Starting in August, freshmen can expect a revamped UA undergraduate catalog with changes to degree requirements and course offerings.
The UA undergraduate catalog, which features course requirements for each department, is the collaborative effort of many offices around campus. Jacob Jones, the assistant University Registrar, said the new online catalog, which launched in 2012, featured many improvements from the print-only catalog.
“UA’s undergraduate catalog can now be downloaded as a PDF, and sections can be printed as needed through the PDF function,” Jones said. “Search functionality has also been added to make navigation easier when using the catalog online. Additionally, because the catalog is maintained online, we are now able to produce a yearly catalog instead of a two-year catalog as the University did in the past.”
Jones said each department determines the additions and edits on their catalog pages, according to the changes for addition of majors, course requirements and other necessary changes. Then the dean’s office of that department must approve. The catalog pages are then sent to University Relations, and they edit it for style and consistency.
Many departments across campus plan on making changes to major and minor requirements with the new catalog. David Birch, professor and chair of the health science department, said his department developed two concentrations so students can take courses more appropriate for their interest.
“Now the students can either opt to go into the health profession concentration, which will be for those interested in graduate study, or health education and promotion,” Birch said.
The review process, which includes the faculty’s input, started in spring 2011.
Ed Merrill, director of undergraduate studies in psychology, said the psychology department hasn’t made a large scale change in almost 10 years, but the curriculum within courses and through the addition of courses is constantly changing.
“We are considering adding a requirement for early majors to take a professional issues seminar,” Merrill said. “That seminar will be structured to provide students a formal introduction to opportunities in the field of psychology and options for graduates with a psychology major.”
However, some departments don’t have plans to make any changes to the upcoming 2013 catalog. Matthew Curtner-Smith, professor and department head of kinesiology, said his department is one of them.
“We are happy with what we have,” Curtner-Smith said.
Birch said every department should consider changes often.
“The curriculum should be reviewed every year,” he said. “Some years there might not be changes, some years there will be, but it’s an ongoing process.”
