University Honors Program

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Departmental Honors Programs Preparation for Professional Schools
Experiential Learning Programs ROTC Programs
International Studies University Honors
Military Science Area (ROTC)

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University Honors

Coordinator: Professor Maisto

The purpose of the University Honors curriculum is to provide intellectual excitement for students, to fill some of the gaps created through traditional disciplinary learning, to encourage concerned, globally-aware citizenship, and to provide a unique social and intellectual mix for both students and faculty. Interdisciplinary courses fit the theme, "Issues for Human Survival in the 21st Century," and are designed to confront political, religious, economic, ecological, gender, race, justice, and human rights related issues and their impact on the global community and the human condition. In every case, courses include a strong humanities component with special emphasis on historical perspectives and creative literary and artistic works.

1. A four-course sequence: HONR 1701. War, Peace, Justice and Human Survival, HONR 1702. Economic Welfare and International Communities, HONR 3701. Science, Technology and Human Values, and HONR 3702. Human Rights and Social Justice.
2. HONR 2701, Enrichment Seminar.
3. A 40 clock-hour community service laboratory: HONR 2750.
4. Senior project: HONR 3790.

Honors sections of freshman English are offered each semester and orient Freshmen to the philosophy and rigors of the Honors Program. In addition, courses across a wide variety of disciplines, including Business, Literature, Psychology, and Environmentalism are offered to University Honors students on a demand basis and may be substituted for two of the four courses.

University Honors courses are often team taught by faculty members from different disciplines and classes have limited enrollment in order for students to develop their creative talents to the fullest extent possible. To this end, University Honors students are encouraged to live in the Honors College, a residence life facility within Poplar Hall which provides an environment conducive to study and learning. In order to facilitate learning, the "commons" area of the Honors College contains a well equipped computer room for student use and a study/classroom facility.

University Honors promotes both community service and enrichment experiences from a broad spectrum.

The Honors Program, in cooperation with Education Abroad Programs, also offers a comprehensive study abroad program, emphasizing diversity, choice, and flexibility. Opportunities vary from ten-day trips to various countries, to full academic years spent abroad, with all experiences designed to provide international education opportunities and perspectives. Some study abroad opportunities are interwoven with specially designed honors classes, while others are combined with the community service aspect of the program. Although study abroad is not required, it is strongly encouraged.

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Departmental Honors Programs

Involvement in honors work at UNC Charlotte may take two principal forms. The University Honors Program is a broad-based program designed to give its students the more liberal education achieved through study of global interdisciplinary subjects normally falling outside traditional disciplines. Its goal is to prepare students with global awareness and concern about the issues for human survival in the 21st century. The program is a four-year sequence of study beginning with the freshman year but it can be completed in as little as two years.

Students with majors in certain departments may graduate with departmental honors. All departmental programs require research and thesis or some form of senior project. Some also require additional coursework or activity.

Honors Certification: University Requirements. To qualify for graduation with honors recognition in a specific program, a student is required to (a) have a least a 3.2 GPA for all honors courses completed in the program; (b) complete an acceptable honors thesis; © receive the grade of A or B for at least 3 hours of Honors thesis research in that discipline; (d) be recommended by the program's Honors Committee for graduation with honors; and (e) complete any additional requirements specified for the program.

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International Studies

Associate Vice Chancellor: vacant

The College of Arts and Sciences offers a minor in International Studies that allows undergraduate students to pursue an interdisciplinary and comparative study of foreign cultures and societies while they fulfill the academic requirements for a major in one of the approved University degree programs. Students who minor in International Studies select one of five academic tracks (African Studies, Asian Studies, European Studies, International Business, or a self-designed track focused on a particular issue, theme and/or region). For information, see the International Studies section under the College of Arts and Sciences in this Catalog.

OFFICE OF EDUCATION ABROAD

UNC Charlotte encourages its students to study or have an educational work experience in a foreign country as a part of their undergraduate careers. The Office of Education Abroad offers opportunities to study or work abroad for a year, a semester or a summer. Programs are available in countries virtually all over the world. A semester or year abroad need not cost much more than a semester or year at UNC Charlotte. Students may receive academic credit for all courses taken while overseas and intern or coop credit for educational work experiences abroad. No time need be lost toward graduating on schedule. Study abroad may satisfy up to six semester hours of GOAL VI (X) of the general education requirements. Knowledge of a foreign language is not required to study or work abroad. UNC Charlotte has sent students in architecture, business, arts and sciences, engineering, education and nursing on its education abroad programs.

Students are encouraged to begin planning for study or work abroad while they are freshmen or sophomores. The study abroad experience may take place during the sophomore, junior, or senior year. Regular UNC Charlotte financial aid and scholarships are available and applicable to study abroad.

The Office of Education Abroad assists students in choosing and applying for education abroad programs. It also provides cross-cultural orientation and re-entry (to the United States) assistance.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM (ISEP)

UNC Charlotte is one of approximately 200 U.S. institutions of higher education which are members of the International Student Exchange Program (ISEP). This program allows the UNC Charlotte student to exchange with students from Africa, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe and Latin America. The students pay their regular tuition, fees, room and board at UNC Charlotte and exchange places for the year with students from institutions outside the United States who have similarly covered their costs. The student is registered at the foreign institution, taking the same courses, having the same assignments and participating in the same activities as all other students at that institution. This program permits the student to be exposed daily to a different set of cultural values, to new ideas and new world views. ISEP exchanges are small in scale, with only a few students going to each foreign institution.

Further information about the Education Abroad or International Student Exchange programs may be obtained from the Office of Education Abroad.

 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING INSTITUTE

The English Language Training Institute (ELTI) provides intensive English as a Second Language instruction for international students planning to attend American universities or colleges and for individuals pursuing professional training in the United States. ELTI holds three sessions per year--fall, spring, and summer--and offers eight language proficiency levels, including a level for applicants for graduate study. Average class size is 12 and students attend classes 20-24 hours per week. Exceptional students in Levels 6 and 7 are eligible to take University courses in addition to their English classes. ELTI also offers assessment and a communications course for international teaching assistants and consulting for international faculty at UNC Charlotte. For more information about the ELTI, contact the Program Director in the Office of International Programs.

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ROTC Programs


To prepare themselves to serve as commissioned officers in the Air Force or Army, students may participate in the Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) offered by the Department of Aerospace Studies or in the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) offered by the Military Science Area.

Aerospace Studies

Chairman: Professor (Mil.): Ardo; Assistant Professors (Mil.): Lowdermilk, Jones

Aerospace Studies prepares students for leadership positions with the United States Air Force through the Preprofessional Program and offers courses to all students through the Academic Program. The curriculum examines multi-disciplinary issues as they relate to leadership participation in the military environment.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM

The academic program (without affiliation with the formal Air Force ROTC program) is designed for students interested in gaining a perspective on military leadership, management, ethics, and discipline. Students who pursue this concentration should take the upper-level (AERO 3100 and 3200) courses, several of which are approved to satisfy general education requirements and they may attend the lower-level courses. Participation in Leadership Laboratory courses is available by special permission from the department.

Preprofessional Program/Air Force ROTC Program. The preprofessional track of the Aerospace Studies program is implemented as the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. It provides three programs for students to qualify for a commission as a second lieutenant in the Air Force. To be eligible for the Air Force ROTC preprofessional program, a student must be a citizen of the United States, physically qualified for commission in the Air Force, not under 14 years of age and, upon graduation, no more than 30 years of age. For those with prior military service, commissioning must occur not later than age 35. If designated for flight training, the student must be able to complete all commissioning requirements prior to age 26½.

Cadets must pursue work leading to at least a bachelor's degree and be willing to sign a formal agreement at the beginning of the advanced course or upon initiation of a college scholarship. The agreement, an enlistment into the Air Force Reserve, obligates the student to remain in the ROTC program, accept a commission and serve the required period in the Air Force upon graduation. Cadets must also demonstrate proficiency or successfully complete courses in mathematical reasoning and English composition before commissioning.

Four-Year Program. This program begins with the General Military Course (GMC) and offers coursework within the lower division. GMC students not on Air Force ROTC scholarship incur no military obligation. Each candidate for commissioning must pass each GMC course with a grade of C or better and pass the requisite lab. Students must score appropriately on an Air Force aptitude test, pass a medical examination and be selected by a board of Air Force officers. If selected, the student then enrolls in the Professional Officer Course (POC), the last two years of the Air Force ROTC curriculum. Students attend a four-week field training course at an Air Force base normally between the sophomore and junior years. All students in the POC receive a tax-free stipend of $150 a month. Upon successful completion of the POC and the requirements for a degree, the student is commissioned in the Air Force as a second lieutenant.

Two-Year Program. The basic requirement for entry into the two-year program is that the student has two academic years of college work remaining, either at the undergraduate or graduate level, or a combination of both. Applicants seeking enrollment in the two-year program must pass Air Force aptitude and medical examinations and be selected by a board of Air Force officers. After successfully completing a six-week field training course at an Air Force base, the applicant may enroll in the Professional Officer Course (POC). Upon completion of the POC and the college requirements for a degree, the student is commissioned as a second lieutenant. All students in the two-year program receive a tax-free stipend of $150 a month.

One-Year Program. This program is designed for students in selected majors who are completing their junior year. The designated majors are announced annually. Cadets in the one-year program complete the Professional Officer Corps (POC) in approximately 15 months, which includes a 6-week field training encampment. Students attend encampment prior to entering the program. Students receive Air Force ROTC scholarship benefits of tuition, payments of fees and books, and a tax-free stipend of $150 per month.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

Air Force ROTC awards scholarships at the freshman, sophomore and junior levels. They are only provided for the preprofessional track leading to a commission in the Air Force. They are available to qualified cadets in the one-year, two-year and four-year programs. Scholarships are given on a semester basis.

Full-time enrollment in the University or a consortium institution and the Aerospace Studies program is a requirement for scholarship eligibility. Scholarships cover full tuition, fees and books. Scholarship cadets also receive a tax-free stipend of $150 a month.

Air Force ROTC students who accept a scholarship must agree to successfully complete at least one semester of college instruction or the equivalent in a major Indo-European or Asian language before commissioning. Scholarship recipients also are required to successfully complete an English composition course prior to entry into the junior year.

Four-year scholarships also are available to high school students. High school students interested in making application should contact the Unit Recruiting Officer within the department. Initial four-year scholarship packages must be postmarked by December 1 prior to enrollment.

ADJUNCT PROGRAMS

Field Training. Two Field Training courses are offered, either of which is normally completed during the summer between the sophomore and junior years. One covers a four-week period for students in the four-year program; the other lasts six weeks and is designed for two-year program applicants. Transportation, lodging, meals and approximately $150 per week are provided by the Air Force during Field Training.

Leadership Laboratory. Those students pursuing the preprofessional track will participate a minimum of one hour per week during every semester of enrollment. The objective is to provide a laboratory environment where each student receives an opportunity to learn and develop leadership and management abilities. Cadets plan, organize and carry out the entire cadet program with only minimal guidance from the staff advisers.

Professional Development Program. Students enrolled in the junior and senior years of Air Force ROTC may volunteer to attend a two- or three-week orientation program at an Air Force base. This is an opportunity to observe and experience the working environment of an active Air Force facility and to obtain specific career information. Transportation, lodging, meals, and approximately $200 per week are provided by the Air Force during participation in this voluntary program.

Flight Screening. Cadets designated to enter Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training after graduation participate in the Flight Screening Program between their junior and senior years unless they already have a private pilot's license. Each cadet receives 14 hours of instruction taught by Air Force personnel at no expense to the student. This training also includes ground school instruction.

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Military Science Area (ROTC)

Professor (Mil.): Alexander; Assistant Professor (Mil.): Tilque

Participation in Army ROTC enhances the education of both men and women by providing unique leadership and management training, along with practical experience in these areas. It helps students develop many of the qualities basic to success in the Army, or in civilian careers. Students earn a college degree and an officer's commission at the same time. The program is designed to complement the student's major area of study; participation in Army ROTC is compatible with all major areas of study. The Basic Course and the Advanced Course comprise the Military Science curriculum.

BASIC COURSE

The Basic Course is usually taken during the freshman and sophomore years. It is open to all students and incurs no military obligation. Topics include management principles, leadership development, national defense organization, land navigation, small unit tactics, survival techniques, military courtesy, and physical training. Uniforms and textbooks are provided at no cost to students. Students unable to attend the Basic Course may still qualify for the Advanced Course by attending a paid six-week summer camp following their sophomore year. Placement credit is also available for veterans, members of the reserve components, and Junior ROTC participants.

ADVANCED COURSE

The Advanced Course provides instruction in military history, advanced tactics, techniques of effective leadership, and military ethics and professionalism. It is normally taken during the junior and senior years. Students successfully completing the Basic Course, who have demonstrated the potential to become officers and meet Army physical and academic standards, are eligible to enroll in the Advanced Course. Students receive a tax-free stipend of $150 per academic month and are required to attend a paid six-week summer camp at Fort Bragg, NC, between their junior and senior years. In addition to Military Science courses, students must complete HIST 2120 American Military History. Nursing students may enter the Advanced Course without Basic Course credit.

Nursing Summer Camp. Nursing students enrolled in the Advanced Course attend a two-part summer camp between the junior and senior years. This consists of three weeks of basic military and leadership skills training at Fort Bragg, followed by three weeks of practical nursing training. The nurse intern training may be at Fort Bragg or another major Army Medical Center nationwide.

SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Two- and three-year scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis, providing full tuition and educational fees, a specified amount for books and supplies, and a tax-free stipend of $150 per academic month. Students do not have to be enrolled in Army ROTC to apply and incur no obligation by applying. Application timeframe is December to February each year. Special consideration is given to students in nursing, engineering and physical sciences. Four-year scholarships are available to students who apply while in high school or prior to enrollment.

COMMISSION REQUIREMENTS

To obtain a commission in the Army, Army National Guard or Army Reserve, a student must successfully complete the Advanced Course, be recommended by the Professor of Military Science, and complete work leading to at least a baccalaureate degree.

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Experiential Learning Programs

Opportunities are available for both undergraduate and graduate students to receive course credit or other recognition for supervised experiences in public and private agencies within the community, nationally, and internationally. These opportunities are offered through experiential learning programs including over 175 courses involving clinicals, cooperative education, internships, and practica. The University Career Center coordinates most experiential learning opportunities for the campus and can provide information about the following options:

Cooperative Education: This career related professional program is available to students in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, and Engineering. Participants must have a GPA of at least 2.5 and complete course requirements specified by their department. Transfer students must complete 12 hours at UNC Charlotte before applying to the program. Co-op students work two to three semesters either part-time or full-time (depending on college requirements) with an employer in a paid work experience. Although the experience does not offer academic credit, participants are classified as full-time students. Approximately 60% of all co-op students are offered full-time employment by their co-op sponsors upon graduation.

Internships: Internship programs provide an introduction to career options in a professionally related work experience. This experience is usually unpaid and may offer academic credit if there is appropriate faculty supervision. Students work between 8 to 12 hours a week while also taking other classes. The University Career Center coordinates a formal summer internship program for the College of Arts & Sciences.

The 49ership Program: The University Career Center sponsors a non-credit internship called a 49ership. Students may apply for the program after their freshman year provided they have a GPA of 2.0 or better; graduate students must complete 9 credit hours in their graduate program before making application. (Transfer students must successfully complete 12 credit hours at UNC Charlotte before making application.) Participating employers have included Carolinas Medical Center, the District Attorney's Office, General Electric, The Mint Museum, Paramount's Carowinds, Sea-Land Services, Transamerica, US Airways, WBTV, and Zapata Engineering. Some positions in this program are compensated. The University Career Center and the Experiential Learning Council are developing one week shadowing experiences called a Career Prospector.

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Preparation for Professional Schools

Students may begin preparation at UNC Charlotte for a number of professional careers. Depending upon the professional school's requirements, the student may wish to take a degree at UNC Charlotte or to transfer after one, two or three years.

Preparation for the following programs is offered: chemical engineering, dentistry, forest resources, law, medical technology, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine.

The student who plans to enter a professional school is advised to plan his/her program so that general requirements for the bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree are met in addition to the requirements for the professional program being considered. The student planning to attend a professional school should inform his/her adviser of his/her plans. The student should become familiar with the requirements of the school which he/she plans to attend.

Chemical Engineering. Students seeking a program in chemical engineering should consult the Department of Chemistry for advice concerning available options. However, those students desiring to obtain the Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering degree may do so by transferring to North Carolina State University after spending two years at UNC Charlotte. To be eligible for such transfer, the student must meet the admissions requirements for transfer at North Carolina State University. After transfer, an additional two years normally will be required for the degree.

The following courses are ones which most closely resemble courses suggested for chemical engineering students at North Carolina State University.

First Year

Chemistry 1251, 1251L, 1252, 1252L (or 1253L) formerly CHEM 1101, 1101L, 1102, 1102L (or 1106L)
Engineering 1100
English 1101 and 1102
Mathematics 1241, 1242
Physics 2101,2101L
Mechanical Engineering 1102
Physical Education (two semesters)
* Elective (one semester)


Second Year

Chemistry 2131, 2131L, 2132, 2132L
Electrical Engineering 2161, 2162
Mathematics 2171, 2241
Physical Education (two semesters)
Physics 2102, 2102L
* Electives (two semesters)

*A one-semester course in each of the following areas is required before graduation from North Carolina State University: economics, English literature, history, or philosophy of science.

Dentistry and Medicine. The composite requirements for entrance to most medical and dental schools in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee and Virginia are as follows:

Biology 8 hours
General Chemistry 8 hours
Organic Chemistry 8 hours
(Some schools require additional chemistry)
Physics 8 hours
English 6 hours

Students should check specific requirements of schools of interest.

Pre-Medical, Preprofessional Committee. The UNC Charlotte Preprofessional Committee consists of faculty members from throughout the University and serves as the main advisory and recommending body for UNC Charlotte students seeking entrance to health professional careers. In order to obtain a recommendation to medical school or dental school from the committee, the student must register with the committee in the Biology office by September of the year in which applications are being made.

Contact the Office of Academic Affairs for the name of the committee chairperson. Students working toward entrance to health professional schools are advised to work closely with the Premedical Advisers in the Biology and Chemistry Departments throughout their study at UNC Charlotte.

Allied Health Club. Students interested in health related careers are encouraged to join the Allied Health Club. The organization sponsors speakers, volunteer opportunities in local hospitals, and trips to see admissions officers and teaching programs in schools throughout the region.

Law. The University suggests that the student planning to enter law school consider courses in such areas as accounting, business administration, business law, communications, criminal justice, debating, drama, economics, English literature and composition, finance, history, logic and ethics, mathematics, modern languages, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology, and statistics. Preparation should include comprehension of and expression in words, the development of a critical understanding of human institutions and values, the generation of a creative power in thinking, and a working knowledge of the use of the computer in modern society. Thus, any of a number of majors, with wisely selected electives, might provide the broad educational background needed.

Pre-Law Society. The UNCC Pre-Law Society is a student pre-law organization. The Society carries on a large number of activities designed to help its members decide whether they wish to attend law school: providing sessions with pre-law advisers and attorneys; taking field trips to pre-law conferences, law schools, law offices and courts; having a guest speaker program on legal and judicial topics, and working on preparations for the LSAT. Membership in the Society is open to all UNCC students, regardless of major or year at the University. For more information, contact the Department of Political Science.

Medical Technology. The University, through affiliation with several schools of medical technology, offers programs leading to baccalaureate degrees in biology and chemistry, with training in medical technology. Students interested in this four-year program are advised to check the more detailed listing under the individual departments and to consult with the appropriate adviser in the Department of Biology or Chemistry.

Optometry. There are no schools of optometry in North Carolina. Each year, however, the State of North Carolina contracts 24 spaces in out-of-state schools of optometry and partially subsidizes the tuition costs for the students that it selects to attend these schools. Information on these contract programs in Optometry may be obtained from General Administration of The University of North Carolina.

For admission, the contract schools require programs similar to the one given here, consisting of at least 90 semester hours of coursework. Science courses should include appropriate laboratories:

English 1101 and 1102
Mathematics 1103, 1241, 1242, Statistics 1121
Biology 1110 and 1115 or 1233 and 2111, 1259 or 4250, 3273, 4293
Chemistry 1251 and 1252 (formerly CHEM 1101 and 1102), 2131 and 2132
Physics 1101 and 1102
Psychology 1101
Social Science: 2 courses

Advising for students interested in pre-optometry preparation is available in the Departments of Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

Pharmacy. Students planning to seek a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree may spend either one or two years at UNC Charlotte. One year is recommended for students transferring to a four-year pharmacy school; two years are recommended for students transferring to a three-year pharmacy school such as The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The following courses are equivalent to those required for transfer into the pharmacy school at UNC-Chapel Hill:

English 1101 and 1102
Mathematics 1241, 1103 (if taken before 1241)
Foreign Language: through 2201
Biology 1110 or 1233, and 1273+L, 1274+L
Chemistry 1251+L, 1252+L (formerly CHEM 1101+L, 1102+L), 2131+L, 2132+L
Physics 1101 and 1102

Students must select one course from each of the following groups for a total of four courses:

Group 1: English 2101, 2102, 2104, 2111, 2112; Theatre 1101; Music 1132
Group 2: Religion 1101; Philosophy 2101
Group 3: Economics 1201
Group 4: History 1120, 3101, 3102

Physical Education: Two semesters of physical education activities are required.

Veterinary Medicine. The following UNC Charlotte courses meet the requirements for admission to the School of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University.

Students should consult with a Pre-Vet Adviser in the Biology or Chemistry Department.

ENGL 1101, 1102 6
MATH 1103, 1120 or 1241 6
STAT 1221 3
PHYS 1101+L, 1102+L 8
*BIOL 3166+L, 4250+L, Prerequisites + 8
*BIOL 1233 +L, BIOL 2111 +L 8
CHEM 1251+L, 1252+L, 2131+L,
2132+L, 4165+L 20
NURS 3104 3

All but two of these courses must be completed by the end of the Fall Semester in which a student applies for admission to the School of Veterinary Medicine.

*Non-biology majors should consult a Pre-Vet Adviser in the Biology Department for information on the introductory biology courses required..

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