Approved Curriculum Proposals 2021-2022

The Forensic Science program would like to change FORS 3385 Research in Forensic Science’s name, course description, and structure to satisfy the writing intensive requirement as the Biology program’s BIOL 3390 Molecular Biotechnology course will no longer count once their new curriculum proposal passes (est. Spring 2023).  

The Attached file contains both the curriculum proposal for the name and content change to FORS 3385 as well as the Writing Intensive Course Proposal.

The Physics Program proposes to add a second new 4-credit general physics course, PHYS 1002 General Physics II. This course will be the second of the new two-course General Physics I/II series for any program which accepts high school physics or basic algebra-based physics course as a program prerequisite. A one-credit lab with experiments involving data collection, analysis and report-writing will supplement the three hours of classroom lecture. Physics 1001 will be the prerequisite course for Physics 1002. Course content will follow the same content outline as PHYS 1102, but at a less rigorous level and with lower math requirements. Specifically, there is no Trigonometry prerequisite.

MATH 1410:  Applied Technical Mathematics I--Enhanced, Application for Core Curriculum Inclusion.

PHYS 1104: Introduction to Physics for Aviation, Application for Core Curriculum Approval

This proposal will address several changes to the CIVL ET curriculum as follows: remove PHYS 1, remove capstone experience from CIVL 4400 and reduce by 1-credit to a 3-credit course, Add a senior capstone course- 3-credit- CIVL 4480, change CIVL 4470 from a 3-credit to a 4-credit course to reflect added content, remove 1 credit from CIVL 2210 based on MATH 1510 modification, remove CIVL 2210 from core curriculum, Switch from MATH 1510 to MATH 1410 requirement.

Add additional courses to the Major Electives section
Adjust the CHEP minor requirements (Appendix C)
Change the pre-req requirement for CHEP 4440
Align the CHEP program with the new NCHEC Areas of Responsibility.

The proposed change is a curricular correction. When the old General Studies transitioned to the Core Curriculum, programs were required to list any General Studies courses that also were major requirements in the major requirement section. This amendment seeks to correct how credit hours are distributed to satisfy Degree Works.

Fairmont State University proposed development of a 120-credit traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. The traditional BSN program will be attractive to high school graduates, many of whom are coming to Fairmont State University with dual enrollment or advanced placement credits, most of which transfer in as core curriculum requirements. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of ASN or pre-nursing (nursing pathway) students indicated that they would have chosen to purse a BSN program option if it had been available (BSN Traditional Program Needs Assessment, Summer 2021). Students responding to the survey indicated that 47% of students had dual enrollment credits from high school and 53% reported taking pre-nursing classes between 1 to 8 semesters before being admitted to the ASN program, with the average being 2.94 semesters. Seventy-four percent (74%) of students surveyed reported receiving financial aid. Recent changes in financial aid have limited the number of credits students can take and courses taken must be directly related to their major, thereby limiting financial aid options for students pursuing an ASN degree or who are waiting for admission to the ASN program. Additionally, if the proposed WV Department of Education high school nursing pathways program is adopted, high school students completing the pathway will have a minimum of 22 college credits, when they enter Fairmont State University. The majority of these credits are considered elective credits in the ASN program, which may cause students to attend other nursing programs, and negatively impact those with financial aid.

The history program is revising the requirements for students wishing to earn a minor in History. The changes include reducing the number of credit hours to receive the history minor from 21 to 18. In addition, students will have more flexibility in selecting which courses they can take.

Since the successful implementation of the math support program, many students who would have taken MATH 1510—Applied Technical Mathematics 1 have instead been sent to MATH 1430. To get the trigonometry required by most engineering technology courses, students must then take math 1540. This delays students by a considerable amount and has affected the engineering technology pipeline. We are therefore proposing a new course, MATH 1410, to offer the material from 1510 with more time given to elementary topics and background material. MATH 1510 will be deactivated in Fall 2022.

This proposal reduces the number of required major courses by three credit hours and increases number of major electives by three credit hours in order to incorporate more advanced Political Science curriculum (i.e. upper level courses). The amount of overall hours required for the Political Science degree remains the same.

The Honors Program created a track for Elementary Education majors that was effective for the 2021/2022 academic year. This proposal will create a revised Honors-Education track in response to West Virginia Board of Education changes to Policy 5100 and the implementation of a year-long residency for student teaching.

The proposed curricular changes are in response to West Virginia Board of Education (WVBOE) changes to Policy 5100. Funding from the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) to support Educator Preparation Programs (EPPs) is now reserved for those that include a year-long residency model for the senior year of the teacher education curriculum. Policy 5100 refers to year-long residency EPPs as Tier 1 schools. (See Appendix D for WVBOE Policy 5100)

The associated file contains the following individual Curriculum Proposals:

• 21-22-10 Secondary Education - Year Long Residency
• 21-22-11 Art Education - Year Long Residency
• 21-22-12 English Education - Year Long Residency
• 21-22-13 Math Education - Year Long Residency
• 21-22-14 Biology - Year Long Residency
• 21-22-15 Chemistry - Year Long Residency
• 21-22-16 Earth and Space Science - Year Long Residency
• 21-22-17 General Science - Year Long Residency
• 21-22-18 Physical Education - Year Long Residency
• 21-22-19 Physics - Year Long Residency
• 21-22-20 Spanish Education - Year Long Residency
• 21-22-28 Social Studies - Year Long Residency

These proposed changes are in response to new mathematics education accreditation standards. Thenew standards do not require prospective middle school mathematics teachers to demonstrate masteryin the topics of calculus or mathematics history. Consequently, the proposed changes include deletingtwo courses, Calculus I and Topics in Mathematics History, from the required courses for theMathematics (Grades 5-9) Teaching Endorsement. This will reduce the number of hours required forthe endorsement from 30-31 to 24-25 credit hours.

The purpose of this proposal is to eliminate the internship course (RECR 3340: Internship/CampAdministration) from the required course listing for the minor. It also moves an Elective Group II course(PHED 2200: Accident Analysis & Emergency Care) to a required course. This proposal eliminates theElective Group II by removing all of the remaining courses listed because they are not currently beingoffered.

This proposal adds PSYC 1101: Introduction to Psychology to the Exercise Science major. It has always been arequirement due to a pre-requisite requirement for PHED 3318: Sports Social Psychology.

The Forensic Investigative Science minor is only a few years old and we are trying to work out the ‘kinks.’ Students have said they wish to take more forensic science courses while earning their minor and we want to give them this option.

The College of Business & Aviation is proposing a new course, MKTG 3370 – Digital Marketing as a marketing elective. As the world becomes increasingly digital it is necessary that students are exposed to the digitization of marketing related activities. As an elective within the marketing concentration, the course will have no effect on any programs outside of the College of Business & Aviation.

The chemistry program wants to decrease the total lab hours in General Chemistry I and II courses (CHEM 1101 and 1102) from 3 hours to 2 hours per week.  While we are teaching the same types of lab experiments and information, the introduction of a pre-lab assignment requiring students to read and perform calculations prior to attending, the students are spending less time in lab.  Additionally, the integration of computer graphing software into each experiment means that students spend less time hand-copying data tables and graphs.  The proposed changes have no impact on the General Studies transferability among in-state college or university receiving institutions.