2006-2008 Catalog of Courses

Bachelor of Arts -- Liberal Arts Curricula

All candidates on this program will complete the following pattern:

Not later than the beginning of the sophomore year, each student enrolled in this program will choose one major from the list below. A knowledge of a foreign language is required or recommended for several majors. Specific information regarding the foreign language requirements will be found with the departmental listings. It is recommended that the student include in her/his electives a course in the literature of some language or languages other than English (in translation if not in the original).

Majors and Minors

Specific requirements for the various majors and minors will be found with the departmental listings.

Majors

Minors

Bachelor of Arts -- Teaching Program Curricula

All candidates on this program will choose one of the following patterns not later than the beginning of the sophomore year.

A.  Preparation for teaching in the secondary school or in special subjects.

B.  Preparation for teaching in the elementary school (kindergarten and grades 1-6).

C.  Preparation for teaching in early childhood education (pre-K through grade 3).

Professional Education Requirements

All candidates for the Bachelor of Arts--Teaching Program are required to take the courses in professional education and a minimum of one departmental methods course. In addition, all candidates must be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. Admission procedures are initiated at a required orientation session during Level I of the Professional Education sequence. PK-12 schools may require proof of a background check prior to entering their buildings to work with students. Therefore, all candidates are strongly encouraged to complete a background check with the Department of Criminal Investigation prior to the first field experience. Teacher candidates will be expected to provide proof of a DCI check at Price Laboratory School.

Professional Education Waivers/Substitutions

1. Industrial Technology majors will be waived from 240:020. A student changing to a different education major from Industrial Technology would be required to complete 240:020.

   
   

2. Physical Education majors may substitute 420:174 for 250:150. A Physical Education major changing to a different education major from Physical Education would be required to complete 250:150.

   
   

3. Physical Education majors will be waived from 220:150. A student changing to a different education major from Physical Education would be required to complete 220:150.  

   
   

4. Music Education majors will be waived from 250:150. A student changing to a different education major from Music Education would be required to complete 250:150.




5. Music Education majors will be waived from 240:020. A student changing to a different education major from Music Education would be required to complete 240:020.

   
   

6. Art Education majors will be waived from 240:020. A student changing to a different education major from Art Education would be required to complete 240:020.

   
   

7. Secondary science teaching majors (Science Education, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, and Physics) will be waived from 240:020. A student changing to a different education major from Science Education, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, and Physics would be required to complete 240:020.




8. Secondary business education teaching majors will be waived from 240:020. A student changing to a different education major from business education would be required to complete 240:020 or 240:031, depending on level of major.

Admission to the Teacher Education Program

To be admitted to the Teacher Education Program, a student must fulfill the following requirements prior to registration for Level II courses:

1. declare a teaching major;

2. earn at least 24 semester hours of credit;

3. earn at least a 2.50 cumulative GPA;

4. file an acceptable "Application for Admission to Teacher Education" (available: SEC 159A or online at www.uni.edu/teached,"Information for Students");

5. successfully complete the speech and hearing evaluation;

6. successfully complete College Reading and Writing (620:005) or the equivalent;

7. successfully complete Oral Communication (48C:001) or the equivalent;

8. pass the basic skills test: PPST;

9. demonstrate Acceptable Dispositions (absence of Notification of Concern)

10. fulfill any additional requirements as prescribed by the Council on Teacher Education.

In approving admission to the Teacher Education Program, consideration is given to the  scholarship, health, character, personality, and leadership potential of the applicant. Admission to the Teacher Education Program is a privilege rather than a right. Thus, admission to the Program is not guaranteed to all who apply. Students may appeal the decision to deny admittance to the Teacher Education Program or the decision to place them on academic probation in the Teacher Education Program when the decision is based on extreme circumstances over which the student has no control. In such cases, the student should contact the Associate Director of Teacher Education to set up an appointment to begin the appeal process.

UNI Teacher Education majors are expected to keep an active e-mail account, using the "____@uni.edu" address and to check this address at least twice weekly.

Information concerning fee payments for tests, registration procedures, and test dates are available by contacting Academic Services, 007 Integrated Teaching and Technology Center, UNI, 319-273-6023 or the Director of Teacher Education, 159A Schindler Education Center, UNI, 319-273-2265.

Field and Clinical Experiences

At the University of Northern Iowa experiences in teaching and the observation of teaching are an integral part of the teacher education curriculum. The emphasis on experimentation and creative approaches gives the student insight into turning theory into practice. The professional laboratory experiences include field experiences and participation, with supervised observations, that culminate in the actual period of student teaching.

Supervised observations give the student an opportunity to see the teaching-learning operation without becoming involved in the on-going activity itself. In the field experience and participation experiences, the student takes an active part under direction and guidance in the teaching-learning situation or other community activities.

Student involvement in all of the field and clinical experiences in teacher education is vital to the preparation of the prospective teacher. Observation and participation experiences are provided through specific courses in the Professional Education Program and through individual departments offering teaching majors. These experiences give the student the background needed to make professional course work and student teaching more meaningful.

All teacher candidates are strongly encouraged to complete a background check with the Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation prior to the first field experience and to carry proof of this check with them to all school sites. (See www.uni.edu/teached,"Information for Students" for procedures.)

Student Teaching

Student teaching is a period of guided teaching which is a full semester in length. During this time, the student assumes increasing responsibility for the teaching-learning activities in the classroom. The student receives twelve (12) semester hours of credit for student teaching, evaluated on a credit/no-credit/withdrawal system.

Interinstitutional student teachers who enroll at UNI, including those on the Regents' Universities Student Exchange Program, may be evaluated on a graded basis (e.g., A, B, C, D, F) upon written request at the time of application from the Registrar of the home institution.

To be admitted to student teaching, a student must demonstrate:

1. FULL admission to the teacher education program;

2. a certificate in High Risk Behaviors/Substance Abuse;

3. a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher on work at all colleges and universities;

4. a UNI GPA of 2.50 or higher;

5. a 2.50 GPA in the academic major or departmental approval when the GPA is deficient because of circumstances beyond the student's control;

6. a GPA of 2.50 or higher in courses completed in the Professional Education Program;

7. completion of all methods courses listed as prerequisites for student teaching with a grade of C (2.00) or higher as well as other departmental requirements.

8. Mathematics majors are required to have a major GPA of 2.25 or higher AND departmental approval; and

9. Health Education and Physical Education majors and minors are required to have current First Aid and CPR certification prior to student teaching.

The final student teacher assignment is based upon fulfillment of all established requirements stated above, successful completion of Level II, acceptable professional dispositions, and availability of placement.

Exit Requirements

To be recommended for teaching licensure in Iowa, a student who graduates from the UNI Teacher Education Program must satisfactorily complete the major and/or minor and the teacher education requirements, have an overall GPA of 2.50 and a cumulative UNI GPA of 2.50, submit fingerprint and waiver cards for mandated background checks, and pass additional exit requirements as may be prescribed by the Council on Teacher Education, including, but not limited to, demonstration of acceptable professional dispositions. A student not meeting these requirements may graduate but will not receive recommendation for licensure.

Exit tests may be prescribed by the Council on Teacher Education, the College of Education, or the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. (The National Teacher Examination, as well as the Pre-Professional Skills Tests, PPST, are now required to be taken by teacher education graduates to meet licensure requirements in some states. Neither is required in the State of Iowa.) Information concerning fee payments for tests, registration procedures, and test dates are available by contacting Academic Services, 007 Integrated Teaching and Technology Center, UNI 319-273-6023.

Progressing Through the Teacher Education Program

This section provides an overview of practices that may delay a student from progressing through the Teacher Education Program in a timely fashion. Specific guidelines for addressing these delays are found in the Council on Teacher Education "Teacher Candidate Performance Review Committee: Policies and Procedures" Handbook.

Four Decision Points are established to mark progression through the Teacher Education Program:

1. admission to the university,

2. admission to the Teacher Education Program,

3. admission to student teaching, and

4. recommendation for licensure.

Professional Education Faculty members, staff, and/or administrators may delay a student in moving through the Decision Points if a student demonstrates deficiencies in meeting course or Program Standards. To correct the deficiencies, faculty, staff, and/or administrators may file a Notification of Concern, indicating how the student can remedy the deficiency. Only after the deficiencies are resolved may the student expect to move forward in the Program and be recommended for a teaching license.

Suspension from the Teacher Education Program:

Any student who has multiple unresolved Notifications of Concern indicating significant deficiencies in meeting Standards for the Teacher Education Program may be considered for suspension from the Program. Suspension from the Program is determined by the Teacher Candidate Professional Review Committee and is for a minimum of one calendar year. Only the most extreme circumstances would warrant consideration for re-admission before one calendar year has elapsed. At the time of suspension, students are informed of the conditions and procedures for re-admission to the Program. Students may appeal the process by which such decision was made by making a written request to the Office of the Provost.

Emergency Suspension: Any student may be suspended immediately by the Director of Teacher Education for extreme, unforeseen circumstances such as endangerment of students, disruption of schools/classes, felonious behaviors, or ethical violations. Such suspensions will be referred to university officials and may become permanent.

Re-admission to the Teacher Education Program:

Students wishing to be re-admitted to the Teacher Education Program should seek probationary re-admission according to the following schedule: apply by February 1 for Summer and Fall probationary re-admission; apply by October 1 for Spring probationary re-admission. Applications are found at www.uni.edu/teached,"Information for Students", "University of Northern Iowa Application for Probationary Re-admission to the Teacher Education Program."

The decision to re-admit students on a probationary status will be made by the Teacher Candidate Professional Review Committee. Conditions for probationary re-admission are determined on a case-by-case basis by the Committee and in accordance with conditions determined at the time of suspension. Upon successful completion of the probationary period, the Teacher Candidate Professional Review Committee determines conditions for full re-admission and may recommend such to the Council on Teacher Education, which makes the final decision.

Suspension for a second time is considered permanent. Only the most extreme circumstances would warrant consideration for re-admission a second time. Reconsideration is determined by the Council on Teacher Education.

Majors and Minors -- Teaching

Elementary majors may choose either a university-approved endorsement minor or a 24-hour area of concentration.

Each student preparing to teach in the secondary school or in a special subject will choose a major not later than the beginning of the sophomore year. The student will also select at least one minor if a minor requirement is indicated under the description of the chosen major. Even if not required, a student may select a second major or one or more minors.

Approved majors and minors will be chosen from the fields listed below.

Majors

Minors

Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree

The program available under this degree is a major in Art, with an emphasis in any one of eight studio areas, offered by the Department of Art. A minimum total of 130 semester hours is required for the degree. The B.F.A. degree program is designed to provide professional career training in the following studio emphases: ceramics, drawing, graphic design, jewelry/metals, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.

Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Curricula

Candidates for the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree will complete the following pattern of work:

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is generally recognized as the professional undergraduate degree in the visual arts. Students are required to pass a portfolio review before they are formally admitted to the Bachelor of Fine Arts Program in the Department of Art. Candidates for this degree are also required to present an exhibition of their creative works demonstrating competency in the studio arts in their senior year.

The Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Art does not provide for licensure to teach; additional hours are necessary to meet licensure requirements.

Major

Art: Studio B.F.A.

Bachelor of Music Degree

Majors in this degree program have the choice of an educational major or two professional majors. The Music Education major carries licensure to teach music in grades K-6 and 7-12. The Performance major with emphases in voice, piano, organ, and band-orchestral instruments, and the Composition-Theory major are professional programs designed to prepare students for careers as artists-performers or composers, or for entrance to graduate schools where further excellence in a performance area might be pursued. Students earning the Bachelor of Music degree are prepared as performers, college teachers, and in all areas where a high degree of music or performing skill is required.

Bachelor of Music Degree Curricula           

All candidates for the Bachelor of Music degree will complete a pattern similar to the following:

The following majors are offered on this degree program:

Composition-Theory -- 82 hours

Music Education (teaching) -- 66, 67, or 77 hours

Performance (voice, piano, organ, band-orchestral instruments) -- 80 hours

*Music Education majors must also complete the Professional Education Requirements. The minimum semester-hour requirements vary with the specialization chosen. The Music Education major carries licensure to teach in grades K-6 and 7-12. (A course in human relations is also required for licensure to teach.)

The approval of the faculty, and the Associate Director of the School of Music must be secured before a student is admitted formally to this degree program. All students who have been admitted to the school and wish to pursue a music major curriculum must undertake a common core of required courses during the freshman year. During the second semester of the freshman year, an extensive evaluation of each music major will be conducted. In addition to the entrance audition required of all students who intend to major in music, transfer students are required to take a placement exam in music theory or start with level l in Theory, Aural Training, and Sight Singing. The music faculty will evaluate the performance in these areas to determine School of Music admissibility for each transfer student.

Participation in a performance organization such as band, chorus, orchestra, and other ensembles, is required of all degree students every semester in residence.

Majors

Composition-Theory

Music Education

Performance

Bachelor of Science Degree Curricula

The Bachelor of Science degree should be elected by those students who are preparing for careers in areas where effective application of knowledge and training requires a higher degree of concentration in subject matter and cognate areas, particularly in advanced-level course work. This degree is especially appropriate for students planning post-baccalaureate study in graduate or professional schools.

Requirements include:

1. a minimum of 56 hours in the subject and cognate areas with:

   1. least 36 hours in the subject area;

   2. at least one 100-level course in cognate areas;

2. the completion of undergraduate research or internship carrying 1-2 semester hours of credit applicable to either the subject or cognate area(s). This project should result in the completion of a written report. The major department must certify to the Registrar that the research requirement has been met before the degree is granted;

3. the completion of the Liberal Arts Core requirements selected from courses included in the six Liberal Arts Core categories.

Since this degree assumes a higher degree of concentration in subject matter, a major leading to this degree will ordinarily require at least eight 100-level semester hours of credit more than an identically-named major leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree, and a minimum of 126 semester hours.

Majors

Air Quality

Applied Physics

Bioinfomatics

Biology

Chemistry

Computer Science

Construction Management           

Electrical and Information Engineering Technology (EIET)

Geology

Manufacturing Technology

Networking and System Administration

Physics

Bachelor of Liberal Studies Degree

The Bachelor of Liberal Studies (B.L.S.) program is offered by the three Iowa Regents' Universities: University of Northern Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Iowa. The purpose of the B.L.S. is to offer educational opportunities to those students who are unable to attend college as full-time, on-campus students. Students may complete the degree at their own pace without attending on-campus courses. Students often use guided independent study and other distance learning opportunities to earn credit.

Admission to the Program.  Each student entering the program must have earned:

1. an Associate of Arts degree from an accredited, two-year college, or at least 62 semester hours of college credit acceptable toward graduation at UNI;

2. a minimum 2.00 grade point average.

Total Credit Requirements. A total of at least 120 semester hours of credit, including transferable credit earned, is required for graduation. The total must fulfill the following specifications:

1. 45 semester hours of credit earned at four-year colleges in courses defined as "upper-level" at the colleges in which courses are taken. At the University of Northern Iowa, upper-level courses are those numbered 100 and above;

2. at least 30 hours of credit earned in the junior and/or senior years in courses at UNI. This total may include nonresidence credit.

Liberal Arts Core Requirements. Students must meet the basic undergraduate core requirements as specified and determined by the policies of the degree-granting institution.

Program Distribution Requirements. To insure sufficient breadth of study, each student's program must include, in addition to the credit used to fulfill the Liberal Arts Core requirements previously stated, a minimum of 12 semester hours of credit in each of the three (3) areas selected from the following list. Of the total 36 semester hours of credit applied to fulfill this requirement, 24 semester hours must be in upper-level credits as defined by the institution in which the courses are taken, with at least 6 semester hours of upper-level credits in each of the three areas chosen.

1. Humanities

2. Communications and Arts

3. Natural Sciences and Mathematics

4. Social Sciences

5. Professional fields (such as business, design, textiles, gerontology & family studies, social work, and education)

Information and details regarding admission to the B.L.S. program, evaluation of prior academic work, program advising, and declaration of major may be obtained from Continuing Education Credit Programs, 2637 Hudson Road, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0223. Students may also call the B.L.S. advisor at 1-800-648-3864 or 319-273-2504. Students are also encouraged to visit the B.L.S. Web site www.uni.edu/continuinged/bls.

Change of Degree Program

Students who change from one degree program to another will be held for all specific requirements of the program on which they expect to graduate. There will be little difficulty in making such a change if it is made not later than the beginning of the junior year. However, if the change is made later than that, there is no assurance that the student will be able to complete the work required for graduation within a four-year period.

Liberal Arts Core

As stated in the University of Northern Iowa mission statement, the university's undergraduate programs are founded on a strong liberal arts curriculum. The liberal arts experience in the Liberal Arts Core exposes students to the broad areas of knowledge embodied in the whole of the environment and liberates students to further develop the knowledge, skills, and values necessary to live thoughtful, creative, and productive lives. The American Association of Colleges and Universities' "Statement on Liberal Learning" reflects the purposes of UNI's Liberal Arts Core:

A truly liberal education is one that prepares us to live responsible, productive, and creative lives in a dramatically changing world. It is an education that fosters a well-grounded intellectual resilience, a disposition toward lifelong learning, and an acceptance of responsibility for the ethical consequences of our ideas and actions. Liberal education requires that we understand the foundations of knowledge and inquiry about nature, culture and society; that we master core skills of perception, analysis, and expression; that we cultivate a respect for truth; that we recognize the importance of historical and cultural context; and that we explore connections among formal learning, citizenship, and service to our communities.

 

We experience the benefits of liberal learning by pursuing intellectual work that is honest, challenging, and significant, and by preparing ourselves to use knowledge and power in responsible ways. Liberal learning is not confined to particular fields of study. What matters in liberal education is substantial content, rigorous methodology and an active engagement with the societal, ethical, and practical implications of our learning. The spirit and value of liberal learning are equally relevant to all forms of higher education and to all students.

 

Because liberal learning aims to free us from the constraints of ignorance, sectarianism, and short-sightedness, it prizes curiosity and seeks to expand the boundaries of human knowledge. By its nature, therefore, liberal learning is global and pluralistic. It embraces the diversity of ideas and experiences that characterize the social, natural, and intellectual world. To acknowledge such diversity in all its forms is both an intellectual commitment and a social responsibility, for nothing less will equip us to understand our world and to pursue fruitful lives.

 

The ability to think, to learn, and to express oneself both rigorously and creatively, the capacity to understand ideas and issues in context, the commitment to live in society, and the yearning for truth are fundamental features of our humanity. In centering education upon these qualities, liberal learning is society's best investment in our shared future.

 

(The Association of American Colleges and Universities' "Statement on Liberal Learning," 1999)

Requirements of the Liberal Arts Core*:

Summary:

*For students admitted to UNI prior to Fall 1994, the Speaking and Listening course included in the Core Competencies category is not required.

Courses numbered 000-099 are open primarily to freshmen and sophomores. Courses numbered 100-199 are open primarily to juniors and seniors.

Courses:

Category 1: Core Competencies (12 hours*)

Courses in written and oral communication enhance students' abilities to read and listen critically and to write and speak effectively by attention to how the gathering, analyzing, and presenting of evidence and conclusions can be designed for specific purposes and audiences. Courses in quantitative techniques enhance students' abilities to use quantitative data effectively and to apply relevant mathematical and statistical concepts and methods to diverse problems and situations. Personal wellness promotes the acquisition of knowledge and the development of skills and attitudes necessary for implementing positive health-related decisions.

Category 2:  Civilizations and Cultures (9 hours)

Courses in this category promote an understanding of Western and non-Western cultures and civilizations from ancient times to the present through historical accounts, literatures, philosophies, religions, and fine arts. Using methods of critical inquiry, students explore aspects of human nature, the shaping of thoughts and values, and their interrelations.

Category 3:  Fine Arts, Literature, Philosophy and Religion (6 hours)

Courses in this category explore diverse forms of human expression and enhance understanding of how religious, philosophical, literary, and aesthetic ideas and experiences shape and reflect cultures and common patterns of human life. Students will develop knowledge of the complex interplay of culture, history, and human experience through critical examination of ideas and beliefs, ritual and symbol, moral codes and social values, story and poetry, visual art, music, theater, and dance.

Category 4:  Natural Science and Technology (7 hours)

Courses in natural science promote an understanding of science as a human process that investigates matter and energy acting within complex organic and inorganic systems. Fundamental principles of both physical and life sciences are included.

Students are required to take a course with a scheduled laboratory from either Life Sciences or Physical Sciences or another laboratory course offered by the College of Natural Sciences. Only 6 hours are required for students who meet the Liberal Arts Core laboratory requirement with a course other than one listed in Life or Physical Sciences.

Category 5:  Social Science (9 hours)

Courses in this category introduce students to the description and analysis of human behavior from different perspectives, ranging from the societal and cultural to the institutional, individual, and topical viewpoints. Students are exposed to the diversity of sociocultural systems created by human beings during their evolutionary development, and examine the manner in which behavior is influenced by environmental, sociocultural, psychological, and historical processes.

Required: one course from group A, one course from group B, and one course from group A, B, or C. (Students cannot count both 970:010 and