University of Nebraska at Kearney
1998-2000 Undergraduate CATALOG
Undergraduate degrees at UNK are offered through the four undergraduate colleges: the College of Fine Arts and Humanities, the College of Natural and Social Sciences, the College of Business and Technology, and the College of Education.
The faculties of the colleges generally determine and govern their programs, including special admission requirements and degree requirements.
Two of these colleges--the College of Fine Arts and Humanities and the College of Natural and Social Sciences--primarily offer degrees in the traditional academic areas and provide most of the courses for the General Studies Program required of all graduates.
The other two colleges--the College of Business and Technology and the College of Education--primarily offer professional degree programs. The College of Education has special admission requirements. The following are brief descriptions of the goals and missions of each of the colleges.
College of Fine Arts and Humanities
Sam Umland, Interim Dean
The College of Fine Arts and Humanities strives to provide students with a strong liberal arts education through a commitment to strong majors in all of its departments and programs. The College seeks to instill the necessity and the centrality of the artistic and humanistic imagination to all students. It is committed to a strong, talented faculty who believe in the traditional humanities, liberal arts, and fine arts, while also training students in the use of modern technologies.
Six departments Art and Art History, English, Modern Languages, Journalism and Mass Communication, Music and Dance, and Speech Communication and Theatre Arts, as well as the Philosophy program and International Studies, comprise the College of Fine Arts and Humanities.
College of Natural and Social Sciences
Michael W. Schuyler, Dean
The College of Natural and Social Sciences participates fully in the traditional missions of teaching, research, and service. The curriculum provides students with a scientific and humanistic perspective which is necessary for a quality liberal arts education. Students in the College are encouraged to develop habits of critical thinking, to value academic rigor, to appreciate the complexity and diversity of the human condition and the world around them, and to develop a base of knowledge that will allow them to be successful and responsible members of the community. The College's commitment to excellence in teaching is complemented by its commitment to scholarship. Faculty and students in the College engage in research and other scholarly activities to generate knowledge, to learn and practice their chosen professions, to be current in their disciplines, and to create a stimulating learning environment. Ultimately, the overarching goal of the College is to provide students with the best and most challenging education possible. There are 11 departments and 2 programs in the College: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science and Information Systems, Criminal Justice, Geography and Earth Science, Health Science Programs, History, Mathematics and Statistics, Physics and Physical Science, Political Science, Psychology, Social Work, and Sociology.
The College of Business and Technology
Galen Hadley, Dean
The College of Business and Technology provides a superior comprehensive student learning environment through
Within the College, teaching, scholarship, and service are particularly concerned with small and mid-sized organizations. This unifying focus differentiates the College from other institutions and is its hallmark.
There are six departments in the College: Accounting & Finance, Business Administration/Education, Economics, Family and Consumer Sciences, Industrial Technology, and Management & Marketing. There are five services centers in the College: Center for Rural Research and Service, Vocational Education Center, Nebraska Business Development Center, Center for Economic Education, and the Safety Center.
Jean C. Ramage, Dean
The College of Education provides programs to prepare educational professionals as well as other professionals in the leisure studies fields and counseling. Programs of study have been developed in consultation with advisory committees to meet state and national standards. The faculty is committed to providing a quality instructional program, serving schools and communities, as well as participating in and serving professional organizations. They are also committed to an emphasis on multicultural education, human relations and successful living in a pluralistic society. Professional education programs leading to initial certification are designed to develop each student's knowledge, skills, and professional and ethical practices related to specific endorsement areas. The philosophy guiding the design of programs is that all students can be successful learners, there are many ways to learn and educators must develop learning experiences that reflect this, and educators must minimize practice and behaviors that may be discriminatory or injurious to students.
UNK offers undergraduate programs for the preparation of elementary teachers, secondary teachers, and K-12 teachers. Master's degree programs are offered in elementary education, selected secondary education areas, special education, elementary administration, secondary administration, speech-language pathology, counseling and reading. Specialist programs in school psychology, educational administration, and counseling are also offered.
The College prepares persons for professions in sports administration, recreation, fitness and leisure management, and travel and tourism. A Master's degree program is offered in community counseling.
There are six departments in the College: Counseling & School Psychology; Educational Administration; Elementary/Early Childhood Education; Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Leisure Studies; Professional Teacher Education; and Special Education/Communication Disorders. KASE and the Learning Center are also part of the College of Education.