| MyUNIverse | WebCT | Calendar | A-Z Index | E-Mail | Contact UNI | ||||
![]() |
||||
Degree RequirementsThe University of Northern Iowa offers degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. At the undergraduate level, the University of Northern Iowa offers four traditional baccalaureate degrees: the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, the Bachelor of Music, and the Bachelor of Science. The external degree of Bachelor of Liberal Studies is also offered by UNI. Major goals in the programs leading to these degrees are the advancement of humane learning and the preparation of all students to cope intelligently, effectively, and reasonably with the complex and changing conditions of life in modern society. To attain these goals, while at the university, students are expected to make significant progress toward:
To achieve these ends, students are obliged to take a variety of courses drawn from among the arts, humanities, philosophy, mathematics, and language, and from among the biological, physical, and social sciences. Concentration in a major field enables students to engage in intensive study, to think for themselves, and to exercise discriminating judgment. It prepares the student for more advanced work if s(he) decides to go on to graduate school, or for immediate employment. This emphasis on the academic program is not to exclude the contributions made by other parts of the university life to the substantial development of a student's personality -- social and athletic activities, public speaking and dramatic arts, music, art, public affairs, or other programs. The desired result of these degree programs is not an individual who conforms to society as it is or sees her/his own vocation within the narrow confines of the day-to-day occupation, but rather a person enriched in mind and spirit and so stimulated that this person will seek with eagerness to contribute to the benefit of the world in which s(he) lives. Such a program is desirable for all students whatever their future professions may be. All credit hours stated in this catalog, for a program, assume students have appropriate preparatory course work. If a student's preparation is inadequate, additional course work may be necessary and may extend the length of the program and the time required to complete graduation requirements. For those who plan to become teachers, additional work is required in professional education. This work seeks to enhance the student's interest in and commitment to teaching, to instill loyalty toward the profession, and to encourage the desire for continuous professional growth. The student acquires the skills, techniques, and understanding necessary to good teaching by studying current knowledge concerning the physical, emotional, and mental growth of children and youth, the ways that they learn, and methods for guiding them to reach full potential. As part of her/his preparation, the student explores the mutual relationships and responsibilities of the teacher, the school, and the community. The prospective teacher must also spend a significant part of her/his time in the area of learning chosen for concentration. The student's mastery of the subject matter of this area, its closely-related fields, and the skills and professional dispositions needed to present it effectively are essential aspects of successful teaching. The teacher preparation program requires more hours to complete than many of the other programs in order to include the necessary professional work and to approximate, as far as possible in a four-year period, the other major goals previously listed. Students completing the teacher preparation program are strongly encouraged to continue their education beyond the bachelor's degree. UNI Plan of Study (POS)The University of Northern Iowa's Plan of Study (POS) project has been a two-phased approach over the last several years, and serves as a planning and advising support system for students and advisors. Phase I, implemented in Fall 1998, brought the degree audit to the web, providing access to this official advising document to undergraduate students and advisors. Major and minor worksheets for both teaching and non-teaching were also published online during Phase I. Phase II was implemented in Fall 2003 with the Plan of Study application. The Plan of Study (POS) has been created to help undergraduate students better plan their overall educational experience and to help students graduate as efficiently as possible. The POS is an electronic planning tool to help students think ahead through their entire program and should help students make strategic decisions about the courses they take and when they take them. UNI Grad Pact -- Four-Year GraduationThe University of Northern Iowa, in response to a student body that is diverse in experiences, talents, expectations, and goals, has developed a "pact" that is designed to assist students in completing an undergraduate degree within four calendar years of their initial freshman enrollment. Students may follow many paths to graduation, with dozens of majors and concentrations offered through five undergraduate colleges. In addition, special programs can be tailored to the needs and interests students bring to the campus or discover once they are here. Students who wish to participate in the four-year graduation plan must average from 16 to 18 credits per semester (one quarter of the applicable credits for their major each year) and will need to make academic and personal choices that will result in graduation within four years. UNI's four-year graduation plan is called UNI Grad Pact. Students who enroll as freshmen with well-defined interests, in "pact-approved" majors, and who want to complete their undergraduate study as expeditiously as possible, are assured of being able to enroll in courses allowing graduation in four calendar years. UNI Grad Pact is an agreement between the university and those students who choose to participate in the plan. Students accept responsibility for monitoring their own progress toward degrees and for making choices that will allow them to graduate within four calendar years. The university is responsible for maintaining systems of advising so that students can track their progress, and agrees to provide the needed courses or their equivalents. The university continues to encourage breadth and exploration as essential parts of a university education. UNI Grad Pact is designed to assure that students are carefully guided in their course choices while still benefiting from the rich educational opportunities offered by the university. Those students who conclude that UNI Grad Pact does not meet their academic and/or personal goals are encouraged to develop, in consultation with their academic advisor, a plan and timetable for completing the courses in their major that will allow them to achieve their individual academic, career, professional, and personal aspirations. Those students who do not participate in the plan will still benefit from descriptions of recommended patterns of progress toward degrees and enhanced advising services that will be available to all students. General Conditions
If the student meets all the conditions of the four-year plan but is unable to graduate due to the unavailability of a course, the university will offer one of the following:
These procedures will be the exclusive remedy for the four-year plan (UNI Grad Pact) agreement. The university is under no obligation to provide one of these adjustments unless the student submits a written request for an accommodation to the Provost prior to the beginning of classes in the last term of the student's four-year plan. Undergraduate CurriculaBachelor of Arts DegreeTwo programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree are available. A. Bachelor of Arts -- Teaching Program -- 130 semester hours Note: Programs requiring more than 130 semester hours (see major requirements) are identified as extended and may include up to 152 semester hours. On this program students are prepared as:
B. Bachelor of Arts -- 120 semester hours On this program students are prepared in the following areas:
a. A student who has taken the work required for certification or licensure, including the successful completion of required agency examinations, will have 34-45 semester hours accepted for transfer to apply on the bachelor's degree. Such work may have been earned in a two-year associate degree program or in an approved hospital diploma program. C. Other Programs
Bachelor of Arts -- Liberal Arts CurriculaAll candidates on this program will complete the following pattern: | ||
Semester Hours |
||
Liberal Arts Core Minimum |
45 |
|
Major, minor, foreign language, electives |
75 |
|
Minimum |
120 |
|
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 MinorsSpecific requirements for the various majors and minors will be found with the departmental listings. |
||
Majors |
||
| Accounting |
Health Promotion |
|
Minors |
||
| Accounting |
Instructional Technology |
|
|
||
A. Preparation for teaching in the secondary school or in special subjects. |
||
Semester Hours |
||
| Liberal Arts Core - Minimum |
45 |
|
| Professional Education Requirement |
32 |
|
| Major, minor, electives |
53 |
|
Total |
130 |
|
B. Preparation for teaching in the elementary school (kindergarten and grades 1-6). |
||
Semester Hours |
||
| Liberal Arts Core Minimum |
45 |
|
| Professional Education Requirement |
33 |
|
| Major requirements |
31-33 |
|
| Concentration area and electives |
24-29 |
|
Total |
130-140 |
|
C. Preparation for teaching in early childhood education (pre-K through grade 3). |
||
Semester Hours |
||
| Liberal Arts Core Minimum |
45 |
|
| Professional Education Requirement |
33 |
|
| Major requirements |
37 |
|
| Other requirements and electives |
15 |
|
Total |
130 |
|
Professional Education RequirementsAll 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. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Professional Education Waivers/Substitutions
Admission to the Teacher Education ProgramApplication for Admission to the Teacher Education Program must be made before enrolling in the Level II courses. At that time the student must also fulfill any additional requirements as prescribed by the Council on Teacher Education. To be admitted to the Teacher Education Program, a student must:
In approving admission, the university gives special consideration to the scholarship, health, character, personality, and leadership potential of the applicant for a teaching curriculum. All requirements for full admission are to be completed by the start of Level II. Information concerning fee payments for tests, registration procedures, and test dates are available by contacting Academic Services, 125 East Bartlett Hall, UNI, 319-273-6023 or the Director of Teacher Education, 159A Schindler Education Center, UNI, 319-273-2265. Field and Clinical ExperiencesAt 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 in the senior year. 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. Student TeachingStudent 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:
Exit RequirementsTo 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. 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, 125 East Bartlett Hall, UNI 319-273-6023. For additional information on teacher licensure, see page xxx. Majors and Minors -- TeachingElementary 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 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
All Science |
Mathematics
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minors |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Anthropology |
Library Media Specialist |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bachelor of Fine Arts DegreeThe 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: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
Art Major |
Semester Hours |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Liberal Arts Core |
45 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Major Requirements |
77 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General Electives |
8 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Total |
130 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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. MajorArt: Studio Emphasis Bachelor of Music DegreeMajors 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
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Semester Hours |
||
Liberal Arts Core |
42 |
|
Music requirements (applied, theory, history and literature, conducting, ensembles, recital, composition, electives) |
66-82 |
|
General electives/professional sequence* |
0-36 |
|
|
130* |
|
|
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 (see page xxx). 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 Bachelor of Science Degree Bachelor of Science Degree Curricula
|
||
Category 1: Core Competencies |
12 hours* |
|
Category 2: Civilizations and Cultures |
9 hours |
|
Category 3: Fine Arts, Literature, Philosophy and Religion |
6 hours |
|
Category 4: Natural Science and Technology |
7 hours |
|
Category 5: Social Science |
9 hours |
|
Category 6: Capstone Experience |
2 hours |
|
Total Program Minimum |
45 hours* |
|
*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 student's 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 student's 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 970:040 toward the Liberal Arts Core.)
|
||
VI. Capstone Experience |
2 hours |
|
| Capstone courses provide opportunities for students to synthesize the diverse realms of thought they have studied and to apply the intellectual proficiencies they have acquired. The emphasis is on cultivating life-long learning through linking theory and academic preparation to practical problem-solving activities in multidisciplinary seminars or community-based learning courses. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing. Capstone courses are designated in each Schedule of Classes. |
||
TOTAL |
45 hours |
|
*620:005 recommended for students with ACT English and Reading scores
of 18-26; **For students admitted to UNI prior to Fall 1994, the Speech and Listening course included in the Communication Essentials category is not required. ***Students with Math ACT scores that are 26 or higher will be placed in 800:060 or 800:072 or 800:092 as follows: Those with four years of college prep math with a grade of B or higher in the senior-level course will be placed in either 800:060 or 800:092. Those not satisfying these criteria will be placed in 800:072. Liberal Arts Core courses included in major or minor program requirements are distinguished by italics. Administrative Policies:
The University of Northern Iowa, the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Iowa, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University agree to accept fulfillment of the Liberal Arts Core at any one of them as equivalent to completion of Liberal Arts Core requirements at another, with the following stipulations:
Program CertificatesThe University of Northern Iowa makes available, in addition to traditional programs, the opportunity for students to earn program certificates. Program certificates provide an alternative to programs leading to a degree, a major, or a minor; they certify that an individual has completed a program approved by the university. For further information concerning requirements for these certificates see pages xxx-xxx, or consult with the department listed or the Office of the Registrar, which serves as the centralized registry. Some of the certificates are interdisciplinary and involve several departments; however, only one department has been listed as the contact. Program certificates now available include:
Requirements for GraduationIn addition to the completion of one of the baccalaureate degree programs, there are other specific requirements for graduation which apply to all undergraduate students seeking any bachelor's degree, other than the Bachelor of Liberal Studies. These are listed below. See pages xxx, xxx, and xxx for graduation requirements for a graduate degree program. A. Residence
B. Scholarship
C. Communication
D. Foreign Language Competency Requirement
E. Advanced Courses
F. Maximum Credit by Examination
G. Listing of Candidates for Graduation
H. Application for Graduation
I. Second Baccalaureate Degree
Additional Requirements for the Baccalaureate Teaching Program
Teaching LicensureTeaching licenses are issued by state departments of education and are valid only in the state of issue. A college or university recommendation is required for issuance of a license. Students in the teaching program must meet requirements for an Iowa teaching license if they are to be recommended for licensure from the University of Northern Iowa. At graduation they are eligible for the Initial License, valid for a period of two years for the kind of service indicated by the endorsement on the license; e.g., elementary and early childhood teaching, secondary teaching in content areas, or teaching in a special area such as art or music. The student usually can secure appropriate licensure in other states by making proper application and fulfilling any additional requirements. In addition to holding a license valid for a specific teaching level, the secondary teacher must also have ENDORSEMENT in each subject to be taught. Endorsements are issued by the Iowa Department of Education on the recommendation of an institution. To secure the recommendation of the University of Northern Iowa, the student must meet the requirements for a teaching major or a teaching minor (or equivalent) in the subject. Exceptions are made only with the authorization of the university department offering the major or minor. This university may recommend for licensure those graduates of other colleges or universities who have completed their professional work here. However, this is a discretionary matter and the university will expect such students to demonstrate excellence of scholarship and meet standards required of its own graduates. Such students must have earned at least 20 hours of residence credit and at least 12 semester hours must be in the area for which endorsement is requested. The State of Iowa requires an approved human relations component. For additional information, contact the Office of the Registrar, 243 Gilchrist Hall, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0006. Hours of Credit Needed to Renew or Reinstate a LicenseRenewal and reinstatement requirements are established by the Iowa State Board of Educational Examiners and are subject to change by that body at any time. The Bureau of Practitioner Preparation and Development of the Department of Education distributes information concerning all changes in licensure requirements to city superintendents and to the teacher-education institutions. Information concerning the renewal or reinstatement requirements may be obtained from the Registrar of the university or from:
Graduate CurriculaThe University of Northern Iowa offers twelve graduate degrees: A. Master of Accounting -- a minimum of 30 semester hours B. Master of Arts -- a minimum of 30 semester hours: Majors |
||
Art |
Physical Education |
|
|
C. Master of Arts in Education -- a minimum of 30 semester hours. Majors
|
||
Maintained by
University Marketing & Public Relations |
||