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Academic Catalog
College Catalog 2024-2025 
  
    Nov 04, 2024  
College Catalog 2024-2025

Course Types


CUMULATIVE COURSES

Cumulative courses are courses that may be taken more than one time and still qualify for credit hours earned. These courses may or may not apply to requirements toward completing a major or minor program of study. That is determined by individual departments. Examples of such courses include but are not limited to: music courses, basic skills physical education courses (only two hours of PED basic skill credit may be applied toward graduation), special topics courses, internship courses, and independent study and research courses. For more information, please contact the Registrar of the College.

SPECIAL TOPICS (ST:) COURSES

Special topics courses (designated ST: and generally designated 1950-1959, 2950-2959, 3950-3959 or 4950-4959 numerically) are courses that address current or timely topics that are in “pilot” phase before being offered on an ongoing basis, or that are known to be a one or two time offering. Special topics courses can vary from term to term. The Faculty Handbook (section 4.9.5.2) notes that these courses may not be offered more than twice for a particular course.

SERVICE LEARNING (SL:) COURSES

Contact: Heather Evans – https://www.uvawise.edu/academics/uva-wise-connects

Service learning courses (designated SL:) are courses that incorporate service learning, are approved by the ACE committee, and fit the following criteria:

  • One or more course objective(s) will be addressed by students in their ACE (Academic Community Engagement) experience.
  • The importance of community engagement is highlighted in the course syllabus.
  • The course contains a reflective assignment about the ACE experience that is evaluative and graded as indicated in the course syllabus.
  • For each course credit hour, each student will dedicate a minimum of three hours to the ACE experience.

COOPERATIVE EDUCATION COURSES

(See the Department Chair for the Academic Major)

The Cooperative Education Program supplements classroom studies by providing work experience related to a student’s academic major. Financial compensation may or may not be received for the work performed. Students must be of junior status and must spend two full semesters at UVA Wise before undertaking cooperative education. This requirement may be waived by the appropriate department chair. After the second semester, students may work part time while continuing attendance at the College or alternate semesters of full-time attendance at the College with semesters of full-time work. The course numbers 3860-3869 and 4860-4869 have been reserved in all academic disciplines for the possible granting of academic credit for cooperative education. A maximum of 12 credit hours may be counted toward a degree. Academic credit may be applied toward an academic major by prior approval of the appropriate department chair. Students considering cooperative education should contact the department chair for specific departmental guidelines. Course descriptions for cooperative education taken as general electives are:

GNE 3860-3869:  Cooperative Education Project I (1-6 credit hours) Prerequisite: Junior standing and approval of the appropriate Department Chair

Academic credit granted for a special project conducted in connection with a cooperative education work experience under the supervision of a faculty member and approved by the chair of the department of a student’s major field. Each department will determine the total number of hours to be counted toward the major. Offered for credit-no credit only.

GNE 4860-4869: Cooperative Education Project II (1-6 credit hours) Prerequisite: Senior standing and approval of the appropriate Department Chair.

Academic credit granted for a special project conducted in connection with a cooperative education work experience under the supervision of a faculty member and approved by the chairman of the department of the student’s major field. Each department will determine the total number of hours to be counted toward the major. Offered for credit-no credit only.

LEADERSHIP COURSES

To provide students with an opportunity to develop their leadership skills as well as gain an understanding and appreciation of service to others, courses in leadership and service learning have been created. Students will work under the supervision of a faculty member, first to participate in a class project and ultimately to design their own projects.

LDS 1000: Introduction to Community Leadership (1)

Participation in and reflection upon a service project benefitting the surrounding community. This project is to be planned and supervised annually by a faculty member. The project will be launched at the start of semester and revisited mid-semester, with provision for reflection upon role of service in community and role of educated individuals in their communities. Offered for credit/no credit only.

LDS 3001: Leadership and Service: First-Year Mentor Service Internship (1) Prerequisites: Permission Only

Students selected for this internship opportunity undergo intensive training and assist at two orientation events during the summer in preparation for their roles as first-year mentors.  During the fall semester, each mentor is paired with a first-year advisor and assigned to a small group of incoming students, familiarizing them with the academic and extracurricular life at the college.  Weekly seminar meetings with the college’s academic counselor and other first-year mentors are also required.  The course may be repeated for credit. 

LDS 1350:  Keys to Success (3)         

Arising from the tradition of American entrepreneurship, the material for this course was developed by Napoleon Hill from the thoughts of many of the turn-of-the-century business leaders who played a significant role in shaping the destiny of America and the world. Andrew Carnegie so strongly believed in the existence of universal principles of success and achievement that he sponsored the research of Hill. This course examines concepts and principles that when properly applied, lead to personal achievement and self-actualization. Dual listing with BUS 1350.

LDS 3002: Leadership and Service: First-Year Mentor Service Internship (1) Prerequisites: Permission Only

This service course is a continuation of the fall leadership internship.  During the spring semester, mentors continue their work with their first-year advisors to conduct weekly seminar classes that help their first-year students acquire the information and skills they need to succeed at the college.  Weekly seminar meetings with the college’s academic counselor and other first-year mentors are also required.  The course may be repeated for credit.

LDS 3750/BUS 3750: Organizational Leadership (3) Prerequisite: ENG 1010 & 1020

Social scientists continue to seek greater understanding of what traits, abilities, behaviors, sources of power or elements of the situation determine how well a leader is able to influence followers and achieve organizational objectives. The predominant concern has been leadership effectiveness. This class will address these issues from a multi-disciplinary perspective. We will examine leadership through a political and management perspective.

LDS 3910: Studies in Leadership (3) Prerequisite: LDS 1000 or LDS 3001, or permission of instructor.

Independent student service project conducted under faculty supervision. The project would have specific goals and a significant component of oral or written reflection/presentation focusing on outcomes. The project may be related to area of major instruction.

FRESHMAN SEMINAR COURSES

Freshman seminar serves as an introduction to academic life and includes a core curriculum designed to assist students to transition successfully to the demands of higher education.  Seminar 1010 is required of all regularly admitted first-year students. Freshmen in academic jeopardy (those who have been placed on academic probation) at the end of their first full-time semester of enrollment will be required to complete SEM 1020 as well.  Student Support Services participants should register for seminars as designated for those accepted into the program.

SEM 1010: Freshman Success Seminar (1)

This introduction to college and to UVA Wise explores majors, careers, and planning for success in an academic context that addresses academic skills.  The class introduces students to critical resources, and engages students with a variety of reading and applied activities.

SEM 1020:  Freshman Skills Seminar (1)

This hands-on seminar is required of first-year students in academic jeopardy.  The seminar focuses on information designed to help students build skill sets needed for academic success.  The class emphasizes participation and the use of College resources.

SEM 2950: Special Topics (1)

Designed to assist any student who wishes to improve academic performance, SEM 2950 provides an intrusive advising experience emphasizing the development of good independent skills.  May include requirements for utilization of other College resources.

INDEPENDENT STUDY

The primary purpose of independent study courses is to give better than average students an opportunity to take a course or courses in subject matter appropriate for their academic program that would not otherwise be available at the College.

The following guidelines are used in considering requests for independent study courses:

  1. A student may take no more than two independent study courses in one semester.
  2. Independent study courses cannot be used to satisfy the Liberal Arts Core requirements.
  3. To be eligible to take an independent study course, a student must have at least a 3.00 grade point average. To be eligible to take two independent study courses, a student must have at least a 3.50 grade point average.
  4. A course cannot be taken on an independent study basis in a semester in which it is offered on a regular basis.
  5. Part-time faculty do not offer independent study courses.
  6. A full-time faculty member should offer no more than two independent study courses each semester if he or she is teaching a regular load, and none if he or she has an overload such as an extra class.
  7. A request from a faculty member to add an independent study course should be accompanied by a course outline and a schedule of activities for the semester.
  8. A request to add an independent study course must be submitted by the Department Chair and approved the Provost. The request must be returned to the Registrar’s Office prior to beginning the class and the student’s name should be included.