Overview of Programs

The Integrative and Engaged Studies (IES) Department oversees academic curricula within the School of Integrative and Engaged Learning (SIEL). Under the IES umbrella, the following programs and degrees are offered: Honors enrichment opportunities, Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credits, a Bachelor of Arts/Science (BA/BS) in General Studies, a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS), graduate certificate programs, and a Master of Interdisciplinary Studies (MIS).

Academic Programs

Honors Program

The SUU Honors Program provides enrichment opportunities for exceptionally talented, creative, and academically committed students in a friendly, informal, and interdisciplinary undergraduate experience. The program connects students with SUU’s best faculty through small classes and participation in out-of-class activities. Students learn in a collaborative environment where their ideas and research matter.

Prior Learning Assessment

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) provides students an opportunity to earn SUU credit based on one’s professional experiences. PLA is a variable-credit course in which the student will create an e-portfolio to synthesize real world experience into college credit. PLA can offer 1-15 credits in upper-division electives that help students reach their required total for graduation. PLA 3920 - Prior Learning Assessment  is a rigorous course, resulting in a deliverable that reflects both the value of their experience, and their understanding of how that experience connects to their educational pursuit. PLA is available to any admitted SUU student.

Undergraduate Degrees

Bachelor of Arts/Science (BA/BS) in General Studies

General Studies is a multidisciplinary major for students interested in pursuing a broad education. The program allows students to manage the direction of their undergraduate studies. This educational pathway works well for individuals who need and/or want to complete a degree.

Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (BIS)

By earning a BIS degree, students can build their own path to graduation by selecting courses from across disciplines that relate to specific interests. Some students want to specialize in multiple areas without increasing their time to graduation. Others want to major in a field of study that SUU does not offer. The BIS major allows the most freedom to construct a degree pathway that is customized to students’ needs.

Graduate Certificate Programs

Corporate Online Training

A certificate program that explores the theories affecting adult learning and technology needed to design, develop, and deliver training online in all organizational types through the creation of curriculum maps, need analysis, and outcome.

Leadership Studies

A certificate program that studies and analyzes basic leadership approaches, processes, and traits. Students will identify skills and styles of leadership. They will also draft a vision plan to include communication and innovation. Furthermore, they will study the psychological aspects of leadership including culture, ethics, and gender.

Online Teaching

A certificate program that provides educators the chance to distinguish themselves and meet the needs of digital-age education. This competency-focused certificate grants learners the opportunity to develop skills by doing, not just by reading and listening. Each student of this program is given their own sandbox in the Canvas learning management system (LMS) on the first day of class.

Graduate Degrees

Master of Interdisciplinary Studies

The MIS degree provides an opportunity for students to build a graduate degree from three (3) academic disciplines, resulting in a unique interdisciplinary experience. Since this 30-credit degree allows students to develop an individualized program of study, they can tailor it to their personal passions and career objectives. Students will enjoy the flexibility of online and/or face-to-face courses, taught by highly qualified faculty.

Mission

The Integrative and Engaged Studies (IES) Department seeks to support academic programs and degrees that are central to engaging all students in integrative and experiential learning, leading to personal growth, civic responsibility, and professional excellence.

Department/Program Learning Outcomes

Anyone graduating from this department or program should learn the following learning outcomes:

Honors Program

• Civic Engagement: Students demonstrate that they possess the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make a difference in the civic life of their community and to promote the enhancement of the quality of life in a community through both political and non-political processes.
• Critical Thinking: Students demonstrate disciplined processes of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.
• Integrative Learning: Students make connections among ideas and experiences and can synthesize and transfer their learning to new, complex situations within and beyond the campus.
• Written Communication: Write analytical or scientific papers of substantial length and depth.

Prior Learning Assessment

• Creative Thinking: Students combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways, as well as think, react, and work in an imaginative way.
• Critical Thinking: Students demonstrate disciplined processes of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.
• Digital Literacy: Students strategically and responsibly employ appropriate technologies to explore, create, collaborate, and organize in a digital context.
• Information Literacy: Students identify, locate, evaluate, attribute and share information effectively and ethically.
• Lifelong Learning: Students demonstrate that they possess the skills and dispositions that are necessary for a self- sufficient learner to engage in purposeful, ongoing learning activities with the aim of improving knowledge, skills, and competence.
• Integrative Learning: Students make connections among ideas and experiences and can synthesize and transfer their learning to new, complex situations within and beyond the campus.

BA/BS in General Studies

• Civic Engagement: Students demonstrate that they possess the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make a difference in the civic life of their community and to promote the enhancement of the quality of life in a community through both political and non-political processes.
• Communication: Students develop and express ideas and will be able to do so in a variety of ways, namely in writing, by speaking, visually, kinesthetically, through design or aurally.
• Creative Thinking: Students combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways, as well as think, react, and work in an imaginative way.
• Critical Thinking: Students demonstrate disciplined processes of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.
• Digital Literacy: Students strategically and responsibly employ appropriate technologies to explore, create, collaborate, and organize in a digital context.
• Information Literacy: Students identify, locate, evaluate, attribute and share information effectively and ethically.
• Integrative Learning: Students make connections among ideas and experiences and can synthesize and transfer their learning to new, complex situations within and beyond the campus.
• Lifelong Learning: Students demonstrate that they possess the skills and dispositions that are necessary for a self- sufficient learner to engage in purposeful, ongoing learning activities with the aim of improving knowledge, skills, and competence.

Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies

• Civic Engagement: Students demonstrate that they possess the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make a difference in the civic life of their community and to promote the enhancement of the quality of life in a community through both political and non-political processes.
• Communication: Students develop and express ideas and will be able to do so in a variety of ways, namely in writing, by speaking, visually, kinesthetically, through design or aurally.
• Creative Thinking: Students combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways, as well as think, react, and work in an imaginative way.
• Critical Thinking: Students demonstrate disciplined processes of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.
• Digital Literacy: Students strategically and responsibly employ appropriate technologies to explore, create, collaborate, and organize in a digital context.
• Information Literacy: Students identify, locate, evaluate, attribute and share information effectively and ethically.
• Integrative Learning: Students make connections among ideas and experiences and can synthesize and transfer their learning to new, complex situations within and beyond the campus.
• Lifelong Learning: Students demonstrate that they possess the skills and dispositions that are necessary for a self- sufficient learner to engage in purposeful, ongoing learning activities with the aim of improving knowledge, skills, and competence.

Graduate Certificate Programs

• Communication: Students develop and express ideas and will be able to do so in a variety of ways, namely in writing, by speaking, visually, kinesthetically, through design or aurally.
• Creative Thinking: Students combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways, as well as think, react, and work in an imaginative way.
• Critical Thinking: Students demonstrate disciplined processes of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.
• Digital Literacy: Students strategically and responsibly employ appropriate technologies to explore, create, collaborate, and organize in a digital context.
• Information Literacy: Students identify, locate, evaluate, attribute and share information effectively and ethically.
• Integrative Learning: Students make connections among ideas and experiences and can synthesize and transfer their learning to new, complex situations within and beyond the campus.
• Problem Solving: Students design, evaluate, and implement strategies to answer open-ended questions or achieve a desired goal.
• Teamwork: Students demonstrate productive interaction with others (in or out of class) to complete assignments, tasks or projects.

Master of Interdisciplinary Studies

• Civic Engagement: Students demonstrate that they possess the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make a difference in the civic life of their community and to promote the enhancement of the quality of life in a community through both political and non-political processes.
• Communication: Students develop and express ideas and will be able to do so in a variety of ways, namely in writing, by speaking, visually, kinesthetically, through design or aurally.
• Creative Thinking: Students combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways, as well as think, react, and work in an imaginative way.
• Critical Thinking: Students demonstrate disciplined processes of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.
• Digital Literacy: Students strategically and responsibly employ appropriate technologies to explore, create, collaborate, and organize in a digital context.
• Information Literacy: Students identify, locate, evaluate, attribute and share information effectively and ethically.
• Integrative Learning: Students make connections among ideas and experiences and can synthesize and transfer their learning to new, complex situations within and beyond the campus.
• Lifelong Learning: Students demonstrate that they possess the skills and dispositions that are necessary for a self- sufficient learner to engage in purposeful, ongoing learning activities with the aim of improving knowledge, skills, and competence.
• Problem Solving: Students design, evaluate, and implement strategies to answer open-ended questions or achieve a desired goal.
• Teamwork: Students demonstrate productive interaction with others (in or out of class) to complete assignments, tasks or projects.

Other Information

• All courses must be passed with a “C-” (1.7) or better to be counted in the major in the department’s bachelor’s degree programs.
• All courses must be passed with a “B-” (2.7) or better to be counted in the department’s graduate certificate and master’s degree programs.

Programs

• General Studies (A.A., A.S.)

• Certificate of Completion in General Education
• Degree Boosts

• Community Engaged Scholar