2019-20 Academic Catalog 614 W. Superior St. • Alma, MI 48801-1599 • 1-800-321-ALMA • www.alma.edu 2019-20 Academic Calendar Fall 2019 August 28 Wednesday Freshman Orientation Begins; Opening Convocation September 2 Monday Labor Day; No Classes, Offices Closed September 3 Tuesday Classes Begin, 8 a.m. September 6 Friday Last Day to Add a 1st 7-week Class September 13 Friday Last Day to Add a 14-week Class September 21 Saturday Homecoming September 27 Friday Last Day to Drop or Elect Pass/Fail Option for a 1st 7-week Class October 14–15 Monday–Tuesday Fall Term Recess; No Classes, Offices Open October 16 Wednesday Classes Resume, 8 a.m.; Mid-Term Grades Due, 9 a.m. October 18 Friday End of 1st 7-week Classes October 20 Sunday 1st 7-week Classes Exams October 21 Monday Begin 2nd 7-week Classes October 22 Tuesday 1st 7-week Class Grades Due, 9 a.m. October 25 Friday Last Day to Add a 2nd 7-week Class Last Day to Drop or Elect Pass/Fail Option for a 14-week Class November 4–15 Two Weeks Winter and Spring Terms 2020 Registration November 15 Friday Last Day to Drop or Elect Pass/Fail Option for a 2nd 7-week Class November 18–22 Monday–Friday Drop/Add for 2020 Winter and Spring Terms November 27 Wednesday Thanksgiving Recess Begins, 5 p.m. November 28–29 Thursday–Friday Thanksgiving Recess; No Classes, Offices Closed December 2 Monday Classes Resume, 8 a.m. December 9–13 Monday–Friday Fall Term Exams December 17 Tuesday Final Grades Due, 9 a.m. December 23–January 1 Eight Days Alma College Break; No Classes, Offices Closed Winter 2020 January 6 Monday Classes Begin, 8 a.m. January 10 Friday Last Day to Add a 1st 7-week Class January 17 Friday Last Day to Add a 14-week Class January 20 Monday Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Day; Classes Cancelled Noon–6 p.m., Offices Open January 31 Friday Last Day to Drop or Elect Pass/Fail Option for a 1st 7-week Class February 3–7 Monday–Friday Additional Spring Term Registration February 21 Friday End of 1st 7-week Classes February 24–28 Monday–Friday Winter Term Recess; No Classes, Offices Open February 26 Wednesday Mid-Term Grades Due, 9 a.m. March 1 Sunday 1st 7-week Classes Exams March 2 Monday Classes Resume, 8 a.m.; Begin 2nd 7-week Classes March 3 Tuesday 1st 7-week Class Grades Due, 9 a.m. March 6 Friday Last Day to Add a 2nd 7-week Class Last Day to Drop or Elect Pass/Fail Option for a 14-week Class March 16–27 Two Weeks Fall Term 2020 Registration March 27 Friday Last Day to Drop or Elect Pass/Fail Option for a 2nd 7-week Class March 30–April 3 Monday–Friday Drop/Add for 2020 Spring and Fall Terms April 2 Thursday Honors Day; No Classes, Offices Open April 10 Friday Good Friday; No Classes After Noon, Offices Closed at Noon April 13–17 Monday–Friday Winter Term Exams April 18 Saturday Commencement, 2 p.m. April 21 Tuesday Final Grades Due, 9 a.m. Spring 2020 April 26 Sunday Classes Begin, 1 p.m. April 29 Wednesday Last Day to Add a Spring Term Class May 15 Friday Last Day to Drop a Class or Elect Pass/Fail Option May 21 Thursday Spring Term Ends May 26 Tuesday Final Grades Due, 9 a.m. Summer 2020 May 26 – June 19 Summer Session I June 22 Monday Grades Due, 9 a.m. June 22 – July 17 Summer Session II July 20 Monday Grades Due, 9 a.m. July 20 – August 14 Summer Session III August 17 Friday Grades Due, 9 a.m. Table of Contents Academic Calendar 2019-20 ................Inside front cover Education (EDC) ...................................................... 41 A College of Distinction .............................................. 2 English (ENG) .......................................................... 48 Welcome to Alma College ........................................... 3 Environmental Studies (ENV)................................... 52 Alma College in Brief .................................................. 3 Exercise and Health Studies (EHS) ............................ 54 Accreditation and Compliance Statements .................. 4 Foreign Service (FOR) .............................................. 54 Academic Rules and Procedures................................... 5 French (FRN) ........................................................... 54 Academic Honors ........................................................ 7 Geography (GGR) .................................................... 56 Special Programs ......................................................... 7 Geology (GEO)......................................................... 57 Accelerated Programs/Advanced Placement Options ... 8 Gerontology (GER) ................................................... 57 Admission Information ............................................... 9 German (GRM) ........................................................ 57 Media Use Policy ......................................................... 9 Healthcare Administration (HCA) ............................ 59 College Expenses ....................................................... 10 Health Studies (HSS) ................................................ 60 Requirements for Degrees ......................................... 13 History (HST) .......................................................... 60 General Education Goals ........................................... 15 Humanities (HUM) .................................................. 65 Guide to General Education Integrative Physiology and Health Science (IPH) ...... 65 Distributive Requirements .................................... 16 Latin (LAT) ............................................................... 68 Courses of Instruction ............................................... 17 Library Research (LIB) .............................................. 68 Guide to Understanding Course Listings ................... 17 Mathematics (MTH) ................................................ 68 General Studies ......................................................... 18 Mathematical Sciences (MSC) .......................................68 First Year Seminar (FYS) ................................................18 Medieval and Renaissance Studies (MED) ................. 70 Honors Program (HNR) ...............................................18 Music (MUS) ............................................................ 70 American Studies (AMS) ........................................... 18 New Media Studies (NMS) ....................................... 77 Anthropology (ANT) ................................................ 18 Nursing (NUR) ......................................................... 80 Art and Design (ART) ............................................... 19 Philosophy (PHL) ..................................................... 82 Astronomy (AST) ...................................................... 23 Physical Science (PSC) .............................................. 84 Biochemistry (BCM) ................................................. 24 Physics (PHY) ........................................................... 84 Biology (BIO) ........................................................... 24 Applied Physics: Environmental Physics (PHYV) ..........84 Biotechnology (BTC) ................................................ 27 Engineering Science (PHYE) ...............84 Business Administration (BUS) ................................. 28 Political Science (POL) .............................................. 85 Accounting (ACC) ........................................................28 Psychology (PSY) ...................................................... 88 Professional Accounting (CPA) ......................................28 Neuroscience (NSC) ......................................................88 Finance (FIN)................................................................28 Public Affairs Institute (PAF)..................................... 89 Management (MGT) ....................................................28 Public Health (PBH) ................................................. 90 Marketing (MKT) .........................................................28 International Business Administration (IBA) .................28 Religious Studies (REL) ............................................. 90 Chemistry (CHM) .................................................... 32 Sociology (SOC) ....................................................... 92 American Chemical Society Certified Degree ................33 Spanish (SPN) ........................................................... 94 Chinese (CHN) ........................................................ 34 Theatre (THE) .......................................................... 97 Cognitive Science (COG) ......................................... 34 Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS) ...................... 100 Communication (COM) ........................................... 35 World Languages and Cultures ................................ 100 Computer Science (CSC) .......................................... 36 Board of Trustees 2019-20 ....................................... 102 Dance (DAN) ........................................................... 38 Officers of the College 2019-20 .............................. 103 Economics (ECN) ..................................................... 39 Faculty 2019-20 ...................................................... 104 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 A College of Distinction The Alma College Mission Alma College’s mission is to prepare graduates who think critically, serve generously, lead purposefully and live responsibly as stewards of the world they bequeath to future generations. Vision Statement An Alma College education