1992-1993 Academic Catalog

116 Interdisciplinary Studies Profile Interdisciplinary programs at the College are designed to encourage the thinking, research, and applications that help students understand the interrelationships among disciplines that are characteristic of a true liberal arts education. Drawing from several academic disciplines, these programs promote learning that broadens and deepens students' view of knowledge and the world as a whole. Personal Requirements Students who choose interdisciplinary programs typically possess a unique love for learning. They desire to know about many areas and enjoy discovering the relationships between the various academic disciplines which comprise the body of knowledge. Though most college preparatory curricula provide a good measure of breadth through their coverage of the basic disciplines, students interested in interdisciplinary programs should choose electives which both sharpen their thinking skills and expand their intellectual horizons. Advanced high school courses in writing, literature, mathematics, science, economics, world history, or social science are recommended. Although background in foreign language is not required for admission to the programs, foreign language competency is necessary for effective international service. Consequently, two or more units of foreign language in high school is strongly recommended. Programs of Study The College offers the following interdisciplinary programs: The Honors Program International Studies major, with concentrations in: Global Economics and International Business Missiology Social Science Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) Air Force Army Career Opportunities Graduate and professional schools welcome Cedarville graduates. Careers pursued by graduates include: diplomat government worker international businessman military officer missionary The Honors Program The Honors Program is designed to challenge gifted students to reach their academic potentials through a specially designed course of study. This program is not a major, but rather a specially crafted sequence of courses which enriches existing major fields of study. The courses designated as "honors courses" are rigorous and demanding, challenging students to aspire to greater heights in the world of ideas. Admission to the program for entering freshmen is based upon ACT/SAT scores, written essays, high school rank and grade point average and, when possible, a personal interview. Prospective students must complete a separate application which is available through the admissions office. A limited number of students are admitted into the program each fall. Students enrolled in the Honors Program are required to complete seven honors courses in addition to a senior research project or thesis. Three of these courses are taken in the freshman year in a sequence entitled "The Making of the Modern Mind," which tracks the development of philosophic, literary, scientific and aesthetic traditions against the background of the history of western civilization. These three courses meet general education requirements in humanities, philosophy and history. In the sophomore and junior years, honors students take four integrative seminars. Typically, each honors seminar is taught by two or three faculty members from different academic departments in a team-teaching effort providing an interdisciplinary perspective to the topic of study. In the senior year, each honors student conducts a year-long research project under the direction of a faculty mentor from the student's academic department. A thesis is written as part of this research project. At graduation, honors students receive appropriate recognition of their honors status.