catalog - Prairie State College

2006-2008 CATALOGOVERVIEWASSOCIATE IN GENERAL STUDIES:LEARNING FOR LIFEThe A.G.S. degree allows students to create, within certainbroad requirements, their own 62-credit-hour degree program.Although the potential for enrichment and learning is great, thedegree is not intended to lead into a specific occupational area.It also is not a transfer degree leading to a bachelor’s.INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS: EARNING YOURCREDITS, YOUR WAYYour life is busy and your learning style is your own, so youneed options. Credit courses are offered in a variety of formats.Check the Credit Course Schedule to find out that semester’sofferings, then register for the section that’s right for you.Theschedule is available in print and on the Web site.Late Start Classes. Students who are unable to start classesat the beginning of the semester may also take advantage ofLate Start courses, which are accelerated courses that beginthe fifth week of the semester and run for 12 rather than 16weeks. A selection of such courses is available each semester.Evening/Weekend Classes. Realizing that many of our studentshave family and work responsibilities that make it difficultto take classes during the day, Prairie State College offers anumber of courses in the evening and on weekends at the maincampus and the Matteson Area Center in Matteson.This makesit possible for you to pursue part-time college-level work forcultural and intellectual improvement, advancement in businessor professional fields, technical and specialized training, or tofulfill requirements for degrees or certificates.Online Courses. A growing variety of courses are offeredover the Internet. Self-directed students with computers connectedto the Internet may take advantage of these classes.Students must attend a mandatory orientation meeting at thestart of the online class.Illinois Virtual Campus. The Illinois Virtual Campus is your linkto online classes at other colleges and universities in the state.Log onto www.ivc.illinois.edu and get connected to hundreds ofclasses available to fit your busy schedule. Call (708) 709-3518for more information.Telecourses. Telecourses are college-credit courses taughtwith videotapes in conjunction with a required text and studyguide.The tapes may be viewed in the Library or, with a fewexceptions, be checked out to be viewed at home. Studentsmust attend a mandatory orientation meeting at the start ofthe online class.Fast Track in Business Degree. PSC’s Fast Track program inBusiness is specially designed for busy adults who are seriouslycommitted to continuing their education.You can earn anAssociate of Arts transfer degree in two years and then transferinto most bachelor’s degree programs as a junior. Theclasses follow a recommended course sequence and are offeredduring the evening and online. For more information or toenroll, contact the Counseling & Academic Advising Centerat (708) 709-3506.Honors Program. PSC’s Honors Program offers qualifiedstudents enhanced learning and transfer opportunities. Benefitsinclude smaller class size and a creative, challenging atmosphereincluding guest speakers, field trips and other enrichmentactivities. Honors classes are special sections of regular coursesand will be designated “Honors” on your transcripts.To begin taking Honors courses, you must have either 12credit hours of 100+ level PSC course work and a minimumgrade point average (GPA) of 3.5; or college-level placementscores in reading and English as well as a composite COMPASSscore of 220.To continue taking Honors courses, a minimumGPA of 3.5 must be maintained.Recent offerings have included Biology, Communication,Earth Science, English (Composition and Literature),Humanities, Philosophy, Political Science and Psychology, but theofferings vary by semester. For a list of available courses, seethe Honors listing in the Fall and Spring Credit CourseSchedules. For more information, contact the HonorsEnrollment Advisor at (708) 709-3641.Learning in Community (LinC). In a LinC, you enroll in twocourses taught together by two instructors.The curriculum isorganized in a way that promotes connections across courses,fosters a sense of community among students and faculty, andencourages active and collaborative learning.The result is thatstudents actively participate in learning, interact more with thefaculty and learn to work in problem-solving groups. For moreinformation, contact an advisor at (708) 709-3622.Study Abroad. You don’t have to go far to expand your horizons.In association with the Illinois Consortium for InternationalStudies and Programs (ICISP), Prairie State College is able toprovide students with opportunities to study abroad and experiencedifferent cultures. ICISP is a consortium of 40 communitycolleges and small liberal arts colleges that offers a semester-longsummer study abroad program in Costa Rica.ADULT EDUCATION INSTITUTEPrairie State College offers several programs free of charge toeligible students in need of basic education, through the supportof state and federal grants. Classes are offered during theday, evenings and on weekends in the Adult Training & OutreachCenter, as well as at various locations throughout the PSC district.All programs are open to persons 16 years of age or olderand who are not enrolled in public school. Based on an assessmentof needs and skill level, students are placed in the proper program.Call (708) 709-7880 for information on any of the following:Adult Literacy. Help is available to those who have difficultyor are unable to read, write or do basic math.Adult Basic Education. ABE classes help students improvetheir basic skills in reading, mathematics and English.General Education Development (GED). Review classesprepare you to take the high school equivalency exam. Theycover the five areas of student that are tested on the GEDexam: English, social studies, science, literature and math.Preparation and testing for the Illinois and federal constitutionsare also included in the course.English as a Second Language (ESL). Classes teach skills inspeaking, reading, writing and listening in English to non-nativespeakers. In recent years, the program has provided instructionto thousands of students.Family Learning Institute. Parents who have less than a highschool education or whose native language is other than Englishcan learn along with their children, with a special emphasis onreading together. On-site child care is provided for thosebetween ages 1 and 13.Adult Education Computer Program. Students in GED,ABE orESL classes at the College can take beginning-level computerclasses in the well-equipped lab in the Adult Training &Outreach Center. Supportive help is also provided.7OVERVIEW