Ferrum College Catalog 2014 - 2015 1 An Invitation Students, parents, alumni and friends are cordially invited to visit the campus. Visitors should come to Welcome Center located at 10021 Franklin Street (see map, inside back cover) for information and assistance. For further information, please visit our website at www.ferrum.edu or contact the college at (540) 365-2121/Toll Free: 1-800-868-9797. The Admissions Office, located in Spilman-Daniel house (see map, inside back cover) welcomes prospective students and their families. Admissions staff are available from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. weekdays and by appointment, from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays during the academic year, except during holiday weekends. Admissions personnel are available other times by appointment. For further information or to schedule an admissions visit, please contact the Admissions Office, at (540)365-4290, 1-800-868-9797 Option 1, or [email protected]. Ferrum College does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran status, gender, sex, disability, or any other protected status in admission to, access to, treatment in or employment in its programs and activities. Ferrum College affirms the dignity and worth of every individual regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity and will not tolerate harassment or discrimination toward any individual. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Director of Human Resources, 109 Ferrum Mountain Road, Ferrum College, P.O. Box 1000, Ferrum, VA, 24088-9000; (540) 365-4596. Inquiries concerning the application of nondiscrimination policies may also be referred to: Washington DC (Metro), Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-1475; Telephone:(202) 453-6020, Fax: (202)-453-6021, TDD; (800) 877- 8339. OCR encourages use of e-mail or fax to communicate with OCR whenever possible. Also, complainants may file a complaint with OCR online or by email: [email protected]. Consumer Information The following is a partial list of consumer information available to all students upon request: campus security report; drug and alcohol prevention information; Family Education Rights and Privacy Act provisions; drug-free workplace information; athletic participation rates and financial support data; and completion of graduation rates and transfer-out rate for the general student body. In addition, the following financial assistance information is available upon request: information concerning financial aid programs; student eligibility requirements and criteria for selecting recipients; the rights and responsibilities of students receiving aid; cost-of-attendance information; a complete statement of the school’s refund policy including examples of the application of the refund policy; and information concerning the eligibility of students for financial aid funds for study-abroad programs approved for credit by Ferrum College. 2 Ferrum College Catalog 2014 - 2015 Ferrum College P.O. Box 1000 Ferrum, VA 24088-9000 (540) 365-2121 www.ferrum.edu 3 Accreditation Ferrum College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, or call 404-679- 4500, for questions about the accreditation of Ferrum College. Ferrum College is accredited by the University Senate of The United Methodist Church and is a member of the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church. The social work program receives accreditation visits from its national professional organization, and the teacher education program is regularly evaluated and approved by the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Ferrum College also holds membership in: Appalachian College Association The College Board Council of Independent Colleges Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia Council on Undergraduate Research National Collegiate Athletics Association National Collegiate Honors Council The Virginia College Fund Mailing Address and Telephone Ferrum College, P.O. Box 1000, Ferrum, VA 24088-9000 (540) 365-2121 TDD# (540) 365-4614 website: http://www.ferrum.edu Please direct all questions relating to currently enrolled students to the Academic Resources Center: (540) 365-4529. 4 Table of Contents Academic Calendar 2014 - 2015 5 An Introduction to Ferrum College 6 Campus Life and Services 16 Admissions 28 Special Admissions Categories 30 Expenses and Financial Assistance 33 Academic Policies 49 Degree Requirements 67 Majors 76 Minors 154 Certificate Programs 143 Description of Courses 176 Directory 305 Administrative Staff 313 Index 324 5 Academic Calendar 2014-2015 Fall Semester 2014 Classes begin Monday, September 1 Last Day to Add Classes Friday, September 5 Last Day to Drop “½ Semester” w/o Penalty (1st half) Friday, September 12 Last Day to Drop w/o Penalty Friday, September 26 Last Day of First “½ Semester” Classes Wednesday, October 15 Mid-term Grades Due Wednesday, October 15, 5 PM Fall Break Thursday, October 16 – Sunday, October 19 Classes resume Monday, October 20 First Day of Second “½ Semester” Classes Monday, October 20 Last Day to Add “½ Semester” Classes Friday, October 24 Last Day to Drop “½ Semester” w/o Penalty (2nd half) Friday, October 31 Last Day to Drop with a WP/WF Tuesday, November 11 Thanksgiving Break Saturday, November 22 – Sunday, November 30 (begins after last class Friday, November 21) Classes resume Monday, December 1 Monday, December 8 Follow Friday’s Schedule Last day of classes Tuesday, December 9, Follow Thursday Schedule Reading Day(English 101 Exams) TBA Exam period TBA Grades due TBA Spring Semester 2015 Classes begin Monday, January 12 Last Day to Add Classes & E-term Friday, January 16 Martin Luther King Holiday programs Monday, January 19 (classes follow Compressed schedule) Last Day to Drop “½ Semester” w/o Penalty (1st half) Friday, January 23 Assessment Day Friday, February 6 (classes follow Compressed Schedule) Last Day to Drop w/o Penalty Friday, February 6 Last day to drop an E-term class w/o fee obligation Friday, February 6 End of First “½ Semester” Classes Friday, February 27 Mid-term Grades Due Friday, February 27 5PM Spring Break Saturday, February 28-Sunday, March 8 (begins after last class Friday, February 27 Classes resume Monday, March 9 First Day of Second “½ Semester” Classes Monday, March 9 Last Day to Drop “½ Semester” w/o Penalty (2nd half) Friday, March 20 Last Day to Drop Classes with a WP/WF Friday, March 27 Easter Break Friday, April 3 – Monday, April 6 (begins after last class Thursday, April 2) Classes resume Tuesday, April 7 Last day of class Friday, April 24 Exam period TBA Grades due TBA Baccalaureate TBA Commencement TBA Three-Week Term Check -in for E-term Monday , May 11 Classes begin Tuesday, May 12 Last day of classes Friday, May 29 Grades Due Tuesday, June 2 Noon 6 An Introduction to Ferrum College Statement of Mission Ferrum College is a liberal arts institution founded on Christian principles and related to The United Methodist Church. It is our mission to educate students in the disciplines of higher learning and to help them be thoughtful and perceptive, to be articulate and professionally capable, and to be caring and concerned citizens of their community, nation, and world. We therefore commit ourselves to developing the whole student, both in openness to a wide range of intellectual discovery, and in the physical, spiritual, and social aspects of life. Our campus environment supports service to others and the development of a personal code of values. Toward these ends, we expect all members of the campus community to treat each other with compassion, to respect each other’s diverse qualities and backgrounds, and to support each other in the common pursuit of insight and discovery. In all these endeavors, we encourage students, faculty, and staff to appreciate excellence and to dedicate themselves to achieving it. Hallmark of a Ferrum College Graduate The Ferrum College graduate possesses integrated knowledge in the liberal arts and a depth of knowledge in a chosen program of study. He/she thinks critically, communicates effectively, appreciates diversity, and serves his/her community, nation and the world. Ferrum College Student Learning Outcomes The Ferrum College graduate develops integrated knowledge in the liberal arts and depth of knowledge in a chosen program of study. Learning experiences span across the five broad domains enumerated below. 1. Liberal Arts Through experiences in the Core Requirements, the Ferrum College graduate will • Demonstrate integrated knowledge in the liberal arts • Demonstrate information literacy, using available technology when appropriate • Demonstrate competency in quantitative skills and reading 2. Critical Thinking Through opportunities to engage in critical thinking, both curricular and co-curricular, the Ferrum College graduate will • Think critically and solve problems through analysis, evaluation, and inference. 3. Communication Skills Through experiences in both the Core Requirements and a Program, the Ferrum College graduate will • Communicate with unity of purpose and coherent organization consistent with standard rules and recognized conventions using appropriate methodologies 7 4. Competence in Academic Discipline Through experiences in a