2004-2005 CATALOGUE Western New England College 1215 Wilbraham Road Springfield, Massachusetts 01119 Telephone (413) 782-3111 www.wnec.edu In 2003,Western New England College was named among America’s top 100 colleges considered “Hidden Gems” by Washington Post education reporter Jay Mathews. General Information 3 Contents MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT . .5 GENERAL INFORMATION . .6 ADMISSIONS . .13 UNDERGRADUATE POLICIES, PROCEDURES,AND REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREES . .21 UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR PROGRAMS . .55 UNDERGRADUATE MINOR PROGRAMS . .141 UNDERGRADUATE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS . .149 GRADUATE PROGRAMS . .245 GRADUATE COURSES . .267 STUDENT SERVICES AND INFORMATION . .291 TUITION . .305 FEE STRUCTURE . .306 FINANCIAL AID . .310 LEGAL MATTERS . .325 TRUSTEES . .329 ADMINISTRATION . .331 FACULTY . .349 INDEX . .363 DIRECTIONS TO THE CAMPUS . .367 Western New England College retains the right to change and/or amend the aca- demic requirements as set forth in this Catalogue as needs and circumstances require. Accommodations will be made for current students should they be adversely affected by amendments to or changes in the curricula or policies of the College. General Information 5 A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT This catalogue conveys a rich and powerful portrait of a special institution that provides outstanding educational opportunities for all students.The Schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, and Engineering offer dynamic undergraduate and graduate programs of study,with faculty who are experts in their fields and who are skilled teachers. The reputation of the Western New England College School of Law too is firmly established. Over 34,000 Western New England College students have been prepared through their education to enter the world of work as responsible citizens—adaptable, entrepreneurial, and creative. Western New England College is about more than its educational offerings; it is as much about individuals at the College who help students grow and thrive in our special environment. In support of every program and each activity there are faculty,staff, and administrators who bring life and vitality to all that is undertaken here. Our strength resides in our faculty,staff, and students, and in our rich educational programs. We are unique because of our history, traditions, and values, and because of our commitment to students on the part of all of us at this College. I extend a special greeting to all who peruse this catalogue wanting to learn more about Western New England College and to our students utilizing these pages in order to plan programs of study. Anthony S. Caprio 6 General Information ABOUT WESTERN NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE The College al and liberal learning. The College is char- acterized by a synergy that results internally Western New England College is a private, from the collaboration of its programs in Arts comprehensive, coeducational institution and Sciences, Business, Engineering, and located on a 215-acre campus in a suburban Law and externally from the important strate- neighborhood four miles from downtown gic partnerships and alliances forged with Springfield. Originally founded in 1919 as the local and regional business,educational, the Springfield Division of Northeastern and civic communities. University, it became established with its own charter and identity as Western New The College provides excellence in teaching England College in 1951.Building of the new for all students—full-time, part-time, under- and current campus began in 1958. graduate, graduate, and law—in an environ- ment that proactively supports achievement and success in academics for all students Programs, Schools, Faculty, and and where all activities, curricular and Students cocurricular, are viewed as educationally purposeful. All students are regarded as a Western New England College offers a wide resource in excellence whose special talents range of undergraduate degree programs as and attributes will be challenged by their well as graduate programs in Arts & educational program to assure success in Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Law. their professional and personal development There are 157 full-time faculty members in and lives. the College’s four schools. The College also offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs at sites across the Commonwealth Defining Characteristics of Massachusetts. Integrated liberal and professional The College enrolls over 4,500 students: learning 2,250 full-time undergraduates, 500 in full- This is the hallmark of an education at and part-time programs in the School of Law, Western New England College. Every pro- and approximately 1,800 in part-time under- gram at the College, whether in the liberal graduate and graduate degree programs arts or professional studies, has two primary offered on campus and at the College’s off- objectives: to combine broad knowledge campus locations. The College attracts stu- and critical thinking with professionally dents from 26 states,the District of Columbia, focused depth, and to apply theory to real- Puerto Rico, and more than 11 foreign coun- world issues. Each undergraduate student’s tries. There are more than 34,000 alumni of curriculum compares and contrasts the val- the College. ues,perspectives,and assumptions of natural science, social and behavioral science, histo- ry, cultural studies, ethics, and aesthetics, to Mission Statement perspectives from professional disciplines. Students are encouraged to explore offerings Purpose outside their schools and departments and Western New England College facilitates stu- take courses to enhance their majors and dent learning.The College prepares students enrich their lives. to bring multiple perspectives of under- standing to help them achieve balance and Emphasis on learning beyond the flexibility as proactive solution seekers in the classroom rapidly changing global environment in Learning can occur anytime, anywhere, and which they work and live. not just within the confines of the classroom. Opportunities for reinforcing, testing, and Position applying the lessons of the classroom,as well Western New England College is committed as for developing the whole person, abound to being a leader regionally and recognized outside the classroom and course setting. nationally in providing integrated profession- Both the campus and the external communi- Western New England College 2004–2005 General Information 7 ty serve as learning laboratories for our stu- Innovative programs and learning dents. Educationally purposeful experiences formats are invaluable to a student’s learning and The College encourages the design of new understanding of theoretical concepts. programs and methods in all of its offerings to ensure responsiveness both to the con- Collaboration and synergy among the stantly changing demands of the business Schools of the College and professional world and to the learning The conscious and sustained collaboration needs of all the College’s students. among and within each of the Schools results in a synergistic educational environ- A responsive technological ment in which innovative programs and environment learning options for all students are assured The College devotes significant resources to and in which teaching and learning are providing technology that supports the undertaken at the intersections of disci- learning and performance needs of all mem- plines, professional or liberal. bers of the College community. Strategic partnerships and alliances Our alumni, area businesses, other educa- History of the College tional institutions, government, and the civic community are important allies as the In 1919 the education committee of the College pursues its mission. Through these Springfield Central YMCA,after experimenta- partnerships, these groups and individuals tion with informal classes, decided to offer mutually benefit from supporting and partic- college-level courses for credit. As a result, ipating in the advancement of the College’s the Springfield Division of Northeastern goals while, at the same time, expanding the College, known as Springfield-Northeastern, learning opportunities and resources of the was established. Classes, held in the evening College. in the YMCA building on Chestnut Street for students studying part-time, were offered in law, business, and accounting. The first 13 Commitments graduates emerged in 1922 with the degree Bachelor of Commercial Science.In 1923,the Teaching excellence first seven law graduates were recognized. The College places primary emphasis on the work of the classroom while encouraging The parent institution, now Northeastern faculty scholarship, which enhances teach- University,decided in 1950 to cease operations ing.The College believes that the integration in Springfield. In 1951, the Springfield Division of multiple perspectives on major issues, a of Northeastern University became Western concern for ethical values,and an awareness New England College with an autonomous of the global interactions of our times— charter to grant and confer the degrees of important features of the College’s pro- Bachelor of Business Administration and grams—all have their classroom origin in the Bachelor of Laws. Dr. John D. Churchill, who blend of scholarship and teaching character- had served as director of the Springfield istic of the faculty. Division from 1919 to 1951, became the College’s first president,serving until 1954.The An atmosphere of personal concern demand for education, following the Second Through its emphasis on ethical behavior, World