Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may choose any
of the seventy different undergraduate degree programs offered within
the college. These majors and specialized curricula, each with its own
pattern of requirements and electives, are continuously reviewed by
the sponsoring departments and the college and revised as needed. At
the same time, it is not possible to anticipate or specify all
possible undergraduate fields of study. So, in order to encourage the
growth of new academic disciplines, the college sponsors the
experimental major--the Individual Plans of Study program. IPS allows
the student to create an original major more appropriate for the
individual's educational needs and characterized by a unique pattern
of upper-level courses with a new academic direction.
The development of an IPS program begins with the student's
perception that a more appropriate field of study could exist beyond
the present majors. Consultation with the secretary of the IPS
advisory committee and with faculty members in related fields will
soon establish whether an original major is appropriate. Then, with
the cooperation of one or more faculty members who consent to serve as
advisers for this IPS program, an IPS major is planned and justified
as carefully as if this were a departmental major. Although an IPS
program is usually interdisciplinary, combining courses from several
departments and even colleges, the IPS program is part of the sciences
and letters curriculum. Thus, students are required to satisfy the
sciences and letters requirements of Composition I and Composition II,
Quantitative Reasoning I, general education, foreign language, and
advanced hours; they must also complete at least 120 semester hours
and satisfy the residence requirement.
Once an IPS program is formulated, the student and adviser
make formal application to the IPS advisory committee, which evaluates
and decides whether a proposed IPS program is appropriate for the aims
of both the student and the college.
Students interested in IPS are encouraged to inquire at 912
South Fifth Street, Champaign, IL 61820, 333-4710, as early as
possible in the sophomore year. In all cases, IPS programs must be
initiated and approved before the end of the student's junior
year.
Departmental Distinction. To graduate with distinction, a
student must (1) have a cumulative grade point average of at least
4.25 (A = 5.0), and (2) successfully complete a project that has been
approved by the IPS advisory committee. Further information on
requirements for graduation with distinction may be obtained from the
secretary of the IPS advisory committee.
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