REPORT TO THE NMU ACADEMIC SENATE
from
The Committee on Undergraduate Programs
Chair: Antony Aumann
for
November 14, 2014 and December 5, 2014 CUP Meetings
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Sociology and Anthropology (pp. 4-5)
A. New course: AN 312 Religion and Society (4 cr.)
B. Course change: SO 312 Religion and Society (4 cr.)
i. Cross-list with AN 312 and change description to match.
2. Philosophy (pp. 6-7)
A. Program change: Religious Studies Minor (20 cr.)
i. Remove from list of required courses:
a. PL 280 Philosophy of Religion (4 cr.)
ii. Remove from list of recommended courses:
a. LB 121 Origins of Western Values: Greeks and the Bible (4 cr.) or
b. EN 310 Literature and the Bible (4 cr.)
iii. Add to list of required courses:
a. PL 270 World Religions (4 cr.)
iv. Create list of electives out of the following courses:
a. EN 112 Mythology (4 cr.)
b. EN 310 Literature and the Bible (4 cr.)
c. EN 422 Milton (4 cr.)
d. HP 225A Yoga - Beginning (1 cr.)
e. HP 225B Yoga - Intermediate (1 cr.)
f. HP 225C Yoga - Pilates (1 cr.)
g. HS 252 Arab-Islamic History (4 cr.)
h. HS 305 Renaissance-Reformation Europe (4 cr.)
i. HS 316 The Holocaust (4 cr.)
j. LB 121 Origins of Western Values: Greeks and the Bible (4 cr.)
k. NAS 330 Native Cultures and the Dynamics of Religious Experience
(4 cr.)
l. PL 280 Philosophy of Religion (4 cr.)
m. PS 321 Politics in Islamic Nations (4 cr.)
3. General University Studies (pp. 8-10)
A. Program Change: General University Studies Associate of Applied Science
i. Add to list of approved minors:
a. Anthropology
b. Computer Numerical Control
c. Dance
d. Economics
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e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
Philosophy
Public Administration
Public Relations
Religious Studies
Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Minor
4. Native American Studies (pp. 11-16)
A. New courses:
i. NAS 100 Native American Studies First Year Experience Seminar (2 cr.)
ii. NAS 404 Research and Engagement in Native American Studies (4 cr.)
B. New program: Native American Studies Major (42 credits)
i. Core courses (18 credits)
a. NAS 100 Native American Studies First Year Experience Seminar (2
cr.)
b. NAS 204 Native American Experience (4 cr.)
c. NAS 212 Michigan and Wisconsin Tribes, Treaties and Current Issues
(4 cr.)
d. NAS 310 Tribal Law and Government (4 cr.)
e. NAS 315 History of Indian Boarding School Education (4 cr.)
ii. Language requirement (4 cr.)
a. NAS 101 Anishinaabe Language, Culture and Community (4 cr.) or
b. NAS 207a Fall Seasonal Exploration: Anishinaabe Language (4 cr.) or
c. NAS 207b Winter Seasonal Exploration: Anishinaabe Language (4 cr.)
or
d. NAS 207c Spring/Summer Seasonal Exploration: Anishinaabe
Language (4 cr.)
iii. Capstone courses (8 cr.)
a. NAS 404 Research and Engagement in Native American Studies (4
cr.)
b. NAS 488 Native American Service Learning Project (4 cr.)
iv. Electives (12 credits)
a. AD 200 Native American Art and Architecture (4 cr.)
b. AN 320 Native Peoples of North America (4 cr.)
c. AN 330 Indians of the Western Great Lakes (4 cr.)
d. CJ 460 Native American Justice (4 cr.)
e. EN 311Z World Literature in English (4 cr.)
f. EN 314 Traditional Oral Literatures: Selected Native American
Cultures (4 cr.)
g. EN 316 Native American Novels and Poetry (4 cr.)
h. EN 317 Native American Drama, Nonfiction and Short Stories (4 cr.)
i. EN 410 Genres of Writing (1-4 cr.)
j. EN 430 Major Authors (3-4 cr.)
k. HS 233 Native American History (4 cr.)
l. HS 234 Indigenous Peoples of Latin American (4 cr.)
m. MU 325 World Music (4 cr.)
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5. English (pp. 17-19)
A. New Program: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Certification – Undergraduate (22-26 cr.)
i. Required courses (18-22 cr)
a. EN 415 English Grammar and Usage (4 cr.)
b. EN 416 Second Language Acquisition (4 cr.)
c. EN 417 TESOL Methods and Materials (4 cr.)
d. EN 491 Internship (2-6 cr.)
e. Modern Language other than English at the 200 level, unless satisfied
under another major or minor (4 cr.)
ii. Electives (4 cr.)
a. EN 414 History of the English Language (4 cr.)
b. EN 495-595 Special Topics (1-4 cr.)
c. EN 507 Advanced Writing Theory (4 cr.)
d. EN 510 Teaching Composition (4 cr.)
e. EN 511 Teaching Reading in the English Classroom (4 cr.)
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DEPARTMENT: Sociology and Anthropology
TYPE OF PROPOSAL: New course
NAME OF ITEM: AN 312 Religion and Society
RATIONALE:
SO 312 Religion and Society has been on the books for some time. We are creating a new course,
AN 312 Religion and Society, that we will cross-list with SO 312. The new course, Religion and
Society, has been taught several times as a Special Topics course in Anthropology (AN295), and
will again be offered Winter, 2015. There is considerable sociological/anthropological overlap in
course content and it makes sense to cross-list this using the 312 Religion and Society designation
currently on the books.
Offering a cross-listed course will combine the knowledge and traditions of two cognate
disciplines that share a common interest in the critical analysis of religion. The social scientific
study of religion as a social institution has broad relevance to both disciplines and needs to be
included in our curriculum. This course affords students an elective option that facilitates
completion of the major or minor, and also would be relevant to those who seek an emphasis in
religious studies.
Finally, given staff reductions, the department can no longer offer separate courses in religion from
two different disciplines. Moreover, given shared content across disciplines, this cross-listed
course will be of value to a diverse array of students. The course will be taught with a current
faculty member with considerable expertise in the study of religion.
PROPOSED BULLETIN COPY:
AN 312 Religion and Society
4 cr. (4-0-0)
Prerequisite: SO 101, AN 100, or instructor permission.
Offered: Every other year.
Description: This course introduces students to the sociological and anthropological traditions
that examine religious practices and their relationship to sociocultural systems and processes.
The thematic study of diverse religious practices, in North America and throughout the world,
will shed light on the nature and functions of religion as a core social institution. Both classical
and contemporary sociological and anthropological theory will emphasize the role of religion
throughout human history.
Note: To be cross-listed with SO 312 Religion and Society
IMPLEMENTATION DATE: Fall 2015
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DEPARTMENT: Sociology and Anthropology
TYPE OF PROPOSAL: Course change
NAME OF ITEM: SO 312 Religion and Society
RATIONALE:
See rationale for AN 312 Religion and Society above. The bulletin description for SO 312 is being
changed only in the details so that it matches the description for AN 312.
PROPOSED BULLETIN COPY:
SO 312 Religion and Society
4 cr. (4-0-0)
Prerequisite: SO 101, AN 100, or instructor permission.
Offered: Temporarily Suspended. Contact Department. Every other year.
Description: This course is designed to provide an understanding of the place, function and
impact of religion as a social institution and a moral force within society. It will also examine
the interplay between religion and politics, technology, social movements, minorities and the
other institutions of American society.
This course introduces students to the sociological and anthropological traditions that examine
religious practices and their relationship to sociocultural systems and processes. The thematic
study of diverse religious practices, in North America and throughout the world, will shed light
on the nature and functions of religion as a core social institution. Both classical and
contemporary sociological and anthropological theory will emphasize the role of religion
throughout human history.
Note: To be cross-listed with AN 312 Religion and Society
IMPLEMENTATION DATE: Fall 2015
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DEPARTMENT: Philosophy
TYPE OF PROPOSAL: Program change
NAME OF ITEM: Religious Studies Minor
RATIONALE:
The minor as currently constructed suffers from several problems:
First, several of the courses that are currently required have too narrow a focus. In one way or
another, they revolve around Western religions. Even Philosophy of Religion focuses primarily on
arguments for and against the existence of God as conceived by Western monotheistic religions.
A proper foundation in religious studies requires engaging a greater diversity of religious
perspectives and traditions. Hence the inclusion of PL270 World Religions as a requirement.
Second, the minor is too difficult to get. The required courses are not offered frequently enough to
make it viable for very many students. If PL 270 were simply added to the existing requirements,
the problem would be exacerbated. The minor needs to be made more flexible, not less. Hence,
the dropping of PL 280 from the list of required courses and the dropping of LB 121 and EN 310
from the list of recommended courses.
Third, part of the reason the minor has been difficult to get is that SO 312 in particular has not
been taught since 2008. To remedy this problem, the Anthropology and Sociology Department
will submit a proposal this year to create a new course, AN 312 Sociology and Religion, that will
be cross-listed with SO 312 Sociology and Religion, and will be taught at least every other year
by Dr. Alex Ruuska. Minors will be allowed to take the course under either number.
Fourth, the existing bulletin copy does not offer students a roadmap to the minor. Students are
merely told they need “approved classes,” which they must identify for themselves in consultation
with an advisor in the Philosophy Department. By providing an explicit list of electives, the minor
is made more student friendly. The courses listed as electives all deal with some aspect of some
religion(s) in a substantive way. Now there are other courses taught at NMU that sometimes have
a religious focus depending on who is teaching them and how. These courses are left off the official
list of electives because we cannot predict which incarnation of the class students will take. The
footnote indicates that these courses can be counted with the approval of an advisor when they are
taught with a religious focus.
Fifth, the introductory description of the minor implies that it is in large part geared toward those
headed to seminary or interested in theological studies. This is simply not the case. Religious
studies is for any student interested in the academic study of religion. Future seminarians and
theologians may belong to this group, but they are hardly the only members. For this reason, the
introductory description has been stricken from the bulletin copy.
PROPOSED BULLETIN COPY:
A minor in religious studies provides students with a strong background in religion and
prepares them for graduate school in theology, religious studies and the seminary. It is an
excellent complement to majors in history, sociology and English.
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For department information or additional degree requirements, click here
For course description, click on the course.
Total Credits Required for Minor
20
Required Courses
8
PL 280 Philosophy of Religion [II]
4
LB 121 Origins of Western Values: Greeks and the Bible (4 cr.) [II] and/or
4-8
EN 310 Literature and the Bible (4 cr.) [II] *
SO 312 Religion and Society (4 cr.) or
AN 312 Religion and Society (4 cr.)
PL 270 World Religions (4 cr.)
Approved Electives
Electives
12
Choose from the following:*
EN 112 Mythology (4 cr.)
EN 310 Literature and the Bible (4 cr.)
EN 422 Milton (4 cr.)
HP 225A Yoga - Beginning (1 cr.)
HP 225B Yoga - Intermediate (1 cr.)
HP 225C Yoga - Pilates (1 cr.)
HS 252 Arab-Islamic History (4 cr.)
HS 305 Renaissance-Reformation Europe (4 cr.)
HS 316 The Holocaust (4 cr.)
LB 121 Origins of Western Values: Greeks and the Bible (4 cr.)
NAS 330 Native Cultures and the Dynamics of Religious Experience (4 cr.)
PL 280 Philosophy of Religion (4 cr.)
PS 321 Politics in Islamic Nations (4 cr.)
* Other courses with a focus on religious studies will count if approved by an adviser.
*Recommended but not required.
Note: A list of courses used in the religious studies minor, beyond those that are required, must
be developed in consultation with an adviser in the Philosophy Department. When approved, a
copy of the list will be sent to the Degree Audits Office.
IMPLEMENTATION DATE: Fall 2015
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DEPARTMENT: General University Studies
TYPE OF PROPOSAL: Program change
NAME OF ITEM: General University Studies Associate of Applied Science
RATIONALE:
Each year the Academic and Career Advisement Center reaches out to departments, to seek
additional Minors to be added to the Approved Minor/Concentration list for General University
Studies. The new Minors on the list below are the ones departments have requested to be added.
PROPOSED BULLETIN COPY:
General University Studies - Associate of Applied Science
Provides a point of access into the university for individuals seeking a post-secondary
education at the two-year level. Also provides maximum flexibility for students who are either
undecided about their career plans or who wish to create a program that suits their unique
interests. Suitable for individuals wishing to build their academic skills in preparation for
admittance into a restricted program.
For department information or additional degree requirements, click here
For course description, click on the course.
Total Credits Required for Degree
62
Liberal Studies
EN 111 College Composition I
Natural Science Elective
Humanities Elective
Social Sciences Elective
Formal Communication Studies Elective
20
4
4
4
4
4
Health Promotion
HP 200 Physical Well Being
1
1
Electives
17-21
Concentration
Must choose from the approved minors listed below.
Approved Minors
Alternative Energies
Applied Ethics
Anthropology
Art and Design
Art History
Auto Service Technology
20-24
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Biology
Chemistry
Clinical Lab Techniques
Communication Studies
Computer Numerical Control
Computer Science
Construction Systems
Contracted Minor
Criminal Justice
Dance
Earth Science
Economics
Electronics
Emergency Medical Services
Engineering Design
English**
Environmental Studies
Film Studies**
Gender Studies
Geomatics
Health and Nutrition
History
Hospitality Service Management
Human Behavior Cluster
Human Biology
Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC)
Industrial Electrical Technology
Industrial Maintenance Technology
International Studies
Journalism**
Math
Media Production and New Technology
Multimedia Journalism
Media Studies
Music
Native American Studies
Office Services
Outdoor Recreation
Philosophy
Physical Education Coaching Emphasis
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Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Public Administration
Public Relations*
Religious Studies
Social Services
Sociology
Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Minor
Sustainability
Theatre
Welding
Wildland Firefighting
Writing**
*Note: If Public Relations minor is selected:
The 5 course sequence must be completed in 4 consecutive semesters.
**Note: If English, film studies, journalism or writing minor is selected:
EN 211 must be taken in order to complete any English minor. It is a prerequisite for
some upper-division course work.
Students must satisfy all prerequisites for courses.
IMPLEMENTATION DATE: Fall 2015
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DEPARTMENT: Native American Studies
TYPE OF PROPOSAL: New course
NAME OF ITEM: NAS 100 Native American Studies First Year Experience Seminar (2 cr.)
RATIONALE:
Students interested in either the NAS major or NAS minor will benefit from understanding the
multiple aspects of the discipline as well as potential opportunities upon graduation. Additionally,
students will be introduced to multiple NAS faculty during the semester as well as various student
service areas on the NMU campus.
This will also be a required course for the new NAS major (see below) once the program proposal
is approved at all levels. Once offered, we would hope that students interested in the NAS minor
may also enroll in this course, but it will not be a requirement for NAS minor students.
Note: In order to staff this course, NAS is requesting additional faculty lines. The implementation
date of the course is deferred pending the approval of these additional lines by the relevant faculty
and administrative bodies. The approval of the course by CUP was made on academic merits only.
It does not indicate or imply approval or disapproval of the request for faculty hires.
PROPOSED BULLETIN COPY:
NAS 100 Native American Studies First Year Experience Seminar
2 cr. (2-0-0)
Prerequisite: Freshman standing.
Offered: Fall
Description: This freshmen seminar will give students an introduction to Northern Michigan
University as well as an introduction to the discipline of Native American Studies and the
federally recognized tribes of Michigan. The course will utilize both the Anishinaabe Medicine
Wheel model and the five primary themes of Native American Studies (NAS) as the course
framework.
Note: Transfer students seeking a NAS major or late add-on NAS majors may substitute another
two-credit NAS course in place of this freshmen seminar with the approval of the CNAS Faculty
Affairs curriculum subcommittee.
IMPLEMENTATION DATE: Deferred pending approval of additional faculty hires to fill staffing
needs.
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DEPARTMENT: Native American Studies
TYPE OF PROPOSAL: New course
NAME OF ITEM: NAS 404 Native American Studies First Year Experience Seminar (2 cr.)
RATIONALE:
NAS 404 will serve as the theoretical capstone for students enrolled in the proposed new major in
Native American Studies (see below).
Note: In order to staff this course, NAS is requesting additional faculty lines. The implementation
date of the course is deferred pending the approval of these additional lines by the relevant faculty
and administrative bodies. The approval of the course by CUP was made on academic merits only.
It does not indicate or imply approval or disapproval of the request for faculty hires.
PROPOSED BULLETIN COPY:
NAS 404 Research and Engagement in Native American Studies
4 cr. (4-0-0)
Prerequisite: NAS 204
Offered: Fall
Description: Indigenous critical analysis is rooted in place-based First Nations/Native
American/Indigenous belief systems focusing on the interconnectedness of communities and
culture, and confronts historic and contemporary acts of colonialism that has led to systematic
marginalization. This course will explore Indigenous critical thought and Indigenous critical
theory as independent and necessary scholarship through varied texts.
IMPLEMENTATION DATE: Deferred pending approval of additional faculty hires to fill staffing
needs.
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DEPARTMENT: Native American Studies
TYPE OF PROPOSAL: New program
NAME OF ITEM: Native American Studies Major (42 cr.)
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
The Center for Native American Studies offers a holistic curriculum rooted in Native American
themes that challenges students to think critically and communicate effectively about Indigenous
issues with an emphasis on Great Lakes Indigenous perspectives; stimulates further respectful
inquiry about Indigenous people; and provides active learning and service learning opportunities
that strengthen student engagement, interaction, and reciprocity with Indigenous communities.
There are five primary themes within Native American Studies at Northern Michigan University:
1) culture, history, and language; 2) traditional ecological knowledge; 3) education, families, and
communities; 4) governance and sovereignty; and 5) identity.
The 42-credit baccalaureate program in Native American Studies is intended to provide a basis for
employment with governmental agencies (e.g. federal, tribal, state, etc.) or organizations that serve
tribal peoples, or serve as a foundation for graduate work in Native American Studies or related
disciplines. A solid core of courses will provide students with primary working knowledge of
regional tribes, tribal governments, and primary issues impacting Native Americans as well as an
introduction to Anishinaabemowin (Anishinaabe language). Students will take 12 credits of
electives. Additionally, this core will provide students with both a theoretical and applied capstone
experience in Native American Studies with the applied capstone course giving students an
opportunity to work with a Native American community or an organization that directly impacts
Native peoples such as Title VII American Indian Education Programs in the K-12 schools.
PROGRAM RATIONALE:
The NAS major will challenge its students to think critically about what it means to have a Native
American experience and reflect upon such experiences with their own lives and privileges. The
NAS major will challenge its students to think independently about the systematic challenges that
American Indians face in modern society thanks to policies that were established well before the
U.S. was established. The NAS major will challenge its students to develop and foster alternative
learning methods that privilege Indigenous populations and practice. The NAS major will foster
diversity through the course content while focusing on regional tribes and populations. The NAS
major will provide skills in the areas of critical thinking, but will provide opportunities for students
to work within a Native community and/or for an organization that is directly tied to Native
populations (e.g. Title IX Indian Education). The NAS major will seek to transform students to
become conscious global citizens in relation to traditional homelands of Indigenous peoples
regionally and globally. The NAS major will provide opportunities to learn from elders who have
traditional means of education as well as faculty with modern/westernized means of education.
Having a balance of both of these educational opportunities will foster lifelong learning habits as
well as foster respect for the regional and global community.
There are 566 tribes within the borders of the United States. Each of these tribes have
infrastructures which require employees with varying skillsets depending on departments, but
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employees who have knowledge base of tribal-federal relations, knowledge of American Indian
history, impacts of colonization, intergenerational trauma and cultural traits are also very
important. There is a critical need for skillset and knowledge of tribal-federal relations in relation
to multiple perspectives (e.g. political, judicial, environmental, human services, health,
entrepreneurial). These skillsets and the base of knowledge will benefit any graduate seeking
employment with any one of the following:
1) federal agencies (e.g. US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Border Patrol, etc.)
2) tribal agencies (e.g. Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife
Commission, American Indian Health and Human Services of SE Michigan, etc. )
3) state agencies (e.g. Department of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Quality,
Department of Health and Human Services, etc.). For example, the State of Michigan has multiple
departments, each of which have a tribal liaison. However, these liaisons may or may not have
training working with tribes.
Native American Studies is an interdisciplinary model that can find ties with nearly every other
academic discipline. A student may be interested in public relations. Tribes hire P.R. staff. Another
student may be interested in hospitality. Tribes are major players in the hospitality industry. While
the NAS minor is certainly helpful for students in this area, the NAS major would be more focused
on critical thinking and academic service learning with a Native community and provide the
student with more experience with community engagement. The student who would choose to
double-major in public relations and Native American Studies would be prepared to work with a
tribe immediately upon graduation.
Faculty and staff from the CNAS are quite often called upon to either advise or to serve as a liaison
between a non-Native entity and a tribe due to the limited knowledge of non-Native business or
political leaders. Individuals with a major in NAS would be able to navigate Tribal nation
governments, tribal enterprises or tribal organizations without the need for such a liaison.
Projected enrollment for the Native American Studies major:
Fall of 2016
30 students
Fall of 2017
30 students
Note: In order to staff the courses for this program, NAS is requesting additional faculty lines. The
implementation date of the course is deferred pending the approval of these additional lines by the
relevant faculty and administrative bodies. The approval of the course by CUP was made on
academic merits only. It does not indicate or imply approval or disapproval of the request for
faculty hires.
PROPOSED BULLETIN COPY:
Total Credits Required for Degree
General Education Courses
Health Promotion Requirements
Required Courses in Major
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124
30-40
2
42
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Native American Studies Core
**NAS 100 Native American Studies First Year Experience Seminar
NAS 204 Native American Experience
NAS 212 Michigan and Wisconsin Tribes, Treaties and Current Issues
NAS 310 Tribal Law and Government
NAS 315 History of Indian Boarding School Education
18
2
4
4
4
4
Anishinaabemowin (Anishinaabe Language)
NAS 101 Anishinaabe Language, Culture and Community or
NAS 207a Fall Seasonal Exploration: Anishinaabe Language (4 cr.) or
NAS 207b Winter Seasonal Exploration: Anishinaabe Language (4 cr.) or
NAS 207c Spring/Summer Seasonal Exploration: Anishinaabe Language (4 cr.)
4
4
Capstone (both theoretical and applied)
NAS 404 Research and Engagement in Native American Studies
NAS 488 Native American Service Learning Project
8
4
4
Native American Studies Electives
Twelve credits of the below electives with at least eight credits at the 300 level or above.
AD 200 Native American Art and Architecture (4 cr.)
AN 320 Native Peoples of North America (4 cr.)
AN 330 Indians of the Western Great Lakes (4 cr.)
CJ 460 Native American Justice (4 cr.)
*EN 311Z World Literature in English (4 cr.)
EN 314 Traditional Oral Literatures: Selected Native American Cultures (4 cr.)
EN 316 Native American Novels and Poetry (4 cr.)
EN 317 Native American Drama, Nonfiction and Short Stories (4 cr.)
*EN 410 Genres of Writing (1-4 cr.)
*EN 430 Major Authors (3-4 cr.)
HS 233 Native American History (4 cr.)
HS 234 Indigenous Peoples of Latin American (4 cr.)
*MU 325 World Music (4 cr.)
All courses with NAS prefix not already included in required courses.
12
*Course with variable content. Credit only applies when there is primarily Native
American subject matter.
Special topics courses, directed studies and course substitutions with significant Native
American subject matter from other academic areas may be added with NAS Faculty
Affairs Committee and Department Head approval prior to offering the course.
NAS majors must achieve a GPA of 2.25 or higher in all major required courses.
**Transfer students seeking a NAS major or late add-on NAS majors may substitute
another two-credit NAS course in place of this freshmen seminar with the approval of
the CNAS Faculty Affairs curriculum subcommittee.
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Minor
Choose any minor except Native American Studies.
20-24
IMPLEMENTATION DATE: Deferred pending approval of additional faculty hires to fill staffing
needs.
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DEPARTMENT: English
TYPE OF PROPOSAL: New program
NAME OF ITEM: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Certification –
Undergraduate (22-26 cr.)
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
The TESOL Certification program is an enhanced version of the existing TESOL Minor, which
allows some 200- and 300-level electives, and is intended as an undergraduate parallel to the
Graduate TESOL Certificate. Certification will be issued to undergraduates completing the Minor
using only 400- and/or 500-level electives instead of 200- or 300-level. Courses will be doublecounted with the TESOL Minor.
PROGRAM RATIONALE:
The proposed program (TESOL Certification – Undergraduate) will assist the University in
achieving its objectives as defined by the University Mission Statement in the areas of helping
students acquiring career skills and becoming productive citizens in the global community. The
English department already has a similar program at the graduate level (TESOL Certificate –
Graduate), but the market situation beyond our borders is such that most employers overseas
require their English teachers to have a TESOL Certification confirming that the holder of such a
certification has had the appropriate training in teaching English to speakers whose native language
is not English. Our proposed program would enable our undergraduate students, no matter what
their academic major or minor may be, to have the training and credentials to travel and work
overseas if they so choose.
The demand for English teachers is high as English is the most often chosen second language to
learn by students all over the world. It is estimated that the number of people in the world using
English to communicate is about two billion. Our proposed program would contribute to the
competiveness of our students and enable them to seek employment opportunities worldwide.
Other benefits of our proposed program to the department, college, and University would be the
program’s potential contribution to student recruitment and retention. One of the questions campus
visiting students and their parents to our department often ask us is whether we have TESOL
Certification at the undergraduate level. Having such a program would definitely make the English
department and the University more attractive to potential students, and it would also contribute
to our efforts developing partnerships with international partner institutions because our exchange
students will be able to work toward the TESOL Certification, which will strengthen their
credentials for employment in their home countries.
TESOL is a growing area of opportunity, with employment options in a variety of academic and
nonacademic settings worldwide – and especially in developing nations where the acquisition of
English is seen as a precondition for access to the world economy, and TESOL Certification a
more-than-sufficient credential for employment teaching English. Several recent NMU graduates
are currently employed in this field, in Korea and China. Graduates of the proposed program will
find ready-made placements in TESOL programs at partner institutions abroad such as the
Gateway English Language Village in China, and in an active market for qualified TESOL
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instructors in college, corporate, and government settings. The option of TESOL Certification will
definitely improve the employability of NMU graduates in the global marketplace. We anticipate
enrollment in the proposed program by NMU undergraduate students who are adventurous and
interested in traveling and working overseas.
Approximately 15 students are currently working through our TESOL Minor courses; most of
them will become eligible for certification. The option is also growing in popularity as students
in English, Modern Languages, Education, and International Studies discover it.
TESOL Certification programs of widely varying length and rigor are offered by many colleges,
universities, and private entities in North America. Many such programs are housed by
semiautonomous institutes within larger academic organizations. While some TESOL
organizations have formulated standards for the discipline, there is no widely acknowledged
accrediting agency to ensure academic quality. There exist few TESOL Certification programs
within our region, and those that do exist (at Eastern, Central, and Western Michigan Universities,
for example) are usually linked to teacher-training programs leading to state certification in
primary and secondary education.
Our program’s emphasis on the adult learner, combined with its availability to NMU
undergraduate students in any discipline, makes it unique in Michigan. Moreover, its 20 credit
hours plus 4-credit foreign language requirement ensure higher quality than many existing TESOL
Certification or Certificate programs (which vary between a bare 8 hours and 24 hours nationwide,
and do not always require competence in a language other than English). For these reasons, the
proposed program will increase the attractiveness and utility of our current programs, and the
marketability of our program graduates to potential employers. Indeed, the proposed program
adds a further dimension and enhancement to all NMU undergraduate programs, since all NMU
undergraduate students would have the option to enroll. We plan to recruit additional students to
the program through advising.
PROPOSED BULLETIN COPY:
Total Credits Required for Certification
EN 415 English Grammar and Usage
EN 416 Second Language Acquisition
EN 417 TESOL Methods and Materials
EN 491 Internship
Modern Language other than English at the 200 level, unless satisfied under another
major or minor.
Electives
Choose from the following:
EN 414 History of the English Language (4 cr.)
EN 495-595 Special Topics*(1-4 cr.)
EN 507 Advanced Writing Theory* (4 cr.)
EN 510 Teaching Composition* (4 cr.)
EN 511 Teaching Reading in the English Classroom* (4 cr.)
CUP Report to the Senate
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4
4
4
2-6
4
4
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*With Advisor-approved TESL/TEFL topic. Note also that seniors can take a 500-level
course if they are within one semester of graduation and have a 3.0 GPA. Up to 8
credits can be at the graduate level.
IMPLEMENTATION DATE: Fall 2015
CUP Report to the Senate
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