Undergraduate Program

Wagner College strives to educate the complete person within an intellectual framework consisting of a sequence of general education courses that precede and complement the major area of study.  The general education segment provides students with a foundation of liberal learning and analytical skills and the major provides depth of knowledge in a chosen discipline or professional field. The academic program provides knowledge of historical and sociocultural influences, leading to an awareness and appreciation of one’s own and other cultures. Communication skills are developed
and reasoning skills are refined to promote clear expression, critical thinking, and constructive problem solving. Sensitivity to human expression and creativity is stimulated through study of the arts, and values are developed through the historical exploration of moral, ethical, and spiritual decisions.

The Wagner Plan for the Practical Liberal Arts

Under The Wagner Plan for the Practical Liberal Arts, students complete a general education requirement and an in-depth major totaling 36 course units. The general education requirement includes foundation courses, two intercultural courses, learning communities with experiential learning components, reflective tutorials, and courses fulfilling disciplinary perspectives. The major, selected no later than the end of sophomore year, typically requires between 12–18 units.

Learning Communities (LC’s)

The Wagner curriculum leans heavily on the learning community concept, particularly within the general education component. Learning communities are packages of thematically-linked courses, enrolling a common cohort of students. In a learning community, students share common courses where linkages of subject matter are pre-arranged for enhanced conversation, critical assessment, and problem solving. Students complete three learning communities before graduation, one in the
first year (fall term), one during the intermediate years, and one in the senior year in their major.  The first and third learning communities include an experiential learning component and a reflective tutorial.

Experiential Learning Component

The Wagner Plan links the learning communities directly to experiential learning situations based on the themes of the learning communities. In the first year learning community, students are placed in carefully selected field sites in small groups made up of other students from their learning community. Students typically spend three hours per week at the designated site. There are several models for experiential learning including service learning, participatory learning, independent study, field trips, and community research. Senior learning communities in the major field include
an experiential component, called a practicum, to help in the transition from college to the world of work or graduate studies.

Reflective Tutorial (RFT)

Each freshman student’s field experience is carefully linked to another course called a reflective tutorial that is taught by one of his or her learning community faculty. This course emphasizes writing skills, and students link their field experiences directly to the readings in the reflective tutorial and the learning community courses. Because the field experiences are directly linked to academic coursework, students learn how to scrutinize ideas in the light of real world experiences and share their findings with their classmates in lively discussions and written commentaries. In the senior learning community, an experiential component is again linked to a reflective tutorial and a
capstone course in the student’s major.

First Year Program

In the freshman year, students complete nine courses. They select which semester to enroll in five courses and which semester to enroll in four. In the first semester at the College, each student takes a learning community composed of three related courses, a field experience linked to the RFT, and one or two additional courses. The Academic Advisement Center assists entering freshmen in selecting courses related to areas of study in which they are interested. During the summer before they begin their first semester at Wagner, new freshmen are sent a First Year Guide with a list of all the first-year learning communities. They are asked to return their preferences for learning
communities and other courses to the Academic Advisement Center so that they may be preregistered before they arrive for fall orientation. The following are examples of possible freshman first-semester schedules.

Examples of First Year Program Schedules and Learning Communities

The Wheel of Fortune                         Creativity and Conflict in Modern Times

Intermediate Learning Community

During the sophomore or junior year, students register for the intermediate learning community consisting of two thematically-linked courses from different academic disciplines. The Intermediate LC facilitates identifying the common threads that link different ways of knowing and leads to the senior learning community which is taken in the major field. The intermediate learning community may also be fulfilled by study abroad.

Senior Program

The Wagner Plan culminates in the Senior Program and the third learning community. During the senior year, all students must successfully complete a learning community with a reflective tutorial in their major. The Senior LC is a summative experience that contains the following elements: a capstone major course and a reflective tutorial that includes a field-based practicum and final written project. Students are challenged to develop a more sophisticated understanding of the complexity and depth of at least one discipline through concentrated application, problem solving, reflection, and critique. The senior learning community is the continuation and culmination of
The Wagner Plan and the beginning of the learning experience beyond the College.

General Education Requirements

Foundations (3-4 units)
Foundation courses must be completed by the end of sophomore year.

Writing—2 units, one in the first-year reflective tutorial and one in literature. Both units may not be taken simultaneously. Writing intensive literature courses are designated with a “W” on the schedule and in the English course offerings in the Courses of Study section of this bulletin.   Additional information on the writing requirement may also be found there.

Mathematics—1 unit in Mathematics 110 or a higher-level course.

Speech—proficiency by assessment or 1 unit from Speech courses.

Computer—proficiency by assessment or 1 unit in Computer Science 106 or a higher-level course.

Intercultural Understanding (2 units)

• In order to promote in students a critical examination of their own and other cultures, students take two courses. A course in American Diversity (marked by an “D” on the schedule and in the Courses of Study section of this bulletin) develops students’ capacities to reflect on their own identities, as influenced by their cultural, racial, ethnic, and other significant differences. Additionally, students explore the diverse peoples of American society, reflecting on their values, institutional obstacles, and contributions to the American experience. A course in International Perspectives (marked by an “I” on the schedule and in the Courses of Study section of this bulletin) provides indepth

coverage of global concerns. Its purpose is to acquaint the students with historical or developing international trends through a comparative analysis of a culture beyond our borders.  Students should consult the course schedule to see which courses are approved as additional courses, or sections of courses, meet the requirements.

Reflective Tutorials (2 units)

One in foundations as part of the freshman learning community and one in the major as part of the senior learning community. The RFTs are linked to an experiential component in the freshman and senior learning communities.

Learning Communities (3)

Three learning communities are required for graduation: one in the first year, another in the sophomore or junior year, and the last in the senior year in the major field. An experiential learning component is part of the first and last learning communities.

Disciplinary Perspectives (10 units)

Humanities—3 units chosen from at least two of the following disciplines: English, foreign languages, history, philosophy, religion, and MDS 101, 105, 106, 107, or 108. One of the 3 units must be in history. Only one MDS course may be used to fulfill the humanities requirement.

Social Sciences-3 units in at least two of the following disciplines: anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, and MDS 103, 104, 109, or 111. Only one MDS course may be used in fulfilling this area.

Sciences—2 units in two of the following disciplines; including one in a laboratory science: astronomy, biology, chemistry, microbiology, physics, physical sciences, and MDS 205. One of the courses must be from a science discipline that is a major: biology, chemistry, microbiology, or physics.

The Arts—2 units from different disciplines in the arts, from the following disciplines: art, music, theatre, and MDS 112.

Study in Depth: Majors, Concentrations, and Minors

Major (typically 12–18 units)
Each student must complete a major field of study. The selection of a major is normally made no later than the close of the sophomore year. Students establish a major through the Academic Advisement Center. Students must be recommended for graduation by the department in which they have taken their major work. This recommendation will be given only when the student has demonstrated satisfactory knowledge and ability in a major field by earning the required course units in that field and fulfilling any other designated requirements for the major. No more than 18 units in any one discipline may be counted toward the 36 units required for the baccalaureate degree. Students with a major leading to the bachelor of science degree may count toward the 36 units for graduation no more than 22 major units, including courses in the discipline of the major and required, related courses in other disciplines. For the bachelor of arts degree, no more than 18 major units, including courses in the discipline of the major and required related courses in other disciplines, may be counted toward the 36 units for graduation. Students may complete more than the 22 and 18 major units respectively only if these units exceed the 36 for graduation.  The student must assume primary responsibility for scheduling and sequencing the courses
necessary to satisfy the requirements of the major field.

Double Major

A student may elect to earn majors in two areas. In this event, the following guidelines are to be
observed:

• The selection of the double major should take place during the sophomore year so that the respective departments in which the student is majoring may have sufficient time to develop a manageable program.

•  A student must officially register for two major programs in the College by filing the proper form with the Academic Advisement Center, indicating on the Student Information Card the choice of majors, and having the official Student Advisement Form approved and signed by advisors from both departments.

•  A student electing the double major must meet the related course requirements of each of the disciplines, unless they are identical. Under such circumstances, a related course may be used to fulfill requirements for both disciplines.

• Normally the student would complete the senior learning community in the primary major.

•  The degree conferred will be based on the student’s work in the primary major.

•  No more than 4 units of identical course work in a single academic discipline may be applied to fulfill requirements for both majors.

Concentration

A concentration is a specialization within a major field of study. Students who select a major with a concentration option must complete the appropriate courses for the concentration. The concentration will be noted on the transcript. Students establish a concentration through the Academic Advisement Center.

Minor

A minor is defined as 5–7 units of acceptable courses in a single discipline. No more than 2 transfer units may apply to a minor. No more than 2 units of a minor may be applied to fulfill other requirements of the College major or a second minor. Each department or program, with the approval of the Academic Policy Committee, determines which courses are acceptable.  Students seeking minors should consult the chair of the department or program in which the minor is undertaken. Students establish a minor through the Academic Advisement Center. A minor (or
minors) will be noted on the transcript.

Elective Courses

Dedicated to the diversification of learning within the liberal arts, Wagner College limits the number of units a student may take in a major. Thus, each student must enroll in electives not directly linked with the area of major study. Chairs of departments and faculty advisors encourage and assist students in the major in achieving both specialized and balanced learning during their college career.