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Undergraduate Catalog 2004-2006: Programs

Supplemental Majors

Students seeking professional preparation in such areas as law or secondary education may complete a supplemental major in addition to an appropriate major offered by Aurora University. In the case of secondary education, the choice of the major is linked to subsequent certification; consult an Education Division advisor.

Certificates are freestanding credentials that may be earned alone, or in combination with a degree program at the student's option.

SUPPLEMENTAL MAJOR IN PRE-LAW

Law schools recognize that an excellent general education at the undergraduate level is one of the best ways to prepare for law school work. Students should take courses that are challenging and that allow the student to become knowledgeable about many diverse topics. Those college courses that permit the student to develop oral and written communication skills, reading skills, and analytical skills will be most beneficial to students involved in the rigors of pursuing a legal education. Law schools require no particular coursework or undergraduate major, although traditionally history, political science, and business administration degrees have been most frequently presented by students entering law school. The pre-law program encourages students to expand their general knowledge as much as possible and to develop and practice the skills necessary for performance at the law school level.

Admission to law school is highly competitive, so that students anticipating a career in law need to give particular attention to the quality of their academic work during their undergraduate careers, and especially on the acquisition of habits and behaviors relating to precision, fluency, and economy in speaking and writing.
Prospective pre-law students may obtain additional information on law school preparation and related matters by consulting the current editions of pre-law handbooks available in the Career Resource Center. The Bulletin of Information for candidates for the Law School Admission Test will also prove helpful.

Required Courses: Choose at least 6 semester hours from each area with at least 18 semester hours at the 300-level or above.

Area A: History and History of Western Thought
PHL/PSC4650 Classics in Political Philosophy (4)
PHL/PSC4660 Modern Political Philosophy (4)

Area B: Government and Business
BUS2010 Legal Environment of Business (2)
BUS4010 Advanced Business Law (3)
CRJ1010 The Criminal Justice System (3)
CRJ/PSC3180 Constitutional Law and the Judicial System (4)

Area C: Communications and Logic
ENG3020 Advanced Academic Writing (4)
PHL1200 Logic (3)

Area D: Social Science
PSY2340 Personality (3)
PSY3660 Abnormal Psychology (3)
CRJ/SOC2300 Criminology (3)
PSY/SOC3450 Social Psychology (3)

In addition, it is recommended that students complete one of the following courses in mathematics, or two sequential semesters of a foreign language.
MTH1100 College Algebra (3)
MTH1800 Quantitative Business Methods (4)
MTH2120 Calculus for Management and Sciences (3)


SUPPLEMENTAL MAJOR IN SECONDARY EDUCATION

The career of a high school teacher requires intellectual competence and dedication to service. For those willing and able to meet the rigorous standards for teaching certification, the joys of helping students grow and learn during their teen years are lifelong rewards.

Aurora University has designed its certification programs around the concept of achieving excellence in teaching and learning through "professional education communities." We believe that teachers are best prepared for the classroom when their professional education has involved various stakeholders such as individuals with expertise in an area, practicing teachers and school administrators, service providers, paraprofessionals, university and college faculty, profit and non-profit organizations, government agencies, school students, and parents. Professional learning communities provide environments where everyone involved brings their expertise and knowledge to contribute to the personal, professional and academic development of everyone in the community with the aim to improve schools for the benefit of all students and, ultimately, society.

A student seeking Illinois State Board of Education certification at the secondary level (grades 6-12) must satisfy state requirements both in the primary major and in general education. It is therefore essential that the entering freshman work closely with an academic advisor in order to ensure that all course requirements will be met within four years of college coursework. It is advisable for students to work towards fulfillment of state requirements early in their academic careers. Students seeking certification in one of the Aurora University approved secondary areas must apply to the College of Education for acceptance no later than the end of the sophomore year, or upon admission to the University as a transfer student in the case of those who have completed the sophomore year. Aurora University is approved to offer the following secondary teacher certification programs as approved by the Illinois State Board of Education: Biology, Computer Science, English, Mathematics, Physical Education, and Social Studies. Admission to the University does not guarantee admission to a major in the College of Education. Admission to the program is based on passing the Illinois State Board of Education background check, passing the Illinois Certification Testing System Basic Skills Test, writing of an essay, and a minimum GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale. Because of the extensive nature of the program requirements, which overlap some of the University general education requirements, students must plan coursework carefully in consultation with education faculty. Only students who have been accepted into the College of Education may take methods courses.

The College of Education is currently undertaking a major redesign of its programs that lead to certification. Students must be aware that there is the possibility that this redesign may alter some of the requirements currently stated in this catalog and your program could be subject to these changes.

Required for State Certification in Secondary Education
The required and selected courses in each "approved" major plus the following professional education courses must be satisfactorily completed for state certification:

Required Education Courses: 36 semester hours
EDU2200 Standards and Foundations of Education (4)
EDU2260 Theories of Learning (4)
EDU2900 Secondary Education Pre-Teaching (1)
EDU3370 Assessment/Approaches to Secondary Instruction (4)
EDU3720 Reading and Writing Across the Content Areas (4)
EDU3820 Secondary Methods with Practicum (4)
EDU4750 Student Teaching Internship (12)
EDU4760 Student Teaching Seminar (3)

Required for State Certification: 47 semester hours
9 semester hours in communications
ENG1010 Composition I: Introduction to Academic Writing (2)
ENG1020 Composition II: Introduction to Research Writing (4)
COM1500 Human Communication/Public Speaking (3)
3 semester hours MTH1100 Algebra or successful completion of Mathematics Competency requirement.
8 semester hours of Ways of Knowing: Ourselves and Others
8 semester hours of Ways of Knowing: Aesthetic and Philosophical Expression
8 semester hours of Ways of Knowing: Our Natural World
8 semester hours of Ways of Living
3 semester hours PSY3460 Exceptional Individual

NOTE: For those individuals seeking a middle school endorsement, completion of EDU3440 Middle School Mission and Methods (4) is required.

Public Notice - Teacher Certification Programs

Aurora University offers the following Teacher Certification programs approved by the Illinois State Board of Education:

Students seeking certification in one of the above areas must apply to the School of Education for acceptance no later than the end of the sophomore year, or upon admission to the University as a transfer student in the case of those who have completed the sophomore year. Admission to the University does not guarantee admission to a major in the School of Education. Admission to the program is based on passing Illinois State Board of Education background check, the Illinois Certification Testing System Basic Skills Test, writing of an essay, and a minimum GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale. Because of the extensive nature of the program requirements, which overlap some of the University general education requirements, students must plan coursework carefully in consultation with education faculty.


SUPPLEMENTAL MAJOR: THE YMCA SENIOR DIRECTOR PROGRAM

A cooperative program between Aurora University and The YMCA of the USA gives students the opportunity to complete a bachelor's degree and the requirements for the YMCA of the USA Senior Director Certificate supplemental major in the same amount of time it normally takes to complete the bachelor's degree alone.
Coursework offered in the YMCA Senior Director Certificate Program may be counted toward requirements in one of eleven major fields of study where appropriate. For most majors, this will mean that a minimum of two or three courses in the YMCA supplemental major may be counted toward primary major requirements. Working in collaboration with a faculty advisor in their major and the University's YMCA Program Director, a student may be able to complete the YMCA Senior Director Certificate by taking as few as four or five courses in addition to coursework that meets primary major requirements.

Students chose a major from one of eleven fields of study and complete on-the-job training as part of the professional practicum requirement for the YMCA Senior Director certification.

Your Choice of Majors: The YMCA Certification Supplemental Major may be combined with any one of the following primary majors:

Any one of these eleven majors will open a variety of exciting career options in the YMCA. Students will have an opportunity to grow professionally as an expert in a chosen field, as well as to become part of the 150-year YMCA tradition of human and community service. This career preparation program has both a solid theoretical base and a proven dimension in real-world practice. Group work is an intervention strategy that has been perfected during more than a century of experience at George Williams College -- where the leaders of the YMCA and other major human/community service organizations were educated.

After selecting a primary major from one of eleven areas (noted above), with the approval of the faculty advisor and YMCA program director the student completes the YMCA Supplemental Major by selecting at least one course from each of the eight categories outlined below. In addition, the Professional Practicum (at least three semester hours) and the capstone course must be completed in order to complete the required - 30 semester hours of approved YMCA supplemental major coursework.

Required Courses:
REC4830 Principles and Practices of the YMCA (3)
REC4940 YMCA Internship (3)

Management/Administration
BUS3200 Foundations of Management (3)
BUS4600 Intrapreneurship and Innovation (3)
HMS3800 Effective Non-Profit Management (3)
REC4350 Administration of Recreation and Leisure Services (3)

Organizational Behavior/Human Resources
BUS3250 Human Resource Management (3)
BUS3280 Organizational Behavior (3)
COM3000 Organizational Communication (3)
HMS3500 Legal Issues and Advocacy for Nonprofits (3)
PSY3470* Industrial/Organizational Psychology (3)

Communication/Outreach
BUS3310* Integrated Marketing Communications (3)
COM3510* Corporate and Professional Communications(3)
ENG/COM2040* Technical and Professional Writing (4)
HMS3400 Organizational and Managerial Communication (3)

Human Development/Learning
HMS2400 Youth Development (3)
EDU/PSY2260 Theories of Learning (4)
PSY3200 Behavior Management (3)
PSY3250 Lifespan Development (4)
PSY3350* Child and Adolescent Development (4)
PSY3360* Adult Development and Aging (4)
PSY3400* Cognition and Learning (4)

Community and Policy
HMS4200 The Community Environment (3)
REC4340* Political & Policy Implications for Recreation Administration (3)
SOC3400* Social Problems in Urban Society (4)
SWK3150* Social Welfare: Institutions and Policies (4)
SWK3300* Community Organization and Social Service Organizations (3)

Programming/GroupWork
HMS2200 Group Work (3)
PSY/SOC3450* Social Psychology (3)
PED/REC3040 Sports Management (3)
REC3330* Recreation Programming and Supervision (3)

Diversity and Access
HMS3600 Diversity and Special Populations (3)
COM3500* Cross Cultural Communication (3)
PSY3460* Exceptional Individual (3)
REC2000 Introduction to Therapeutic Recreation (3)
SOC3350* Race, Ethnicity and Power (4)
SWK4100* Social Work Practice with Diverse Populations (3)

Assessment/Evaluation
HMS4300 Programming, Supervision and Evaluation (3)
ECN3330* Business Statistics
SBS2320* General Statistics (3)
PED3150* Assessment in Physical Education (3)
PSY3520* Experimental Psychology (3)
PSY4520* Psychological Tests and Measurements (3)
REC4750* Assessment and Evaluation in Leisure Services (3)
SWK4200* Social Work Research I (3)
SWK4300* Social Work Research II (3)
Completing the Aurora University YMCA Senior Director Professional Sequence of coursework provides the student with an opportunity both to complete the bachelor's degree and to earn Senior Director Certification from the YMCA of the USA. These two credentials can provide strong preparation for career tracks in the YMCA and other social service organizations.]

*These courses carry prerequisites; see course descriptions for details.

Posted 31 December 2003
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