Catalog Content
The content of this catalog is subject to change without notice and does not constitute a contract between Southern Oregon University and its students or applicants for admission. This catalog is for information purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the content, but circumstances change frequently at an educational institution and new decisions may affect the accuracy of this information.
Terminology
Course. A subject or instructional subdivision of a subject offered during a single term.
Corequisite. Indicates a course that must be taken simultaneously with the course described.
Credit. One unit of credit represents approximately three hours of time each week for one term. This time may comprise work in the classroom, the laboratory, or outside.
Curriculum. An organized program of study providing integrated cultural or professional education.
Discipline. A branch of learning or field of study (e.g., biology, English, or psychology).
Elective. An optional rather than a required course.
Grade Point Average (GPA). Grade point average is computed by dividing grade points earned by the number of credits attempted. Grades of E, I, P, NP, W, WP, WF, and NC do not carry grade points, and credits for these grades are not calculated in the GPA. The University’s GPA includes only SOU courses.
Practicum. A supervised experience, usually off campus, arranged with the approval of the instructor and conducted under requirements set by the instructor.
Prerequisite. Indicates a course that must be completed prior to the course described; for example, MTH 95 is required before taking CH 201. See Course Prerequisites Policy in the Academic Policies section.
Reading and Conference. A selection of materials to be read by an individual student and discussed in conference with a professor.
Residence Credit. Academic work completed while a student is formally admitted and officially registered at SOU.
Seminar. A small group of advanced students studying a subject with guidance from a professor. Each student conducts original research and exchanges the results with fellow group members through informal lectures, reports, and discussions.
Sequence. Closely related courses extending through more than one term.
Term. Approximately one-third of the regular academic year and one-quarter of the calendar year. May be fall, winter, spring, or summer.
Reading a Course Description
The following example illustrates the elements of a typical course listing:
TA 442 Theatre Sound Design
3 credits
Offers an advanced study of theatre sound, with an emphasis on providing practical experience in designing sound for various production styles. Prerequisite: TA 242.
TA: Prefix. An abbreviation representing the program offering the course.
442: Number. Indicates the approximate level of the course (see Course Numbering System below).
Theatre Sound Design: Title.
3 credits: Indicates the number of credits awarded for successful completion of the course.
Offers … : Description of course content.
Prerequisite: TA 242: The required background course necessary for admittance to the course. Students who have not completed the stated prerequisites but have equivalent background should consult the instructor of the course they are interested in. The instructor has the authority to waive the prerequisite requirement in such a case. See Course Prerequisites Policy in the Academic Policies section.
Course registration details (including the Course Reference Number (CRN), grading method, time and location of class meetings, and instructor’s name) are listed in the class schedule, which is available online each term.
Course Numbering System
Courses throughout the Oregon University System follow this basic numbering system:
1-99
Noncredit courses or credit courses of remedial nature that do not count toward graduation or degree and are not included in calculating the grade point average.
100-299
Lower division courses.
300-499
Upper division courses. A student must achieve sophomore standing before being permitted to enroll in 300-level courses and junior standing before being permitted to enroll in 400-level courses. If the instructor of the course is satisfied that a student meets the criteria for a course, then the consent of the instructor permits enrollment. This does not supersede specific prerequisites, which may be stated in the course description.
400-499
Upper division courses primarily for seniors.
400-499/500-599
Upper division/graduate courses for seniors and graduate students. Courses listed in this catalog that have both a 4xx and 5xx number may be offered during any quarter (see the class schedule) under either of two options:
1. For undergraduate students only; listed under the 4xx number.
2. For both graduate and undergraduate students; listed under 4xx/5xx. Graduate students enroll in the 5xx number, while undergraduates enroll in the 4xx number. The class schedule includes the 4xx listing and a separate 5xx listing.
500-599
Graduate courses.
Course Prefixes
Prefix Subject Area
ART Art
ARTC Creative Activities
ARTM Museum Studies
ARTH Art History
ASL American Sign Language
BA Business Administration
BI Biology
CCJ Criminology and Criminal Justice
CH Chemistry
CHN Chinese
COMM Communication
COUN Counseling
CS Computer Science
CW Creative Writing
D Dance
EC Economics
ED Education
EMDA Emerging Media & Digital Arts
ENG English
ES Environmental Science and Policy
FR French
GEOG Geography
GL German
GSWS Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies
HE Health Education
HON Honors College
HSE House Experience
HST History
IEP Intensive English Program
INL Innovation and Leadership
IS International Studies
JPN Japanese
LC Learning Commons
LEAD Education and Leadership
LIS Library and Information Science
MBA Master in Business Administration
MM Master in Management
MS Military Science
MTH Mathematics
MUP Applied Music
MUS Music
NAS Native American Studies.
PE Physical Education
PEA Physical Education Activities
PH Physics
PHL Philosophy
PS Political Science
PSY Psychology
READ Collaborative Reading
REL Religion
SAS Success at Southern
SC Science
SHS Shakespeare Studies
SOAN Sociology and Anthropology
SPAN Spanish
SPED Special Education
TA Theatre Arts
UGS Undergraduate Studies
USEM University Seminar
WR Writing
Class Schedule
Students should read the online class schedule. This publication contains rules, regulations, academic requirements, class schedules, and other information unavailable when the catalog was published. Students are also urged to consult faculty advisors for additional information and assistance.
Rules and Procedures
Students are expected to follow University rules and procedures. Students assume personal responsibility for designing a course of study and fulfilling the academic requirements of SOU.
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