Many programs are offered at UW-Platteville. Some of these programs deserve special mention not only because they are unique strengths at UW-Platteville but also because they suggest the depth of our commitment to a rich and varied curriculum serving the needs of all students.

Since 1991 the Honors Program Council, comprised of faculty from all of the component colleges of the university, has been organizing and administering special liberal-education courses for those undergraduates who have demonstrated high academic promise.

The aim of this program is to provide superior students with opportunities to study the problems, ideas, and methods of the liberal arts with an intensity, depth, and multidisciplinary perspective that cannot usually be achieved in regular courses. By taking advantage of these opportunities, students can gain a number of important benefits:

1. The intellectual growth produced by working on challenging and extraordinary problems under the close supervision of good teachers, often collaborating in teams, and in cooperation with some of the best students in the university.
2. The gains in academic skills and self-confidence produced by having to meet the high academic standards of honors courses.
3. The prestige of graduating with a special honors designation.
4. Satisfaction through honors courses of some of the university's liberal-studies requirements for graduation.

The University Honors Program currently offers courses through the following two series:

Limited in enrollment to 15 qualified freshmen and taught during the fall semesters, each course in this series is designed to introduce promising new undergraduates to scholarly thinking in a liberal-arts discipline and to satisfy at least one general education requirement.

Courses sponsored in the past include:

• English 1230HFreshman Composition, Honors Section
• Ethnic Studies 1030H Race, Class, and Gender in American Society
• Honors Colloquium (HC) 2000 Classics of Modern Ideology

The courses in this new series, most of which involve multidisciplinary study, allow qualified students to study important problems, concepts, and themes of the arts and sciences under the supervision of teams of outstanding teachers drawn from those fields. The council hopes to offer two of these colloquia each semester and to obtain certification for each as a course satisfying at least one general education requirement.

Courses sponsored in the past include:

• HC 3060 Arthur Then and Now: King Arthur in Literature, Drama, Film, Art, Music, Architecture, History, Geography, and Archaeology
• HC 3070 Art and the Human Experience
• HC 3090 Classics and Autobiography
• HC 3100 Vietnam-Era America in Literature, History, Music and Film
• HC 3130 The Epipsyche in Literature
• HC 3140 The Origins of American Capitalism

In May each year, the director of the University Honors Program invites qualified members of the incoming freshman class to submit applications for positions in any of the freshman honors courses being offered the next fall semester. While trying to honor student preference as fully as possible, the director then assigns successful applicants to one of the seminars and, in cooperation with the Registrar's Office, enrolls them in these courses prior to the first freshman registration of the summer.

To enroll in any advanced honors colloquium, a student must:

1. Hold a GPA of at least 3.5 on all undergraduate work.
2. Have earned at least 18 college credits from UW-Platteville and/or other accredited institutions of higher education.
3. Have received grades of "B" or better in any honors courses previously taken.

Students meeting these standards are, in the semester prior to any set of colloquia, invited by the director to apply for admission. The director then assigns successful applicants to one of the courses (taking into account student preferences), and, in cooperation with the registrar, enrolls students in these courses prior to the ordinary registration for incumbent students.

The director may waive the formal admission requirement for students who present credible evidence that their academic records fail to reflect their true capacity to benefit from honors work.

To graduate from the University Honors Program, a student must, while maintaining a GPA of at least 3.5 on all university work, earn 12 credits from successful completion of any combination of honors courses, one of which can be a freshman seminar. Successful completion of any honors course requires passing it with a grade of B or better; students not meeting this standard are disqualified from any further participation in the University Honors Program.

Students graduating from the program receive appropriate notations on their transcripts and diplomas.

Many students enroll at UW-Platteville for course work before completing their education at another professional school or college. Pre-professional curricula for a variety of professions have been developed. A student enrolling in one of the pre-professional programs will be assigned a faculty advisor who will assist in developing course schedules and preparing for entrance into a professional school of the student's choice. A faculty advisor has been identified as the contact person for each program listed below.

Each student interested in a specific pre-professional program is strongly encouraged to seek the advice of the contact person to ensure appropriate advising.

Chiropractic is a natural approach to health issues that concerns itself with the integration of the body's systems and organs. The Doctor of Chiropractic specializes in the adjustment of the spine and the relationship between the spinal vertebrae and the nervous system and their relationship to health and disease without the use of drugs or surgery.

The UW-Platteville program involves three years of study.

Dentistry is the science or profession concerned with the teeth and associated structures of the mouth. It involves the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury, or malfunction of the teeth, gums, and jaws. Dentists practice in several specialties using a full range of techniques.

The UW-Platteville program normally requires completion of a bachelor's degree and the fulfillment of other requirements of the dental school which the student plans to attend. Occasionally a student enters dental school after three years of college course work.

Fisheries biology is that branch of science that secures field information on the life history and environmental relationships of fish. These studies include both the study of fish in their natural environment and aquaculture.

The UW-Platteville program consists of selected courses which provide a body of knowledge necessary to meet the admission requirements for schools offering degrees in fisheries biology (a minimum of two years of course work at UW-Platteville is required); a summer school session at the Pigeon Lake Field Station is also recommended.

A degree in forestry usually involves the completion of one or two possible collateral emphases:

1. Forest management is a degree designed to meet the traditional needs of forest science and provides an understanding of the interrelationships among soils, water, wildlife, and forestry.
2. Forest administration is an emphasis designed to train foresters in areas of public relations, communication, and business-economics and provides an understanding and training in soils, wildlife, and water, and course work in communications, economics, marketing, public and corporate finance, computer science, and the social sciences.

The UW-Platteville program requires a minimum of two years of course work. Prerequisites for either of the above two emphases can be fulfilled by taking courses on campus and at the Pigeon Lake Field Station.

Pre-Law is not an academic major or sequence of courses, but rather a program of activities designed to guide the undergraduate student interested in a career in law to make sound decisions and achieve success. This begins with the choice of an academic major of interest to the student and the selection of challenging courses which elicit and strengthen the student's talent. The student receives academic advisement from an advisor in his or her major field and pre-law advisement from an experienced pre-law advisor.

The advantages of our Pre-Law program include the following:

• An award-winning and nationally recognized mock trial team which competes in invitational, regional, and national tournaments.
• An active Pre-Law Society which sponsors trips to pre-law events, tours of law schools and visiting speakers.
• Guidance in evaluating law-related careers.
• Advice in the selection of law schools and the opportunity to talk directly to admissions personnel at pre-law forums.
• Help in preparing for the Law School Admissions Test through our videotape prep course and the administration of practice tests.
• Law-related courses in such disciplines as political science, criminal justice and business administration which not only challenge the student but offer a taste of legal education as well.

We advise students interested in a career in law or in a field where a law degree is an advantage to take the following steps:

• Begin planning early.
• Choose challenging courses that emphasize reading, writing and research and build that skill in analytical and critical thinking.
• Consult the pre-law advisor at the earliest opportunity.

We agree with the consensus of the legal profession that a broad liberal arts education which emphasizes the appreciation of human values, an awareness of socio-political thought, and concern for the community and the environment are the best preparation for law school.

The field of medical technology or clinical laboratory science is the medical application of the basic sciences in laboratory medicine. Members of this profession are responsible for providing accurate, reliable laboratory tests to determine the presence, absence, extent, or cause of disease. Medical technologists (clinical laboratory scientists) use sophisticated chemical procedures, complex instruments, and microscopic observation to relay information to physicians for diagnosis and treatment of disease.

The UW-Platteville program requires students to complete a two to three year course of study which fulfills the requirements for admission to a professional program.

Medicine is the science and art of diagnosing, treating, curing, and preventing disease. Physicians practice in many medical specialties using a full range of health-care techniques aimed at preserving and improving health.

The UW-Platteville program consists of selected courses which help to provide a body of knowledge necessary to meet the admission requirements for medical schools and to facilitate completion of the program. Admission to a medical school normally follows the completion of a bachelor's degree and the fulfillment of other requirements of the intended medical school.

Professional ministry as a pastor, rabbi, youth leader, teacher, or parish worker requires that a student be aware of everything that touches the lives of people and is especially sensitive to the human hunger for meaning, perspective, and understanding.

The UW-Platteville program provides supportive counsel and helpful experiences (not only for those wishing to enter a professional religious vocation, but also for those not certain but interested). Faculty will help students:

1. Plan a broad liberal arts academic program.
2. Find appropriate off-campus work or study opportunities.
3. Think through their professional plans and hopes.

Nurses meet the physical and emotional needs of patients in a broad range of settings while they give the care the physicians prescribe. Nurses must pass a state examination to become registered nurses (RNs). There are two basic routes toward this end:

1. An associate degree in nursing (ADN) obtained through a two or three year program.
2. A bachelor of science degree in nursing (BSN) obtained through a four or five year program.

The UW-Platteville program is a one to two year program which helps to provide a body of information necessary to fulfill the academic requirements of a school of nursing. Admission to a school of nursing normally follows the first year of studies at UW-Platteville.

Occupational therapy is a vital health care service that uses purposeful activity as the basis for treatment and prevention of a wide variety of physical, developmental, and emotional disabilities. Occupational therapists plan programs which enable patients to practice self-care, learn personal and social behavior skills, and gain more independence.

There are three programs at UW-Platteville for pre-occupational therapy students. Each program provides the necessary science background as well as an understanding of people and society necessary to gain entrance into the professional phase.

Optometry is the branch of health services concerned with the examination, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions or impairments of the vision system. Doctors of Optometry are highly trained, state licensed practitioners who examine eyes and related structures to detect the presence of vision problems, eye diseases, and other eye related problems. Optometrists are the major providers of vision care in this country.

The UW-Platteville program involves three to four years of study followed by transfer to a school of optometry.

Osteopathic medicine is one of two medical fields fully licensed and approved for the delivery of complete medical care. Osteopathic physicians practice in all recognized medical specialties, using the full range of health-care techniques in diagnosis and treatment. The distinctive feature of osteopathic medicine is the recognition of the reciprocal interrelationship between the structure and function of the body; that is, traditional emphasis on "holistic" medicine or treating the patient as a whole person. One of the characteristic features and added dimensions of a Doctor of Osteopathy in terms of clinical practice is the utilization of manipulative therapy.

The UW-Platteville program consists of selected courses which help to provide a basic body of knowledge to meet the admission requirements for osteopathic schools. Admission to an osteopathic school normally follows the completion of a bachelor's degree and the fulfillment of other requirements of the desired osteopathic school.

Pharmacy has traditionally been the branch of health services concerned with the composition of medications, dosage forms, methods of preparation, tests for the purity and potency, as well as the proper medicinal use. The pharmacist is responsible for preparing, storing, and dispensing medications. As an expert on the action of medication on the body, the pharmacist is called upon by physicians and the public alike concerning the use of prescribed and over-the-counter medications.

The UW-Platteville program involves two years of study in a selected group of courses. The courses provide the necessary science background as well as an understanding of people and institutions to help prepare students for pharmacy school.

Physical therapy is a dynamic health care profession. Physical therapists are skilled in planning, organizing, and directing programs for the care of individuals of all ages who have been impaired by disease or injury. The physical therapist performs tests and evaluations which help to establish treatment objectives for the patient. In addition, the physical therapist works with the patient to carry out the objectives in ways that are realistic and consistent with daily needs.

There are two UW-Platteville programs for pre-physical therapy students. Both programs offer similar opportunities for success and achievement in the profession. The courses for both programs provide the necessary science background as well as an understanding of people and society to help students qualify for the professional program.

A physician assistant is a health care professional who functions as an extension of a physician and provides a wide range of medical services. Under the supervision of licensed physicians, physician assistants interview patients and record health histories, conduct physical examinations, order and interpret diagnostic tests, establish treatment plans, and educate patients in preventive medicine and health maintenance.

The UW-Platteville program is a two year course of study in which students follow a prescribed curriculum necessary to meet the admission requirements to a professional physician assistant program.

Podiatry is concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and disorders affecting the human foot and its related structures. The podiatric physician provides both medical and surgical care and may become involved in research to advance the understanding of foot care.

The UW-Platteville program is designed to meet admission requirements for a school of podiatric medicine. Most students are admitted to a podiatry school after completion of a bachelor's degree. Occasionally, a student may enter a podiatry school after three years of college course work.

Veterinary medicine applies modern medical science to the care of animals. The study of veterinary medicine is concerned with gaining a thorough knowledge of the fundamental biological and physical sciences relating to animal functions. In the clinical years, students correlate and apply this knowledge to the many areas of professional service.

The pre-veterinary medicine program at UW-Platteville (School of Agriculture and Biology Department) consists of selected courses, specified by veterinary colleges, that prepare students for admission into a four year program which culminates in the awarding of a doctorate in veterinary medicine. (Note: This program is administered by the School of Agriculture.)

Wildlife management is a science that secures field information concerning the life history and environmental relationships of game birds and mammals. These studies include investigations in the natural environment and game farms. A program in wildlife management is ecologically integrated and includes courses in forestry, soils, water, and general natural resource management.

The UW-Platteville program consists of selected courses which provide a body of knowledge necessary to meet the admission requirements for institutions offering degrees in wildlife management. A minimum of two years of course work is required. Students are encouraged to fulfill a summer school session at the Pigeon Lake Field Station.

UW-Platteville advocates an education in which students in any major can blend theory and practice by combining classroom learning with planned and supervised field experiences. Students in the cooperative education programs alternate periods of full-time study with periods of experience in jobs closely related to their individual academic majors and career objectives. UW-Platteville is committed to the belief that cooperative education experiences make a significant contribution to the individual student's personal, social, and professional development. Academic credit is granted for the field experience.

Cooperative education programs are managed by the major/program in which the student is enrolled. Students interested in cooperative education programs should contact their departmental office for further information.

The UW-Platteville Department of Business and Accounting offers a bachelor of science degree in business administration to the adult 22 years of age or older who is unable to pursue a traditional on-campus college program. This degree is equivalent to the on-campus degree, with instruction and advising done by UW-Platteville faculty.

The extended degree program allows adults to balance an education with other personal commitments. The program's major benefit is that all courses offered through the extended degree program are done on an individualized study basis and require no on-campus attendance. Other benefits include continuous monthly enrollment, year-round study, self-paced study, and college credit for prior business and business-related life and work experiences.

The extended degree program in Business Administration offers a unique opportunity to the self-motivated adult with good learning skills.

For further information, please see the Distance Education Degree Program in Business Administration under the Department of Business and Accounting.

This institute was created at UW-Platteville to develop and coordinate foreign study programs for the university and to provide resources in southwestern Wisconsin for international studies. The institute provides university students with an opportunity to continue their education while extending their awareness of other lands and peoples through semester, full academic year, and summer programs of study abroad. Semester and/or full academic year programs are regularly offered in London, England; Nagasaki, Japan; and Seville, Spain. In addition, through consortial arrangements, programs are available in Argentina, Australia, China, Ecuador, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Russia, and Scotland. Summer programs are offered in England, Germany, and Spain. Financial aid that students receive for their studies at UW-Platteville in most cases transfers directly for use in study abroad programs.

Students wishing to travel independently are invited to draw on the resources of the institute to assist them in any matters pertaining to their travel plans.

The National Student Exchange Program is designed to provide UW-Platteville students an opportunity to study at more than 160 other NSE member institutions for a semester or academic year while paying UWP tuition and fees. This program is nationally sanctioned and has placed more than 55,000 since its inception in 1968.

In order to be eligible , UWP students must have a cumulative grade average of 2.50 or higher, must be a full-time student and must agree to remain a full-time student during the exchange period. Since UWP is designated as an "even" exchange program, it is most important to know that unless otherwise stipulated, there should be the same number of students coming to UWP in the exchange program that are attending other NSE institutions.

For further information about this highly successful and unique program, please contact the NSE Coordinator or Assistant by calling 608-342-1127 or by stopping in Brigham 120. The application and advising process is highly involved; consequently several months of careful planning before the annual March placement date is strongly suggested.

The Office of Continuing Education, on behalf of the university, carries out the Wisconsin idea of extending university resources beyond campus boundaries to the citizens of southwestern Wisconsin. The office coordinates credit classes, in various local communities, which are designed to meet the needs of adults who wish to continue or renew their course work leading to a bachelor's or master's degree. Community education (non-credit) workshops, seminars, and camps are also conducted by Continuing Education to enrich the lives of adults and young learners in southwestern Wisconsin.

Independent (correspondence) study is personalized instruction from UW-Extension. The faculty help the students learn while studying on their own and at their own pace. Students prepare assignments and submit them, along with any questions they may have, to the instructor. The instructor then reads, corrects, and grades the work, returning it with comments and answers to any questions raised by the students.

More than 400 correspondence courses are available through independent study. Of these, approximately 200 are university credit courses. The remaining courses are for continuing education, high school, and vocational/technical credit.

Students may enroll in independent study courses at any time of the year. They normally have 12 months in which to complete a course. Catalogs, applications, and information are available through the Office of Continuing Education.

The Educational Teleconference Network (ETN) is a private telephone network linking hundreds of people across the state at over 170 classroom sites in county courthouses, UW universities and centers, libraries, and hospitals.

At times, the instructor may be thousands of miles beyond the Wisconsin border, but a simple connection still brings that instructor to the local classroom. Each ETN site has an amplifier and microphones so that students can listen and ask questions. No technical skill is needed to operate the equipment. Please note: ETN locations are not automatically open to participants. Students must preregister so that the site where they wish to attend can be notified. If students must register late, they should contact their site to assure room availability.

WisLine is a conference call service operated by ICS. The service can link up to 68 telephone lines anywhere in Wisconsin or beyond. To participate, students can use a standard telephone or amplified telephone equipment - from home, office, or learning center.

UW universities and centers, State of Wisconsin agencies, and other educational, governmental, and nonprofit groups use WisLine for meetings, training sessions, and instructional programs.

WisLine is also used daily in conjunction with ETN programs to bridge telephone calls to guest instructors, direct dial locations, and any of the audio teleconference networks operated by ICS.

All UW universities and centers have at least one teleconference unit that can be used for group meetings on WisLine.

Two-way compressed video is being used to teach extension courses. This service is available only to certain sites in Wisconsin. The number of sites is increasing rapidly, however.

UW-Platteville entered a consortium agreement with the Southwestern Wisconsin Technical College at Fennimore, Wisconsin, whereby technical college faculty provide instruction in English and mathematics to students judged deficient in the above subject areas.

Entering new students at UW-Platteville who do not meet the minimum requirements on the UW-System English and Mathematics Placement Tests are expected to take one or both of the above classes prior to their being allowed into an entry level English or mathematics course at UW-Platteville. The courses are noncredit; therefore, they do not count toward the total number of credits needed to satisfy degree requirements at UW-Platteville.

The courses, 0010 Fundamentals of English and 0010 Technical Mathematics, are taught by Fennimore faculty. Students attend the above classes on the Platteville campus as is the case with all other course work.

Students may not register for more than a total of 15 credits of academic work per term until they have satisfied their deficiencies. An entering new student must pass the UW-System English and Mathematics Placement Tests to be allowed into credit level courses in the above subjects. Students who attain low placement tests results are required to successfully complete Fundamental English and/or Technical Mathematics before they are allowed to register for credit level English or mathematics courses. Questions concerning remedial course work may be directed to the Humanities Department (608) 342-1826 or the Mathematics Department (608) 342-1741 at UW-Platteville.

Students sometimes find that the selection of a major does not fit their own unique interests or career plans. Instead, their needs can best be served by an individualized course sequence composed of offerings from several departments or even from more than one college within the university. To accommodate such students, the College of Liberal Arts and Education offers the Individually Contracted Major. Students, working closely with faculty members, propose and develop a course of study that will lead to the fulfillment of their personal educational goals.

The following process sets forth the steps by which students can plan and pursue an individualized course sequence constituting the equivalent of a conventional major. At the same time, it provides a means by which the faculty can monitor students' planning and subsequent activities to ensure that they meet the standard requirements for a degree. The process culminates in an agreement which sets forth the details of the proposed major.

Step One: Any sophomore or junior with a 3.0 or higher grade point average may select a member of the faculty of the college who is willing to be the advisor. With the advisor's assistance, the student drafts a preliminary proposal which includes four elements:

1. A justification of the projected major (including evidence both of the validity of the proposed program and of the unavailability of suitable alternatives).
2. A rationale for the program.
3. Evidence of the student's capability to conduct independent study
4. A statement of the likely acceptability of the projected major to graduate schools or potential employers. The preliminary proposal is then presented to the coordinator.

Step Two: The coordinator, after confirming the completeness of the proposal, may help the student bring together a suitable committee of at least three faculty members, a majority of whom are from the College of Liberal Arts and Education. One member of the committee serves as chairperson. The coordinator forwards the student's proposal to the committee chairperson for review.

Step Three: The committee reviews the proposal, and if it is acceptable, requests that the student submit a more detailed proposal.

Step Four: The student consults with his or her advisor and the members of the committee to develop the detailed proposal. The proposal contains a rationale and includes a complete list of courses which will be taken, the formal course descriptions, and the sequencing of courses where applicable. The proposal also contains a thorough report on the acceptability of the major to employers or graduate schools, depending on the student's long term goals. The complete proposal is reviewed by the committee which can approve it, send it back for revisions, or reject it.

Step Five: The committee chairperson forwards the approved proposal to the coordinator who reviews it to make sure that college and university requirements are met. The coordinator may approve the proposal, send it back to the committee for changes, or reject it. Upon the coordinator's approval, an agreement is signed between the student and the college, and information is forwarded to the appropriate offices.