2010-2011 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog
Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies
Administration
Dean: Wenner; Associate Dean: Glass
Web site
Mission
The Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies fosters and supports interdisciplinary programs and initiative in teaching and research and university-wide support services. Its mission is: connecting diverse interdisciplinary communities and cultivating innovative liberal learning.
Program Information
The Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies offers interdisciplinary undergraduate degree programs in Chinese studies, liberal studies and women and gender studies; minors in African/African-American studies, East Asian studies, environmental studies, Latin American studies, Middle East studies, and women and gender studies. In addition, the college hosts a number of academic and non-academic units that provide university-wide service and opportunities for faculty and students. The college serves to nurture and support interdisciplinary programming and promote cross-disciplinary collaboration.
What is interdisciplinary study? Traditional university models involve discipline-specific learning, focusing on depth of knowledge. Interdisciplinary study requires the learner to incorporate knowledge from a variety of content areas within a perspective that helps to solve complex problems and issues. Critical thinking skills are developed by learners who see the breadth of issues as well as the depth, combining science, the arts, and humanities. Interdisciplinary questions are complex, multi-faceted, and involve the highest order of learning skills. Often this means that instruction comes from experts in a variety of fields, and outstanding teachers who can help students combine real-world experience with broad content knowledge.
Continuing Education
The Office of Continuing Education provides programs and services that link the needs of lifelong learners with the resources of the university. Continuing Education coordinates academic programs and services at regional sites and locations throughout Michigan, as well as through professional development and community engagement opportunities. Information regarding professional development and Grand Forum can be found in the Community Resources section of the catalog. Information regarding nontraditional student assistance, programs and locations, can be found in the Continuing Education section of the catalog.
The Frederik Meijer Honors College
The Frederik Meijer Honors College provides academically talented students from all majors with the opportunity to work with excellent teaching faculty in a small college environment. The mission of the Honors College is to provide a challenging interdisciplinary liberal education and a living/learning environment that prepares students to be intellectually curious, life-long learners and leaders in their communities and a changing world. Additional Honors College information can be found in the Honors College section of the catalog. Honors courses are team taught, blocked sequentially, and offer an interdisciplinary approach to general education.
The Robert and Mary Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center
The Robert and Mary Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center supports faculty efforts to achieve teaching excellence. The Center presents programs throughout the calendar year, including workshops, mentoring programs, conferences, and consultations. Its directors offer leadership on teaching and learning issues across the university with a particular emphasis on teaching within a liberal education context. The Pew FTLC also provides tangible support and recognition of teaching excellence through a grants program and the campus-wide Pew Teaching Awards. The Pew FTLC is located in 324 Lake Ontario Hall.
Barbara H. Padnos International Center
The Padnos International Center (PIC) serves as the university clearinghouse for study abroad opportunities for students from all academic programs. Students can choose to take faculty-led classes abroad, spend a semester abroad or intern at an international site. In addition, grants are available for faculty and staff to travel abroad to aid in the internationalization of GVSU and its curriculum. PIC hosts international scholars as well as incoming international students.
Office of Integrative Learning
Integrative Learning offers a variety of programs and resources to fully engage students in their lifelong educational journeys and assist them in making connections between school, work, and other spheres of their everyday lives. The purpose of the Office of Integrative Learning is to help students transcend boundaries between academic, personal, and work life to become engaged, ethical, and academically proficient learners.
Some of the hallmark programs of the Office of Integrative Learning are:
- Community Reading Project Enhances the intellectual environment and culture of Grand Valley and its surrounding communities by encouraging the reading, appreciation, and discussion of books.
- The LIB 100 Co-curriculum offers collaborative educational experiences and events which encourage students to critique and shape their own educational paths within the context of an academic course.
- Student Summer Scholars A summer program which offers a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to do hands-on, professional research and creative practice in their chosen field.
- Student Scholars Day An annual celebration of the scholarship and creative work performed by GVSU students. The day showcases faculty-mentored student work, shared through many venues, including oral presentations, discussion and panel sessions, fine arts exhibits and performances, and poster presentations.
Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors
The Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors provides writing support to all students at the university. In addition to offering one-to-one consultations to students via appointments and drop-in hours at the Allendale, Pew, CHS, and Meijer (Holland) campuses, the center also sends consultants into all first-year writing classrooms (WRT 098 and WRT 150) to facilitate peer review sessions in those courses. The center also offers online consultations. To meet the needs of English as Second Language students, or international students or students referred to the Center by Disability Support Services, the center offers standing, weekly, one-hour appointments.
The center is also a resource for faculty and offers writing instructional support services and some programming to support faculty writing projects. Faculty writing retreats are offered as intensive writing instruction for faculty working on major projects.
Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence
The Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence works to provide support, mentorship, and guidance for faculty in their research and creative work. The center will promote the development of faculty in their pursuit of excellence and connect the Grand Valley community of scholars for mutual growth.
Faculty Research and Development (R&D) Center
The Faculty Research and Development (R&D) Center focuses on the enhancement of faculty and student research and scholarship. The R&D Center provides funding for graduate student research and scholarly travel. The Graduate Student Presidential Grant-in-Aid is offered to graduate students who need support for research tied to completion of some aspect of their graduate degree, such as a thesis or final scholarly project. Another area of support through the center is the
Student Scholarly Travel Grant-in-Aid that helps offset the cost of travel to make presentation of the students research at a state or national professional or disciplinary conference. In addition, the Human Research Review Committee (HRRC) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) provide compliance oversight and educational support for graduate students whose research involves either human or animal subjects. An on-line human research protections educational program, CITI, is available to all Grand Valley graduate students through the auspices of the R&D Center. Contact r&[email protected] or (616) 331-2281.
Sustainable Community Development Initiative
The Sustainable Community Development Initiative (SCDI) provides the necessary skills, analytical tools, and resources to address global, national, regional, and local sustainability issues. Sustainability relates to the preservation of society for future generations by addressing the three pronged approach of social justice, economic prosperity, and environmental stewardship. SCDI connects faculty, students, and community stakeholders to address campus needs as well as community needs. The initiative provides support and input for course development, campus programming, internships, and project activities that promote awareness about sustainable development and the application for sustainable best practices.
Lake Michigan Writing Project
The Lake Michigan Writing Project (LMWP) is an organization of, by, and for teachers of writing at all grade levels and in all disciplines, dedicated to improving the teaching and uses of writing through a variety of programs.
Academic Units
Liberal Studies
The Liberal Studies Department at Grand Valley State University provides students with the opportunity to design programs that suit their specific interests, talents, and career aspirations utilizing courses throughout the university. The program begins with a core of required courses. Then, with the help of a faculty advisor, students develop a major area of study based on a specific theme, issue, problem, or career interest. Students interested in exploring the liberal studies option might begin by taking one of the core courses in conjunction with the Grand Valley State University general education requirement or one of the integrative or interdisciplinary electives. Students may also wish to write or make an appointment with any one of the members of the liberal studies committee.
Women and Gender Studies
The Women and Gender Studies Program at Grand Valley State University offers an interdisciplinary major and minor based on the scholarship of the study of women, men, lesbians, gays, transgendered, and bisexuals. WGS has close relationships with the Liberal Studies Department and the African/African American, Middle Eastern, Latin American, and East Asian programs. The WGS Program works closely with GVSU's Women's Center to cosponsor a variety of speakers, events, and internships. For students selecting the major or minor in women and gender studies, there are more than 30 courses that fulfill the required twenty-one hours. More than 40 faculty across the campus support WGS through teaching, research, and service.
Areas Studies Programs
Area Studies focus on the interdisciplinary study of the culture and issues of a particular world region.
- African/African American studies (minor)
- Middle East Studies (minor)
- Latin American studies (minor)
- East Asian studies (minor
- Chinese studies (major)
Student Services and Campus-wide Programs
Supplemental Writing Skills Program
The supplemental Writing Skills (SWS) Program is a pedagogical component of the GVSU general-education requirements. SWS courses are writing-intensive, meaning that writing quality is a major component of both the classroom requirement as well as the grade. GVSU requires that students complete two SWS courses to graduate. Specific courses are listed as SWS. Additional information regarding SWS requirements can be found under Academic Policies and Regulations
Junior Level Writing Assessment
All GVSU students must demonstrate proficiency in writing in order to graduate. WRT 305 is the designated course to meet this writing requirement. Students can test out of the course by taking and passing a writing assessment test, which allows the students to demonstrate their ability to write for content as well as style and mechanics. The assessment test needs to be taken during the junior year so that, in the event that the test is not passed, the student can still take the WRT 305 class.
Student Scholars Day
Student Scholars Day (SSD) is held once each year to celebrate the scholarship and creative work performed by GVSU students. The day showcases faculty-mentored student work, shared through many venues, including (but not limited to) oral presentations, discussion and panel sessions, fine arts exhibits and performances, and poster presentations.
Summer Student Scholars
The Student Summer Scholars Program (S3) provides funds for a student and faculty mentor to devote twelve weeks to a research and/or creative project during the spring/summer semester. Generally, S3 Grants provide a student stipend, faculty stipend, and a small budget for supplies.
Through these grants and the mentorship of a faculty member, the S3 program offers a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to do hands-on, professional research and creative practice in their chosen field. Combining academics, field work, and a reflection component provides students with a meaningful learning experience that helps to prepare them for graduate school and future careers.
Community Reading Project
The community reading project is a campus wide initiative designed to form reading communities that focus on a single, annual reading. Community groups, classes, faculty, and alumni are invited to join the groups. In 2009 discussions focused on Three Cups of Tea, and culminated in the author, Greg Mortensen's appearance at GVSU to discuss the book.
Awards, Scholarships, and Scholarship Events
GVSU LGBT Scholarship Fund
Barbara H. Padnos International Scholarship
Jean Enright Scholarship (Women and Gender Studies)
CEA Scholarship (Cultural Experiences Abroad)
Mark A. Elizabeth C. Murray Study Abroad Scholarship
Nichols Sustainability Scholarship
Peace and Justice Award
Arend D. & Nancy Lubbers Honors College Scholarship
Grand Forum Scholarship for Continuing Education
Student Summer Scholars Program
Student Scholars Day
Graduate Assistantships
Graduate assistants work with CoIS faculty and staff. Qualified candidates are selected on the basis of aptitude, interest, and background. CoIS offers graduate assistantships in the following programs:
Continuing Education
General Education
Padnos International Center
Sustainable Community Development Initiative
Writing Center
Advisory Boards
Latin American Studies
Sustainable Community Development Initiative
Women & Gender Studies
Community Resources
Grand Forum
Professional Development
The Professional Development Partnership Program (for education and social work professionals)
Sustainable Community Development Initiative
Refer to the Community Resources section of the catalog for more information.