Wisr – Western Institute for Social Research
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
OFFICIAL CATALOGUE: WISR – WESTERN INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH “A Private, Non-Profit, Unaccredited Institution of Higher Learning that is Approved by the State of California’s Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (www.bppe.ca.gov )” . “Approved” means, “approval to operate” which means compliance with state standards as set forth in the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009 (California Education Code, Title 3, Division 10, Part 59, Chapter ) A Premiere Academic Institute for Social Change Since 1975 2930 Shattuck Ave., Suite 300 Berkeley, CA 94705 (510) 655-2830 [email protected] All classroom instruction is held at: 2930 Shattuck Ave., Suite 300, (near Ashby), Berkeley, CA 94705 As a prospective student, you are encouraged to review this catalog prior to signing an enrollment agreement. You are also encouraged to review the School Performance Fact Sheet, which must be provided to you prior to signing an enrollment agreement. Entering students are also required to review and sign the Disclosure regarding the requirement that WISR achieve accreditation by July 2020 and the update on WISR's steps and progress,which are included in this catalogue, and which must be provided to you prior to signing an enrollment agreement. Catalogue Dates: July1, 2017 – June 30, 2018. This catalogue was last updated, July 1, 2017, and will be in force until June 30, 2018, unless there is a substantive change to add before then, in which case the catalog will be updated at that time. WISR’s online catalogue and website are updated within 30 days, whenever there are any major, substantive changes in WISR’s academic offerings, degree requirements and procedures, admissions requirements and procedures, and any other important new information, such as State-mandated disclosures. 1 Calendar: WISR operates year-round, and students may begin studies at any time, and graduate,withdraw or take a leave of absence at any time. Distance Learning: WISR offers a distance learning option to a limited number of students who: 1) demonstrate that they are capable of successfully studying from afar, 2) have adequate internet and telephone access, to enable them to participate in frequent telephone and/or video conferences, and 3) are able to visit WISR on site once each year. Primary Staff: John Bilorusky, PhD is the President—the Chief Executive and Academic Officer. Vera Labat, MPH, Chief Financial Officer, Marilyn Jackson, PhD, is Executive Assistant to the President. Board of Trustees: As a private, non-profit organization with Federal 501(c)(3) status, WISR is governed by its Board of Trustees, who also closely communicate and collaborate with WISR’s President and the faculty. Current members are: • John Watkins, PhD, Secretary of the Board • Charles Greene, MBA,Treasurer of the Board • Vera Labat, MPH, Chief Financial Officer • Peggy Baxter, MSW • Marcia Campos,MA • Sevgi Fernandez, BA • Gabriela Hofmeyer, BS • Suzanne Quijano, MBA, MA, LMFT • David Yamada, JD, PhD • John Bilorusky, PhD 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Overview 4 What is Special about Education at WISR? 5 WISR’s Mission 7 The WISR Story and Learning the WISR Way 9,10 Learning at WISR . additional details 16 Seminars and Campus Events 20 Community Involvement 22 Cooperation Between Students 23 Distance Learning 25 WISR Policy on Academic Freedom 29 WISR Degree Programs 30 BS in Community Leadership and Justice 38 MS in Education and Community— Program track, Community Leadership & Justice 55 MS in Education and Community Leadership— Program track, Education 64 MS in Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy— for MFT and LPCC licenses 73 Doctoral Program in Higher Education & Social Change 87 Grading and Awarding Academic Credit 100 Meta-Competencies 105 Required Seminar Particip’n. & Annotated Bibliographies 107 Graduation Review Boards & Assessm’t of Student Progress 109 Guide to Course Syllabi 111 Collaborative Learning with Other Professional Education Programs 117 Non-Degree Learning 119 WISR Faculty 122 Resource People 129 Mentoring and Advising 131 Student Services 136 Student Rights and Responsibilities 137 Career Center 138 Jobs and Career Development with a State Licensed Degree from WISR: Possibilities and Limitations 143 Student Records, Diplomas and Transcripts 147 Academic Resources—Space, Library, Media Center 149 WISR Library 153 Community Partners & Projects 155 Board of Trustees 156 Academic Advisory Committee 161 How to Enroll 163 Admissions 163 Admissions Application, Interview 166, 167 Learning about WISR 168 Tuition and Fees 174 Required Disclaimers 182 Frequently Asked Questions 189 Higher Learning in the U.S. & WISR— including WISR’s history, and our status of having State licensure, but not regional accreditation 197 About this Catalogue/How to Contact Us 208 Appendices 209 Appendix 1: MFT/LPCC Program Descriptions prior to August 2012 210 Appendix 2: WISR’s Mission and the “Bigger Picture”—Past, Present, and Future 226 3 OVERVIEW In 2013, the Western Institute for Social Research (WISR), after over 30 years at 3220 Sacramento Street, Berkeley, CA 94702. (510) 655-2830, moved to: 2930 Shattuck Ave., Suite 300, Berkeley, CA 94705 WISR (“Wiser”) is known as a premier academic institute for social change since its inception in 1975. WISR offers individualized BS, MS and Doctoral degree programs for working adults.* Areas of study are: Psychology (an MS program that leads to the State’s Marriage and Family Therapy License as well as for those seeking to become a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor), a BS Program in Community Leadership and Justice (which draws on such areas as Social Sciences, Human Services and Community Development), an MS program in Education and Community Leadership, and an EdD (Doctor of Education) in Education and Social Change. Over the years, our interdisciplinary EdD program* in Higher Education and Social Change has been an exceedingly popular program for talented and highly innovative professionals and community leaders. *Since June 1, 2013, WISR has admitted all new doctoral students to an EdD program, while previously enrolled doctoral students are allowed to complete their PhDs. We made the decision to switch the designation of the PhD program to an EdD program to enable us to explore the possibility of seeking national accreditation with an accrediting agency that is approved to accredit professional doctoral degrees. Our tuition is very affordable for working adults with modest incomes and family commitments--at $7,500/year; $625/month. DEFERRED TUITION OPTION!! Although WISR has no access to Federal grants or loans, students will have the option of having a tuition deferment of $225/month; there is no interest while enrolled. Once they are no longer enrolled students must either pay the entire balance of deferred tuition, or alternatively make monthly payments of $225/month, and at that time 5% interest per annum is charged on the unpaid balance while the student is making monthly payments on the balance due.LIMITED NUMBER OF WORK-STUDY POSITIONS: In addition, there are a limited number of institutional work-study positions sometimes available. WISR has some needed work that can be performed by a few qualified students at a rate of 6 hours work for $100. At this point, work-study earnings are limited to a maximum of $500/year. IMPORTANT! Information about WISR’s unaccredited degree, the new State requirement that WISR and other State licensed schools must achieve accreditation by July 1, 2020, WISR’s financial integrity and legally required disclosures are found later in this catalog and on our website at: http://www.wisr.edu/about-2/important-legally-required-disclosures/ WISR’s history is indeed the stories of our students successfully building bridges to the significant things they next want to do in their lives. Our alumni have used their academic projects at WISR to network with professionals and community groups, to create new programs and even new agencies, to carve out distinctive and well-recognized specializations and consulting practices, and to obtain professional positions that carry significant and meaningful responsibilities. In sum, our alumni have generally been very, very satisfied with how well they have been able to use the combination of their WISR learning and their WISR State licensed degree to accomplish their goals, and indeed, to do more than they even aimed to do when they 4 first enrolled at WISR. The profiles of our alumni that can be found on our website and in our catalogue attest to these successes. For over 40 years now, since 1975, WISR has successfully supported the creative, community involvement efforts of hundreds of adult learners--through its highly personalized, socially progressive and interdisciplinary BS, MS and EdD programs. WISR students and the communities with which they are involved, reflect great geographic, intellectual and cultural diversity. WISR’s extraordinary students and faculty together have created a dynamic and inquiring learning community where “Multicultural is WISeR.” WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT EDUCATION AT WISR? A number of things about WISR, and its ways of helping people learn, fit together to make it a very special place. WISR is for community-involved adults. WISR’s students are strongly motivated, mature people who are actively engaged in the work of the communities where they live, as well as in their own personal growth. WISR combines theory and practice. WISR demonstrates that high-quality academic study and full-time work on community problems can go together — that each, in fact, enriches the other. All students do active reading, writing, thinking, and discussing while they continue wrestling with specific, practical prob-lems in their work, with the guidance and support of faculty and their fellow students. WISR is intensive and individual. Learning at WISR starts with a look at one’s past experiences, personal goals, individual strengths and needs for acquiring new skills and knowledge. Each student builds a personal learning plan and works with faculty, other students, and community resource people, on the problems s/he deeply cares about.