12 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, February 16, 2001
FRIDAY Focus
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"'11S
9
MOST POPULAR
WA
CONCENTRATIONS BY
DEPARTMENT as of]
Fall 00
e T
Concentration
Number
i 1
* Psychology
* English
* Biology
* Economics
U Individual Concentration
Political Science
* History
* Communication Studies
* Chemistry
* Anthropology
U Computer Science
* General Studies
* Film & Video Studies
* Mathematics
® Romance Lang. & Lit.
" Other
949
725
655
626
533
486
402
250
239
226
186
172
154
154
134
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3.3
2.7
2.5
2.2
2.2
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.. AND ONLY
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RACHEL FEIERMAN/Daily
Students can seek answers to their academic questions at the LSA Academic Advising Center located in Angell Hall.
Everyone has to have a cnceI n
or major, as thy are r rr
the vernacular -
from the Universifr's ( si s
College of itere S
Arts.
Because
LSA
w e. ..- . '
$ - -- '
approved. It depends on the strength of the
student to show how these classes fit togeth-
er," Smith said.
LSA junior Jane Purakal, a health and devel-
opment ICP concentrator, was originally a biol-
ogy concentrator but said she felt limited by the
program.
"I wasn't happy or interested in some of the
courses that I had to take for my major," Purakal
said. "I am really excited to take the courses that
I picked as part of my (ICP) major."
Many students ask Smith about the ICP con-
centration but few actually go through with the
process because of the large amount of work
that is involved, he said.
The process requires a two- to three-page
written proposal that includes the goal of the
program, why it can't be accomplished through
any existing concentration, 30 credits of course-
work, alternate courses and two faculty sponsors
from contributing departments. The application
then goes on to be considered by a committee
compiled of two faculty members and Smith.
"It really forces you to think what you want
out of your education since you have to decide
on a goal and specific classes that will work
within that goal," Smith said.
faint-hearted.
- Chalmers Knight
General Studies academic adviser
concentration Progam hi
choose cboCo
ask for it, while a BGS gets what one wants
without having to ask for t."
"A BGS is not for t e faint-hearted,"
Knight said passionately "it is one thing to
choose a concentration d follow the rules
and another to take acti n in deciding your
own program and future."
One student deciding her own program is
BGS student Diane Kay, an LSA junior. Kay
said she was interested i "The emp1l
political activism an
social change but did no concerned
find a concentration at th
University that encom actual maj
passed what she wanted.
"With BGS I have mor W1th the si
control over my educational student ha
destiny. I can take whatever
I want this way. I can take Career Plann
classes that really interest
me," Kay said.
The sophomore decision
The University has recognized the problems
that students are have deciding upon a concen-
tration and have focused their efforts on helping
sophomores make the concentration decision
through the Sophomore Initiative Program.
Sophomores are being targeted because it is
near the end of the sophomore year or the
beginning of the junior year when the Universi-
ty recommends that students declare a concen-
tration, said Associate Director of LSA
Academic Advising Philip Gorman.
"Students should declare by then so they can
graduate in a reasonable amount of time.
Departments also need to know how many
students to plan for," Gorman said.
The Sophomore Inititive is a continuation
of programs that the college already has in
place. These programs focus on the three
mation, helping stu
concentration decisio
for those conversatio s
What do e
After all the ste
through to decide i
how much does it rel
yers are not
with the
or, but more
kill sets that a
* ..
-- Terr LaMarco
ing and Placement
associate director
main goals of providi
iployers think?
ess that students go
n their concentration,
Lly effect an employers
decision to hire?
About 87 percent of
employers looking
to hire liberal arts
majors that inter-
view at the Univer-
sity's Career
Planning and Place-
ment Office say
} they have no prefer-
r ence as far as con-
centrations are
I
n:
S
ng students with infor-
ents make career and
s and providing a place
to take place.
LSA sophomore Mike Kaselitz has taken
every one of his classes at the University in a
different department but has yet to declare a
concentration.
"I am still trying to find one that I want to
do," he said. "I like that I am getting require-
ments out of the way with all the classes that I
am taking."
Kaselitz is not alone.
Some students feel confined by choosing a
concentration in one department and instead
choose an interdisciplinary concentration.
LSA sophomore Daniel Norton concluded
his concentration quest with the dramatic
writing concentration - a combination of the
English, film and video and theater depart-
ments.
"My mind wanders too much to concentrate
on one thing and this way I get to study a vari-
ety of subjects," Norton said. "Instead of just
focusing on writing or production, I get to do
both."
Despite the name, concentrations do not
consume a student's entire college career
because they usually consist of 30 of the 120
credits required for graduation.
"This college adheres very strongly to the phi-
losophy that a broad liberal arts college experi-
ence is the best preparation for whatever future
you have," said Alice Reinarz, director of the
LSA Academic Advising Center. "We don't
want students to get specialized too fast"
We have minors?
Fairly new to LSA is the academic minor.
There had been talk of adding minors to LSA
for several years, when in 1997 the LSA Stu-
coherent set of courses wi~th a particular
theme," Owen said.
The certification of minor now appears only
on the unofficial transcript bti t is scheduled to
appear on the official transcri! pt, which is cur-
r e n t 1 y .
b e ing "A BGS is not for thef
Bachelor in
redesigned, Reinarz said.
"From the LSA students graduating in
December, about 10 percent an satisfying one
of the minors. The most populair so far are those
in Spanish and philosophy," Rein, rz said.
Minors are created within eaKh LSA depart-
ment and are then brought in front of the LSA
Curriculum Committee for approval. New
minors are being added constantlyt
Most recently approved are global media stud-
ies through the film 4nd video c epartment and
Near Eastern languages and literatures through
the Near Eastern studies departmetat. A new poli-
cy was also approved that allows students in the
College of Engineering to elect anyiLSA minor.
Design your own: ICP {
Like LSA freshman Jessica Franc, many
students have heard of the individualized con-
centration program but are uncertain as to
what the program involves.
"I've kind of heard of it, but I don't, know
exactly what it is," Franc said.
The ICP program is elected by very few
individuals at the University. TIhtirty students
have currently declared ICP as their concen-
tration even though' it is listed as the fifth
concerned, said Career Planning and Place-
ment Associate Director Terri LaMarco.
"The employers are not concerned with
the actual major, but more with the skill
sets that a student has," LaMarco said.
"Everything that a- student does here at the
University affects their job potential."
Lori Page, a university recruiter for
MassMutual Financial Group, reiterated
LaMarco's statement.
"We are open to all academic majors. We
look for a set of competencies that make
students more well-rounded and likely for
success," Page said.
Page said they have found qualities that
they are looking for in University students,
such as interpersonal skills and ability to
build relations. In fact, Page added, the
University has been one of the top schools
in job offers extended and accepted.
Purakal said that despite all the hard work,
she found it beneficial to be in charge of her
educational focus.
"It was definitely a lot of work, but it was
worth it," Purakal said. "An ICP is all you -
you have so much leeway to really do what
you want to do."
The 'S' in BGS doesn't stand for
slacker
Walking into the office of bachelors in gen-
eral studies academic adviser Chalmers
Knight, one of the first things to see is a sign
reading "BGS is a choice, not a default."
But some students say this statement is con-
tradictory to the degree program's reputation
on campus.
LSA sophomore Trek Glowacki said many
students think a BGS degree shows that you
couldn't decide on a program.
"I think it has a bad rap on campus that if
you major in general studies that you won't
get a good job," Glowacki said.
The BGS degree program is the 12th most
popular program on campus with 172 stu-
dents, according to LSA numbers from this
past fall. A BGS requires that students take a
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