLS advisor and/or director. After declaring a major BLS students will be assigned a major advisor but also continue to be advised in the BLS Office.
Major Advising is provided by faculty in the student’s major department. Major advisors are assigned by the departmental chair. Students will have a major advisor for each declared major. Students will plan their course work with their major advisor so that they will be able to meet all graduation requirements in a timely manner.
Non-degree students are not assigned to an Academic Advisor.
B.A./B.S. students may also consult the Office of Academic Services on a variety of academic situations. BLS students may contact the BLS Office. Assistance in developing academic skills and in choosing a major field is also offered by these offices as well as by the Office of Career Services. Any B.A./B.S. student may request a change of his or her pre-major advisor by submitting a written request to the Office of Academic Services of a change in his or her major advisor by consulting the chair of the major department. BLS students must contact the BLS office.
In addition to each student’s designated academic advisors, the Office of Academic Services offers a variety of advising services for all University of Mary Washington students. International students and students participating in approved study abroad programs are mentored by the Director of the Office of International Academic Services. Students with documented disabilities are mentored by the Director of Disability Services. One of the deans in Academic Services counsels B.A./B.S. students in academic jeopardy (i.e., those placed on academic probation and/or suspension). One of the assistant deans of Academic Services, in consultation with the student’s academic advisors, mentors students of color. Any College of Arts and Sciences’ B.A./B.S. student seeking transfer credit approval after matriculation and transfer credit for re-evaluation must submit appropriate paperwork to the Office of the Registrar. Additionally, any student can schedule a general advising session with any of the deans in the Office of Academic Services.
TUTORING
The Office of Academic Services offers free tutorial services to degree seeking University of Mary Washington students in need of academic assistance. Tutorial sessions are offered twice a week. Although tutors are available in a variety of subjects, tutors are not available for every course offered at the University of Mary Washington. Students are encouraged to seek help early in the semester if they feel that they will have difficulty in a course. Students who need assistance should contact Academic Services.
SPECIALIZED ADVISORS
Accounting. While Mary Washington does not offer an accounting major, students interested in accounting may concentrate their study in this area through electives. The accounting advisor helps students select courses that meet their individual needs and interests, as well as develop the communication and critical reasoning skills necessary in today’s accounting profession. Courses offered at Mary Washington provide students with an opportunity to prepare for the uniform examinations required to obtain the designation of certified public accountant (CPA), certified management accountant (CMA), and certified internal auditor (CIA).
Health Sciences. The health sciences constitute a variety of professions providing health care. The basic liberal arts and science courses offered at Mary Washington prepare students for entering nursing, physical therapy, dental hygiene, medical technology, occupational therapy, ophthalmic technology, optometry, physician assistant, and pharmacy programs. During their first year students must give careful attention to the professional school admission requirements, which are available on the respective school websites. The Pre-Physical/Occupational Therapy and Allied Health Advisors in the Department of Biological Sciences are available to help students select courses that meet these requirements, and prepare for the relevant admission examination. Admission to professional institutions is, of course, very competitive, and depends on academic performance and scores on qualifying examinations.
Medical. Pre-medicine, Pre-dentistry and Pre-veterinary medicine are career paths, not majors. Students in pursuit of one of these clinical careers may select any of the major programs at the University. Although most pre-medical, pre-dental, and pre-veterinary students major in one of the sciences, students can easily major in one of the humanities or social sciences and complete their premedical courses as electives.
The Pre-medical/Pre-dental Advisor provides academic guidance for the pre-clinical curriculum of the pre-medical and pre-dental students, and students thinking about pursuing one of these careers should contact the Pre-medical Advisor for an advising appointment. The Advisor also heads the Pre-medical Advisory Board, a committee charged with the preparation of an
institutional recommendation for each student to be sent to the medical and dental schools.
The Pre-veterinary Medicine Advisor provides academic guidance for students interested in veterinary medicine. These students should contact the Pre-vet Advisor for an advising appointment.
Law. The pre-law advising system provides guidelines for students interested in entering law school. There is no prescribed “pre-law curriculum,” and students considering a legal career may focus their studies in any academic major. Students, however, are encouraged to enroll in courses that develop written and oral communication as well as critical reasoning. The pre-law advisor helps students to select courses that meet their individual needs, foster skills necessary to the legal profession, and prepare for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT).
Teacher Education. The Teacher Education Program at Mary Washington is approved by the Virginia State Department of Education and the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification. Students who complete an approved program qualify for licensure/certification in all the states with which Virginia has reciprocity agreements. Students major in an academic discipline and take professional education courses as electives. They have advisors both in their major discipline and in the University’s Department of Education. (See information provided on page 115).
Office of Disability Services
The Office of Disability Services provides and coordinates reasonable and appropriate accommodations to qualified students with disabilities. These accommodations may include – but are not limited to – extended time on tests, note taking assistance, air – conditioned dorm rooms, sign language interpreters, electronic texts, and distraction-reduced testing sites.
In order to receive services, students must provide professional documentation of a substantially limiting condition and discuss appropriate accommodations with the Director of Disability Services. Documentation guidelines for specific disabilities may be found on the Disability Services Web site at www.umw.edu/disability or by requesting it from the office at 540/654-1266. The Director verifies the disability, assists in arranging reasonable accommodations, and acts as a liaison between students, faculty, and administration on issues relating to services or accommodations.
CENTER FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Established in 1979 through a Commonwealth of Virginia Grant for Excellence, the Center for Historic Preservation has a dual mission, to support the historic preservation program and to encourage preservation activities from local to international scales through public outreach programs. The Center enhances students’ opportunities for employment, research, internships, and public involvement in preservation by sponsoring lectures, workshops, and conferences and by conducting research and service projects in the Fredericksburg region. Preservation organizations, government agencies, and citizens are the beneficiaries of the Center’s second charge – the support of preservation activities through public programs and cultural resource management services. Since 1989 the Center annually awards the nationally competitive Historic Preservation Book Prize to the book that a professional jury deems to have made the most significant contribution to the intellectual vitality of historic preservation in America. Through its web site the Center hosts the Virginia Local Preservation Reference Collection, a database of local government ordinances and comprehensive planning elements for protecting historic resources.
LEIDECKER CENTER FOR ASIAN STUDIES
The Leidecker Center for Asian Studies supports interdisciplinary study of Asia, drawing on the expertise of faculty from across the campus. The Center sponsors an annual lecture series, seminars, and conferences. In coordination with the resources of the Office of International Academic Services, the Center also promotes academic and cultural exchange as well as awareness of Asia and its place in the world. In addition to promoting the academic study of Asia, the Center for Asian Studies sponsors public workshops allowing direct familiarity with various aspects of Asian cultures. The Leidecker Center for Asian Studies was established by the College’s Board of Visitors in 1998 in honor of Professor Emeritus Kurt Leidecker (1902 - 1991), a professor of philosophy at Mary Washington College from 1948 until his retirement in 1973 and a specialist in Buddhism, who first developed a program in Asian Studies at Mary Washington College.
UNIVERSITY GALLERIES
The Ridderhof Martin Gallery is a high-quality art museum facility. It displays traveling exhibitions from museums around the country, bringing to the University the art of the past and present from many cultures. Other exhibitions draw from the permanent collection for themes such as “The Artist Looks at Sister Artists” and “Art and 20th-Century War.” The duPont Gallery features painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, ceramics, and textiles by art faculty and students as well as other contemporary artists.
The Galleries’ permanent collection of some 6,000 artworks is strongest in mid-twentieth-century art and Asian art. The Galleries also house much of the life’s work, as well as the personal papers, of New York surrealist Margaret Sutton and Los Angeles figurative expressionist Phyllis Ridderhof Martin.
Professors in art history and other fields often assign class projects and research in the Galleries. Students study the works on view and in storage, and delve into the computerized records and paper files. Students also participate in cataloguing the collection and organizing and installing exhibitions.
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