New Professional Studies major approved

Feb 18th, 2013 | By | Category: FACULTY

The Bachelor of Arts in Professional Studies

The Professional Studies major enables working adults to integrate liberal studies and existing career skills in a bachelor’s degree that utilizes transfer credits from all of the regional associate degree and certificate programs. This bachelor’s degree provides theoretical and practical experiences that open opportunities for career advancement. Graduates will gain immediately applicable skills and competencies that are desired by employers. Professional Studies at Lewis University is a straight-forward, well-defined, and transfer-friendly path to the bachelor degree. This degree completion program is a flexible, versatile, and practical option for working adults.

Outcomes

Graduates with a B.A. in Professional Studies will possess academic skills and abilities outlined in Lewis’s Characteristics of the Baccalaureate and in the initiative known as “Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) Essential Learning Outcomes” from the American Association of Colleges and Universities.  Students will be able to communicate effectively in professional settings in writing, through oral presentation skills, and using information technology.  They will be able to conduct research, applying critical thinking, inquiry, information literacy, and analysis skills.  Graduates will develop lifelong learning skills, including the knowledge and application of career development, that will enhance their professional effectiveness.  They will demonstrate the ability to create and implement projects in their profession, work collaboratively in teams, and solve real-world problems affecting their work and career. They will be able to situate their learning and knowledge in global context and connect professionalism to civic engagement.  Graduates will also understand how ethical reasoning and intercultural awareness enhances their professional effectiveness and personal growth.  By completing this interdisciplinary degree program, students will possess the knowledge and skills necessary to chart their careers within the consistently evolving contexts of work and community.

 Graduates of this program will develop capacity in:

  • Integrative Learning
  • Oral, Written, and Electronic Communication
  • Inquiry and Analysis
  • Information Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Problem Solving
  • Quantitative Literacy
  • Use of Information Technology
  • Ethical Reasoning
  • Civic and Global Engagement
  • Intercultural and Knowledge
  • Faith, Religion, and Spirituality
  • Skills for Lifelong Learning
  • Teamwork and Collaboration
  • Career Development

Degree plan

This is a Bachelor of Arts degree built upon our current general education and mission program. Transfer students who elect this degree program would complete the general education and mission program, and a 39 credit major in Professional Studies. Students will be encouraged to pursue a minor as appropriate.

Professional Studies requirements

The Professional Studies core is writing and presentation intensive. Each course will have a significant writing component and oral presentations will feature prominently in several courses. Students will need to complete College Writing I and II within the first three semesters upon entry to Lewis University. Students will complete “Adult College Experience” and “Life, Career, And The Emerging Workplace” before completing the remaining courses and will complete the entire major  before engaging in the final two courses, Applied Project Development (Creativity and Innovation) and Capstone.

Courses required for this 39 credit major would include:

Adult College Experience Existing
Life, Career and the Emerging Workplace Adapted
Critical Thinking and Information Literacy New
Ethics (Action and Values) (or Christian Action and Values) Existing
Topics in Applied Ethics Adapted
Introduction to Human Communication Existing
Cultural Diversity and Intergroup Relations Existing
Information and Technology in Professional Settings Adapted
Business Communication in the Digital Age Existing
Collaboration in Organizations Adapted
Engaged Global Citizenship Adapted
Applied Project Development (Creativity and Innovation) New
Capstone New

Course descriptions for Professional Studies

Comment Course Number  Course title (Credits)

Course description

LU 105 Adult College Experience (3)
Existing course This course enables accelerated students to transition successfully to Lewis University. It assesses and enhances students’ academic and study skills. Course topics include information literacy, writing and critical thinking skills, online learning, degree planning, and career development. Students will complete assessments in learning styles, writing, quantitative reasoning, and computer competency. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Navigate and access Lewis University resources
  • Identify writing strengths and areas for growth and improvement
  • Generate and assess academic goals by developing a degree plan.
  • Understand the role critical thinking, self-directedness, and information/ technological literacy in the college experience and professional life.
  • Identify preferred learning styles and apply this knowledge academic and work settings.

LU 301 Life, Career, and the Emerging Workplace (3)
Cross-listed with current BAOL course In this course, Professional Studies majors begin an e-portfolio designed to demonstrate their learning and present their knowledge and skills to prospective employers. Course topics include: e-portfolio tools, e-portfolio design and development, and using e-portfolios to enhance career planning and development. Students will develop one e-portfolio module. In each course of the Professional Studies Core, students will add to their e-portfolio. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Understand concepts of career development and apply them to educational and professional goals.
  • Develop an e-portfolio.
  • Strategize to support their written personal goals.
  • Identify measures for progress towards their goals.
  • Examine how mentoring and coaching play a vital role in the attainment of goals.

Prerequisite:  students must have completed or be registered for LU105 during the same semester.

LU 310 Critical Thinking and Information Literacy (3)
New SPCE course In this course, students study the strategies and methods of critical thinking. Course topics include:  reading critically, reflecting on values and assumptions, assessing and constructing arguments, and evaluating print, visual, and online sources. Students will write a well-argued and documented position paper on a controversial issue. Professional Studies Majors will add at least one module to their e-portfolio in this course. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Understand the distinctions between assumptions, beliefs, facts, opinions, and arguments.
  • Evaluate arguments based on evidence.
  • Identify and evaluate sources of information, from electronic and print media.
  • Construct sound arguments/positions using the conventions of academic writing.

Prerequisites:  LU 105; LU 301.
  LC-290 Cultural Diversity and Intergroup Relations (3)

 
Existing course Students examine information on U.S. racial, ethnic and religious groups, including analysis of class, age and gender inequality. Topics include the history and minority experience of U.S. groups, current status and contributions of these groups, and strategies for reducing intolerance and improving intergroup relationships. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Define the importance of culture, especially in shaping personal identity and worldview.
  • Recognize the contributions of ethnic/racial minorities to American history.
  • Differentiate between prejudice, racism, and ethnocentrism and evaluate their impact on power relations in American society.
  • Analyze power dynamics in American history, especially as they relate to immigration, colonization, and slavery.
  • Appreciate, through study and reflection, the ways knowledge of multiculturalism can lead intellectual, professional, and personal growth.
  15-333 Topics in Applied Ethics (3)

 
Existing course Selected courses apply the concepts and theories of ethics to specific areas of human life, such as healthcare, business, society, the natural environment, and scientific research. Prerequisite: 15-330 or any Theology Action and Values course. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Apply ethical concepts and theories to practical and relevant professional issues.
  • Identify and develop their own ethical viewpoints within their profession.
  • Make decisions in professional settings according to ethical principles.
  LY-330 Ethics (Action and Values) (3)

 
Existing course The nature of virtue and the good life is studied in conjunction with such issues as ethical absolutism versus ethical relativism, the relation between morality and legality and the relation between ethics and religion. This course fulfills the General Education Action and Values requirement. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Understand a broad range of ethical theories from historical and contemporary perspectives in order for the students to broaden their own ethical viewpoints.
  • Examine critically various ethical beliefs, including their own.
  • Appreciate the importance of critical thinking, and to expand their 
understanding of ethical concepts.
  • Develop their awareness of social issues.
  LK-112 Introduction to Human Communication (3)

 
Existing course An introduction to basic theories of communication, this course includes an examination of techniques of communication in three common communication settings: interpersonal relationships, group gatherings and public gatherings. The public context includes the presentation of a minimum of three speeches. At least one speech is an informative speech and at least one is persuasive. All students are required to give at least three speeches. Topics to be covered include nonverbal communication and listening. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to: 

  • Apply basic communication theory.
  • Apply appropriate listening behavior.
  • Discover, apply and evaluate interpersonal goals, methods and skills.
  • Research, create, structure and critique an argument.
  • Confidently demonstrate public speaking skills.

LU 320 Information and Technology for Professional Settings (3)
ITM is adapting a course available in the MBA (Current Topics in IT) In this course, students examine how information technology is utilized in professional settings. Course topics include:  understanding information systems and computer applications, using quantitative information to drive decision making, understanding and applying ERP systems, as well as utilizing tablets, mobile computing, and social media. Students will complete a project and presentation that applies knowledge of information technology to a professional context or business problem. Professional Studies Majors will add at least one module to their e-portfolio in this course. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Demonstrate a firm grasp of how technology works and how it is leveraged in different tools and businesses.
  • Understand how to evaluate technologies for business purposes.
  • Identify the technology issues underlying a business problem and/or potential solutions.

Prerequisites:  Proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, LU 105; LU 310.
  LB-300 Business Communication in the Digital Age(3)

 
Existing course Extensive practical application of diverse forms of written and oral business communication with the aid of technology. Topics include writing memos, reports, email messages; using multimedia Power-Point slides in presentations; facilitating business meetings; creating electronic resumes; using online discussion groups; and handling the challenges of international and cross-cultural communications. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Solve communication problems facing actual companies.
  • Write effective memos, letters, and reports.
  • Identify ethical dilemmas in workplace communication.
  • Handle challenges of cross-cultural and international communication.
  • Work collaboratively with team members to solve communication dilemmas.

Prerequisite: LN-112 and 90+ Earned Credit Hours

LU 330 Collaboration in Organizations (3)
New course from OL modeled on a current MAOL course “Building Teams” This course will provide students with the ability to function effectively in collaborative work environments. Course topics include:  analyzing group behavior and dynamics, appreciating individual differences and their contributions in groups, assessing group leadership, solving problems in teams, and facilitating the improvement of group collaboration. Students will collaborate in virtual and face-to-face assignments, using case studies and problem-based learning. Students will complete a team project that analyzes a case and includes an assessment of individual and group processes. Professional Studies Majors will add at least one module to their portfolio in this course. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Describe a group according to systems theory and understand the impact of the organization environment on group collaboration.
  • Identify the elements effecting team performance and develop strategies for improvement.
  • Identify the advantages and disadvantages of virtual teams.
  • Gain an appreciation for the dynamics of group process and team formation.
  • Develop the knowledge, skills and abilities to facilitate collaborative projects.

Prerequisites:  LU 105; LU 310.

LU 340 Engaged Global Citizenship (3)
ASPS and Business are working on course development – modeled or adapted from “Introduction to Contemporary Global Studies” In this course, students will study the increasingly global nature of the world community. The theme or topic of the course will vary. Areas of study will include:  the social, cultural, economic and political processes connecting the world community, global issues that transcend national boundaries, and efforts to resolve global problems. The course requires a global experience, which may include dialogue with students in another country, a short-term travel experience, or engagement within the Chicago international community. Students will complete a scholarly research project about a global issue addressed by the course. Professional Studies Majors will add at least one module to their portfolio in this course. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

  • Understand social and political issues from an international perspective.
  • Apply knowledge of historical legacies to contemporary issues and conflicts.
  • Develop their own positions on global issues.
  • Apply learning from an experiential project.

Prerequisites:  LU 105; LU 310.

LU 401 Applied Project Development – Creativity and Innovation (3)
New SPCE course In the first semester of this two semester course sequence, offered in a blended format, students will develop a capstone project. Areas of study will include the application of creativity and innovation in solving community and professional issues. In the class, students will synthesize and apply knowledge from courses within the Professional Studies Core and each student’s Concentration. Course topics will vary, as students will design their own projects that address an issue or problem in a community or professional setting. Students will write a proposal and begin their research. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Identify and define a personally and professionally relevant project.
  • Understand scholarship and publications relevant to the project.
  • Develop a project or research method.
  • Draft a project proposal.

Prerequisites:  LU 310, LU 320, LU 330, LU 340.

LU 402 Capstone Project and Portfolio Review (3)
New SPCE course In the second semester of this two semester course sequence, offered in a blended format, students will finalize and present a capstone project. In the class, students will synthesize and apply knowledge from courses within the Professional Studies Core and each student’s Concentration. Course topics will vary, as students will design their own projects that address an issue or problem in a community or professional setting. Students will finalize their research, complete the project, and present their findings orally as well as in a formal essay. This course fulfills the advanced writing requirement. In the Capstone course, students will present their e-portfolio as a graduation requirement. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

  • Implement a project or research methodology.
  • Write about their findings in a professional and academically sophisticated manner.
  • Situate their project within their degree and field of study.
  • Communicate their learning within the Professional Studies Major through an e-portfolio.
  • Present orally about their findings and their e-portfolio.

Prerequisite:  LU 401.

 

 

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