MSUMAcademic AffairsFaculty GuideAcademic Information

Academic Policy Advisory Committee (APAC)
Continuing Studies
Corrick Center for General Education
Customized Education and Training (CET)
Degrees
Degree Seeking Non-Traditional Students
Dragon Core
First Year Experience (FYE)
Graduate Studies
International Programs
Internships and Liability
Liberal Studies 
University Studies Major
Upper Level Writing Requirement
Writing-Intensive Requirements

Academic Policy Advisory Committee (APAC)

This University committee, chaired by the Vice President for Academic Affairs or designee, advises the President regarding academic policy and practice. Recommendations are subject to meet-and-confer process prior to implementation. For detailed information on committee policy and practice refer to Academic Affairs/APAC. For information on structure and membership refer to Academic Affairs/Committees.

Continuing Studies 
Jan Flack, Director
811 11th Street South, 477-5862

The MSUM mission statement refers to "learners all their lives," and MSUM goal number 6 is to "provide services to the region through appropriate outreach programs." Continuing Studies is designed to help departments implement this part of the mission statement. A variety of courses, workshops, and other types of offerings are provided in our service region in order to meet the needs of our communities. Some offerings are available to learners beyond that traditional service area through distance delivery.

Constituents' needs may include regular curriculum classes for adults seeking degrees, in-service education for professionals or civic leaders in the region, or enrichment opportunities for citizens of the community. It is important that offerings be appropriate for university sponsorship in terms of content and rigor.

Continuing Studies serves university needs by providing an effective means for organizing and approving courses and workshops, especially when it is important to move quickly, because the opportunity is current. Continuing Studies credit offerings require academic approval but do not follow the curriculum development and review process as do permanent parts of the curriculum. In order for MSUM to be known as an institution which is on top of new developments and trends in the professions, workshops or conferences about those topics are important, but seldom is there time for APAC scrutiny. If the content of the course or workshop is to become part of the permanent curriculum, it then must follow the usual channels for approval. In addition to new topics and trends, other kinds of opportunities may occur, such as a visiting artist, or a specific request from professional groups, local companies, or community organizations.

Eligible Curricula
Normally, off-campus courses, credit or non-credit, are offered through Continuing Studies.

On-campus Continuing Studies courses should complement, not compete with, regular departmental course offerings. Departmental allocations support normal departmental course offerings, while faculty salaries for off-campus courses and for appropriate on-campus offerings are paid from the Continuing Studies budget.

There are some cases that are exceptions to this policy. Saturday instructional packaged courses are courses from the regular curriculum and are generally taught through Continuing Studies. The Human Relations course, ED 408, is another special case, because the audience for this course is not the regular student body but degreed P-12 teachers. Other in-service courses for P-12 teachers may fall into this category and be offered on-campus through Continuing Studies; this includes courses such as middle level coursework and customized credit courses. 

Numbering Continuing Studies Academic Courses and Workshops
In order to differentiate departmental offerings from Continuing Studies offerings, some courses offered through Continuing Studies carry numbers ending in 89 (such as 189, 289, 389, or 489) and workshops carry numbers ending in 99. Because of this practice, advisors reading transcripts can identify Continuing Studies courses which, in nearly all cases, have not been subject to APAC review, but approved only by the academic department and dean.

Contact Hours - Academic Credit Courses & Workshops
For courses, at least 15 contact hours per credit must be scheduled.

For courses that are offered in a hybrid format, such as Educational Technology courses and some graduate level Educational Leadership courses, the number of in-class hours plus the number of hours needed to complete online and individualized, out-of-class work must equal 15 to 18 hours per credit. For each credit earned, students must also spend additional hours for assignments and other class work; generally, for every hour of "in-class" hour of instruction, students spend two or more hours doing assignments.

For workshops, the following applies:

1. There must be a minimum of 18 contact hours per credit offered.

2. A one-credit workshop must not take place within a single day.

3. A maximum of 2 credits may be offered within one calendar week.

4. A maximum of 4 credits may be offered within a two week period.

5. For workshops or courses in workshop format lasting longer than 2 weeks, the 15 hours per credit policy applies.

What is the difference between a course and a workshop? When it meets one or more times per week, over the length of a term, it is clearly a course. When it meets two Saturdays from 8:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., it is clearly a workshop. Many variations of format are possible, and sometimes it is unclear whether the offering is a course or a workshop. There must be time for students to read, reflect, and assimilate material between class sessions in order to schedule the 15 hours per credit of contact time that a course requires. When more hands-on activities are planned and somewhat less outside-of-class studying is expected, the 18 hours per credit of contact time should be scheduled.

Salaries
Faculty are paid according to the IFO/MnSCU Master Agreement for credit instruction. Low enrollment in a class (less than 15 students) may require cancellation of the class. Occasionally it is advantageous to offer the class with low enrollment and prorate the salary, based on the number of registrations. To prorate the salary there must also be mutual agreement between the faculty member and the Director of Continuing Studies.

The contract does not address faculty salary for non-credit offerings, and market value applies in these situations.

The IFO/MnSCU Master Agreement stipulates that, normally, total overload shall not exceed six semester credits in an academic year (Article 12). Those hired as adjunct faculty shall not teach more than 10 semester credits in that status during an academic year. Summer teaching is treated separately with payment of salaries per credit and is not considered overload.

Scheduling
Normally, on-campus credit-based Continuing Studies courses must meet after 4:00 p.m. This requirement does not apply to off-campus offerings, to non-credit workshops, or to summer courses and workshops.

Graduate Level Offerings
Most six- and seven- hundred-level courses are not offered through Continuing Studies, except under unusual circumstances such as offering the course at an off-campus location. The recommendation of the appropriate academic dean is required. 

Service Region
Off-campus face-to-face courses are usually not offered outside of MSUM's traditional geographic area as identified by informal agreement with the other state universities. On rare occasions we offer courses outside of MSUM's area with the permission of the Continuing Education Director in the other area, and on rare occasions other state universities will offer courses in MSUM's area. Generally this is done when one university is offering a course that the other university does not offer or have faculty to teach. As a courtesy to Minnesota State Community and Technical Colleges MSUM does not duplicate their course offerings in their location. Distance delivered courses may be available to students throughout Minnesota and beyond our traditional service area.

Distance Delivered Offerings
Some programs offered through Continuing Studies are delivered to students or clientele via distance. Courses may be offered online, via instructional packaged format, via interactive television (ITV), or by a combination of media. Some offerings are delivered in a hybrid, or blended, format using more than one medium.  The choice of distance delivery format is generally made in order to ensure that the offering is most accessible to the target audience.

Non-Credit Offerings
Non-credit offerings take a variety of forms such as workshops, seminars, tours, etc.  We can be quite flexible, but activities must meet MSUM's academic standards and promote a positive institutional image. Scheduling may be independent of the academic calendar.

Costs to participants are based on expenses needed to conduct the course or workshop such as presenter’s fee, transportation and lodging for the presenter, refreshments provided, materials needed, administrative fees, etc. Administrative fees are determined by negotiation and budget needs depending on the services to be provided. 

Budget
A budget must be planned for non-credit offerings, customized offerings, and for any credit offering which involves expenses over and above tuition.  At the end of the workshop or course, a budget report must be filed in the Continuing Studies office.

Evaluations
Methods of evaluation will vary with the type of offering. Faculty and departments should rely on forms and strategies available to them for appropriate evaluation. At the end of the course or workshop, these evaluations should be reviewed by the proper people and filed for future reference.

Process For Planning and Approval of Continuing Studies Offerings
The same planning and approval process is followed for both credit and non-credit courses and workshops. The criteria for approval may be different, but the process is the same.

1. Discussion is held among interested parties to verify the need and desirability of a particular offering and the location and time it might be offered.  Interested parties include faculty members who might teach, the chair and the dean of the department involved, and constituents who might take the course or workshop. The preliminary course proposal form is used at this time. It is important to be aware of workload requirements early in the planning stages.

2. When preliminary approval has been granted, the faculty member completes a course proposal form (W-70). The items on this form include a description of the course, the dates, time, number of credits, etc. When approved, this form serves as the basis for issuing a contract, and information for payroll forms is taken from the W-70 forms. The class schedule is taken from the course proposal, and deans and department chairs use their copies for keeping records of faculty overloads and adjunct faculty loads. Because of this, a course proposal form must be completed for each class taught, even if the course has been approved several times before.

3. If the instructor is not a member of the MSUM faculty, he/she must complete the Standard Faculty Application form in addition to the course proposal form.  Adjuncts must also submit a set of transcripts if copies are not currently on file at MSUM.

4. The course proposal is reviewed by a departmental committee. This committee considers whether or not the course is appropriate for the university to offer, if the content is academically sound, and if the content warrants the number of credits listed. If the instructor is adjunct faculty, this committee must also review that person's qualifications. When the course is approved, the course proposal form is signed by the department chair. If the course is not approved, a memo must be attached to the course proposal form listing the reasons for non-approval. Occasionally the chair signs the form without consulting a departmental committee when the course is routine or was approved on previous occasions.

5. After signing the course proposal form, the department chair sends it to the Director of Continuing Studies, who forwards the form to the dean of the appropriate area. If the dean approves, the form returns to the Director of Continuing Studies. If the dean does not approve the course, a memo of non-approval is attached. 

6. If the course carries graduate credit, the course proposal form is sent to the Director of Graduate Studies for approval.  If the director approves the course, he/she signs it and returns it to the Director of Continuing Studies. If the dean does not approve the course, notation of non-approval is attached.

7.  If the course will be offered during summer, the course proposal form is also sent to the Director of Summer School for approval. If the director approves the course, he/she signs it and returns it to the Director of Continuing Studies. If the director does not approve the course, notation of non-approval is attached.

8. The course proposal is signed by the Director of Continuing Studies.

9. Copies of the form are distributed to the faculty member, the department chair, the appropriate academic dean, and the Continuing Studies office.

10. Continuing Studies publicizes courses and workshops in the semester class schedule. 

Additional promotion, such as a flyer or brochure, is occasionally disseminated. The schedule is taken from the course proposal forms, so only courses that have been approved will be included. The schedule must be printed early in the term for distribution about mid-semester so students may plan. Course offerings that are not planned at least one semester prior to the term they are taught cannot be well publicized.       

[M&C 5/15/9

The Continuing Studies newsletter is published twice during the year, in March and October, to correspond with the mid-semester publishing of the course schedule. The newsletter includes the Saturday course schedule, a current list of instructional packaged courses, important financial aid information, and showcases an MSUM department and the degrees available through that department.    

Corrick Center for General Education
Jarilyn Gess, Director
Murray Commons 206, 477-2954

Established in 1972, the Corrick Center for General Studies, formerly the New Center for Multidisciplinary Studies, is an alternative academic entry program for students who do not fully meet the University's admission standards, but otherwise show potential for collegiate success. The Center's mission--like the University's mission--is to provide college-level educational experiences grounded in general education, enabling students to integrate knowledge, skills and values. Additionally, students at the Center are encouraged and assisted to identify goals and to assess their strengths in order to make informed choices about degrees or other alternatives. The Center provides a special learning community to facilitate integration into college level learning and college life. Students will transfer into a major of their choice once they have demonstrated the ability to succeed. Students may earn an associate degree in liberal arts (AA) either by completing the program in the Center or when they have transferred into their major. Upon completion of an AA, students may also transfer to another university IN MINNESOTA with general education requirements accepted as complete.

Students are admitted to the Center based upon a variety of criteria, including student talent, accomplishments, interests, and level of motivation. Students will be automatically admitted to the Center as new entering freshmen provided they have ACT composite scores for 17 through 20 and a high school rank between 35% and 50%. Those with this range of ACT and lower high school rank will be reviewed for admissions. Enrollment in the Center is open to both traditional and non-traditional students, but is limited numerically.

Customized Education and Training (CET)

Customized Education and Training (CET) is a newer subset of the services offered through MSUM Continuing Studies. The focus of CET programming is generally education and training for incumbent workers in business, government, K-12 or others needing specific training or in-service for their work. Offerings may be either contracted for delivery to a specific group or open enrollment designed to meet well-defined needs.

The mission of MSUM CET is: "to meet the learning needs of individuals, teams and organizations by providing high-quality, tailored knowledge and skills development programs that result in personal, professional and economic growth. We accomplish this by:

• Identifying education and training needs and delivering customized programs that assist organizations in meeting their specific business goals

• Utilizing current technology and alternative teaching methods to deliver courses that combine distance and face-to-face learning to best meet the needs of our audience."

CET -- Contract Offerings
Credit and non-credit offerings may be contracted for delivery to professional groups, K-12 school districts, and other groups. Offerings must be run on a self-support basis and follow the same planning process as previously described for other offerings.

CET -- Open Enrollment Non-Credit Offerings
Open enrollment non-credit workshops, courses, and other programs that are designed for a specific professional group may be offered as "customized" training through the Customized Education & Training section of Continuing Studies.  Offerings must meet a clearly defined need such as presenting information and/or skills for which CEUs (Continuing Education Units; a non-credit measure of contact time -- 1 CEU = 10 hours of contact time) are awarded. Outside approval of CEUs by licensing agencies such as the Minnesota Board of Social Work Examiners or others may be facilitated by Continuing Studies, which is an approved provider through that agency.  Continuing Studies staff also works with boards and credentialing bodies from other professional fields to obtain the appropriate approvals and documentation for participants.  

The planning process for open enrollment non-credit offerings is the same as that described for other Continuing Studies offerings.    

Degrees

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) board adopted the following policy for awarding degrees:

Associate in Arts Degree: An Associate in Arts degree may be awarded after the successful completion of a program of 60 to 64 semester credits. Program credit lengths proposed to exceed 64 semester credits require special approval by the chancellor. The Associate in Arts degree is designed for transfer to a baccalaureate degree. At least 20 semester credits shall be taught by faculty recommending the awarding of the degree; this requirement may be decreased upon recommendation of the institution's faculty and approval by the president of the college or university. An Associate in Arts degree may be awarded after the successful completion of a liberal arts and sciences curriculum designed to constitute the first two years of a baccalaureate degree.

Baccalaureate Degrees: May be awarded after the successful completion of a program of 120-128 semester credits. At least 40 semester credits of the required credits for the degree shall be in non-major areas of general education or liberal studies, including the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum. At least 40 semester credits of the required credits for the degree shall be upper division credits. At least 30 semester credits shall be taught by the faculty recommending the award of the degree; this requirement may be decreased upon recommendation of the faculty and approved by the University president. Program credit lengths proposed to exceed 128 semester credits require special approval by the chancellor. If a student completes two majors, one of which would lead to a B.S. and the other to a B.A., the student may choose the primary major and thus the degree designation.  

• The Bachelor of Arts (BA) shall represent a general liberal arts degree with a major in the liberal or fine/performing arts areas.

• The Bachelor of Science (BS) shall represent a degree with a major in other than the liberal or fine/performing arts, or in a professional, licensurable, or certified program of studies.  

• More specific baccalaureate degrees such as the Bachelor of Music (BMus), the Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), and the Bachelor of Nursing (BSN) are also awarded.

Master's Degree: A Master's degree may be awarded to a holder of a baccalaureate degree or equivalent after the successful completion of 30 to 48 semester credits in a coherent program of study. After being admitted to graduate study, the student will, in consultation with a departmental advisor, develop a preliminary plan of study which will meet the specific standards of the department, as well as the general requirements for all Master's degrees. 

• The Master of Arts (MA) shall represent completion of a course of graduate studies in the liberal or fine/performing arts, which does not include a professional component.

• The Master of Science (MS) shall represent completion of a course of graduate studies in science, education, or studies in the liberal arts which includes a professional component.

• More specified master's degrees such as the Master of Fine Arts (MFA), the Master of Social Work (MSW), or the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) are also awarded.

Specialist Degree: A Specialist degree is designed to prepare specialists in a professional area for which a master's degree is not sufficient. The Specialist degree may be awarded to a holder of a master's degree or equivalent after the successful completion of a course of graduate study of at least 30 semester credits and to a holder of a bachelor's degree after the successful completion of a course of study of at least 60 semester credits.

• Specialists Degree in Educational Administration has five degree options from which to choose. See Graduate Studies for the prescribed curriculum for that track.

• Specialists Degree in School Psychology. Refer to the Graduate Studies web site for detailed information.

Doctoral Degree: A doctoral may be awarded upon completion of a program of study designed to prepare an individual in an applied, professional field. The program shall include at least 72 semester credits in graduate-level courses, including up to 12 credits for a dissertation or capstone project, culminating with the acceptance of a dissertation or equivalent capstone project. No more than 40 percent of the required number of total credits may be credits from graduate courses completed before admission to the program. Credits earned at another Minnesota state university under provisions of an agreement for a collaborative doctoral program are not subject to this limit. At least 75 percent of the required number of total credits for a doctoral program, exclusive of credits for dissertation or capstone project, shall be in courses with registration restricted exclusively to graduate students.

• Doctor of Nursing Practice. Refer to the Graduate Studies web site for detailed information.

Degree Seeking Non-Traditional Students

Continuing Studies provides a service for students who generally cannot be on campus during business hours and therefore need some extra help if they are to work on a bachelor's degree. Responsibilities such as jobs, families, and living a distance from campus make pursuing a degree more difficult. The Continuing Studies advisor serves as a liaison with the campus for these students. Traditional students can stop by an office on campus and take care of problems as they arise but students who can't be on campus during the day unless they take time off work find it much more difficult to take care of such things, and little problems may become large problems.  In addition, people who come to campus only when they have classes may not have the network of friends which helps supply information for traditional students. They can call an Continuing Studies advisor, who may be able to solve the problem by contacting someone on campus for the student, or by advising the student who to contact and how to reach that person.

By varying the delivery system, MSUM serves nontraditional students who are working on bachelor’s degrees. Students take evening, Saturday and one-to-one packaged courses, distance-delivered hybrid and online courses, and daytime classes when that is possible. The same bachelor’s degrees awarded to conventional students become more attainable to students who might otherwise find college study unavailable to them for non-academic reasons.

Not all majors are available through evening, Saturday, distance, or one-to-one packaged courses. While a few majors can be completed in this manner, most cannot be completed without daytime classes.  

All courses required for the Associate of Arts Degree (AA Degree) are offered on Saturdays. Therefore, a student can obtain the AA degree by taking all courses on Saturdays. The Business Administration Degree can be obtained by taking Saturday courses, packaged courses, and night courses. No daytime courses are necessary although many students juggle work schedules to allow for a daytime course on occasion. Students interested in a non-business major might complete the AA Degree on Saturdays and then pursue the four-year degree by taking some night courses and some day courses as the schedule permits.

Students who are not routinely on campus during business hours, or who may be moving at a slower pace, and who have substantial responsibilities off campus need a different kind of advising than conventional students. Continuing Studies advising is done largely by email and telephone, rather than by having students drop in during posted office hours.

The first step to becoming a Continuing Studies student is a telephone call or email to the Continuing Studies Advisor. Generally, a meeting between the student and the advisor is held at which time the college transcript is reviewed. Courses required to complete Liberal Studies or Dragon Core courses, the major and electives, are determined and the advisor assists the student in registering for courses.

Student transcripts and registrations are monitored on an on-going basis.

Instructional Packaged Courses
Instructional packaged courses allow students to complete courses with little or no classroom attendance. These courses work well for people who live a distance away from campus, have a job that requires traveling, or work alternative shifts.  

The "package" that students take home with them may include computer CDs, tapes and a study guide in addition to the textbook. Some courses also include online components. Exams are mailed to a suitable proctor, online and proctored at an off-campus location, or may be the take-home variety. 

Faculty who teach instructional packaged courses are paid according to the IFO contract. The faculty member is responsible for putting together the package and keeping it up to date. Students purchase the materials in the bookstore.

Students may register for a packaged course at any time and have one year in which to complete it, although completion within the term of registration is encouraged and may be required for financial aid purposes. At the end of the first term, if the course has not been finished, a grade of "IP" is recorded. If not finished by the end of the second term, an "IP" remains on the transcript. If the course is not finished after a year, the grade becomes an "F" and the student has to register again if he or she chooses to finish the course. Exceptions are possible if students have exceptional circumstances such as medical emergencies; in that case, a faculty member may grant an extension for an additional term.

Saturday Courses
Every term, a group of courses is offered on Saturdays with enough hours to provide some contact with the instructor, some group discussion, and face-to-face activities for students. Some courses also include online components that allow for group work and discussion to occur outside of class hours. Students who choose Saturday classes must be able to work independently.

Faculty who teach Saturday courses are paid through Continuing Studies, typically as an overload teaching assignment according to the agreement. Faculty who teach Saturday classes should include student assessment of these courses as a part of the faculty evaluation process described by the IFO/MnSCU Agreement.  (Article 22, Section D, Subd. 1.)

Credit For Prior Learning
Students may apply for credits for college-level prior learning. Such learning must be documented and then evaluated by an MSUM faculty member who has expertise in that area. Documentation may be a portfolio, an oral interview or exam, a paper and pencil test, a product such as a work of art, or a demonstration or performance.  When this process is satisfactorily completed, the credits are recorded on the student's transcript as "Credit for Prior Learning" with a "P" grade. Students pay a per credit fee when applying for credit for prior learning. Faculty are paid per credit hour for their evaluations. Further information and the forms used for application for credit for prior learning are available in the Continuing Studies office.

                                                                                                                                [M&C 5/15/92]

Dragon Core: A signature curriculum for life-long learning

Minnesota State University Moorhead is a caring community promising all students the opportunity to discover their passions, the rigor to develop intellectually, and the versalitility to shape a changing world. In line with this mission, Dragon Core is designed to develolp engaged students who are award of their diverse world and physical environment and who know how to productively and theically interact with others in today's changing world..

All university baccalaureate degree programs require the completion of a minimum of 14 courses (42 credits minimum ) in Dragon Core. Certain programs have degree requirements that include specific Dragon Core courses. Check the specific section of the Bulletin for the degree program requirements.

Purposes of Dragon Core
Minnesota State University Moorhead's Dragon Core signature curriculum provides a broad foundation of skills, information, and knowledge that go beyond a students' chosen academic field. Students will apply and extend foundational skills in written and oral communication, mathematics, and critical and multicultural thinking in an array of disciplinary areas as they formulate their perspectives and challenge their values.

• skills to effectively communicate ideas orally, use written language effectively and ethically, think critically and use value-sensitive modes of thought, and use mathematical and logical modes of thinking.
• Knowledge of natural science principles and the methods of scientific inquiry, the content of history and social sciences, the human condition and cultures, and skills and attitudes central to living in and contributing to a diverse world.
• Perspective to understand and appreciate the world’s nations and peoples, the ethical dimensions of personal and political decisions, and the challenges of responding to environmental variables.

Dragon Core's competency areas align with the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum, an agreement that includes all public two and four year institutions in Minnesota.

First Year Experience

The First Year Experience (FYE) program began in 1995 on an experimental basis. The one-credit course provides new entering students with an introduction to the demands and challenges of higher education. The course is designed to strengthen students success in college through personal and academic skills development. The skills include: study skills, note-taking, time management, critical thinking, career/life planning, and interpersonal relationships.

[APAC 4/18/95]

Graduate Studies
Richard Adler, Dean of Graduate Studies
Graduate Studies Office, Flora Frick Hall 153, 477-2344

The Graduate Studies Office serves as the primary resource for graduate information for the MSUM campus and the public.

Graduate Faculty Appointment and Review Policy
The quality of the graduate degrees granted by Minnesota State University Moorhead depends upon the qualifications and expertise of faculty involved in the entire graduate educational experience. Selection and review of Graduate Faculty is designed to account for quality, expertise, and participation in graduate education. Refer to the Graduate Faculty Appointment and Review Policy for detailed information.

Graduate Studies Appeals
All appeals from graduate students are addressed on a Graduate Appeals Form available in the Graduate Studies Office or online. The Appeal process must be started within a year of the situation that geneates the appeal with the exception of course grade appleas which must be initiated within 6 weeks of the close of the semester in which the student received the grade. Detailed procedures for filing appeals are available in the Faculty Guides to Graduate Polices and Procedures or obtained from the Graduate Studies Office.          

[APAC 11/7/95, revised APAC 5/6/08]

Graduate Studies Program Review
Program Reviews will be done on a six-year cycle, with annual assessment reports in the interim, parallel to recently adopted departmental review cycle. Contact the Graduate Studies Office for a review schedule/table.

A Program Review consists of three sections:

• A report by the program committee

• A report by the visiting program evaluator

• A summary report by the Graduate Studies Subcommittee

The Report should cover the period since the last Program Review.

Content of Program Committee Report

1. Brief history of program and program administration.

2. Statement of program goals and objectives and their relationship to the mission of the University.

3. An assessment of progress in attaining specified program goals.

4. Program curriculum: description of the requirements and issues in the field affecting the program.

5. Evaluation of adequacy of current program goals and objectives. The assessment should include an Alumni questionnaire and other appropriate evaluation measures.

6. Program data: graduates, majors, inactive students, number of applications, number  of students admitted, student credit hours (SCH) generated, SCH per FTE faculty

7. Adequacy of program resources: faculty, equipment and facilities.

8. Appendix: c.v. for faculty teaching in program.

Content of Visiting Program Evaluator’s Report
The Program Coordinator will arrange a schedule of meetings with appropriate administrators, faculty, and students. The Program Review Report should be given to the outside evaluator prior to the one or two-day campus visit. The Evaluator’s Report should address:

1. Effectiveness of the program in advancing University and College mission and goals.

2. Adequacy of the program’s goals and objectives including articulation and attainment of student learning outcomes of the program and adequacy of assessment plan.

3. Strengths and weakness of the program.

4. Opportunities for improving the program with existing resources.

5. Strengths and weaknesses of the research and scholarly activity of the program faculty.

6. If the program meets generally accepted standards for its discipline.

7. Students’ disciplinary knowledge and general academic quality.

8. Quality of the teaching in the program compared to similar programs.

9. Suggestions that would improve the program in the next five years.

The Evaluator’s Report should include direct data such as an analysis of student evaluations, meetings with current students or graduates, and the observation of classes, as appropriate and possible within the limits of the campus visit.

Content of Graduate Studies Subcommittee Report
The subcommittee shall consist of a faculty member from the program and two members of the Graduate Studies Committee not teaching in the program. They shall review the program and the outside evaluators report and prepare an executive summary for the Graduate Studies Committee. The summary should include recommendations to foster program development.

Copies of the complete Program Review shall be sent to the College Dean, the Director of Graduate Studies, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and faculty who teach in the program.

Content revised and approved by Graduate Studies Committee 1/23/02
Schedule Table revised by AAC 10/15/01

MSUM recognizes the increasing interdependence of all peoples and cultures and the important implications which this fact holds for succeeding generations. The University is, therefore, committed to provide instructional, research, and service programs which are designed to advance knowledge and foster understanding of intercultural differences, similarities, and interdependencies.

Emphasis has been given to strengthening the international and intercultural dimensions of the programs and activities primarily to provide students with the opportunity to acquire an education that will better prepare them to live and work in an increasingly interdependent world. In addition, these international resources will continue to be shared with area schools, community groups, and citizens through the University's role as a regional education center.

Study Abroad Programs

Internships and Liability

An internship is a supervised work experience for up to 12 semester credits. Interested students should address inquiries to the internship advisor in the academic department of their major. Information regarding specific internship opportunities is available at Career Services in the Comstock Memorial Union, Room 114. General questions regarding internships – when and how to apply, resume/letter preparation, finding leads through career/job fairs and through use of directories and the Internet – can be answered by the Internship Coordinator in Career Services. Call 477-2131 for an appointment. For detailed information on internship listings, resources and services, refer to the Career Services web site.

1. There should be an internship agreement in place which is signed by the student, university personnel and the site personnel.

2. A standardized agreement has been developed (or standardized addenda) for all health-involved internships.

3. A standardized internship agreement is being developed for all other students and should be completed by March 1, 1997. (Items 1-3 above are MnSCU Board incentives.)

4. Student liability: Students are clearly liable for their actions and may be sued (along with others) for damages due to negligence. MSUM has a Student Professional liability policy which covers students engaged in internships. The coverage is for $1,000.00 per occurrence and $3,000.000 in aggregate.

5. If the student does not have a formal internship agreement and therefore does not have a formally acknowledged internship (i.e., no credit hours, etc.), the student is NOT covered by the University Student Professional Liability policy.

6. Shadow-type internships are not covered under our policy. Please advise the students to purchase a professional liability policy.

7. The Attorney General’s office has asked that we advise all students on internship to purchase their own professional liability insurance.

8. Students and Worker’s Compensation: Student employees are covered under worker’s compensation. Students, including athletes in most state, are not covered under worker’s compensation insurance. If the student is on a paid internship, they are probably covered under the internship sponsor’s worker’s compensation insurance. If the internship does not pay a monetary stipend, then the student will probably not be covered under the sponsor’s worker’s compensation insurance.

If the student has signed a waiver, the student may have given up his/her right to worker’s compensation coverage and the right to sue a negligent party. We should make sure that the student understands the implications of signing a waiver and should not make the decision for the student. We need to emphasize that due process must be followed and the student, after knowing the information, makes the decision about whether to sign the waiver or not. If, in fact, we are sued under these conditions, our insurance will respond.

9. Internship Sponsor Liability: In most cases, the sponsor is liable for the actions of the interns. If the student signed a waiver, the student will need to have a Professional Liability policy in effect.

10. Faculty/Staff Liability: Faculty and MSUM may be sued if a student is responsible for injuries or damages while on an internship. Our liability policy and the State of Minnesota will defend us and respond to the damages awarded in a suit. The awards in these cases would be subject to the limitations set by Minnesota Statutes. (Please note that it is important that we provide students with consistent, clear information regarding internships. The issue of liability needs to be discussed and understood by the student.)

Even in the case of “shadow” internships, the faculty member and MSUM University may be sued. Once again, our policy and the State of Minnesota will respond.

In addition, there are cases in which an employee may be personally liable for damages to an injured party. In general, as long as employees follow university requirements (guidelines), their liability exposure will be covered by our professional insurance and the State of Minnesota. However, when an employee does not enforce university rules and regulations, and there is an award to an injured party, the employee has placed himself in an onerous position. The insurance company, the State of Minnesota, or even MSUM may refuse to defend the employee, pay the damages, and may even bring suit against the employee in some cases to recover the damages paid to the injured party.

[VP Crockett memo 1/21/97]

For detailed information on Internship Policy, refer to Academic Affairs.

Liberal Studies

Liberal Studies Program Sunset Date
New incoming freshmen admitted Fall 2006 or later and new incoming transfers admitted Fall 2007 or later will satisfy the University’s general education requirement by completing the requirements of the Dragon Core. The Liberal Studies program will be available for all previously admitted students until Fall 2009, at which time students eligible to complete the Liberal Studies program (both pre and post 1992 admits) must have finished it.

University Studies Major
Academic Resource Office, Flora Frick Hall 151, 477-4318

The Bachelor of Science in University Studies is intended as an option for the following students;

• A student who wishes to develop a multidisciplinary major built around a chosen theme, or
• A student who wishes to complete a generalist degree, or
• A studentwho has completed most but not all of the requirements of a major or has been unable to complete a degree in a timely manner.. 

The major must include the following: 36 credits of a partial major program or rubric (not more than 30 credits from the areas of Accounting, Finance, Management, and Marekting may be included in the partial major program orrubric), 21 additional credits from a single different rubric or area of concentration, and a 2.0 GPA in both segments. This major may be declared as late as the semester prior to graduation, but not before the student has ttained junior standing. 

Upper Level Writing Requirement

Sunset Date for Upper-Level Writing Requirement
By the beginning of Fall semester 2009, Departments/program must have designated a Writing-Intensive course at the 300- or 400-level approved to replace their current Upper-Level Writing Requirement. Departments/programs may also designate a Writing-Intensive course at the 200-, 300-, or 400-level in the major. One or both courses may be in the Dragon Core, but are not required to be. The current Upper-Level Writing Requirement will be available to all students now enrolled at MSUM through Summer 2009.

[APAC 11/14/06 revised 3/6/07, resived 4/17/07]

This major may be declared as late as the semester prior to graduation, but not before the student has ttained junior standing. 

Writing-Intensive Requirements
Incoming freshmen must complete five Writing-Intensive (W) courses at MSUM:

• English 101 (or an approved alternative).
• One Writing-Intensive course in Dragon Core
• One 300- or 400-level Writing-Intensive course designated by the student's major
• Two Writing-Intensive courses at the 200-level or high, only one of which may hold the rubric of the student's major.

If a student has multiple majors, the student must fulfill the University Writing-Intensive course requirements as well as the Upper-Level Writing Requirement of each major.

Incoming transfer students must complete two Writing-Intensive courses at MSUM:

• One 300- or 400-level course designated by the student's major
• One Writing-Intensive course at the 200-level or higher

If a student has multiple majors, the student must fulfill the University Writing-Intnesive course requirements as well as the Upper-Level Writing Requirement of each major.

[APAC 4/28/09]

MSUMAcademic AffairsFaculty GuideAcademic Information