2008-2009 Catalog - Virginia Wesleyan College

52PROGRAMS AND COURSESPROGRAMS AND COURSESSPECIAL DESIGNATIONSCollege courses are numbered at the 100, 200,300, and 400 levels. Traditionally, these levelscorrespond roughly to the freshman, sophomore,junior, and senior sequence of class standings. As a rule,courses numbered at the 100 and 200 levels areintroductory and have a broad educational utility. Coursesnumbered at the 300 and 400 levels generally build onprevious introductory offerings and have a more specificeducational utility.100 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . freshman level200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sophomore level300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . junior level400 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . senior levelCourses which count toward a given General Studiesrequirement can be easily identified by a capital letterfollowing the course title.(W) Writing Courses(A) Aesthetic Experience and Criticism(E) Empirical Knowledge(V) Ethical Values, World Views andFaith Perspectives(H) Historical Perspective(C) Communications(S) Institutional and Cultural Systems(I) Senior Integrative ExperienceACADEMIC SKILLSDEVELOPMENTMS. ALTHIA WOODSON-ROBINSONSome students who have graduated from high schoolfind that they are still lacking in certain skills which areimportant for college success. Through the academic skillsdevelopment program, Virginia Wesleyan College offersassistance to students to improve their skills in thinking,writing, reading, and basic computation.A writing lab is available for those who needindividualized attention for improving their writingcapabilities.The Math Department offers special courses andtutoring services for students whose computational skillsneed improvement.Tutoring, and/or workshops in any subject are availableto students desiring or needing improvement of study skillstechniques in a group or on an individual basis through theLearning Center.The college also provides additional assistance tostudents who need to improve such skills as readingcomprehension, vocabulary, note taking, speed reading,and test-taking techniques.ACADEMIC SKILLSDEVELOPMENT (ASD)301 Tutoring (1)Upper-class students who have received grades of no lessthan B may participate in tutoring for credit. To earn onesemester hour, students will comply with a 30-hourtutoring contract. Tutoring sessions will be supervised bythe coordinator of learning resources and approved by theinstructor of the course tutored. Course offered on basis ofneed for tutors.AMERICAN STUDIESDR. CONNIE BELLAMY, Program CoordinatorThe American Studies major invites students to explorethe rich history and culture of the United States. Aninterdisciplinary major within the liberal arts, AmericanStudies prepares students for careers in a myriad of fieldssuch as law, social service, teaching, journalism, business,library science, and the making of public policy, as well asfor graduate and professional degrees. The flexible academicprogram allows students to design an individualized courseof study drawing on a wide variety of disciplines, includinghistory, politics, criminal justice, and government; art, film,theatre, journalism, and literature; education, economics,sociology, religion, and others. Virginia Wesleyan’sAmerican Studies Program is located near many of theimportant places where history was made and continues tobe made: Jamestown, Williamsburg, Washington, D.C.,and by the homes of historical figures such as GeorgeWashington, Thomas Jefferson, and Robert E. Lee. It offersstudents an important and exciting educational experienceboth in and outside the classroom.AMERICAN STUDIESCOURSES (AMST)200 Introduction to American Culture Studies (3)Introduces students to the interdisciplinary field ofAmerican culture studies and exposes them to a variety ofapproaches to understanding American nationalexperiences, values, and ideals as they are reflected in verbal,visual, and material artifacts and human interactions.Investigates the myths and cultural narratives associatedwith these artifacts that have shaped our definition of whatit means to be American and general perceptions aboutAmerican culture. Offered each fall.ANTHROPOLOGY(See Sociology)