1995-1996 Academic Catalog

11 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 typi– cally 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 compe– tency 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: College Studies 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 relations military officer missionary College Studies COLL-100 Transitions--A,W 1 hour Designed to assist students in understanding and developing skills needed for college success. Includes placement and diagnostic testing, special advising, and tutoring when necessary. COLL-400 Employment Strategies--A,W 1 hour Designed to give graduates tools necessary for finding employment. Suggestions given for resume writing, interviewing, locating job possibilities, and identifying individual marketable skills. 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 Maldng 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 pai1 of this research project. At graduation, honors students receive appropriate recognition of their honors status. Through the Honors Program, Cedarville College encourages superior scholarship, allows a thorough integration of the various disciplines, and provides the student an opportunity to understand better how all knowledge relates to its theistic source. Honors offers an adventure in the world of ideas, coupled with practical incentives for transcribing faith and learning into larger culture for the glory of God and the benefit of men and women in His image.