Approved Curriculum Proposals 2018-2019

The purpose of this proposal is to request two changes to the existing Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education degree program.
1.    Update Learning Objectives for HLTA 3330: Introduction to Epidemiology & Biostatistics & 4452: Field Practicum in Community Health Portfolio
2.    Allow students the option of completing an Area of Emphasis OR any minor offered by the University to satisfy degree completion requirements. We would like students to have the opportunity to complete either an Area of Emphasis or Minor toward degree completion.
 

This proposal establishes a Creative Writing Minor for non-English majors, so that students outside the major may receive training in writing creatively. 

The Fairmont State University School of Education, Health & Human Performance proposes to add two (2) one (1) credit hour elective courses to the teacher education programs. These courses will support pre-education students who need additional practice and support for taking the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test as required by the West Virginia Department of Education in order to be admitted into the Education program.
 

This proposal will establish a regular course number for the course associated with Fairmont State's Appalachian Teaching Project annual grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission.  The new course will be an elective in the Folklore Studies minor, entitled FOLK 3375: Preserving Appalachian Culture.  In this course, college students will take their knowledge of Appalachian Folk Culture into the community, sharing this knowledge through a designated community partner, then reporting on the project at the end of the semester in person to the Appalachian Regional Commission in Washington D.C.

This proposal adds a new elective (Cell Biology, BIOL 3395) to the Biology major. It supports students following pre-professional and graduate school tracks.

This proposal adds two new electives, BIOL3301 and BIOL3302, to the biology degree (B.S.). The Biology program lacks the ability to offer 2-semester human anatomy and physiology courses which are prerequisites for students interested in professional schools for Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physician's Assistant, and strongly recommended for students pursuing medical school. The absence of these courses from Fairmont State's curriculum forces students to take courses elsewhere and may negatively impact retention and enrollment. The addition of these courses will improve the ability of students to meet requirements for professional schools without forcing students to attend alternate institutions. 

We propose reducing the Psychology program hours from 55 to 49 by reclassifying PSYC 3310, Experimental Psychology, and PSYC 4460, Seminar, as elective rather than required courses.  We also propose modifying prerequisites for Experimental Psychology and Research Capstone (PSYC 3390) to accommodate the elective status of Experimental Psychology.  
Finally, we propose adding Psychology of Substance Abuse (PSYC 3395), previously offered as Special Topics in Psychology (PSYC 3399), as a permanent Psychology elective in the course catalog. 

The Forensic Science curriculum is being revised to include new forensic focused specialization courses (Human Osteology FORS 3301, Forensic Anthropology FORS 3305, Forensic Toxicology FORS 3310, Forensic Taphonomy FORS 3225, and Fingerprint Analysis FORS 3215). These courses will give students forensic specific specialization electives. These courses will allow us to grow our Forensic Science Program and to give our students more relevant forensic science electives. See Appendix D.  

The B.S. in Forensic Science is growing and going towards accreditation from the American Academy of Forensic Science, we believe it is time to add a 22/23-hour Forensic Investigative Science minor. Students would be able to adopt courses already available in the Forensic Science program and Criminal Justice program.  

This proposal creates a new 28-hour Minor in Musical Theatre housed in the School of Fine Arts/Department of Music. The intent of this minor is to meet a growing student desire for musical theatre training.  Two new courses, MUSI 2207: History of Musical Theatre and THEA 2218: Musical Theatre Dance, are created.