EPE 174: Theories of College Student Success
University of Kentucky
Spring 2016
Instructor:
Contact Information:
Office: 306 B Complex Commons Building
Office Hours:
Sections/Classroom:
Required Textbooks:
o There are no assigned books for the course. Readings are from various articles and books.
Students will have access to the readings through UK Library or links to external sites.
EPE 174 is a UK Core class that meets requirements for foundations of inquiry in the social sciences. The
course is designed to introduce 1st and 2nd year students to the field of higher education, namely the areas of
college student development, post-secondary institutional organization, college teaching and learning, and the
current issues in campus life. An additional objective of the course is to provide opportunities for experiential
learning, self-assessment, and the development of critical reading and reasoning skills to help students improve
their academic performance. This course provides an undergraduate introduction to the material covered in
Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation (EPE) graduate courses; namely EPE 674 Theories of Student
Development and EPE 612 Introduction to Higher Education.
Course Objectives: Upon completion of this course, students will:
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Recognize and apply general knowledge of social reproduction theory in college access and progress to
degree
Discuss philosophical rationale for general education and demonstrate an understanding of differences in
disciplinary knowledge communities
Understand and apply concepts of self-regulated learning and motivation theory
Identify and analyze current issues facing college students using appropriate theories of student
development
Recognize issues of identity development, diversity, and campus climate relative to college student
retention and engagement
Identify a research question relative to the study of college student success
Apply basic knowledge of inquiry techniques to explore that research question
Develop personal strategies for critical reading of collegiate reading materials, including text books and
journal articles
Student Responsibilities and Classroom Policies:
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Be Prepared! This means both read and understand the material we are covering. If you do not
understand something, ask prior to the beginning of class.
Media devices will be used as such devices pertain to class! The class may require online or text
message responses to questions. There may also be times where students will find it helpful to take
notes. Otherwise, electronic devices (i.e., tablets, phones, laptops, etc.) should be put away. If a student
has an emergency or needs to receive a phone call, this should be discussed with the instructor. Repeated
offenses of this policy will result in a loss of points.
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Check your email and canvas regularly! Correspondence for this course will occur via email.
Assignments will be turned in via Canvas at the beginning of class on the assigned date.
o Late assignments will be penalized 1 letter grade per day for 3 days. No late assignments will be
accepted more than 3 days late, unless prior approval is received from the instructor.
Be present and on time! Attendance in class and for meetings with the instructor is required. Course
success is dependent upon student participation and completion of in-class discussions, activities,
projects, and meetings.
o Per university policy, if you miss more than 20% of all class meetings (6 or more); you will
automatically fail the class. If a student has a university-accepted reason for an absence (see
http://www.uky.edu/Ombud/ForFaculty_ExcusedAbsences.php for details) to be excused from
class, the student must notify the course instructor in advance.
o Any absence not explained before class is unexcused (except in case of a life-threatening
emergency). Three unexcused absences will result in your final grade be lowered by one letter
grade.
Assignments: Grades will be determined by the percentage of points earned.
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Participation (including mandatory meeting with instructor during first three weeks) (20%)
Your College Access Story (10%)
Exploring the Disciplines Group Project (15%)
Retention Policy Memo (15%)
Identity Theory Case Study Analysis (20%)
Self-Regulated Learning Capstone Project (20%)
Grades: Grades are based on a 100 point scale:
o A: 90-100 points or 90-100 %
o B: 80-89 points or 80-89%
o C: 70-79 points or 70-79 %
o D: 60-69 points or 60-69 %
o E: < 59 points or < 60 %
Academic Honesty/Integrity: According to university policy, “Students shall not plagiarize, cheat, or falsify or
misuse academic records” [US: 3/7/88; 3/20/89]. Refer to section 6.3.0 Academic Offenses and Procedures of
the University Senate Rules for full details on this policy. Students should properly cite all work. Failure to do
so could result in disciplinary actions being taken.
Accommodations: Students with a disability as documented by the Disability Resource Center are encouraged
to contact the instructor as soon as possible. Students who have a disability or special circumstance, but have
not contacted the Disability Resource Center (http://www.uky.edu/StudentAffairs/DisabilityResourceCenter/)
should do so immediately.
Contacting the instructor: Feel free to email me with questions or concerns. I will check my email in the
morning and again at night. However, during the day I may not have consistent access to email. If you do not
receive a reply from me within 24 hours, feel free to email me again. There are times I do not check email. Do
not expect a reply from me after 9 PM Monday-Thursday and from 5 PM Friday until 7 AM Monday morning.
Do not let this discourage you from emailing me, just be patient.
Academic Enhancement: Students are strongly encouraged to make use of the services provided to all students
at the University of Kentucky, especially the free Peer Tutoring service provided by Academic Enhancement at
The Study (third floor of Commons on south campus) and The Study North (first floor of Champions Court 1).
Tutors are available for most all freshman courses. Be proactive; don’t wait until you’re struggling! Hours are
Monday-Thursday 2-10 pm; refer to uky.edu/AE for hours and courses covered.
Schedule of Classes and Readings
Where to find readings: Reading links are posted on Canvas (click link provided)
Date
Topic
R 1/14
Introduction
Required Reading(s)
DUE THIS CLASS:
Be prepared to discuss them
TODAY
Course Syllabus and Course
Policies
Assignment
due via Canvas by
BEGINNING OF
TODAY’S CLASS
Module 1: Going To College
T 1/19
Skill Development:
Reading and Writing
R 1/21
College Aspirations,
Choice, &
Admissions...Sociocultural Influences on
College Choice
College Choice and Cost
T 1/25

McDonough, Who
Goes Where? (Links
to an external site.)

Reading Assignment
Bergerson et al,
Refocusing College
Choice (Links to an
external site.)
 Kretchmar &
Farmer, How much
is too Much? (Links
to an external site.)
Module 2: Navigating Campus Class
R 1/28
Motivation & the
College Student
T 2/2
Learning Strategies
R 2/4
Tenets of a Liberal
Education...the UK Core
 Duncan &
McKeachie: Making
of the MSLQ (Links
to an external site.)
 Take Lassi and
MSLQ
 McKeachie, Pintrich
& Lin: Teaching
Learning
Strategies (Links to
an external site.)
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Pangle: Reclaiming
the Core (Links to
an external site.)
Abowitz, Vocational
& Liberal
Aims (Links to an
external site.)
Your College Access
Story
Capstone Part 1:
Required meeting with
instructor scheduled
T 2/9
Exploring Learning in
the Disciplines Group
Project
R 2/11
UK Core ContinuedGuest Speaker- Dr.
Jensen
T 2/16
Academic Disciplines –
Guest Speaker- Dr. Jones

UK Core-General
Education
Requirements (Links
to an external site.)
 Jensen & Worth,
Valuable
Knowledge (Links
to an external site.)
Assign Group Research
Project
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Suggested: Self
Regulated Learning Part
Two: Strategy
Exploration
Jones, Variation
Among Academic
Disciplines (Links to
an external site.)
Module 3: Retention and Engagement
R 2/18
What is Retention?
T 2/23
Retention Research:
Possible guest- Dr.
Ferrare
R 2/25
Involvement Theory
T 3/1
Different Strategies for
Different Disciplines
Presentations
Different Strategies for
Different Disciplines
Presentations
R 3/3

Tinto, Retention
What Next (Links to
an external site.)
 Tierney, Cultural
Integrity (Links to
an external site.)
 Jones & Braxton,
Categorizing
Retention
Research (Links to
an external site.)
 Ferrare & Lee,
Should We Be
Thinking About
Leaving? (Links to
an external site.)
 Rendon, Validating
Culturally Diverse
Students (Links to
an external site.)
 Rankin & Reason,
Campus Climate for
Diverse
Populations (Links
to an external site.)
 Class Presentations
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Class Presentations
Group Research Project:
Different Strategies for
Different Disciplines
T 3/8
Students as Consumers
R 3/10
Consumerism
▪ Armstrong &
Hamilton, The misEducation
of Monica and
Karen (Links to an
external site.)
 Jensen & Worth,
Valuable
Knowledge
 Boretz, Grade
Inflation and the
Myth of Student
Consumerism (Links
to an external site.)
Gokcen, Rise of
Student
Consumerism (Links
to an external site.)
Retention Policy Memo
Suggested: Self
Regulated Learning Part
Three: Strategy
Application
*Please note: Schedule is subject to change in order to better meet the needs of the students or at the discretion
of the instructor. The schedule following spring break will be provided prior to students leaving for spring
break.
The syllabus is subject to change. The rest of the readings and assignments will be assigned at a later date.