- We live in a complex, diverse, and rapidly
changing world—one of delicate moral and social problems
that demand careful analysis and creative solutions. This is an
era of uncertainty, of promise, and of opportunity. We believe
that the most appropriate formal preparation to meet the challenges
of today, to fulfill career goals, to lead a rich and rewarding
personal life, and to serve society as a responsible citizen,
is a broad-based, flexible education in the liberal arts and sciences.
Building on that belief, the College has carefully designed an
academic program that not only prepares students for graduate
school, the professions, and positions of leadership in all areas
of society, but one that also equips them with skills needed to
pursue a lifetime of learning.
General
Education Philosophy and Requirements
Simply stated, general education is the part of the curriculum
we require of all students regardless of their major field of
study or their career goals. In broader terms, it is the heart
of our liberal arts education, because it represents an academic
experience so valuable that we believe it should be shared by
all Centre graduates.
At most colleges, general education consists of asking students
to take a specified number of courses in several broad academic
areas such as social studies, humanities, science, and fine arts.
The main purpose of this approach is to guarantee breadth of knowledge
and exposure to a wide range of disciplines. Our notion of general
education goes beyond exposure to disciplines and the accumulation
of facts. Centre’s approach to general education is rooted
in the concept of liberal education as a formative and transformative
process—one that provides students with a permanent foundation
for learning through the development of basic human capacities.
Those include such things as the ability to imagine and create,
to think and reason analytically, to solve problems, to integrate
and synthesize complex information, to use language clearly and
persuasively, and to make responsible choices. In other words,
general education here addresses nothing less than our common
humanity—those essential capacities and qualities that enable
us to participate effectively and responsibly in a variety of
shared intellectual, social, and moral contexts.
No single, complete description of these contexts is possible
or necessary, since boundaries cannot be precisely drawn. Still,
differentiating several primary human contexts will help us understand
the various realms of meaning and experience that we hold in common
and that are of central educational importance. In this regard,
our general education requirements are designed to develop students’
capacities in the following four contexts:
1. The aesthetic context.
2. The scientific and technological context.
3. The social context.
4. The context of fundamental questions.
The Four Contexts
1. The Aesthetic Context (two courses). One of the characteristics
that defines a liberally educated person is the ability to derive
understanding and pleasure from the aesthetic experiences of literature
and the fine arts. A two-term core interdisciplinary sequence
in the humanities, taught by faculty from various academic disciplines,
constitutes the requirement. The sequence introduces masterworks
of literature and the fine arts within the contexts of particular
times, places, and ideas that together form a style. This sequence,
beginning with the classical world, concentrates on developing
the critical skills necessary to understand, appreciate, and judge
works of literature, art, drama, philosophy, and music. Courses
satisfying this requirement will: a) lead to an appreciation and
understanding of key works of the creative human spirit; b) require
students to engage in a close critical analysis of original work;
c) sharpen and develop critical and interpretive skills, and provide
the information and terminology necessary to make independent
aesthetic judgments; and d) enhance the ability to read analytically
and imaginatively, to look alertly and sympathetically at works
of art, and to express thought with vigor and clarity in both
oral and written form.
2. The Scientific and Technological Context (two courses).
We can’t fully understand who we are or to what we can aspire
without grasping the nature of the scientific enterprise, the
intellectual achievements of its practitioners, and its applications.
Scientific inquiry has altered our view of the world and has brought
about great benefits and enormous risks. The educated person understands
and appreciates science both as a body of knowledge that is complex,
beautiful, and incomplete, and as a disciplined, analytical, and
creative approach for comprehending our universe. The responsible
person appreciates the potential of science, recognizes that it
has limitations, understands some of its technical applications,
and knows how to develop informed opinions about its use.
This requirement consists of two four-credit laboratory courses,
one in life science and one in physical science, or a two-course
natural science sequence that integrates the major areas of cosmological
and biological evolution. Courses satisfying this requirement
will: a) provide an introduction to the nature, methodology, historical
development, and some fundamental concepts of both physical and
life sciences; b) illustrate the interplay between experimentation
and theory through direct laboratory experience emphasizing critical
thought and the systematic observation and interpretation of data;
c) demonstrate the relationship between the discipline and some
other disciplines and fields of science; and d) include discussion
of some of the social, political, and ethical implications of
scientific achievements and research.
3. The Social Context (two courses). Individual human experience
always takes place in the context of larger social forces: families,
organizations, communities, governments, economics. To think and
act as responsible citizens, we must be able to understand these
forces in terms of their historical development and their influence
on contemporary life.
Courses in this context are divided into two categories: those
which stress analysis of social institutions and those which emphasize
historical analysis. To satisfy this requirement students must
take one course from each category. Courses satisfying the social
analysis requirement will: a) stress the nature, function, and
influence of organizations, institutions, or groups such as governments,
economies, or communities; b) illustrate qualitative and/or quantitative
methods the field employs to organize, gather, and interpret information
necessary to formulate conclusions; c) require students to identify
significant social issues and analyze them from the standpoint
of various theoretical frameworks used in the field; and d) explore
the processes, social forces, and historical context within which
the institution, group, or organization has developed. Courses
satisfying the historical analysis requirement will: a) introduce
students to a coherent body of historical knowledge, to the nature
of historical inquiry, and to a variety of historical interpretations;
b) increase the student's knowledge and understanding of the complexity
of change and varieties of human experience; and c) demonstrate
relationships between past events and contemporary thought and
institutions.
4. The Context of Fundamental Questions (two courses).
A persistent feature of our humanity is the ability and need to
raise fundamental questions about the ultimate meaning of our
existence, about the possibility and limits of human knowledge,
about our common nature and destiny, and about what constitutes
a good life. Our efforts to deal with these questions reflect
basic values and beliefs which shape our perception of the world,
give order and purpose to our existence, and inform our moral
judgment. These efforts are part of a long-standing conversation
which is exemplified in the world’s great philosophical and
religious traditions and continues today in a setting of diverse
beliefs and values. Becoming educated should include a mature
understanding of values and beliefs which have shaped us and our
culture, and it should also involve both a heightened awareness
of our own values and a critical appraisal of them. Because of
its influence in Western culture’s approaches to fundamental
questions, the Judeo-Christian religious and ethical heritage
receives special emphasis in at least one of the two courses required.
Courses satisfying this requirement will: a) introduce students
to major figures, original texts, and major concepts and controversies
relevant to the fundamental question(s) under consideration; and
b) encourage students to examine their own values and beliefs
and those of their society.
Criteria For General Education
Courses
Though a course in general education may use methods specific
to a discipline, it will relate them to wider intellectual problems
and issues. The ideal of a general education program is not to
teach everything but to wed method to context and present the
principles of understanding which inform and transform our lives.
For this reason, general education courses share common goals
and criteria designed to enhance the coherence of the educational
experience.
By virtue of its special character and position, each general
education course seeks to follow common criteria. Though courses
may vary in the way they seek to fulfill the criteria, all strive
to maintain the spirit of common objectives.
Courses which meet the objectives of general education:
1. Acquaint the student with the fundamental issues and the common
methods of inquiry used in the subject. A general education course
will focus on key ideas, works, persons, events, and issues and
will seek to use primary sources. The course will also provide
an understanding of the advantages and limitations of common methods
of inquiry used in the field and, frequently, a sense of how the
discipline has evolved historically.
2. Develop the student’s ability to think critically. To
think critically is to think analytically, logically, synthetically,
and metaphorically with an open and questioning mind. Among other
things, critical thinking requires the ability to discriminate
between observation and inference, to draw valid inferences from
evidence, to distinguish between inductive and deductive reasoning,
to recognize presuppositions, and to discern relationships among
apparently dissimilar ideas.
3. Develop the student’s ability to communicate orally and
in writing. A general education course will include practice in
oral and, especially, in written expression. Students should be
helped to speak effectively and to write with clarity and precision.
4. Involve the student in active modes of learning. Teaching techniques
which stress active student participation build confidence, promote
intellectual self-reliance, allow for shared responsibility in
the learning process, and encourage life-long learning. The intent
of this criterion is to discourage the passive reception and regurgitation
of information and to encourage approaches which engage students
actively: the Socratic method, laboratory experimentation, in-class
debates and dramatizations, etc. Where heavy reliance on memorization
is essential, instructors will require students to demonstrate
on tests, in papers, and in other assignments an active mastery
of the material—e.g., by using it in an unfamiliar context.
5. Connect the student’s academic learning to wider personal
and social concerns. To the extent possible a general education
course will acquaint students with public issues connected with
the subject matter of the course, make students aware of how values
infuse knowledge and action, and empower them to make intelligent
personal choices.
Freshman Studies
During the Centre Term all first-year students will take a Freshman
Studies Course designed to 1) provide a small-group learning situation
that will engage students and faculty in an intensive intellectual
experience; 2) introduce new students in an innovative fashion
to a discipline's basic concepts, modes of thought, or procedures;
3) foster basic educational skills-how to read critically, think
logically, and communicate effectively. These classes will normally
meet five days a week for 12 hours a week, but with considerable
flexibility so that students can explore a topic, question, or
work beyond the arbitrary limits of 60- or 90-minute class meetings.
Freshman Studies Courses have no prerequisites. Students practice
distinguishing evidence from opinion; discussion should reflect
multiple viewpoints. Written and oral exercises emphasize imagination,
creativity, reasoning, problem solving, integration, and judgment—all
skills essential to critical thinking.
Visits to museums or other sites, laboratory experiments, field
study projects, interviewing, teaching, debating, inventing projects—all
of these characterize the Freshman Studies course. Writing assignments
need not follow the formal restrictions of conventional academic
prose. The journal, the essay, the description, and the meditation
are all useful models of writing, as long as they reveal a thoughtful
and ambitious encounter with the material of the course.
These courses enroll 15 or fewer students. While the seminar does
not count toward a major, it may, through participation in discussion
and research, provide a foretaste of upper-level work in the field
of the instructor. It is highly participatory, with thoughtful
and active participation by the students, as professor and students
investigate questions collaboratively.
Basic Skills
Our general education requirements are separate from our basic-skills
program. This program ensures that students attain specified levels
of competence in mathematics, expository writing, and a foreign
language. Basic competence in these subject areas provides a solid
foundation for enhanced learning and academic success in other
courses. For example, algebraic skills are a prerequisite for
courses in the physical sciences; writing competence contributes
to student success in all courses, especially those in social
studies and humanities; and achievement in foreign language skills
supports study and research in foreign cultures.
Moreover, the basic skills program reflects our view that such
levels of skill or knowledge in the three previously listed areas
are fundamental to the liberally educated person and should be
expected of all Centre graduates. Competence in mathematics aids
our students in their ability to gather, use, and interpret quantitative
data and to reason formally. Effective writing skills increase
their capacity to express themselves in an organized, precise,
and convincing way and to think analytically and critically. Achievement
in foreign language study develops their insight into the nature
of language—including their own—and in today’s
interdependent world serves as a key to the understanding of the
basic modes of thought, life, and expression of other cultures.
Ideally, students will have achieved sufficient skill levels in
secondary school to meet Centre’s basic skills requirement.
For mathematics and foreign language, this may be done by passing
a College-administered examination at entrance or, in the case
of mathematics, by presenting acceptable scores on the appropriate
sections of the SAT or ACT examinations. Alternatively, students
may meet these requirements by earning a grade of "C-"
or higher in the following Centre courses: Mathematics 110 (or
140 by placement), and in German 120, Classics 120, French 120,
or Spanish 120/121 (and appropriate courses in Greek, Hebrew,
and Japanese, when offered). Student performance in expository
writing will be evaluated at the end of the first long term of
enrollment. At this time, students whose writing is judged to
be competent will have satisfied the expository writing requirement.
Students whose writing is judged to fall short of competency will
be required to take a writing-intensive section of a General Education
course, normally during the next long term. Students who pass
this course will have satisfied the basic skills requirement in
expository writing.
Further Fluency in Basic Skills
To meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and interdependent
world, the College believes all of its students should attain
a level of expertise that goes beyond basic skills in at least
one of the following areas: mathematics, foreign language or computer
science. Consequently, students must complete one of the following
course options:
1. A mathematics course numbered 130 or higher.
2. A foreign language course numbered 210 or higher.
3. A computer science course numbered 117 or higher.
Summary of Requirements
| Basic Skills and Contexts |
Courses |
# Credit Hours |
| Foreign Language |
0-2 |
0-8 |
| Mathematics |
0-1 |
0-3 |
| Expository Writing |
|
0-2 |
| Further Fluency |
1 |
3-4 |
| Aesthetic |
2 |
6 |
| Scientific and Technological |
2 |
8 |
| Social |
2 |
6 |
| Fundamental Questions |
2 |
6 |
| Total |
9-12 |
29-43 |
|
|
|
Total required for graduation = 111 credit hours
Organization
and Structure of the Academic Program
The College’s instructional program is organized into three
academic divisions—humanities, social studies, and science
and mathematics—each chaired by a member of the faculty under
the general oversight of the Dean of the College. The work of
each division is carried out through separate program committees
representing the various academic disciplines. Committees are
comprised of faculty members and one or two voting student members.
Major and minor areas of concentration offered within the divisions
are shown in the following chart.
| Academic Division |
Majors* |
Minors |
|
|
|
| Humanities |
Art |
Art |
| (Division I) |
Classical Studies |
Classical Studies |
|
Dramatic Arts |
Dramatic Arts |
|
English |
English/Creative Writing |
|
French |
French |
|
German Studies |
German Studies |
|
Music |
Music |
|
Philosophy |
Philosophy |
|
Spanish |
Spanish |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Social Studies |
Anthropology/Sociology |
Anthropology/Sociology |
| (Division II) |
Economics |
|
|
Elementary Education** |
Elementary Education** |
|
Government |
Government |
|
History |
History |
|
International Studies |
International Studies |
|
|
Political Economy |
|
Religion |
Religion |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Science and Mathematics |
Biochemistry and Molecular
Biology |
|
| (Division III) |
Biology |
Biology |
|
Chemical Physics |
|
|
Chemistry |
Chemistry |
|
|
Environmental Studies |
|
Computer Science |
Computer Science |
|
Mathematics |
Mathematics |
|
Physics |
Physics |
|
Psychobiology |
Psychobiology |
|
Psychology |
Psychology |
* Students may choose two
majors. Self-designed majors are also available;
**A separate program leading to secondary teaching certification
is also offered, but not as a major.
Division of Humanities. In general, studies in the humanities
area are of particular interest to students who want to understand
how experience is transformed into art and into ordered systems
of thought and language. Career opportunities for students majoring
in one of the programs in the humanities are typically found in
areas such as the performing arts, communications, international
business, translation, creative writing, public service and administration,
and the professions of teaching, journalism, advertising, law,
and publishing. Students who plan to major in these areas are
urged to acquire a good knowledge of one foreign language.
Division of Social Studies. Students interested in public
affairs, in politics and social movements (past and present),
in the behavior of human beings in groups and the behavior of
individuals in relation to groups, and in the relationship of
ideas and ideologies to social behavior, usually pursue programs
in the Division of Social Studies. Career opportunities for students
selecting one of the social studies programs are generally found
in law, journalism, teaching, business, public service, the ministry,
institutional research, and social work. Students intending to
major in one of these programs should acquire a good knowledge
of at least one foreign language and/or the equivalent amount
of work in mathematics.
Division of Science and Mathematics. In general, students
interested in studying the structure of the universe as reflected
in the natural sciences pursue studies in mathematics and the
sciences. Career opportunities include, in addition to basic research
and teaching at all levels, such applied areas as statistics and
computer programming, agriculture, meteorology, medicine and allied
health professions, counseling and psychological testing, commercial
scientific writing and illustration, recreation and environmental
conservation, and a variety of business and research careers in
technological industries.
Double Majors
Many students choose to complete two majors during their four
years at Centre This option allows students to broaden their academic
credentials and explore sometimes quite different personal interests.
Some recent combinations include economics and mathematics, Spanish
and international studies, psychology and philosophy. Academic
advisors can provide more detailed information, as can the office
of the Associate Dean of the College. Students who double major
choose an advisor from each program.
Self-Designed Majors
In addition to the standard majors, students may also chose a
major of their own design. They develop their personal program
of junior-senior major study in conjunction with faculty committee.
previously approved self-designed majors include religious education,
physics and metaphysics, medieval studies, public policy, and
Japanese studies. More detailed information is available from
the Office of the Associate Dean of the College.
Integrative Studies
Special courses in integrative studies are frequently included
in self-designed interdisciplinary majors. These courses attempt
to transcend conventional disciplinary boundaries and achieve
a broad and coherent perspective on knowledge and the world.
Study
Abroad
We consider a stay in a foreign culture to be an integral part
of a liberal arts education, and study abroad has become one of
the hallmarks of a Centre education. About 70% of our students
study abroad at some point during their college careers, making
Centre one of a small handful of U.S. colleges and universities
where international study is so pervasive and important.
Centre offers a number of different opportunities for off-campus
study. Centre-in-London and Centre-in-England (at Reading) are
both residential programs in the U.K. Centre-in-Europe is a residential
program in Strasbourg, France. Centre-in-Latin America is a residential
program based in Merida, Mexico. The Japanese Exchange allows
students to study for a term or a year at Yamaguchi Prefectural
Institute, a university in Japan, while students from Yamaguchi
study at Centre. Similarly, Centre students may study for a term
or a year at a university in Northern Ireland and Irish students
study at Centre.
 We
also offer CentreTerm programs led by Centre professors, special
programs sponsored by the Associated Colleges of the South (of
which Centre is a founding member), and junior year abroad and
other individual study opportunities at foreign institutions.
Residential Programs. Since Centre established its first
residential program in London in 1990, Centre students have had
the opportunity to live in another country for a term or, occasionally,
a year. Centre currently offers residential programs in London,
Reading, Strasbourg (Centre-in-Europe), Merida (Centre-in-Latin
America), Japan, and Northern Ireland. Many students find their
sophomore year is the best time to participate in a residential
program. However, rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors all
are eligible to apply. Students do not need to be language majors
or have language proficiency to study in France, Mexico, or Japan.
The cost is approximately the same as the cost of studying on
the Danville campus, although there is a modest surcharge for
most residential programs and students in most programs will need
to cover the airfare. Students on financial aid at Centre may
apply those funds to their term abroad. In addition, a special
endowed fund is available to help some students on need-based
financial aid cover these additional costs.
Students in the Centre-in-London, -Europe, and -Latin America
programs live in apartments or home-stays and take classes primarily
with Centre professors. Centre-in-Reading students have a week
exploring London under the guidance of a Centre professor before
moving to Reading University, where they live in university residence
halls and take classes with British and other international students.
Centre’s program in the Far East is based at Yamaguchi Prefectural
Institute in Japan. Although interested students should begin
to study Japanese language while at Centre, most classes at Yamaguchi
are taught in English. Our newest program allows students to apply
to spend a term or year at one of the top three universities in
Northern Irerland.
Centre-Term and Summer Programs. Centre Term provides an
opportunity for special seminars, independent research, and off-campus
programs, as well as internships. The locations for off-campus
study in the Centre Term and the courses offered change from year
to year depending on the interests of students and faculty. Some
of the recent off-campus sites include the following: the South
Seas, Bahamas, the Central African Republic, Nicaragua, England,
France, Germany, South Africa, Turkey, and Vietnam. Frequuently
in the summer some Centre students participate in an archaeological
dig in Israel, sponsored by a Centre professor.
ACS Programs. Centre, as a member of the Associated Colleges
of the South (ACS), offers students the possibility of attending
programs sponsored by other ACS colleges (for example, a biology
program in Costa Rica and a language and culture program in Turkey).
Other members of ACS, all leading liberal arts institutions, are
Birmingham-Southern College, Centenary College of Louisiana, Davidson
College, Furman University, Hendrix College, Millsaps College,
Morehouse College, Rhodes College, Rollins College, Southwestern
University, Trinity University, University of Richmond, University
of the South, and Washington and Lee University.
Non-Centre-run Programs Abroad. In consultation with the
International Studies Office, students may select a study program
at an appropriate foreign institution. After prior approval, the
student receives transfer credit toward a Centre degree.
Yearly and Weekly
College Calendars
Yearly Calendar. Our calendar is arranged with fewer courses
per term than a traditional semester plan. The academic year,
including exam periods, consists of fall and spring terms of 14
weeks, with a three-week Centre Term in January.
The Centre Term is designed for specialized courses or seminars,
the Freshman Studies Program, independent study projects, internships,
intensive foreign language study, and off-campus study abroad
and in the United States. In addition, students can take some
standard course offerings in this short term.
While Centre’s calendar is different from a traditional semester
pattern, a student will still be able to take at least nine courses
during one academic year: eight courses (four per term) during
the fall and spring terms, and one concentrated course during
the Centre Term.
We offer courses on a credit-hour system. Most courses are equal
to three semester hours in the traditional semester system. Some
science, foreign language, mathematics, music, and writing-intensive
courses with laboratory requirements are equivalent to four semester
hours. Courses in the CentreTerm carry three credits.
Weekly Calendar. The weekly calendar for the fall and spring
terms normally consists of two 90-minute class meetings or three
hour-long class meetings for each course. Some courses meet four
times a week for 60 minutes. In the short CentreTerm, classes
normally meet on a flexible schedule five times a week. Some courses
have laboratory or practice sessions which are held in addition
to regular class meetings.
Research
Opportunities for Students
Centre students enjoy a number of opportunities for intensive
research, both for independent work and for collaborative research
with our professors and elsewhere. In some cases, the College
provides research materials and stipends. Outside grants also
support collaborative research and study. A typical summer finds
more than a dozen students engaged in research on campus; other
projects take place during the school year. Students co-author
papers with their faculty mentors, present their results at national
and regional meetings, and not infrequently win prizes and other
awards for their work. Recent collaborative topics have included
digital mapping of archaeological sites, cell death in the nervous
system, and women prisoners in Ecuador.
Qualified students are also encouraged to apply for national awards
and grants, including the summer research programs sponsored by
the National Science Foundation.
The John
C. Young Program
The John C. Young Scholars Program is a senior honors program
which enables a select group of outstanding senior students to
engage in independent study and research in their major field
or in an interdisciplinary area. The scholars work closely with
a faculty mentor and receive financial support for research and
travel. They present their results at a public symposium in late
spring, and their papers are published in journal form by the
College.
This program was initiated through an Excellence-in-Undergraduate-Education
grant from the Knight Foundation. Centre was one of eight leading
liberal arts colleges (Carleton, Macalester, and Swarthmore, for
example) to receive the first of these awards to encourage increased
collaboration between faculty and students on extra-class intellectual
activities.
National
Fellowships and Honors
Fifteen Centre students in the last nine years have won Fulbright
awards (more than any other private institution in Kentucky) for
a year of international study following graduation. Other recent
winners of national honors include six Goldwater Scholars (for
students in mathematics, science, and engineering), four Rotary
Scholars (a year of international study), and three Truman Scholars
(for students interested in careers in government or public service).
Seven Centre alumni are Rhodes Scholars (two years of study at
Oxford University in England). Centre students also regularly
win National Science Foundation awards for summer study.
Students interested in applying for national fellowships and honors
should consult with the chair of the Honors and Prizes Committee
early in the fall for information and applications. It is not
too early to begin inquiries as early as the freshman or sophomore
year. Students interested in NSF opportunities should speak with
their science professors.
Computer
Literacy
Centre develops computer literacy in a variety of ways. Each student
is given an e-mail account and some disk space. Also, the College
provides network hook-ups in residence hall rooms which enable
students who bring their own computers (subject to College specifications)
to gain access to word processing, spread sheets, databases, Internet,
the library automation system, and several programming language
environments.
Students enrolled in general education classes are required to
submit typed papers using a word processor program. In other general
education classes students are required to conduct searches on
the Internet and to use databases to find references for papers.
Some general education science courses require students to use
spreadsheet software in writing formal lab reports.
The College provides these resources as part of our effort to
guarantee that all Centre students are computer literate.
Advising
The Academic Advising Office coordinates academic advising as
well as new student orientation, including summer orientation
sessions on campus. New student orientation includes summer mailings,
basic skills and placement testing, the three-day fall orientation
program, and special programs for students during the fall term.
All faculty members (plus selected administrators) serve as academic
advisors to students. Students have general advisors—usually
matched by interests—during their freshman and sophomore
years. After selecting a major or majors toward the end of the
sophomore year, students then choose an advisor in a specific
academic discipline.
The advising office also works in a targeted way with students
who experience academic difficulty, particularly in the first
two years at Centre. Special group and individual counseling sessions
are offered; and students are directed to targeted help sessions
in particular subjects, to the Writing Center, and to Career Services.
Much of what occurs in the academic advising area is coordinated
with Career Services and with the Office of the Registrar by a
full-time director of advising in the Office of the Dean of the
College.
Career
Services
Career Services helps students to make effective
transitions from Centre to both careers and post-graduate study.
We do this by offering a variety of experiences, partnerships,
and services that students may use during their four years at
Centre to enhance their prospects for career success and satisfaction.
We seek to blend the liberal arts education with career awareness.
We firmly believe that career planning is a process that is
most effective when it is integrated with academic planning
and is resolved over the course of several years. Therefore,
students are encouraged to be actively involved in this process
from their very first day on campus.
Career Services offers students a wide variety
of services throughout their four years at Centre. As freshmen,
all students are encouraged to sign up for "Centre Futures."
As part of Centre Futures, students are assigned a career counselor
with whom they are encouraged to meet at least once a semester.
In this year, students can become familiar with the services
offered, begin self-assessment and career exploration, and gain
an understanding of how on-campus participation now can be beneficial
in their future careers. Career Services can also refer students
to appropriate pre-professional academic advisors. As part of
Centre Futures, students will also receive an eRecruiting account.
ERecruiting is an electronic bulletin board for job postings,
including part-time, summer, and internships. Centre Futures
students will also receive advanced notice of programs and opportunities
and will receive priority consideration for externships (a short-term
shadowing program).
As sophomores, students can continue this process of self-assessment
and career exploration and are encouraged to begin preparing
a resume and exploring possible career-relevant experiences
(participation in extracurricular activities, shadowing professionals,
summer jobs, etc.). Career Services has many resources to help
with this, including: career counselors who can help students
discover their skills, interests, and work-related values and
help them relate these to possible majors and careers; self-assessment
inventories such as the Self-Directed Search, SIGI Plus, and
the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator; and numerous career information
and exploration resources both in our career library and on
our web page.
As juniors, students can participate in internships
and are encouraged to take advantage of workshops covering topics
such as resume preparation, job search strategies, and interviewing
skills. In addition, students can begin to research graduate
schools and decide if future study is an option for them.
As seniors, internships, workshops, plus
more targeted job search opportunities are made available. Numerous
employers come to campus in both the fall and spring to recruit
students for post-graduation employment. Our annual "Spotlight
on Employment," a recruiting fair hosted in conjunction
with Kentucky's private colleges and universities, brings more
than 50 companies each year to interview juniors, seniors, and
alumni interested in employment. For students interested in
furthering their education, Career Services has numerous resources
on graduate school programs, essay-writing, and test preparation;
can assist in the application process; and hosts events such
as the Law School Evening and the Graduate School Program.
Certain services can be used throughout all
four years. Students should meet with their career counselor
at every step of the career exploration and job search process,
as the counselor can provide guidance, advice, and encouragement
throughout. Students can use eRecruiting, our on-line job-posting
system, to search for summer jobs as freshmen, sophomores, and
juniors; to search for internships as juniors and seniors; and
to apply for and schedule interviews with employers who are
recruiting on campus as seniors. Both our career library and
Web site have resources on major exploration, career information,
graduate schools, resume and cover-letter writing, interviewing
and job-search techniques, overseas employment, and employer
directories. In addition, our connection with the Centre alumni
database provides an invaluable networking tool and source of
career information for students at all levels.
Through these services and opportunities,
Career Services provides students with a four-year frame through
which to view their career development. This not only enables
them to see the connections between their college experience
and potential future career fields but also increases their
chances of career satisfaction and success.
Internships
Career Services recognizes the need to assist
students in making the connections between Centre's education
and their own personal contribution to the world of work. For
this reason we offer internship options during the junior and
senior year on both a credit and noncredit basis.
An internship for academic credit is usually
a full-time experience during the Centre Term (although lasting
four weeks—one week longer than Centre Term) or a part-time
experience during the fall or spring term that includes substantive
academic work guided by a member of the faculty and by a sponsor
at the work site. Students can earn three hours of credit for
an academic internship experience.
An alternate career exploration internship
exists for students who want to gain additional insights and
experiences related to career choice. This internship does not
result in academic credit and is usually conducted during the
summer months. When arranged through Career Services, this opportunity
consists of professional, career-related projects that students
can later apply to their career.
Preparation
for Careers and Graduate and Professional Schools
More than 50 percent of Centre graduates
go directly into the job market and enter a broad range of vocations:
banking, teaching, purchasing, business and manufacturing management,
journalism, marketing, government service, acting, investment
analysis, public administration, historical restoration, and
many others. Some immediately enter training programs for specific
responsibilities in their employment. Many other graduates choose
further formal education. Centre has been noted over the years
for the outstanding success of its graduates in professions,
professional schools, or graduate schools.
The College has always had a high number
of graduates who pursue advanced degrees. At present, 35 percent
attend graduate or professional schools immediately upon graduation,
and many more attend within five years of graduation. The majority
of Centre graduates who attend graduate and professional schools
pursue fields such as medicine (M.D.), law (J.D.), business
(M.B.A.), public administration (M.P.A.), and education (M.Ed.).
A smaller number pursue advanced degrees in languages, history,
botany, or psychology, while others participate in combined-degree
programs in fields such as engineering.
The three professional fields pursued
most often by Centre graduates are medicine, law, and business.
- Medicine. Medicine is the most
popular health-career area at Centre, but our graduates also choose
specialized study in fields such as dentistry, optometry, pharmacy,
and veterinary medicine, among others.
Biology and chemistry are the most popular pre-med majors at Centre,
but students from every academic major are accepted to medical
school. Diversity is, in fact, not only possible, but encouraged
by many medical schools, which have come to realize that students
who pursue interests in art, music, philosophy, history, literature,
and other areas of liberal study tend to become well-rounded,
highly effective physicians. In fact, the only science background
generally required for admission to medical school is two years
of chemistry and one year each of biology, physics, and mathematics.
Centre has established a Health Professions Advisory Group comprised
of five faculty members and the director of Career Services. Headed
by a primary pre-med advisor, committee members are available
to students throughout their four years at Centre to help them
plan their courses of study and to assist them in exploring the
many health-related professions. They maintain close contact with
the medical schools to which Centre students apply most frequently.
Advisors play an active role in making sure that the schools to
which our students have applied process their materials in a timely
manner. This continuing level of personal attention and concern
is an important element in the success of Centre graduates in
gaining acceptance to medical schools.
Another important resource that helps Centre students prepare
for careers in medicine is the Pre-Med Society. This organization
of students who are aiming toward careers in medicine and other
health-related fields engages in a variety of activities. These
include taking field trips to medical schools and bringing their
representatives on campus to speak with interested students, inviting
recent graduates back to campus to talk about their experiences
in medical school and in medical practice, and arranging for local
physicians to meet and talk with students. The society also coordinates
a volunteer program with Danville’s Ephraim McDowell Regional
Medical Center that enables students to work regularly in the
hospital’s emergency room and become familiar with hospital
procedures in general.
Law. Law is a popular field of advanced study among Centre
students. About 8 to 10 percent of each class goes to law school
immediately upon graduation and a similar percentage will attend
after several years of work experience.
English, government, history, and other social science majors
are the majors most often selected by Centre students who pursue
law, but there is no such thing as a rigidly defined pre-law major.
Students from every academic major are accepted into law school.
The broad-based skills that law schools emphasize—effective
writing and speaking, analytical ability, and a general exposure
to the social sciences—are essential goals of Centre’s
liberal arts curriculum. For this reason our graduates have a
solid record of success in gaining admission to law schools.
At Centre, a faculty pre-law advisor works with students from
their freshman year on to help them explore law as a profession
and to assist them in the application process during their junior
and senior years. This advisor also works with interested students
to make volunteer work and internships available on an individual
basis. In addition, Centre has a Law Society composed of students
interested in careers in the legal field. This organization meets
regularly, sponsors field trips to places such as courtrooms and
law schools, and brings experts in the legal profession as well
as representatives from law schools on campus to speak with students.
Business. While business, unlike medicine and law, does
not necessarily require an advanced degree, Centre graduates frequently
choose it as a field of advanced study. Within five years of graduation,
about 10 percent will have done graduate work in business administration.
The most common major among Centre graduates who pursue advanced
degrees in business is economics, although graduate business administration
programs admit students from every academic major. As in other
fields of advanced study, Centre graduates have had strong success
in gaining admission to a wide variety of master of business administration
(M.B.A.) programs. Although the M.B.A. is the degree most frequently
pursued by Centre graduates who complete advanced study in business,
there are other, more specialized degrees that Centre graduates
often pursue, such as the master of management, master of accountancy,
master of hospital administration, and Ph.D. in economics.
Because career decision-making is a process that takes place throughout
college, Career Services assigns all students their own career
counselor. The counselor is available to work with students from
their first day on campus through graduation and, if they so desire,
beyond. We encourage all students to take full advantage of Career
Service’s resources.
Dual-Degree
Engineering Studies Program
Centre offers a dual-degree engineering program in cooperation
with the engineering schools of Columbia University, University
of Kentucky, Vanderbilt University, and Washington University
(St. Louis). This program leads to a bachelor of arts or bachelor
of science degree from Centre and a bachelor of science degree
in engineering from the respective university.
The program of combined studies is normally completed in five
years—three years at Centre and two at the engineering school.
This dual-degree program is designed to provide students interested
in entering the engineering profession with backgrounds in liberal
arts and in technical engineering studies.
In this program, students complete the requirements for a Centre
degree—including a major in either mathematics, chemistry,
physics, or chemical physics—and the university requirements
for an engineering degree. (Additional information is available
from the College’s dual-degree engineering studies advisor.)
Reserve Officers
Training Corps
Centre students may participate in the reserve officers training
programs of the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force through the University
of Kentucky. Two-year and four-year Air Force ROTC programs are
available. Courses are offered on the University of Kentucky campus,
and students are responsible for their own transportation.
Students receive academic credit toward their Centre degrees for
the courses listed in this section.
Winners of three- and four-year Army or Air Force ROTC scholarships
receive, in addition to their support from the Army or Air Force,
scholarships covering room and board for the period of the ROTC
scholarship. Students may be eligible for additional scholarships
or financial aid.
Army (AMS courses) ROTC and Air Force (AES courses) ROTC students
receive academic credit toward their Centre degree for the following
courses taken at the University of Kentucky:
AMS 110 Introduction to the Army (one credit hour)
This introductory level course is designed to give students an
appreciation for the role the Army currently plays in our society.
The course covers the history of the Army and the roles and relationships
of the Army within our society. The course also covers some of
the basic skills necessary for today's leaders to include oral
presentation, time management, map reading, basic rifle marksmanship
and squad tactics.
AMS 120 Introduction to Leadership (one credit hour)
This course is designed to acquaint the student with the fundamental
skills necessary to be a leader, both in military and civilian
context. Course also covers basic military map reading skills.
AMS 210 American Military History (one credit hour)
Study of the development of the U.S. from a military perspective.
Pre-parallel development of technology and warfare; and emphasis
on the evaluation of military leadership from the historically
tested principles of warfare from the Civil War to the present.
AMS 220 Effective Military Communication (one credit hour)
This course provides introduction and practical experience in
the art of speaking and writing in the Army style. Students demonstrate
competency through a series of oral presentations and writing
assignments. Small unit tactics and map reading skills are also
used in the implementation of the oral presentations.
AMS 310 Leadership and Management-I (one credit hour)
A study in the development of basic skills required to function
as a manager; study in leadership styles, group dynamics, communications,
motivation, and military instruction methods; and school of the
soldier and exercise of command.
AMS 320 Advanced Tactics (one credit hour)
Small unit tactics and communications; organization and mission
of combat arms units; leadership and exercise of command.
AMS 410 Leadership and Management-II (one credit hour)
An advanced study of logistics, operations, military administration,
personnel management, military justice, world change and military
implications, service orientation and leadership training.
AMS 420 Command Management (one credit hour)
An advanced study of logistics, operations, military administration,
personnel management, military justice, world change and military
impliactions, service orientation and leadership training.
AES 110 Aerospace Studies-I (one credit hour)
A course designed to provide the student with a basic understanding
of the nature and principles of war, national power, and the Department
of Defense role in the organization of national security. The
student also develops leadership abilities by participating in
a military organization, the cadet corps, which offers a wide
variety of situations demanding effective leadership.
AES 120 Aerospace Studies-I (one credit hour)
Continuation of AES 110. Designed to provide the student with
a basic understanding of the contribution of aerospace power to
the total U.S. strategic offensive and defensive military posture.
AES 210 Aerospace Studies-II (one credit hour)
Introduces the study of air power from a historical perspective;
focuses on the development of air power into a primary element
of national security. Leadership experience is continued through
acxtive participation in the cadet corps.
AES 220 Aerospace Studies-II (one credit hour)
Provides a foundation for understanding how air power has been
employed in military and nonmilitary operations to support national
objectives. Examines the changing mission of the defense establishment,
with particular emphasis on the United States Air Force.
AES 310 Aerospace Studies-III (one credit hour)
A study of management functions with emphasis on the individual
as a manager in an Air Force environment. Individual motivational
and behavioral process, communication, and group dynamics are
included to provide a foundation for the development of professional
skills as an Air Force officer. Students refine their leadership
and managerial abilities by organizing and managing a quasi-military
unit.
AES 320 Aerospace Studies-III (one credit hour)
A study of leadership with specific emphasis on the Air Force
leader. Includes theoretical, professional, and communicative
aspects. In addition, military justice and administrative law
are discussed within the context of the military organization.
Students continue to develop and refine their leadership abilities
by organizing and managing a military unit, the cadet corps, which
offers a wide variety of situations requiring effective leadership.
AES 410 Aerospace Studies-IV (one credit hour)
A study of the military profession, civil-military interaction,
communicative skills, framework of defense policy, and formulation
of defense strategy. Students refine their leadership abilities
by organizing and managing a military unit, the cadet corps, which
offers a wide variety of situations requiring effective leadership.
AES 420 Aerospace Studies-IV (one credit hour)
Continues the study of strategy and the management of conflict,
formulation and implementation of U.S. defense policy, defense
organization, and case studies in defense policy making. Students
also refine their leadership abilities by organizing and managing
a military unit, the cadet corps, which offers a wide variety
of situations requiring effective leadership.
Services
for the Disabled at Centre
Centre College is committed to fostering respect for the diversity
of the College community and the individual rights of each member
of that community. In this spirit, and in accordance with the
provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and
expanded by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Centre
College seeks to provide disabled students with the support services
and other reasonable accommodations needed to ensure equal access
to the programs and activities of the College. While the College
provides a number of services to support the academic work of
all its students, this statement outlines a variety of additional
services provided specifically to students with mobility, visual,
hearing, or learning disabilities.
General Information
Support services for students at Centre College with disabilities
are coordinated by the director for disability services. The director
counsels individual students to determine appropriate accommodations
and identify resources, and is also available to consult with
faculty members.
All incoming students are invited to complete a confidential special-needs
information form. On the basis of this form, the director speaks
with students who have identified their needs, determines the
appropriate services, and contacts relevant faculty and staff.
Arrangements for services, equipment, modification of course material,
classroom and housing assignments, and other reasonable accommodations
may require several weeks’ advance notice. Applicants requiring
special services are encouraged to contact the director immediately
upon acceptance to make timely provision of needed services possible.
Academic modifications vary according to individual need and preference,
as well as course content and mode of teaching. Students are expected
to discuss arrangements that might be necessary with their professors
at the beginning of each term. The office of the Dean of the College
is prepared to assist both students and faculty members in making
such accommodations.
Services for the Learning Disabled
Students with documented learning disabilities may receive support
in a variety of ways, depending on the specific nature of the
disability. A student who requests accommodation on the basis
of a learning disability is required to submit the diagnostic
report and educational recommendations of a certified professional
in the field of learning disabilities. This information will be
reviewed by the director of disability services who will then
meet with the student to discuss necessary support services.
Among the services that may prove appropriate for a learning-disabled
student are readers, tutors, notetakers, taped texts, and transcribers.
Beyond this, what constitutes reasonable accommodation for a learning-disabled
student is a highly individualized matter and must be determined
in consultation between the student and faculty member. The director
of disability services is available to consult with faculty regarding
the student’s learning needs and recommended modifications.
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