109.3 Academic Concentrations

109.3 Academic Concentrations

A. Background

All students at Furman University are required to declare an academic major in order to receive a bachelor's degree. However, a student may choose to enrich his or her academic experience and supplement his or her major by concentrating on a specific topic from the perspectives of different academic disciplines. In order to enable students to do so effectively, Furman University has identified certain groups of existing courses, the focus of each group being a specific area or topic deemed appropriate for academic concentration.

B. Policy

An academic concentration at Furman University shall consist of 16 to 24 hours (normally four to six courses) of related course work selected from no fewer than three departments. At least 12 of the required hours (normally three courses) shall be in courses beyond the entry level. In order for a new concentration to become part of the academic curriculum, the concentration must be approved by all departments proposing the concentration, the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, the Academic Policies Committee, and the general faculty.

C. Guidelines

1. Any group of interested faculty may submit a proposal for a new concentration. This proposal shall be submitted first to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean who shall evaluate the resources necessary for the concentration. The Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean shall forward the proposal, with his evaluation, to the Academic Policies Committee which will in turn evaluate the proposal and report its evaluation to the faculty. If the proposed concentration is approved by the faculty, it shall be submitted to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean for final approval.

2. The Academic Policies Committee will require the following information when a new concentration is proposed:

a. A general description of the concentration.

b. A rationale for the proposed concentration.

c. A list of the courses in the concentration, with an identification of any courses specifically required. The list for each concentration will be published each year in the catalogue and online under "concentrations" in the academic advising section.

d. A list of recommended General Education Requirements (GERs). These recommended GERs may not be used to disqualify any student from completing the concentration. That is, any required course must be included in item c. above.

e. An estimate of the number of graduates per year who will complete the concentration.

f. An estimate of the effect that the concentrations will have on existing departments, majors, and concentrations with respect to course enrollments, frequency of course offerings, and possible similarity to (or duplication of) existing programs.

g. An estimate of additional resources required for the concentration (e.g., faculty, staff, equipment, supplies, library materials).

h. A statement of support for the concentration from each participating department. The statement of support should include a record of the departmental vote on the concentration. Department chairs must invite those who oppose the concentration to submit their views in writing to the Academic Policies Committee and to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean.

i. The signatures for approval of the chairs of the participating departments.

3. Each concentration will be administered by an oversight committee composed of a member from each department offering courses in the concentration. The Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean appoints the committee and its chair with advice from the participating departments. Normally, the chair of the concentration shall be appointed for a three-year term. The chair of the committee is responsible for coordinating the program for the concentration, and will be the contact person for communication with the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean, the Associate Academic Dean, the Office of Academic Records, the Curriculum Committee, and the Academic Policies Committee regarding questions pertaining to the concentration. The membership of the oversight committees will be published online under "concentrations" in the academic advising section and in the list of administrative committees given to the faculty. Any member of the oversight committee may advise students who declare the concentration, although the chair of the committee is responsible for coordinating advising by the committee members and keeping members aware of all changes.

4. When a student expresses an interest in a concentration, his or her academic advisor will provide the student with the name of the chair of the appropriate oversight committee. The chair will then assign an appropriate faculty advisor for the concentration. The student and concentration advisor will discuss the requirements and then fill out and sign a concentration form, copies of which will be sent to the registrar's office and to the student's academic advisor. It is strongly recommended that a student declare an intention to pursue a particular concentration as soon as possible in his or her academic program, preferably no later than the end of the junior year.

5. Minor variations from the normal concentration requirements for an individual student must be approved by the concentration oversight committee.

6. The chairs of the oversight committees for all concentrations normally will meet at least once a year with the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean to provide an overview of their concentrations and to enable the Dean to monitor their effectiveness and viability.

7. All changes to the list of course options in a concentration must be approved using the following procedure before the course is taught:

a. Initial approval of the course proposal by the oversight committee of the concentration. The Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean should evaluate new courses prior to submission to the curriculum committee.

b. Submission of the approved proposal by the oversight committee chair to the Curriculum Committee, if it is a new course or if the course has been modified in any way. Existing courses with no modifications do not need review by the Curriculum Committee.

c. Submission of the approved proposal by either the Curriculum Committee chair or the oversight committee chair to the Academic Policies Committee, where the course designations or changes in course requirements are checked for consistency with academic policy and record keeping practices.

d. Submission of the approved proposal by the Academic Policies Committee to the faculty for final approval.

The entire approval process must be completed before the course is taught.

8. All other changes to the concentration (e.g., addition or subtraction of participating departments, changes in course status such as required to optional) must be approved using the following procedure:

a. Submission of proposed changes to the oversight committee of the concentration for initial approval. In the case of substantial changes, the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean proposal must evaluate the proposal prior to submission to the Academic Policies Committee.

b. Submission of proposed changes by the oversight committee chair or Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean to the Academic Policies Committee for approval.

c. Submission of proposed changes by the chair of the Academic Policies Committee to the faculty for final approval.

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