THE
FACULTY
SENATE
Senate
Document Number 3907S
Date
of Senate Approval 03/15/07
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Statement
of Faculty Senate Action:
APC Document 37:
Revision of ECON 380 and ECON
480;
Editorial
change in graduation requirements
Effective Date: Fall 2007
1. Delete:
On
p. 108, entry for ECON 380:
380 Approaches to Research in Economics (1)
An examination of alternative approaches to the
conduct of research in economics. The student will become familiar with the
Undergraduate Research Program at UNCA and develop a proposal of research to be
conducted in ECON 480. Prerequisite: junior or senior standing. (Grading S/U.)
Fall and Spring.
Add: On p. 108, in place of deleted entry:
380 Approaches
to Research in Economics (1)
The first of two classes in the senior capstone
experience, this course presents an overview of alternative approaches to the
conduct of research in economics. The student will become familiar with the
Undergraduate Research Program at UNCA by developing a proposal for research to
be conducted in ECON 480 under the guidance of a member of the Economics
faculty who will serve as a mentor. ECON 380 must be taken the semester prior
to enrolling in ECON 480. Prerequisite: Eighteen hours in Economics. Fall and
Spring.
2. Delete: On p. 108, entry for ECON 480:
480 Senior Research in Economics (3)
A seminar in which the student conducts supervised
research in economics on a subject of personal interest. The methods, concepts
and approaches employed will typically draw upon the student’s major courses.
Prerequisites: ECON 380; senior standing. Fall and Spring.
Add: On p. 108, in place of deleted entry:
480 Senior Thesis in Economics (3)
The final course in the senior capstone experience in
which the student conducts research in economics on a subject of the student’s
personal interest, under the supervision of a mentor from the Economics
faculty. The methods, concepts and approaches employed will typically draw upon
the student’s major courses, including the successful completion of ECON 380.
ECON 480 should be taken in a student’s final semester. Prerequisite: C or better in ECON 380. Fall
and Spring.
Impact:
The impact on resources will be minimal. In the past, students have sometimes worked
closely in 380/480 with a faculty member who is not the instructor of
record. These changes suggest that this
will become the norm rather than the exception, so that each member of the
department is likely to work with students on their senior research projects
more often than in the past. We believe
that this change is an effective use of faculty time.
Rationale:
After a departmental review of the learning
effectiveness of our senior research sequence (ECON 380 and 480), we concluded
that we need to better communicate our expectations for ECON 380 to our
students. Stating clearly that 380 is to
be taken immediately before 480, changing from S/U to letter grading, and
changing the prerequisite to eighteen hours in Economics should more clearly
articulate our expectations to students enrolling in this course. We also believe that establishing a mentor
relationship with a faculty member in 380/480 will improve the quality of
student research and lead to better student experiences in these courses.
There are three changes in our description of
480. First, we more clearly state our
expectation that ECON 480 be taken in the final semester as a capstone to the
major in Economics. Secondly,
strengthening the prerequisite to 380 with a grade of C or better communicates
the importance of proposal generation in ECON 380 for successfully completing
ECON 480. Finally, changing the title
emphasizes the importance of the research project as the capstone of the major
in Economics.
3. Delete:
On
pgs 104 and 105, item III under General Economics, Concentration in
Environmental
Economics, Concentration in International Economics,
Concentration in Monetary Economics and Finance, Economics with Teacher
Licensure:
III. Other departmental requirements—Senior demonstration of
competency and oral competency are met by completion of ECON 480 with a grade
of C or higher. Demonstration of computer competency is met by completion of
ECON 365.
Add: On pgs 104 and 105, in place of deleted entries:
III. Other departmental requirements—Senior demonstration of
competency and oral competency are met by completion of ECON 480 with a grade
of C or higher. Enrollment in ECON 480 requires completion of ECON 380
with a grade of C or higher. Demonstration of computer competency is met by
completion of ECON 365.
Impact:
No
resource impact.
Rationale:
The change in the
prerequisite for 480 above carries the same information, but its inclusion in
graduation
requirements clearly
communicates to students the necessity of completing ECON 380 with a C or
better.
This change is purely for
purposes of communication to students.