The institution's curriculum is directly related and appropriate to the purpose and goals of the institution and the diplomas, certificates, or degrees awarded. (Federal Requirement 4.2)
Compliance
In Compliance
Narrative
Longwood University's curriculum is directly related and appropriate to the purpose and goals of the institution and the diplomas, certificates, and degrees awarded.
Longwood's academic programs are directly related to the mission of the institution. The University's teacher preparation programs have provided educators in Virginia with the necessary skills and credentials for over 150 years. In 2007-08, 22% of undergraduate degrees and 86% of graduate degrees were related to education. The recently added Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees meet specific needs in the state and reflect Longwood's mission to serve as a catalyst for regional prosperity and advancement in south central Virginia. Off-campus and online offerings extend the curricula of high-interest programs such as business, education, and communication disorders to other residents of Virginia.
Undergraduate and graduate degrees awarded by CIP (Classification of Instructional Program) code for the past five years are recorded in the Longwood University Fact Book.
General Education
General education is the core of the Longwood University undergraduate academic experience. Offering a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, the core curriculum consists of 15 General Education Goals which constitute a total of 41 credit hours. (In January 2010, the Faculty Senate approved rewording Goal 1 and dropping Goal 12, with subsequent goals to be renumbered effective in fall 2011 and reducing total credit hours to 38.) These goals emphasize the six core competencies instituted by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) in 2007: information literacy, written communication, quantitative reasoning, scientific reasoning, critical thinking, and oral communication. In addition to satisfying the six SCHEV requirements, Goal 1 (the development of citizen leaders for the common good by promoting critical thinking and analysis in all aspects of the students' lives and by developing the knowledge and skills that lead to college success) and Goal 14 (the ability to synthesize and critically analyze through written discourse and a common educational experience information pertaining to issues of citizen leadership) specifically address Longwood's mission to develop citizen leaders.
Undergraduate Programs
Longwood University offers undergraduate degrees in 24 major fields of study as well as 40 minor fields of study. A list of undergraduate academic programs can be found in the undergraduate catalog. These degree programs are offered by three colleges: Cook-Cole College of Arts and Sciences (CCCAS), College of Business and Economics (CBE), and College of Education and Human Services (CEHS).
Graduate Programs
Longwood offers three graduate degrees: Master of Science, Master of Arts, and MBA. Additionally, four licensure-only programs and three certificate-only programs are offered. A description of these programs can be found in the graduate catalog. Longwood University continues to expand additional graduate degrees and teacher licensure programs as needs are identified in south central Virginia.
The MBA Advantage, a collaborative initiative enabling students in the CCCAS combine their major with advanced study in business to earn a bachelor's degree and an MBA in about five years, was made available to undergraduate students in fall 2009. Faculty in the CEHS and CCCAS are developing a five-year program for elementary, middle, and special education teacher licensure candidates to get the BA/BS in Liberal Studies and the MS in Education. Projected dates include beginning the Longwood University and SCHEV approval processes in fall 2010 and accepting the first freshman class cohort in fall 2011.
Accreditations
Some programs within the University develop curricula based on the requirements of a national accrediting association. These various accreditations provide evidence that the curriculum adheres to generally accepted standards. In addition, the accreditation agencies require that the program curricula are continually evaluated and maintained at the national standard. A list of accredited programs along with the most recent year of accreditation and the next reaccreditation date is provided in table 1.
Table 1. Accredited Programs
| Accrediting Agency |
Academic Program |
Most Recent Accreditation |
Future Next Accreditation |
| National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) |
Initial Teacher Preparation and advanced levels |
2003 |
2011 |
| National Association of Schools of Theatre (NAST) |
Theatre |
2004 |
2011 |
| Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) |
Athletic Training |
2005 |
2012 |
| National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) |
Music |
2006 |
2015 |
| Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) |
Social Work |
2007 |
2014 |
| Council on Accreditation for Recreation, Park Resources and Leisure Services (COA) |
Therapeutic Recreation |
2007 |
2012 |
| Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International |
Business Administration |
2008 |
2013 |
The master's degree program in communication sciences and disorders is a candidate for accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The new BSN program will seek accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) in 2013 prior to the graduation of the first cohort.
Curriculum Development
At Longwood University, curriculum development is the responsibility of the faculty. All curriculum development, including distance and online courses, is subject to the same program and curriculum review process. Faculty in each academic department determine the specific curricula for degrees and ensure that the curricula are in agreement with the mission of their department, college, and the University. Flow charts and detailed instructions for general education, undergraduate, and graduate course changes, program changes, and new courses are in the Curriculum Development Handbook.
Proposals for undergraduate curriculum changes are approved by the departmental curriculum committee, the department chair, the college dean, the college curriculum committee, the Committee on Educational Policy, and the Faculty Senate. The provost and vice president for academic affairs, the other deans, and the Academic Affairs Committee are kept in the information loop as a resource check. If degree requirements are altered, the Board of Visitors (BOV) must also approve the change. Proposals for graduate curriculum changes follow a similar approval process with the inclusion of approval from the Graduate Committee instead of the college curriculum committee.
General education course development follows a similar approval process with an additional approval from the Committee on General Education. Each general education course proposal must include the general education matrix indicating how the nine common criteria will be met in the course.
New majors and degree programs must be approved through all Longwood University channels, including the President and the BOV, prior to approval by SCHEV and the Commission on Colleges. All programs leading to teacher licensure must also be approved by the Virginia Department of Education.
The BSN, added to the curriculum in 2007, is an example of a new degree program. This program was approved by SCHEV and the Commission on Colleges, and has provisional approval from the Virginia Board of Nursing. Longwood University will seek accreditation for the BSN program by the CCNE with a first accreditation visit during spring 2013 immediately prior to graduating the first nursing cohort. A self-study will be conducted the year prior to the CCNE site visit.
Finally, Longwood University has a five-year review process for all degree programs. The review serves as a means to evaluate the degree program quality as well as productivity. The program review policy is currently under revision in order to ensure all requirements from SACS and SCHEV are met.
Supporting Documents
