Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates

Bachelor’s Degree Requirements

  1. General Education
  2. Program of Emphasis (POE)
  3. Juniata Portfolio. All Juniata students will complete a portfolio of their work from their general education courses and from their POE capstone course. These requirements are described by the General Education Committee.
  4. A minimum of 120 credit hours with a grade of D- or better, including the courses described above.
  5. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
  6. Policies

Residency

Students are allowed to transfer credits during their last semester within the provisions of the transfer policy. However, 30 of the last 36 credits must be taken in residence. There are degree requirements that are unique to Juniata and may not be completed elsewhere. Students participating in cooperative programs, study abroad programs, and other Juniata-approved programs are considered to be in residence.

Effective Date

Students must complete the graduation requirements in effect on the date of their matriculation.

Participation in Commencement Ceremony

There are two distinct processes that indicate completion of a student’s academic career: satisfactory completion of academic requirements and participation in the commencement ceremony. This policy is solely concerned with the ceremonial event of commencement; i.e. not the conferral of degree. 

Students who have not completed all graduation requirements will be permitted to participate in the commencement ceremony under the following circumstances: 

  • The remaining coursework consists of not more than eight academic credits, and the student is in good academic standing, defined in 3.1.5.2 Academic Standards of Progress. Whenever possible, the student submits a request to participate to the Registrar’s Office by April 1st for consideration. The request to participate must provide a specific, detailed, and realistic plan for completing the remaining credits by the end of the summer and approved by the Registrar’s Office. 
  • Students who have studied away and are waiting for official transcripts from the external institution may participate in the commencement ceremony if verification of sufficient academic progress at the external institution is provided to the Registrar’s Office. 
  • Partner degree students who are waiting for official transcripts from their home institution may participate in the May commencement ceremony. 
  • Students in 3+ programs may participate in the commencement ceremony following their fourth or fifth year if verification of sufficient academic progress at the external institution is provided to the Registrar’s Office. 
  • 3+ programs are defined as designated programs where a student completes their final year at an external institution. 

Petitions for all exceptions will be reviewed by the Student Academic Development Committee as provided in Section 1.6.1.4.B.2 of the Faculty Handbook. The committee will report decisions to the Provost. 

Students who have not completed all outstanding requirements by the start of the academic semester following commencement will be charged an enrollment fee per term. Students who have not completed all outstanding requirements within three years will be administratively withdrawn and readmission will be required. 

General Education Requirement

General Education Mission: General education engages students in common academic experiences that integrate learning across academic fields with distinctive ways of knowing and develop habits of mind necessary for reflective choices and effective action in fulfilling careers, engaged citizenship, and meaningful lives. All general education courses will make contributions to a student portfolio. 

A. First Year Experience 

First year students take part in a two-semester course sequence (five credits in the first semester and 3 credits in the second semester) designed to help prepare them for success at Juniata. 

1. First Year Foundations 

First Year Foundations consists of a one-credit course in the first semester. This course provides students with the resources, skills, and information that will assist them in mastery of academic and social life at Juniata College. Along with acquisition of skills and knowledge, students will reflect on their journey at the start of their Juniata career, helping to set the path for the rest of their academic career. Students will add reflection to their portfolio to document their academic progress at Juniata College. Through thoughtful reflection of the Principles of the Liberal Arts Lifestyle, the Attributes of a Juniata Graduate, and the College’s Mission Statement, students will engage with their classmates as they lay the foundations of success. This course will connect students with a wide variety of campus resources. 

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

• substantively reflect on their own values and future goals 
• substantively reflect on their place within the local and global community 
• describe how a holistic and intentional approach to life fosters our collective wellbeing 

Students will “think about who you are.” What does it mean for students to be in college, at this place, at this time? What are their goals for the future? Students will consider their values and goals both individually and in the context of a larger community: campus, Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, and the world. Additionally, students work to develop skills necessary for lifelong learning. 

2. First Year Composition 

First Year Composition is a four-credit course taken during the first semester of the first year. It focuses on developing critical reading, writing, and analytical skills. Course themes will be chosen by individual instructors. All First Year Composition courses are designated using an FYC course prefix, with the topic following the course number. 

First Year Composition courses follow a process-oriented approach to college work and include peer review, individual conferences with the instructor, and revision cycles.

While course content will vary by instructor, there will be a two-week module related to diversity, organized around the instructor’s selections from a common set of readings. These common readings will be determined by a learning community that includes some of those faculty members teaching the course. 

The goals of the course are to introduce students to different types of reading and writing using varied models, genres, and forms (such as popular, scholarly, digital, and print). These courses build students’ information literacy skills, rhetorical knowledge, critical thinking, and knowledge of appropriate genre and style conventions. First Year Composition courses will focus on developing these skills to prepare students for future academic work. 

First Year Composition courses are capped at 18 students per section. 

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • write a persuasive argument using writing process strategies including invention, research, drafting, sharing with others, revising in response to reviews, and editing 
  • use a variety of credible secondary sources as evidence 

3. First Year Seminar 

First Year Seminar is a three-credit course taken during the second semester of the first year. It is an introduction-by-immersion to college-level learning. Seminar topics are chosen by individual instructors and may, but need not, be interdisciplinary. All First Year Seminar courses are designated using an FYS course prefix, with the topic following the course number. 

The format is primarily seminar, with the option of some lecture in support of seminar discussions. The content of the course is built on challenging reading and will include an approximately two-week module on the liberal arts, organized around the instructor’s selections from a common set of readings, which gives explicit attention to such things as the role of the liberal arts, how the course topic fits into the liberal arts, and how engagement with the topic can contribute to the common good and to “thinking about who you are.” Students develop the intellectual skills of analyzing evidence and arguments by examining issues such as what counts as evidence, what makes arguments strong or weak, and common errors in reasoning (what logicians call “informal fallacies”). 

First Year Seminars are capped at 18 students per section. 

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • communicate effectively through written and oral expression 
  • demonstrate analytical thinking, critical questioning, and examination of evidence 
  • use a variety of credible primary and secondary sources as evidence 

B. Ways of Knowing 

The Ways of Knowing requirement teaches students to think critically and intellectually about the world, introduces students to different epistemological perspectives, and helps students realize the benefits of interdisciplinary inquiry and a liberal arts education. 

Because dialogue, debate, and active learning are central to the liberal arts tradition, Ways of Knowing courses will emphasize seminar formats or active learning and are capped at 28 students (lower caps are permissible if requested by the instructor and approved by the department chair and the Provost’s Office. Each Ways of Knowing requirement may be met through a single course or through a planned sequence of courses totaling at least three credits. 

To foster an awareness of how Ways of Knowing are similar or different, each course or sequence of courses must include some comparison with another Way of Knowing. Faculty and students will consider how this second Way of Knowing supplements our understanding of the course topic. All Ways of Knowing courses are thus at least partially interdisciplinary. 

Instructors of Ways of Knowing courses will identify with and demonstrate expertise appropriate to the Ways of Knowing category they are teaching. 

The following policies govern Ways of Knowing courses: 

  1. A course may have only one Way of Knowing designation and may not carry any other general education designation. 
  2. Each Ways of Knowing course will have First Year Composition as a prerequisite or will have First Year Composition as a corequisite, determined by the instructor of the course. 
  3. Ways of Knowing courses may have no prerequisites other than First Year Composition except that in the case of a planned sequence of courses that satisfy the Ways of Knowing requirement, advanced courses in the sequence may require earlier courses in the sequence as prerequisites. 
  4. An individual student must satisfy the Ways of Knowing requirement with courses that each have a different course prefix. 
  5. Any Ways of Knowing course may simultaneously satisfy the Ways of Knowing general education requirement and count toward a Program of Emphasis, a Secondary Emphasis, or a Certificate. 
  6. Students must complete Ways of Knowing courses in at least two categories by the end of their second year. 
  7. With the approval of their advisors, students may waive one Ways of Knowing course that corresponds to a way of knowing inherent in their Program of Emphasis. Students whose Program of Emphasis embodies more than one way of knowing must choose which Ways of Knowing course to waive. 

A course or planned sequence of courses totaling at least three credits is required in each of the following categories: 

1. Creative Expression 

Students explore their own potential to produce creative work through the study of the creative process and the practice of creativity and self-expression. Students will acquire the requisite skills to produce or perform a work of art and will explore the role of artistic expression in society. 

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • communicate effectively as appropriate for the audience (e.g., through written, oral, visual, or artistic expression) 
  • create or perform a work of art 
  • reflect on art as a vehicle for self-reflection, expression, or as a way of addressing issues that face society 

2. Formal Reasoning 

Students learn to think with rigor and precision through the study of formal systems and the application of deductive reasoning. Students will develop critical thinking and reasoning skills; use formal systems to identify, analyze, and solve problems; and critique current practices, structures, or claims through the application of formal reasoning. 

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • articulate the purpose of a formal language and give examples of its utility 
  • use deductive reasoning correctly 
  • represent a context in the formal language and manipulate the symbols of the language to analyze or draw conclusions 

3. Humanistic Thought 

Students learn to engage in theoretical, historical, or critical analysis of texts, art works, cultural artifacts, or cultural practices. Students develop the analytic techniques and interpretive skills to appreciate human experiences and their representations and will be prepared to ask fundamental questions of value, purpose, and meaning.

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • communicate effectively through written and oral expression 
  • use analytic techniques and interpretive skills to appreciate human experiences and their representations 
  • ask and explore fundamental questions of value, purpose, and meaning 

4. Social Inquiry 

Students will learn to synthesize and apply qualitative or quantitative research to analyze human behavior, social organization, and the capacities that make society possible. Students will use reason and evidence to recognize and analyze distinctive forms of human behavior and social organization. Students will reflect on how social processes influence understanding of self, interactions with others, or access to power and resources. Students will explore ethical questions raised by social inquiry and consider its role in relevant public practices, policies, or popular media. 

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • communicate effectively through written and/or oral expression 
  • synthesize and apply qualitative or quantitative research to analyze human behavior, social organization, or social institutions 
  • consider the role of social inquiry in relevant public practices, policies, or popular media 

5. Scientific Process 

Students gain an understanding of what is known or can be known about the world through the study and practice of developing hypotheses, making observations, analyzing quantitative data, and drawing evidence-based conclusions. Students will explore ethical questions raised by scientific inquiry and consider its role in relevant public practices, policies, or popular media. 

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • manipulate and interpret quantitative information to draw appropriate conclusions 
  • engage in scientific reasoning through the use of theories, hypotheses, data, and conclusions 
  • consider the role of science in relevant public practices, policies, or popular media 

C. Connections 

Taken in the third or fourth year, Connections courses are team-taught by two or more instructors who bring different disciplinary perspectives to address a common topic. Students will learn to integrate knowledge and skills from multiple disciplinary perspectives to examine an issue through different

ways of knowing. The Connections requirement may be met through a single course or through a planned sequence of courses totaling at least three credits. 

The following policies govern Connections courses: 

  1. Students must complete Ways of Knowing courses in at least two categories before taking a Connections course. 
  2. A Connections course may not carry any other general education designation. 
  3. Any Connections course may simultaneously satisfy the Connections general education requirement and count toward a Program of Emphasis, a Secondary Emphasis, or a Certificate. 

Connections courses are capped at 16 students per instructor. 

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • communicate effectively through written and oral expression 
  • address a challenging problem or question 
  • integrate knowledge and skills from different disciplinary approaches and ways of knowing to address a common topic 

D. Self and the World 

How should we engage with the world? What responsibilities do we have to our local and global communities? Self and the World courses foster the capacities necessary for wellbeing and responsible citizenship. These capacities include ethical reflection and a sense of purpose, knowledge of how diversity shapes the American experience, and knowledge about global challenges and cultural diversity. Together, these courses encourage us to engage with human diversity, contemplate questions about a just society, and consider the conditions that foster individual and collective wellbeing. 

Self and the World course designations can be applied to any course in which one of the major course goals is to address a Self and World category. That is, Self and World courses need not focus exclusively on a given Self and the World category, but must include this content as one of the major course goals and the focus of a portfolio contribution. Self and the World instructors will demonstrate expertise in their Self and the World category. 

Because dialogue, debate, and active learning are central to the liberal arts tradition, Self and the World courses will emphasize seminar formats or active learning or projects involving collaboration with community partners. Self and the World courses are capped at 28 students (lower caps are permissible if requested by instructor and approved by the department chair and the Provost’s Office). Self and the World courses should strive to involve students in activities and reciprocal partnerships that extend outside of the classroom as they are designed to promote engagement with the world. 

The following policies govern Self and the World courses: 

  1. A course may have only one Self and the World designation and may not carry any other general education designation. 
  2. Each Self and the World course, except foreign language courses, will have First Year Composition as a prerequisite or will have First Year Composition as a corequisite, determined by the instructor of the course. 
  3. Other than foreign language and local engagement courses, Self and the World courses may have no prerequisites other than First Year Composition. 

Students will complete each of the following requirements: U.S. Experience, Ethical Responsibility, Global Engagement, and Local Engagement. 

1. U.S. Experience 

In what ways are U.S. experiences shaped by intersectional characteristics such as race, gender, and socioeconomic status? U.S. Experience courses focus on understanding the current or historical experiences of different groups within the U.S. (identified by, for example, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, geographic origin, immigration status, age, ability, or religion). Classes will address intersectionality, which refers to how identity-based systems of oppression and privilege overlap, connect, and influence one another. Students will critically examine systems such as racism and colonialism and their use of power, privilege, oppression, marginalization, and structural inequity and how these systems are challenged by cultural resilience and resistance. Coverage of such issues outside the U.S., such as through comparative methods, is optional. 

In order to create a holding environment for difficult conversations and discourse, instructors of these courses are required to be engaged in sustained diversity training. 

Students who complete this course will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • critically describe and respectfully discuss dimensions of diversity and intersectionality within U.S. social, cultural, political, or historical contexts critically examine lived experiences of participation in, and resistance and resilience to, systems of power, privilege, oppression, marginalization, and structural inequity within the U.S. 

2. Ethical Responsibility

What do we owe ourselves, our neighbors, and the world? Ethical Responsibility courses foster students’ senses of empathy and social and ethical responsibility. Students will learn to engage in ethical reasoning and take the perspectives of different participants in situations requiring ethical judgment. Students will assess their own ethical values, explore the social contexts of problems, recognize and understand ethical issues in different settings and traditions, and consider ramifications of alternative actions. 

The Ethical Responsibility requirement may be met through a single course or through a planned sequence of courses totaling at least three credits. 

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • communicate effectively as appropriate for the audience (e.g., through written, oral, visual, or artistic expression) 
  • engage in ethical reasoning using different ethical traditions or perspectives 

3. Global Engagement 

What challenges do we face as an increasingly diverse and interconnected world? How are our cultural values similar or different? Global Engagement courses help students develop the knowledge and skills they need to engage effectively with and adapt to a changing world. 

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • articulate and contrast the values, beliefs, or practices of different cultures 
  • acquire skills (e.g. language, cultural humility) to effectively communicate and interact with other cultures and culturally diverse groups 

To fulfill the Global Engagement requirement, students must complete at least two courses totaling at least six credits with a Global Engagement designation. Semester- or year-long study abroad at a Juniata-approved site fulfills this requirement. Courses with a Global Engagement designation may be in one of three categories: 

World Language Study. These courses focus on communication in a world language. 

Short-Term Study Abroad. These courses focus on a study abroad experience, a portion of which includes a pre-departure component and a portion of which must be completed after study abroad to promote reflection on the learning experience. The study abroad experience must be linked to a Juniata course that together with the travel portion totals at least three credits.

Human Cultures & Challenges. These courses focus on a people and culture outside of the U.S. or a global challenge. 

4. Local Engagement 

What challenges do we face in our local communities, the places where we live out most of our lives with people of diverse lived experiences and varieties of perspectives? How are our values similar or different from those of our local neighbors? What are our opportunities to be agents of ethical change in meeting the needs of the people we live within our local communities? Local Engagement experiences help students develop the knowledge and skills they need to engage effectively with the local communities they will inhabit throughout their lives. Local engagement options address specific learning outcomes designed to help students contribute their knowledge and skills to their local communities through meaningful engagement. 

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • work collaboratively in local cultural settings 
  • engage in citizenship through respectful interactions 
  • articulate how local engagement fosters individual and collective wellbeing 

To fulfill the Local Engagement requirement, students must complete a Local Engagement course of at least one credit that includes at least 15 hours of approved community engagement. Students must include documentation of the community engagement activity and reflection on the experience in their Juniata Portfolio (Section 3.1.1.III). Because Local Engagement courses require some basic knowledge about community engagement and may require special knowledge or skills, additional prerequisites may be required at the instructor’s discretion. 

E. General Education for Transfer, Partner Degree, English for Academic Purposes, and Transition Students 

The general education graduation requirements and their corresponding portfolio contributions can be waived or adapted by the General Education Committee for transfer students, partner degree students, English for Academic Purposes students, students studying abroad, and those students enrolled during the three-year transition to the new general education curriculum starting in August 2019. 

Program of Emphasis Requirement

All Juniata students will complete a POE, including a POE Capstone. The Program of Emphasis (POE) is Juniata's unique approach to focused education in an academic area of a student’s choosing. The POE is an opportunity for students to explore in depth a particular discipline (through a designated POE) or to craft an individualized plan to study an area (through an individualized POE). 

A. Types of Programs of Emphasis

1. Designated

Designated POEs are designed by departments or programs and approved by the Department and Program Committee. 

2. Individualized

Every student entering Juniata College has the opportunity to design their program of study. Students will be assisted in this effort by their advisors. 

B. Program of Emphasis Requirements

1. Requirements for All Programs of Emphasis

  1. All POEs must contain at least 36 credit hours and no more than 63 credit hours, except as otherwise authorized by the Faculty Handbook or as authorized by the Department and Program Committee for POEs that require external accreditation. 
  2. With advisors’ help, students draft a POE goal statement and identify the appropriate classes. 
  3. All POEs must contain at least 18 credits at the 300- or 400-level. 
  4. No more than two courses in the POE can be research or independent study courses. 
  5. All courses which are required, including prerequisites, must be in the POE. 
  6. All POEs must include depth of knowledge in an academic field. 
  7. All POEs must include analytical and creative thinking, critical questioning, and examination of evidence. 
  8. All POEs must include oral and written communication. 
  9. All POEs must include critical reflection on ethics as appropriate to the discipline. 
  10. All POEs must include information and technological literacy as applied to the discipline. 
  11. All POEs will have a capstone suitable to their academic fields. The POE Capstone is further described below. 

2. POE Capstone Requirement for All Programs of Emphasis

a. Description of the POE Capstone 

Each POE must require a capstone experience to be completed as part of a student’s final 30 credits. The Capstone must be at least one credit and is considered both part of the POE and part of the student’s general education. 

The POE capstone represents the summation of a student’s Juniata experience as well as a bridge to their future goals. The capstone experience is an expression of the totality of a student’s growth, development, and learning as an undergraduate. Capstones include connections from the POE to general education and support some of the Institutional Learning Outcomes. Research projects, internships, creative works, independent learning, community-engaged learning, and other disciplinary and interdisciplinary experiences are suitable capstones. POEs may offer different capstone experiences for different students. 

b. Capstone Portfolio Requirements 

All capstone courses require two contributions to the student’s Juniata portfolio. One contribution will demonstrate the student’s analytic and/or creative thinking and depth of knowledge in an academic field. The second will demonstrate reflection on the totality of their Juniata experience. 

c. Capstone Learning Outcomes 

Students will demonstrate their ability to meet the following learning outcomes: 

  • think analytically and/or creatively 
  • express depth of knowledge in an academic field 
  • substantively reflect on how their Juniata experience has shaped their own values and future goals 
  • describe how a holistic and intentional approach to life fosters personal wellbeing 

3. Additional Requirements for Designated Programs of Emphasis

A student may follow an already designed program of study selected from a list of approved POEs. Depending on the area of study, some of the programs are made up of fully prescribed courses while others contain a variety of options and electives. No student rationale is required. 

These designated POEs will be designed by departments or groups of departments and presented to the Department and Program Committee with supporting rationale. The Department and Program Committee will be responsible for authorization of POEs which become part of the official list kept in the Registrar's Office. The Department and Program Committee will use the following criteria to determine acceptance or rejection of proposed designated POEs: 

a. Coherence of the program 

b. Evidence of study in-depth 

c. If interdisciplinary, relationship of the courses to a specific objective 

Within the POE, a minimum of ten courses will be prescribed, either by a department or a group of departments according to one of three rules: 

d. The prescribed courses are specifically named.

e. The prescribed courses are made up of some which are specifically named and some which are taken from a list. 

f. All prescribed courses are chosen from a list. 

4. Additional Requirements for Individualized Programs of Emphasis

Students who do not adopt a Designated Program of Emphasis may design an Individualized Program of Emphasis of their own. This option is for students with particular interests not addressed in designated POEs to make appropriate combinations of courses to precisely address those interests. 

Students wishing to pursue this option must: 

a. Select an advisor in each department named in the title of the POE. In the unlikely event that an Individualized POE title named three academic departments, three advisors would be required. 

b. Create, in consultation with the advisor, a collection of courses to constitute the POE. If a course listed in the POE has prerequisites, these prerequisites must also be included in the POE. 

c. Create, in consultation with the advisors, a goal statement and a rationale, which explains how the courses included in the POE enable the student to fulfill the goals for the POE. Ultimately, the acceptance of an individualized POE will depend on the student's ability to justify that a particular combination of courses will allow them to reach the stated academic goals. Special attention should be devoted to the description of those goals and the rationale connecting them to the courses selected. 

d. Solicit from all of their advisors supporting comments attesting to the acceptability of the student's academic goals, the appropriateness of the course selections and rationale, and the overall coherence of the POE. Advisors' signatures without comments will not be sufficient. 

e. Submit the completed POE and the advisors' comments to the Registrar for approval. The Registrar, following policies established by the Department and Program Committee, will evaluate the appropriateness of the POE title, course selections, goal statement, and rationale. 

Any POE that does not satisfy the requirements of a Designated POE is by definition an Individualized POE and must therefore be accompanied by a goal statement and rationale. Advisors should pay particular attention to attempts which effectively weaken a Designated POE without contributing sufficient complementary breadth or depth.

All individualized Programs of Emphasis must be approved by the student’s faculty advisors and the chair(s) of the appropriate department(s). Approval requires students to write a rationale that describes how the courses they have listed help them reach the academic goals of the individualized POE. 

The POE Capstone for those with an individualized POE may be in a related designated POE or may be another appropriate experience in consultation with the student’s advisors. 

5. Exceptions to POE Credit Requirements

The following are exceptions to the requirement that POEs contain at least 36 credits and no more than 63 credits: 

a. Education POEs 

Designated POEs in Education may exceed the 63-credit-hour limit if doing so is necessary for Pennsylvania state certification to teach in the public schools; in such cases, Education designated POEs may have no more than the number of credit hours required for certification by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. 

b. Foreign Language POEs 

A designated or individualized Program of Emphasis in French, German, Russian, or Spanish and Hispanic Cultures may be approved with fewer than 36 credit hours provided that students have placed beyond the WL 110 level by completing the department’s designated placement exam. The POE must contain at least 33 credits in the target language beyond SP, GR, FR, or RU 210 and one credit hour of Language in Motion. 

c. External Certification 

Programs requiring more than 63 credits to obtain external certification as approved by the Department and Program Committee. 

C. Program of Emphasis Home Department

A home department or program is any recognized academic unit which sponsors designated and/or individualized POEs. In order to ensure quality and integrity of the POE, the responsibility of the home department is to review the sophomore and final POE submissions. In consultation with advisors, all students must choose a home department or program at the time of the submission of the sophomore POE. The home department is especially important for students with Individualized POEs. It allows these students the flexibility and creativity of self-design while ensuring that they are housed within an academic unit that can provide accountability and support. 

D. Program of Emphasis Dates

Sophomores must choose a designated POE or design an individualized POE and submit an appropriate POE statement to the Registrar by the second semester of the sophomore year. 

Seniors must submit a faculty approved, final version of the POE to the Registrar on or prior to the preregistration period for the spring semester. No POE changes, other than those caused by scheduling conflicts, will be permitted after this period. 

 

Undergraduate Programs of Study

Programs of Emphasis (Majors)

 

Academic Honors

Dean’s List

At the end of each Fall and Spring Semester, the Provost's Office announces the Dean’s List. Matriculated undergraduate students are named to the Dean’s List when they meet all of the following criteria:

  1. They have taken at least 12 graded credits during the term. Courses graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory or Pass/No Pass are not considered graded credits.
  2. They achieve a term grade point average (GPA) of 3.60 or better.
  3. They have no unsatisfactory grades during that term. Grades that are defined as unsatisfactory are F (failing), U (unsatisfactory), I (incomplete), and NP (no pass).

A notation of Dean’s List achievement appears on the student's transcript.

Juniata students studying abroad will not be eligible for the Dean’s List. Students who are partner degree visiting students and visiting non degree students are also not eligible for this notation.

Graduation Honors

Latin Honors are conferred at commencement ceremonies according to the following grade point average scale:

Level Cumulative Grade Point Average
Summa cum laude 3.90-4.00
Magna cum laude 3.75-3.89
Cum laude 3.60-3.74

Students who are partner degree visiting students are not eligible for graduation honors.

Honor Societies

The Juniata College Honor Society is a group of junior and senior students elected on the basis of outstanding academic achievement and leadership ability. Other honor and honorary societies on campus also recognize students for their accomplishments: Alpha Phi Sigma (criminal justice), Beta Beta Beta (biology), Lambda Pi Eta (speech communication), The Masque (theatre), Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership), Phi Alpha (social work), Phi Alpha Theta (history), Pi Lambda Theta (education), Pi Sigma Alpha (politics), Psi Chi (psychology), Rho Epsilon Chapter of Gamma Sigma Epsilon (chemistry), Sigma Gamma Epsilon (geology), Sigma Iota Rho (international studies), Sigma Pi Sigma (physics), Sigma Tau Delta (English) and Tau Pi Phi (accounting, business and economics).

Distinction in the POE

To achieve distinction in the POE, a student must fulfill all graduation requirements and complete a senior experience that integrates several areas of their POE. This requirement can be fulfilled in many ways. Some possibilities might include: an original independent creative project that involves significant academic work, such as laboratory research resulting in a significant report; a major paper on a well-defined project; a body of artistic work equivalent to a major exhibition or performance; or field experience (e.g., student teaching or certain internships) culminating in a significant report. The project must be evaluated and judged worthy of distinction in the POE by two faculty members, at least one of whom must be from the home department. The project must also be presented in a forum open to all interested parties, either at Juniata or to an outside audience such as the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR).

Departments and programs will be free to establish further requirements for receiving distinction in the POE, including higher GPA requirements.

Departments shall forward the names and forms of successful candidates for distinction to the Registrar’s Office.

Special Juniata Programs

Cooperative Programs

Health Professions Affiliations

A distinctive feature of the Juniata College Health Professions Program is a broad array of formal affiliation agreements. These agreements enable qualified students to gain early acceptance or accelerated admission into professional school programs.

Several types of programs are included, designated below by the number of years a student spends at Juniata College, followed by the number of years spent at the affiliated institution. The 3 + _ programs allow students who matriculate at Juniata for three years and complete all the Juniata College general degree requirements, to earn degrees from both Juniata College and the corresponding professional institution.

The “_” designation indicates a variable number of years at the professional school, depending on the specialty chosen.

See the specific career track on the Health Professions website for details.

https://www.juniata.edu/academics/departments/healthprofessions/

Biotechnology

3 + 1 B.S. program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

3 + 2 B.S./M.S. entry-level master’s program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

Chiropractic

3 + 3 B.S./D.C. program with the New York Chiropractic College

Cytotechnology

3 + 1 B.S. program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

3 + 2 B.S./M.S. Entry-level Master’s Program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

Dentistry

3 + 4 B.S./D.M.D. program with Temple University School of Dentistry

4 + 4 B.S./D.M.D. Early Acceptance Program with the LECOM School of Dental Medicine

Medical Technology

3 + 1 program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

3+2 B.S./M.S. Entry-level Master’s program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

Medicine

4 + 4 B.S./D.O. Early Assurance Program with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine

4 + 4 B.S./M.D. Early Assurance Program with Temple University School of Medicine and Geisinger Health System

Nursing

3 + __ B.S./M.N./M.S.N./D.N.P. (Doctor of Nursing Practice) OR D.N.P/Ph.D. programs with the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University

Occupational Therapy

3 + 2 B.S./M.S.O.T. program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

Optometry

3 + 4 B.S./O.D. program with the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University

Pharmacy

3 + 3 and 3 + 4 Accelerated OR 4 + 3 and 4 + 4 Early Acceptance B.S./Pharm.D. programs with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine School of Pharmacy

Physical Therapy

4 + 3 B.S./D.P.T. Early Acceptance program with Drexel University

3 + 3 B.S./D.P.T. program with Jefferson School of Health Professions

4 + 3 B.S./D.P.T. Early Acceptance program with Widener University

Podiatric Medicine

4 + 4 B.S./D.P.M. Early Assurance program with Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine

Radiologic Sciences

4 +1 B.S. and M.S. options in a variety of specialties with Jefferson School of Health Professions

Engineering: 3+2 Programs

Advisor: Professor White

Juniata participates with Columbia University, The Pennsylvania State University, and Washington University in St. Louis,  in cooperative programs for training in engineering. The purpose of such arrangements is to produce engineers who are educated in the fullest sense, as well as competent specialists in a particular field.

The student takes three years of undergraduate work at Juniata. Upon recommendations of the adviser and fulfillment of the transfer requirements, including the required GPA, he or she then transfers to the engineering institution for two additional years of engineering study. Upon successful completion of the five years, the student receives two degrees; a bachelor’s of science degree from Juniata and an engineering degree from Columbia University, The Pennsylvania State University, or Washington University in St Louis.

Law: 3+3 Program

Advisor: Professor Barlow

The pre-legal student should seek a broad undergraduate experience in the liberal arts. Students interested in law should have a thorough command of English, an extensive background in research methods, skill and experience in developing logical arguments, and a critical understanding of the human institutions and values with which the law deals. They are strongly encouraged to develop proficiency in another language and to study abroad. Juniata also offers courses in conflict resolution, a growing field in the legal profession. Although students may develop any Program of Emphasis which suits their particular talents and interests, the experience of others indicates that English, history, politics, American studies, and economics are the most common programs of students entering law schools.

In addition to helping students through the process of applying to law school, the prelaw adviser assists with course selections that will fulfill their POE goals while providing them with appropriate skills for the study of law. In addition, he helps to provide students with resources to prepare for the LSAT and helps to arrange internships that allow students to explore the legal field while they are in college. Students should plan to take the LSAT in the fall of the senior year and apply to law school by mid-January.

A special arrangement with the Duquesne University School of Law allows students to apply for admission to the Law School after three years of undergraduate study, allowing them to complete their degrees in six rather than seven years. Students must have an LSAT score that puts them at or above the 75th percentile, and a GPA of 3.36 or better.

Degree Completion Programs

The Degree Completion programs are designed for Juniata College students who are not GPA deficient and wish to complete the requirements to earn a Juniata degree.

How you can reapply:

The readmission process requires the students contact the Dean of Students Office for readmission for degree seeking status. These students do not enter through Enrollment admissions as they are not first time degree seeking students. Once they have been cleared by the Dean of Students records for any behavioral sanctions, they are forwarded to the Registrar’s Office for re-admittance.

Walker Program:

Students who have not completed their Walker requirements and/or who are returning full-time to complete their degree:

  • Regular admissions will include a statement letter of intent sent to the Registrar’s Office who reviews with the Dean of Students to determine space accommodations for on campus living, and with the Provost and Academic Support office to review academic record for feasibility for completion and advisor assignment. A $300.00 administrative fee may be applied when accepted into the program.

Completion Program:

It is designed for those former students who need to earn 30 semester credits or less to meet their degree requirements.

  • Typically these students cannot return full-time on campus to finish requirements.
  • Students will register for a Degree Completion Planning Seminar to work out the details of their program. Following that, the program requires enrollment in at least one semester. The Fall or Spring enrollment need not be full-time or on campus.
  • The POE must be approved by the Department Chair.
  • Upon readmission, students are assigned a POE advisor to assist them in developing a program of emphasis which meets the degree requirements. The remaining credits needed to graduate may be earned through:
  • regular courses offered at the College;
  • through independent studies with the College faculty (including emeritus faculty) or with practitioners or scholars recognized as qualified by the Provost;
  • or through courses taken at other accredited institutions.

Students may transfer in credits if the student has not exhausted the current transfer credit policy. A $300.00 administrative fee is applied when accepted into the program.

Deadlines to apply for readmission to Juniata in the Degree Completion program:

  • July 1 for Fall semester
  • November 1 for Spring semester

Academic Amnesty Program

Broad Guidelines:

  • The Academic Amnesty Program applies only to students that have been away from the college for at least 5 years and wish to complete their degrees.
  • Under the Academic Amnesty policy, a maximum of 15 credits (with grades) may be forgiven from the student’s GPA calculation when he or she re-enters the college. Alternatively a student’s GPA may be reset if the student has over 55 credits remaining to graduate.
  • No grades will be removed from a student’s permanent record
  • Academic Amnesty can be offered only once per student
  • Final transcript will show GPA before and after Amnesty administered, and the new or adjusted GPA will be marked, “Academic Amnesty”
  • Students under this program will not qualify for academic honors, and their class rank will not be calculated
  • All requests for implementation of degree completion programs, including academic Amnesty, will be heard by SAD
  • Recognizing that certain areas of study may have changed dramatically over the course of decades, a student’s POE must be approved by the relevant department chair as a condition of re-entry.
  • Curriculum committee will address concerns over outdated distribution requirements.
  • Students who graduate in these programs may take part in the May commencement ceremony
  • A $300.00 administrative fee is applied when accepted into the program.

Certificate Requirements

Certificates are credit-bearing programs that certify satisfactory completion of an organized program of study. New certificates programs must be approved by the Department and Program Committee. All new certificate program applications to the Department and Program Committee must be made after consultation with departments that house the certificate courses and the Provost.

All certificates will consist of a minimum of 18 credit hours. Certificates may be of different lengths, as defined by National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) standards:

Short-term Certificates

Less than 1 academic year or Less than 30 semester credit hours.

Moderate-term Certificates

At least 1 but less than 2 academic years or At least 30 but less than 60 semester credit hours.

Long-term Certificates

At least 2 but less than 4 academic years or 60 or more semester credit hours.

All pre-requisite courses must be part of the credit count for the certificate.

The certificate degree will have a separate status, separate paperwork, and will be recorded separately on the student’s transcript.

Sub-baccalaureate Certificate Degree Requirements

Students wishing to earn a certificate must have a 2.0 grade average or above in their certificate courses.

When students seeking a B.A. or B.S. degree at Juniata are also enrolled in a certificate program, the policies and procedures regarding matriculation requirements, course registration policies, and graduation application guidelines remain the same. Students seeking a certificate must submit a faculty-approved, final version of the certificate form to the Office of the Registrar. Certificates may overlap with POE coursework.

However, if a student wishes to get a certificate and a secondary emphasis, there must be a minimum of 15 credits in the certificate that do not overlap with the secondary emphasis.

For students who enroll in certificate programs as a standalone degree, policies and procedures will be determined administratively with the on-going consultation of the Executive Committee.

Accelerated Dual Degrees

Purdue for Masters in Chemistry

http://www.juniata.edu/departments/chemistry/outcomes.html

To qualify for automatic acceptance the student must have a 3.3 GPA and has a letter of recommendation from the chair of the chemistry department. Purdue has a graduate program in chemistry and analytical chemistry.

 

Graduate Degrees and Certificates

Graduate Programs of Study

 

Courses of Instruction

Undergraduate

Accounting, Business, and Economics

Fine Arts

Biology

Chemistry

Communication

Integrated Media Arts

Theatre Arts

Cultural Analysis

Data Science

Education

English

Environmental Science and Studies

Geology

History

Informational Technology

Computer Science

International Studies

Mathematics

Music

Applied Music

Non-Departmental Courses

Peace and Conflict Studies

Philosophy

Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

Physics

Politics

Psychology

Religion

Sociology

Anthropology

Social Work

English as a Second Language

Chinese

French

German

Russian

Spanish

World Languages

 

Graduate

 

Accounting

AC-532 Corporate Taxation (Variable; Variable; 3.00 Credits) This course is intended for graduate students who desire to learn how the IRS code applies to corporations,estates, and trusts. Tax research is emphasized. Prerequisite: The student must have been admitted to the graduate program in accounting at Juniata College.

AC-533 Government and Nonprofit Accounting (Spring only; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Governmental and Nonprofit Accounting is designed to provide an overview of fundamental concepts and practices used in accounting for activities of governmental and non-business organizations. Students will be familiar with recording financial transactions, preparing financial reports, budgeting, auditing, and analyzing the results for federal, state and local governments, colleges and universities, healthcare organizations and other nonprofits.
AC-534 Advanced Accounting (Fall only; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This course focuses on accounting theory and problems regarding complex transactions such as consolidations, reporting requirements and international standards. Also, the course will include examination of topics currently under review by the authoritative boards. Prerequisite: Bachlor degree and admission to the Master of Accounting program

AC-535 Auditing (Fall only; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This course provides an in-depth understanding of auditing theory and authoritative guidance. This course will include current auditing issues, including specific requirements for public companies.

AC-536 Federal Taxation of Individuals (Spring only; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Examines the federal income tax structure and its relationship to individuals and sole proprietorships. The course will explore the social, legal, economic, philosophical, and political considerations relevant when designing a tax system.

AC-537 Cost Accounting (Fall only; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) An analysis of the use of cost accounting systems to accumulate and allocate costs to support decision-making and managerial control. Emphasis is on solving real business problems. We will also explore socio-economic theories of the firm so that you may better understand the reasons/rationale for the many cost management techniques and procedures used to aid in making business decisions.

AC-538 Forensic Accounting (Spring only; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This course provides an in-depth understanding of auditing theory and authoritative guidance. This course will include current auditing issues, including specific requirements for public companies. (Prerequisite: Bachelor degree and admission to the Master of Accounting program).

AC-539 Accounting Research (Fall and Spring; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Under the guidance of his/her advisor, all MAC students are required to prepare and present a research paper on a relevant Accounting topic. Although this paper is not a master's thesis, it does encompass significant library research and data collection and may include reports on field research or case studies. Students should work with their primary faculty advisor in the development of the paper and presentation.

AC-563 Financial Markets&institutions (Spring only; Odd Years; 3.00 Credits) financial Markets and Institutions is a graduate level economics course. Students develop a deeper understanding of the purpose of financial markets, what is required for them to operate well and why they sometimes fail, and also the important role of monetary policy in the economy. Prerequisites: EB222 and graduate status.

AC-564 Financial Theory & Analysis (Spring only; Variable; 3.00 Credits) AC564 Financial Theory & Analysis develops the skills and knowledge you need to effectively evaluate investment choices and put together an appropriate investment portfolio for an individual or an institution. Prerequisites: EB361 and EB211 or ND.SS214.

AC-599 Special Topics (Variable; Variable; 1.00-6.00 Credits) Allows department to offer topics not normally taught. Requisites and fees vary by title.

AC-INS Independent Study (Variable; Variable; 1.00-6.00 Credits) See catalog. covered.

Bioinformatics

BIN-500 Bioinformatics Fundamentals (Fall and Spring; All Years; 4.00 Credits; N) Bioinformatics is the science of collecting and analyzing complex biological data. It is an interdisciplinary field that develops and applies methods and software tools for understanding biological data. Pre-req: BI-105, BI-106, BI-121, BI-122, CH-142,CH-143, CH-242, CH-243

BIN-516 Molecular and Cellular Biology (Variable; Variable; 4.00 Credits) A comprehensive approach to the study of cells, with emphasis on molecular techniques and understanding the primary literature. Analysis of the cell at the molecular level emphasizes a unity in the principles by which cells function. PRE-REQ: BS degree in molecular biology, biochemistry or the permission of the instructor.

BIN-560 Genetic Analysis (Variable; Yearly; 4.00 Credits) Topics covered will include basic and advanced topics in transmission, quantitative and population genetics, with emphasis on analysis. the methods that modern researchers use to discover gene function and molecular basis of adaptive or disease traits and how they are transmitted over generations in model and non-model species. Prereqs: BI 105/BI 106 or BI 101/102 or one year of college Biology.

BIN-580 Advanced Research Methods (Variable; Yearly; 4.00 Credits) This class will provide training in advanced modern molecular wet lab, statistical and/or informatics tools. Bioinformatics skills will be related to assembly, annotation, variant characterization, and/or comparison of eukaryotic genomes and populations. Statistical analyses will be performed in R. Molecular tools may include DNA and RNA isolation, electrophoresis, restriction digests, DNA isolation from gels, PCR, sequencing, next generation sequencing and equipment maintenance. Core bioinformatics learning objectives will receive special attention. General skills include training students in the process and procedures of conducting meaningful and responsible research in Biology, including: deriving research objectives, experimental design, problem solving skills, responsible conduct.

BIN-581 Bioinformatics Capstone (Variable; Yearly; 4.00 Credits) This culminating experience provides graduate students with the opportunity to engage in an independent, hands-on research experience for an entire semester. The research experience can be with private industry, academia, or the government and must be approved first by Dr. Lamendella. The experience must be immersive in bioinformatics and/or biotechnology, must have a data analysis component and the research project will be disseminated via both a written manuscript and oral presentation.

BIN-600 Environmental Genomics (Variable; Yearly; 4.00 Credits) This course will utilize Microbial Community Analysis leveraging high-throughput sequencing technology to identify the microbes present in naturally occurring our man-made ecosystems. Students will learn both molecular and bioinformatics skill sets, as well as microbial ecology principles throughout this course.

BIN-INS Bioinformatics Independent Research (Irregular/On Demand; Irregular/On Demand; 1.00-4.00 Credits) This independent study will support students pursuing capstone projects. The course will focus on advancement of writing and presentation skills to a computational audience.

Data Science

DS-500 Data Science Fundamentals (Fall & Spring; Yearly; 4.00 Credits) A graduate level introduction to data science through a focus on the language R. Support tools and libraries such as Rstudio and the tidyverse will be emphasized. Students will complete the data science boot camp (a weekend in person intensive or online equivalent) at the start of this online course.

DS-510 Computer Science Fundamentals (Variable; Variable; 4.00 Credits) A graduate-level introduction to Computer Science Fundamentals through a focus on the Python language. Students will complete the data science boot camp (a weekend in-person intensive or online equivalent) at the start of this online course.

DS-516 Mathematics Fundamentals (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Selected topics of discrete mathematics and linear algebra related to data science analysis techniques and algorithms.

DS-520 Statistics Fundamentals (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Overview of basic statistical techniques including descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing, and regression.

DS-525 Data Acquisition & Visualization (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) A graduate-level introduction to retrieving, cleaning, and visualizing data from widely varied sources and formats. The student will use common data science languages and tools for extraction, transformation, loading and visualizing data sets. Project presentations will have an emphasis on communication skills. Tableau visualization tools and Python libraries are used.

DS-530 Multivariate Techniques (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Multivariate statistical techniques including multivariate regression, logistic regression, and dimension reduction techniques. Students will get hands-on experience applying the topics covered to real datasets using R, a powerful and popular open-source statistical computing language. Prereqs: DS-516 and DS-520.

DS-552 Data Mining (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This course considers the use of machine learning (ML) and data mining (DM) algorithms for the data scientist to discover information embedded in wide-ranging datasets, from the simple tables to complex data sets and big data situations. Topics include ML and DM techniques such as classification, clustering, predictive and statistical modeling using tools such as R, Python, Matlab, Weka and others. Prerequisite: DS-500, DS-510, or by permission

DS-570 Database Systems (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This course focuses on database design and relational structures, data warehousing and access through SQL. Students will use SQL to create and pull data from database systems. NoSQL and data warehousing are also covered to give students the necessary background in database systems. Pre-Req: DS-510

DS-575 Big Data Techniques (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This course considers the management and processing of large data sets, structured, semi-structured, and unstructured. The course focuses on modern, big data platforms such as Hadoop and NoSQL frameworks. Students will gain experience using a variety of programming tools and paradigms for manipulating big data sets on local servers and cloud platforms. Prerequisite: DS-500 or DS-510

DS-580 Data Science Capstone (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Data science practicum requiring completion of a large-scale analysis project of a given data set. Written and oral communication skills emphasized. Prerequisites: DS-500, DS-510, DS-516, and DS-520, or instructor permission.

Education

ED-501 Foundations of Special Education (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Special education professionals apply knowledge of theories, evidence-based practices, and relevant laws to advocate for programs, supports, and services for individuals with exceptionalities. This course provides an overview of exceptionality in children/youth from birth to 21 years of age. Students will gain foundational knowledge of the field, professional ethical principles, and practice standards to inform special education practice.

ED-502 Special Education Law (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This course provides a breadth and depth of information on special education law including: (1) a comprehensive overview of the history of special education, (2) pertinent court cases that impacted legislation, and (3) current legislation that secures access and rights for children and youth with exceptionalities and their families. IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and its principles will be a key focus.

ED-503 Understanding the Research in Special Ed (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) In this course students critically examine and interpret the current research in order to identify and subsequently utilize best practices in the classroom. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques are reviewed. Students review the professional literature and share findings with a learning community that embraces professional development.

ED-504 Supporting Students w/Behavioral Needs (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This course provides an overview of strategies that promote social, emotional, and behavioral growth of students while fostering a welcoming and safe classroom environment that encourages positive behavior through the use of responsive and preventative measures. Students will learn to conduct functional behavioral analyses and apply principles of PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) to deliver evidence-based interventions that support positive behaviors.

ED-505 Assessment: Using Data to Drive Decisns (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) First, this course provides an overview of the special education process outlining how a child or youth is identified for services. Second, this course introduces students to a variety of assessment tools that are reliable, valid, and minimize bias. Students learn to create, administer, and score assessments and subsequently use this information to inform instruction, practices, and programming. Ethical practices and considerations are discussed.

ED-506 Effective Instruction for All (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This course focuses on designing and delivering effective instructional strategies. Content will focus on understanding the unique needs and learning differences of all individuals and using this to inform practices and programming. In addition to an explicit and systematic approach, topics will include active student engagement, motivation, opportunities to respond, self-regulation, and grouping for instruction. Students will also learn to align standards to ensure access to the general education curriculum for all.

ED-507 Science of Reading (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This course provides an in-depth review of the literature on structured literacy instruction that supports typical readers as well as students who struggle to acquire the literacy skills that are essential to success in school and life. Students will explore the body of work that exists on the Science of Reading (SOR) which is based upon an emerging consensus from multidisciplinary research that supports and explains the importance of explicit, systematic, and sequential instruction to support students' acquisition of literacy skills. The SOR framework for understanding reading development and disability will be utilized.

ED-508 Culturally Responsive Teaching (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits)

ED-509 Low Incidence Disabilities (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) In this course students will learn evidence-based strategies to work with learners with low-incidence disabilities, severe/multiple disabilities, and/or complex communication needs. Instructional strategies focusing on functional academics, social skills, prosocial behaviors, communicative competence, among other areas will be discussed. Additional topics include positive behavior supports, assistive technologies, AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), and collaborative partnerships with families.

ED-510 Capstone in Special Education (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Students engage in a culminating project that demonstrates the content knowledge and skills they learned throughout their program. Students identify and implement a best or emerging evidence-based practice and then collect baseline and intervention data to determine intervention effectiveness. By the end of the course, students produce a capstone paper and share their research within a learning community via a presentation. This course should be taken toward the end of the program. Pre-req: ED-501, ED-502, and ED-503

Master of Business Administration

MBA-502 21st Century Leadership (Fall & Spring; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This graduate level course is designed to strengthen students' leadership abilities by exploring leadership concepts, theories and student's experiences of leading. The role and function of leaders looks very different today than years ago. Change is the norm. Leaders must understand today's challenges and be able to function effectively given a borderless, multicultural, virtual, and diverse group of partners, stakeholders and constituents.

MBA-511 Quantitative Analysis & Research Methods (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Quantitative Analysis and Research Methods will examine some of the principle analytical tools for decision-making in business and investigation in the social sciences.

MBA-512 Organizational Behavior (Fall & Spring; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) In this graduate level course students will understand and interpret the theories and professional practices as related to organizational behavior. This will help students to acquire and use vital business knowledge and skills, and will invite students to think critically. Students will be able to explain relevant business, organizational, and leadership terms, facts, and processes. This will help students to acquire and use business knowledge and skills, and will encourage students to identify and transform data into useful information for decision-making. Students will analyze information to inform organizational decisions. This will help students to acquire and use business knowledge and skills, will encourage students to identify and transform data into useful information for decision-making, will force students to think critically, and will help students to recognize and evaluate the broad effects of business decisions. Students will demonstrate professional communication skills. This will assist students, as they move forward into their lives and careers, to communicate professionally. Students, working in teams, will propose solutions to a business or organizational case. This will provide students with the benefit of learning to work as members of teams.

MBA-520 Strategic Marketing Management (Variable; Variable; 3.00 Credits) This course focuses on refining students' skills in comprehending marketing theories and measuring marketing strategies and seeing how the marketing tactics selected need to be in alignment with strategies, such as the selection of which businesses and segments to compete in, how to allocate resources across businesses, segments, and elements of the marketing mix in a dynamic competitive environment.

MBA-521 Health Economics (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Health Economics uses microeconomic principles to better understand the history and current structure of America's healthcare system. Particular attention is paid to special interest group lobbying, ethical concerns, sources of inefficiency in the system and a historical analysis of how America's healthcare system got to its current state.

MBA-523 Managerial Economics (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Microeconomics is crucial to understanding the environment in which a manager operates, and as such facilitates better decisions under uncertainty. The main goal of this graduate level course is to employ microeconomic models to guide business decisions and to analyze industries. Undergirding this goal is crystallizing one's understanding of the ethical tradition of the mainstream Neoclassical economic framework and other ethical traditions that critique the Neoclassical tradition.

MBA-531 Profsnl Ethics & Social Respnsblty (Variable; Variable; 3.00 Credits) This graduate level course examines the responsibilities of management and senior executives as they lead organizations. The course will focus on stakeholder management, corporate social responsibility, ethics and morality, sustainable development. Students will learn to analyze, question critically, challenge and change ethical and moral standards, priorities, points of trade-off and compromise to be applied to business and professional behavior.

MBA-532 Financial Reporting (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) The course examines current practices in corporate financial reporting and fundamental issues related to asset valuation and income determination. The emphasis is on financial statement analysis and interpretation of financial disclosures to help improve risk assessment, forecasting, and decision-making.

MBA-537 Strategic Cost Management (Fall only; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) An analysis of the use of cost accounting systems to accumulate and allocate costs to support decision-making and managerial control. Emphasis is on solving real business problems. We will also explore socio-economic theories of the firm so that you may better understand the reasons/rationale for the many cost management techniques and procedures used to aid in making business decisions.

MBA-541 Operations & Information Mgmt (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Operations and Information Management is designed to expose you to many of the widely accepted quantitative and qualitative methods for solving a wide range of business problems.

MBA-542 Entrepreneurial Management (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Entrepreneurial Management is intended for graduate students who are interested in exploring the world of entrepreneurship and innovation for the purposes of starting their own venture (venture creation) or helping existing organizations to develop new business opportunities (intrapreneurship). The course is designed to develop critical thinking and problem-solving concepts and promote self-exploration through the investigation and implementation of real business opportunities. The goal is to provide experiential and applied learning opportunities that develop the mindset, skills and competencies that enable students to create their own opportunities and function as innovative leaders in entrepreneurial or high potential firms.

MBA-561 Healthcare Operations (Variable; Variable; 3.00 Credits) To understand operations' role in healthcare, it is important to appreciate the complexity of the healthcare industry and current trends that affect healthcare organizations from an operational perspective. Changes include new regulatory requirements, payment arrangements, technology, patient expectations, and provider recruitment challenges. Operations leadership must work to balance these shifting-and sometimes conflicting-priorities while 'keeping the lights on' and continuing to seek new efficiencies, while meeting increasingly competitive quality and performance metrics.

MBA-562 Healthcare Financial Management (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) In this course, students will examine the key factors impacting financial management of health care organizations. The course will discuss tools and techniques related to healthcare financial management. Students will learn to analyze financial data of these organizations, with particular emphasis on the budgeting process and cost controls.

MBA-563 Healthcare Strategy (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This course is designed to enable an understanding of competitive strategy in a rapidly changing healthcare industry. The course focuses on understanding strategy and market structure, and discussing common business models and strategies for growth, integration, and alliance in a healthcare setting. Class members will discuss the development and selection of an organizational strategy and leadership of strategic planning and implementation processes. With successful completion of the course, students will be able to articulate the importance of identifying stakeholders, values, mission and vision for an organization, and to identify internal and external environmental factors and issues that impact strategic and business planning and performance.

MBA-571 Strategic HR Mgmt & People Analytics (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This graduate level course examines the fundamental issues behind current theory, techniques and practices encountered in human resource management.

MBA-580 Project Mgmt and Cntg (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) MBA 580 examines the challenges of providing project management in the information age of global and cultural contexts. Project management as manifested in today's workplace provides both opportunity and great responsibility. The role and function of project managers looks very different today than years ago. Change is the norm. Project managers must understand today's challenges and be able to function effectively given a borderless, multicultural, virtual, and diverse group of team members.

MBA-590 International Business Strategy (Variable; Variable; 3.00 Credits) MBA 590 is an advanced level international business strategy course that focuses on the development of skills to understand a variety of business issues that professional managers face when managing organizations in international markets. Students will first develop an understanding of the conceptual frameworks that are the cornerstones for establishing global businesses. Specifically, the course will explore matters related to politics, laws, economics, cultures, ethics and norms that will affect how business professionals operate organizations in a global market. Students will be expected to learn tools relevant to international trade and investment that are critical to multinational enterprises (MNEs). Some of the key topics we will explore in this course includes entry mode choice, organizational architecture design, internal control and incentive mechanisms; and assessing the challenges of global citizenship, ethical behavior and corporate social responsibility for international business.

Organizational Leadership

ORG-501 Organizational Psychology (Variable; Variable; 3.00 Credits) Organizational Psychology introduces some of the major concepts and theories used to describe and shape the behavior of individuals and groups in relation to their work environments. It addresses topics such as employee burnout, diversity and equity, engagement, leadership, motivation, performance, values, and wellbeing.

ORG-502 21st Century Leadership (Fall & Spring; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This graduate level course is designed to strengthen students' leadership abilities by exploring leadership concepts, theories and student's experiences of leading. The role and function of leaders looks very different today than years ago. Change is the norm. Leaders must understand today's challenges and be able to function effectively given a borderless, multicultural, virtual, and diverse group of partners, stakeholders and constituents.

ORG-510 Organizational Communication and Culture (Fall & Spring; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This graduate level course blends the exploration of a critical, theoretical understanding of organizational culture with the theories and skills of leadership and change, equipping students with the knowledge and ability to develop a healthy, successful nonprofit organization. As part of this course, students will explore how values shape and define organizational culture, along with management structure, geographic scope, size, client groups and governance structures. Students will develop the theories and skills needed to lead organizational change processes.

ORG-511 Quantitative Analysis & Research Methods (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Quantitative Analysis and Research Methods will examine some of the principle analytical tools for decision-making in business and investigation in the social sciences.

ORG-512 Organizational Behavior (Fall & Spring; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) In this graduate level course students will understand and interpret the theories and professional practices as related to organizational behavior. This will help students to acquire and use vital business knowledge and skills, and will invite students to think critically. Students will be able to explain relevant business, organizational, and leadership terms, facts, and processes. This will help students to acquire and use business knowledge and skills, and will encourage students to identify and transform data into useful information for decision-making. Students will analyze information to inform organizational decisions. This will help students to acquire and use business knowledge and skills, will encourage students to identify and transform data into useful information for decision-making, will force students to think critically, and will help students to recognize and evaluate the broad effects of business decisions. Students will demonstrate professional communication skills. This will assist students, as they move forward into their lives and careers, to communicate professionally. Students, working in teams, will propose solutions to a business or organizational case. This will provide students with the benefit of learning to work as members of teams.

ORG-520 Strategic Marketing Management (Variable; Variable; 3.00 Credits) This course focuses on refining students' skills in comprehending marketing theories and measuring marketing strategies and seeing how the marketing tactics selected need to be in alignment with strategies, such as the selection of which businesses and segments to compete in, how to allocate resources across businesses, segments, and elements of the marketing mix iTn a dynamic competitive environment.

ORG-530 Conflict and Change (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This course provides the student with an introduction to the study and conflict and its resolution. We will explore the basic theoretical concepts of the field and apply this knowledge as we learn and practice skills for analyzing and resolving conflicts. The first section of the course examines the causes of conflict and explores methodologies for understanding, analyzing, and responding to them. The second section of the course focuses on skills for waging conflicts productively, and for resolving and transforming them. Throughout the course we will examine conflicts occurring within different contexts that stem from a variety of needs and interests.

ORG-531 Profsnl Ethics & Social Respnsblty (Variable; Variable; 3.00 Credits) This graduate level course examines the responsibilities of management and senior executives as they lead organizations. The course will focus on stakeholder management, corporate social responsibility, ethics and morality, sustainable development. Students will learn to analyze, question critically, challenge and change ethical and moral standards, priorities, points of trade-off and compromise to be applied to business and professional behavior.

ORG-542 Entrepreneurial Management (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) Entrepreneurial Management is intended for graduate students who are interested in exploring the world of entrepreneurship and innovation for the purposes of starting their own venture (venture creation) or helping existing organizations to develop new business opportunities (intrapreneurship). The course is designed to develop critical thinking and problem-solving concepts and promote self-exploration through the investigation and implementation of real business opportunities. The goal is to provide experiential and applied learning opportunities that develop the mindset, skills and competencies that enable students to create their own opportunities and function as innovative leaders in entrepreneurial or high potential firms.

ORG-571 Strategic HR Mgmt & People Analytics (Variable; Yearly; 3.00 Credits) This graduate level course examines the fundamental issues behind current theory, techniques and practices encountered in human resource management.

ORG-590 International Business Strategy (Fall & Spring; Yearly; 3.00 Credits)

ORG-595 Capstone (Variable; Yearly; 3.00-6.00 Credits) The Organizational Leadership capstone is designed to provide students with the opportunity to synthesize the materials they have worked with over the course of the program. The capstone provides students with a critical learning opportunity either in the form of public service project where students work with a client organization on a specific challenge or task, or conduct original research. The capstone project provides students with the opportunity to pursue a specific body of knowledge within a particular context, thus honing their expertise in a specific knowledge area, while also developing research skills, gathering and analyzing data, and in the case of a project, the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to a real-time need. Students are encouraged to work in teams to complete the capstone project.

ORG-INS Organizational Leadership Indep. Study (Variable; Variable; 1.00-4.00 Credits) Independent study course for students in Organizational Leadership master's program.

Psychology

PY-501 Organizational Psychology (Variable; Variable; 3.00 Credits) Organizational Psychology introduces some of the major concepts and theories used to describe and shape the behavior of individuals and groups in relation to their work environments. It addresses topics such as employee burnout, diversity and equity, engagement, leadership, motivation, performance, values, and wellbeing.