2006-2008 Catalog of Courses

Interdisciplinary Majors and Minors

The university offers a variety of interdisciplinary curricula to meet the growing need and interest in work beyond collegiate division. The following undergraduate programs and program certificates are under the supervision and jurisdiction of several committees, departments, or colleges as indicated. The programs include:

Undergraduate Majors (B.A.)/Minors

American Ethnic Studies Minor

American Studies Major

Asian Studies Major

Asian Studies Minor

Environmental Studies Minor

General Studies Major

Humanities Major

Humanities Minor

Individual Studies Major

Leadership Studies Minor

Russian and East European Studies Major

Russian and East European Studies Minor

Women's and Gender Studies Minor

Bachelor of Arts Degree and Minor Programs

American Ethnic Studies Minor

Liberal Arts Core courses included in minor program requirements are distinguished by italics.

This interdisciplinary minor is offered under the jurisdiction and general supervision of the Deans of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Humanities and Fine Arts.

*Additional prerequisites are required.

In courses with multiple sections, the section which indicates an American Ethnic Studies emphasis will count for the minor.

These electives may also include individual department's readings, topics, and experimental courses, and other courses, as well as courses sponsored by the Individual Studies Program that directly relate to American Ethnic Studies. The electives selected must have the written approval of the director to be filed in the Office of the Registrar before the final completion and approval of the minor.

American Studies Major

The American Studies major requires a minimum of 120 total hours to graduate. This total includes Liberal Arts Core requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 120 hours. Liberal Arts Core courses included in major program requirements are distinguished by italics.

This is an interdisciplinary program offered jointly by the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, and is under the jurisdiction of the heads of the departments of History and English Language and Literature and the general supervision of the Committee on American Studies.

The American Studies major consists of a minimum of 9 semester hours in each of the following four areas:

1. American history

2. American literature

3. Economics, geography, political science, sociology and anthropology

4. Religion, philosophy, theatre, art, and music

*Colloquium to be an exploration of the total culture of an era or region in historical perspective by applying the disciplines of history, literature, art, philosophy, and the social sciences.

The courses from the four specified areas must be chosen in consultation with an advisor from the Committee on American Studies.

Courses used to meet Liberal Arts Core requirements may not be counted on this major.

Asian Studies Major

The Asian Studies major requires a minimum of 120 total hours to graduate. This total includes Liberal Arts Core requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 120 hours. Liberal Arts Core courses included in major program requirements are distinguished by italics.

*920:053 and 920:054 are required as prerequisites for all 100-level economics courses. Both 920:053 and 920:054 will substitute for 920:024 which will satisfy Category 5B of the Liberal Arts Core.

Students are encouraged to study abroad for a minimum of one semester.

Asian Studies Minor

Liberal Arts Core courses included in minor program requirements are distinguished by italics.

The programs and general courses in the non-Western foreign area studies are offered under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Asian Studies and the general supervision of the Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Environmental Studies Minor

Liberal Arts Core courses included in minor program requirements are distinguished by italics.

This is an interdisciplinary minor offered under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Programs Office and the general supervision of the Dean of the College of Natural Sciences.

*Taking prerequisite courses 920:053 and 920:054 will satisfy Category 5B of the Liberal Arts Core.

**These courses have prerequisites which may satisfy requirements in the Liberal Arts Core.

This minor allows students a specific program to complement their major. Because the Environmental Studies minor is designed to broaden students' awareness of environmental issues as they relate to their major discipline, students interested in this minor should have a clear grasp of the major field before applying for such a minor.

Applications and approval of particular programs will be administered under the College of Natural Sciences, with the interdisciplinary Environmental Programs Office serving as the program coordinating body. Upon application by the student, the Dean of the College of Natural Sciences will appoint a faculty advisor to work closely with the student in planning her/his minor.

General Studies Major

The General Studies major requires a minimum of 120 total hours to graduate. This total includes Liberal Arts Core requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 120 hours. Liberal Arts Core courses included in major program requirements are distinguished by italics.

This is a diversified liberal arts major supervised by the Coordinator of the Individual Studies Program.

A General Studies major enables students to take a wide variety of courses from many different departments. This can lead to a well-rounded liberal arts education. The major is not directed toward any particular vocation or certification. The emphasis of this major is on distribution rather than concentration. Each General Studies major is encouraged to develop a program of study according to her/his own needs, interests, and career goals. The selection of courses is largely left to the student. Students may not declare a second major and be registered for the General Studies major.

*The five colleges are:

1. College of Business Administration;

2. College of Education;

3. College of Humanities and Fine Arts;

4. College of Natural Sciences; and

5. College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Humanities Major

The Humanities major requires a minimum of 120 total hours to graduate. This total includes Liberal Arts Core requirements and the following specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 120 hours. Liberal Arts Core courses included in major program requirements are distinguished by italics.

This is an interdisciplinary major offered by the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, and is under the jurisdiction of the dean of that college.

*These courses may include seminars in the interpretation of texts, in philosophy of history, in aesthetics, in a theme or period, in a topic relating the humanities to the natural or social sciences, or other appropriate courses as available.

The student, with the consent of the Humanities Advisor, will outline a cohesive program of cross-disciplinary study around a chronological period, theme, culture, or other focus of the student's choice.

All reasonable variations on this program should be approved.

Humanities Minor

Liberal Arts Core courses included in minor program requirements are distinguished by italics.

This is an interdisciplinary minor offered by the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, and is under the jurisdiction of the dean of that college.

Science and Social Science majors may be excused from the requirement in their areas, and may substitute a course in any of the other specified areas or in history.

*If any of these courses are taken by the student to meet the requirements of any other program (e.g., liberal arts core, major field, etc.), the student must elect another course in any of the above specified areas or in history, except that either 680:021 or 680:022 may be counted for the liberal arts core.

**This course should be elected only if 680:192 is not relevant to the emphasis of the minor. Readings proposed by the student should act to integrate the work done in the minor.

Individual Studies Major

The Individual Studies major requires a minimum of 120 total hours to graduate. This total includes Liberal Arts Core requirements and the following specified major requirements (under the discretion of the Individual Studies Program Coordinator), plus electives to complete the minimum of 120 hours. Liberal Arts Core courses included in major program requirements are distinguished by italics.

(Plus 25-39 hours of university electives or other major or minor credit.)

If it is found the university does not offer the major desired, it may be possible, through the Individual Studies Program, for a student to create her/his own program of study. The purpose of the Individual Studies major is twofold:

1. to enable a student to design an individualized major by selecting courses from several academic departments, and

2. to explore interdisciplinary areas of study before those areas are formally adopted as departmental or interdepartmental majors.

Students interested in this major should have at least one semester's experience in university study before applying. A student shall consult first with the Individual Studies Coordinator concerning the feasibility of designing an Individual Studies major in a particular area. If the university does not have faculty or curricular resources for the area requested, the student will be so advised. Also, if the student does not appear to be academically prepared, or if her/his plans are not sufficiently clear, specific steps to correct these problems will be recommended.

Once an advisor is appointed, the student and the advisor will develop a list of courses to comprise the proposed major, and an interdisciplinary faculty committee will be selected to take action on the specific program. In some cases, with the approval of the faculty advisor and the program coordinator, an extraordinary amount of independent study may be counted toward the major. In most cases, an undergraduate thesis will be required of this major.

Leadership Studies Minor

Liberal Arts Core courses included in minor program requirements are distinguished by italics.

The Leadership Studies minor is an interdisciplinary program that educates students about and for leadership in a democratic society. The minor provides an overview of diverse leadership theories, concepts, and issues; assessment of leadership styles and abilities; and practical experiences tailored to the students' abilities. It is open to any student; prior experience in leadership activities is not required.

Admission requires a cumulative GPA of 2.50 (or permission of director) and completion of one semester of college work (UNI or transfer).

Students who are pursuing the Leadership Studies minor or the Certificate in Leadership Foundations must have an overall GPA in the core courses, including the internship, of 2.50 with no lower than a C in any one course.

Russian and East European Studies Major

The Russian and East European Studies major requires a minimum of 120 total hours to graduate. This total includes Liberal Arts Core requirements, the specified major requirements, plus electives to complete the minimum of 120 hours. Liberal Arts Core courses included in major program requirements are distinguished by italics.

This major is offered by the College of Humanities and Fine Arts and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Students are encouraged to study abroad for one semester.

Russian and East European Studies Minor

Liberal Arts Core courses included in minor program requirements are distinguished by italics.

This minor is offered by the College of Humanities and Fine Arts and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

Women's and Gender Studies Minor

Liberal Arts Core courses included in minor program requirements are distinguished by italics.

Women's and Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary program that places women's and gender issues at the center of inquiry to attain a fuller understanding of our world. Its unique perspective strengthens the abilities of students within any major to critically analyze theory and research while developing an ethics of social responsibility. This program is offered under the jurisdiction and general supervision of the Deans of the Colleges of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Humanities and Fine Arts. For more information, contact the Women's and Gender Studies office, Baker 168, 319-273-7102, or http://www.uni.edu/womenstudies.

*Additional prerequisites may be required.

In courses with multiple sections, the section which indicates a "Women's and Gender Studies Emphasis" will count for the minor.

These electives may also include individual department's readings, topics, experimental courses, internships, and other courses, as well as courses sponsored by the Individual Studies Program that directly relate to Women's and Gender Studies. The electives selected must have the written approval of the director to be filed in the Office of the Registrar before the final completion and approval of the minor. Sections approved for Women's and Gender Studies classes are listed in the front of the Schedule of Classes.