Bachelor’s Degrees
At the baccalaureate level, McPherson College offers the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science. Most majors include a variety of emphases from which to choose as well as licensure programs that qualify students for a career in education. Please see the departmental curricula later in this catalog for complete descriptions of the emphases and licensure available within each major.
Requirement for a Bachelor’s Degree
- A minimum of 120 credit hours.
- Fulfillment of the major program requirements.
- Fulfillment of general education requirements, or completion of an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree at an accredited institution. (Note: Education majors must complete all of the general education requirements, even if they have earned an associate’s degree.)
- A minimum, overall residential GPA of 2.0.
- A minimum, residential GPA of 2.0 in the major.
- A minimum of 32 credit hours completed at McPherson College.
- 20 of the last 30 or 40 of the last 60 credit hours completed at McPherson College.
- A minimum of 8 hours of the major completed at McPherson College.
- The last 60 credit hours completed at a four-year college or university.
- No more than 64 credit hours from two-year institutions counted toward the degree.
- At least six hours outside the home department of the major, in addition to the major and general education requirements. (Students with more than one major automatically meet this requirement. Students with a student-designed major must complete at least six hours outside both home departments of the major.)
- Approval by majority vote at Faculty Meeting.
Major Requirements
A major consists of no fewer than 32 and no more than 62 semester hours, including all required courses for the major, regardless of prefix. Interdisciplinary and student-designed majors (see guidelines below) are exempt from the 62-hour cap. Not all current majors may be used towards an interdisciplinary or student-designed major. Departmental or program requirements for specific courses, field experiences, or comprehensive tests must be met. Those requirements are specified along with the departmental curricula.
Minor Requirements
A minor typically consists of a minimum of 18 credit hours of study within a particular academic discipline. Minors are available in biology, business administration, chemistry, coaching, communication, data science, data analytics, English, environmental science, environmental stewardship, graphic design, history, mathematics, Spanish, storytelling, peace studies, music, philosophy and religion, psychology, sociology, theatre, writing, and visual arts. Requirements for the minors in each of these areas are specified in the departmental sections of this catalog. For the minor to be recognized on the transcript, the student must achieve a minimal GPA of 2.0 in the minor coursework.
Teacher Education Program
The Teacher Education Program at McPherson College focuses on three major levels of licensure. The type of degree earned (BA or BS) mirrors the content area. The following are lists of the levels and the programs:
6-12 Licensure
Biology, Chemistry, English, English for Speakers of Other Languages, History and Government, Mathematics, High-Incidence Special Education, Theatre.
K-6 Licensure
Elementary Education, English for Speakers of Other Languages, High-Incidence Special Education
PK-12 Licensure
Art, Music, Spanish, Sport Studies
Bachelor of Arts Degrees
A minimum of one hundred twenty (120) academic credit hours are required for the B.A. degree. A Bachelor of Arts degree may be obtained for the following majors:
- Art and Design
- Communication
- Digital Media
- English
- History
- Music
- Theatre
- Philosophy and Religion
- Social Justice and Advocacy
- Spanish
Bachelor of Science Degrees
One hundred twenty (120) academic credit hours are required for the B.S. degree. A Bachelor of Science degree may be obtained for the following majors:
- Automotive Restoration Technology
- Biology
- Biochemistry
- Business Administration
- Chemistry
- Elementary Education (including Special Education licensure)
- Environmental Stewardship
- Health Science
- Healthcare Management
- Politics and History
- Mathematics
- Psychology
- Secondary Education (see Teacher Education Program section above for options)
- Sociology
- Sport Studies (Health and P.E. licensure available)
- Sport Management
Interdisciplinary Programs and Student-Designed Major Programs
Interdisciplinary programs and student-designed major programs allow faculty and students to combine courses from two or three departments into one major.
Interdisciplinary Programs
Interdisciplinary programs are typically initiated by faculty. The following guidelines must be followed:
- An interdisciplinary major shall consist of a minimum of 44 semester hours and a maximum of 75 semester hours.
- The program of study shall consist of at least 20 semester hours from two different departments.
- The instructors supervising the program must come from from the departments providing 20 or more semester hours to the program of study.
When faculty initiate an interdisciplinary major program, two or more instructors from the appropriate departments plan the interdisciplinary concentration and submit the proposal to the Educational Policies Committee following the guidelines available from the registrar’s office. Examples of faculty initiated interdisciplinary majors are Environmental Stewardship, Health Science and Digital Media.
Student-Designed Major Programs
Student-Designed Major programs are initiated by the student.
The following guidelines must be followed:
- The student must complete the Student Designed Major form available in the registrar’s office or on Bulldog Connect.
- An interdisciplinary major shall consist of a minimum of 44 semester hours and a maximum of 75 semester hours.
- The program of study shall consist of at least 20 semester hours from two different departments.
- The instructors supervising the program must come from the departments providing 20 or more semester hours to the program of study.
- The student should strive for a balance of 18 credits at 300 level, with a minimum of one 400 level course.
- The program must be approved by the Educational Policies Committee no later than the second semester of the junior year.
A student may, in consultation with faculty advisors, propose a previously unestablished student-designed major. The chairs of each department represented in the program must approve the proposal. The proposal is submitted to the Educational Policies Committee (EPC) according to the guidelines. The student and a faculty advisor must present the proposal to EPC in person to explain and defend its academic integrity.
The following are examples of student-designed majors that have been approved by Educational Policies Committee and completed by recent graduates of McPherson College. They are listed here to illustrate the possibilities students may explore.
- Family Life and Human Development
- Pre-Nursing and Human Behavior
- Bioethics/International Studies/Political Science
- Psychology and Music
General Education Program
The general education program consists of foundation courses and distribution courses. The foundation courses provide core skills and are fulfilled by a rather narrow set of required courses. The distribution courses are intended to provide students with a broader knowledge and skill base in preparation for a lifetime of career flexibility and adaptation. The distribution courses are selected by the student, drawing from a significant range of options. To fulfill the distribution requirement students will need to take 24 credit hours of coursework; at least 8 credit hours from each of 3 academic divisions. Among the 24 credits of distributions, student will take at least 1 Human Diversity [D] course, one Critical Thinking [C] course, and one Interdisciplinary [I] course. The minimum number of hours required to fulfil the college’s general education requirement is 39 credits.
General Education Foundation Courses
A. Oral Communication:
Student Learning Outcome: Students should be able to deliver messages appropriate to their audience, purpose, and context.
Performance Indicators – Students should be able to:
-
- Perform verbal communication behaviors that illustrate the competency of an effective communicator.
- Perform nonverbal communication behaviors that illustrate the competency of an effective communicator.
- Support their ideas appropriately.
Required: 1 Course
CM 130 Interpersonal Communication 3 credits
CM 140 Public Speaking 3 credits
CM 218 Business and Professional Communication 3 credits
B. Written Communication
Student Learning Outcome for Written Communication: Students should be able to write with skill and clarity.
Performance Indicators – Students should be able to:
-
- Produce writing that shows an awareness of audience.
- Support their ideas with appropriate details and examples.
- Coherently organize their writing.
- Produce writing that shows careful attention to craft.
Required: 2 Courses
EN110 College Composition I 3 credits and
EN111 College Composition II 3 credits
C. Mathematical Reasoning
Student Learning Outcome: Students will be able to identify, reason about, solve, and communicate mathematical problems from a wide array of contexts.
Performance Indicators – Students should be able to:
-
- Convert relevant information into various mathematical forms (e.g. equations, graphs, diagrams, tables, words).
- Make judgements and draw appropriate conclusions based on the quantitative analysis of data, while recognizing the limits of this analysis.
- Inductively draw independently justifiable, logical and mathematical conclusions from mathematical models and formulae
- Interpret mathematical problems and their solutions in language that is appropriate for the intended audience.
Required: 3-4 hours chosen from the following:
MA 105 College Algebra 3 credits
MA 106 Pre-Calculus 4 credits
MA 111 Calculus I 3 credits
MA 123 Discrete Mathematics 3 credits
MA 153 Principles of Geometry 3 credits
MA 201 Survey of Mathematics 3 credits
BA 220 Business Applied Statistics 4 credits
MA 221 Elementary Applied Statistics 4 credits
College Seminars
In the seminar series, students will demonstrate (1) that they have explored the college’s mission; (2) that they understand service-learning and can complete a service project; (3) that they can make informed ethical decisions in personal and professional situations; and (4) that they have investigated career options in the fields of study. In addition, the various seminars address the following goals.
- ID 101 Academic Community Essentials (ACE) Seminar: The purpose of first-year seminar is to aid students in developing the academic, social, and personal skills necessary for a successful transition to college life.
- ID 201 Sophomore Seminar: As a result of completing this course, students will be able to:
-
- Compose and maintain a professional cover letter, resume and other application materials Collaborate and communicate efficiently and effectively with peers.
- Identify and implement strategies and tactics that address mental health, stress management, healthy relationships, work life balance and getting involved in college and community.
General Education Distribution Courses
Students will complete at least one general education course in each of 3 topic areas: Human Diversity [D], Critical Thinking [C], and Interdisciplinary Thinking [I].
Students will complete at least 8 credit hours in each of 3 academic divisions: 1) Social Sciences, 2) Humanities, and 3) Natural Sciences and Technology.
TOPIC AREAS
Human Diversity [D]:
Required: 1 course
Student Learning Outcomes for Human Diversity: Students should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of diverse human perspectives.
Performance Indicators – Students should be able to:
-
- Demonstrate knowledge of diverse human experiences within the human experience
- Understand implications of diverse human experiences and perspectives.
Critical Thinking [C]:
Required: 1 course
Student Learning Outcomes for Critical Thinking: Students will analyze and critically evaluate ideas, arguments, or points of view.
Performance Indicators – Students should be able to:
-
- Analyze an argument, problem, presentation, or point of view.
- Evaluate an argument, problem, presentation, or point of view.
Interdisciplinary Thinking [I]:
Required: 1 course
Student Learning Outcomes for Interdisciplinary Thinking : Students will integrate knowledge and understanding of from two or more academic fields.
Performance Indicators – Students should be able to:
-
- Demonstrate knowledge of connections across disciplines.
- Demonstrate understanding of how skills, abilities, or theories from one field may be applied to a problem in a different discipline
3 ACADEMIC DIVISIONS
1) Social Science Division:
Required: 8 hours total
Human Diversity
BA 345 International Business [D] 3 credits
CI 333 Intercultural Education [D] 2 credits
HI 220 Modern Europe [D] 3 credits
PS 102 U.S. Government [D] 3 credits
SE 210 Intro to Infants, Children, and Youth with Special Needs [D] 3 credits
SO 101 Introduction to Sociology [D] 3 credits
SO 202 Minorities in Society [D] 3 credits
SO 246 Marriage and Family [D] 3 credits
SO 260 Intro to Human Services [D] 3 credits
SO 415 Gender and Society [D] 3 credits
Critical Thinking
EE 210 Children’s Literature [C] 3 credits
BA 230 Personal Finance [C] 3 credits
BA 475 Business Strategy and Policy [C] 3 credits
CI 150 Introduction to Education [C] 3 credits
HS 190 Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health [C] 3 credits
PY 101 Introduction to Psychology [C] 3 credits
SO 101 Introduction to Sociology [C] 3 credits
SO 415 Gender and Society [C] 3 credits
Interdisciplinary
CM 120 Intro to Human Communication [I] 3 credits
HI 101 Historical Intro to Politics [I] 3 credits
HI 110 World Civilization to 1500 [I] 3 credits
HI 120 World Civilization since 1500 [I] 3 credits
HI 130 Introductory Methods for Historical Analysis: Witch Trials [I] 3 credits
HI 140 American History to 1877 [I] 3 credits
HI 150 American History since 1877 [I] 3 credits
HI 236 Topics in Social History [I] 3 credits
HI 237 Topics in Political History [I] 3 credits
HI 261 Kansas History [I] 3 credits
HS 190 Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health [I] 3 credits
PE 150 Concepts in Holistic Health [I] 3 credits
PS 101 Historical Intro to Politics [I] 3 credits
PS 125 International Relations [I] 3 credits
PS 130 Principles of Geography [I] 3 credits
SO 415 Gender and Society [I] 3 credits
2) Humanities Division:
Required: 8 hours total
Human Diversity
EN 210 Masterpieces of World Literature [D] 3 credits
EN 220 Contemporary World Literature [D] 3 credits
EN 222 Native American Literature [D] 3 credits
EN 225 African-American Literature [D] 3 credits
EN 235 Latinx-American Literature [D] 3 credits
EN 250 American Literature I [D] 3 credits
EN 255 American Literature II [D] 3 credits
EN 270 Fiction [D] 3 credits
ML 108 Spanish I [D] 3 credits
ML 109 Spanish II [D] 3 credits
ML 208 Spanish III [D] 3 credits
ML 209 Spanish IV [D] 3 credits
MU 161 Music Appreciation [D] 3 credits
MU 210 Introduction to World Music [D] 3 credits
PR 106 Spiritual Pathways [D] 3 credits
PR 202 Christian Traditions [D] 3 credits
PR 306 World Religions [D] 3 credits
Critical Thinking
AR 101 Drawing I [C] 2 credits
AR 101 Drawing I [C] 2 credits
AR 102 Painting I [C] 3 credits
AR 103 Elementary Design [C] 3 credits
AR 131 Ceramics I [C] 3 credits
AR 202 Painting II [C] 2 credits
AR 220 Graphic Design for Non-Art Majors [C] 3 credits
AR 231 Ceramics II [C] 2 credits
AR 315 Metalsmithing/Jeweley Making [C] 3 credits
AR 350 Sculpture I [C] 3 credits
CM 330 Persuasion and Social Influence [C] 3 credits
EE 210 Children’s Literature [C] 3 credits
EN 210 Masterpieces of World Literature [C] 3 credits
EN 220 Contemporary World Literature [C] 3 credits
EN 222 Native American Literature [C] 3 credits
EN 225 African-American Literature [C] 3 credits
EN 235 Latinx-American Literature [C] 3 credits
EN 250 American Literature I [C] 3 credits
EN 255 American Literature II [C] 3 credits
EN 270 Fiction [C] 3 credits
EN 370 Poetry [C] 3 credits
PR 104 Ethics [C] 3 credits
PR 107 Critical Thinking [C] 3 credits
PR 201 Introduction to Philosophy [C] 3 credits
PR 350 Philosophy of Religion [C] 3 credits
PR 360 Modern Logic [C] 3 credits
Interdisciplinary
AR 101 Drawing I [I] 2 credits
AR 102 Painting I [I] 3 credits
AR 131 Ceramics I [I] 3 credits
AR 202 Painting II [I] 2 credits
AR 231 Ceramics II [I] 2 credits
AR 310 Art History I [I] 4 credits
AR 311 Art History II [I] 4 credits
AR 350 Sculpture I [I] 3 credits
CM 120 Intro to Human Communication [I] 3 credits
CM 220 Special Topics in Pop Culture [I] 3 credits
PR 101 God and People in Ancient Israel: Hebrew Bible Foundations [I] 3 credits
PR 102 Jesus: New Testament Foundations [I] 3 credits
PR 203 Science and Religion [I] 3 credits
PR 204 Peacemaking: Religious Perspectives [I] 3 credits
PR 215 History of Philosophy [I] 3 credits
PR 302 Religion and Politics [I] 3 credits
PR 310 Religion and Law [I] 3 credits
3) Natural Science and Technology Division:
Required: 8 hours total
Human Diversity
No available courses
Critical Thinking
BI 101 Principles of Biology [C] 4 credits
BI 111 College Biology I [C] 4 credits
CH 105 Chemistry for Life [C] 4 credits
CH 111 College Chemistry [C] 5 credits
MA 225 Introduction to Analysis [C] 4 credits
NS 100 Science in Society [C] 3 credits
NS 141 Environmental Science [C] 4 credits
PC 275 Astronomy [C] 4 credits
MA 123 Discrete Math [C] 3 credits
Interdisciplinary
CH 105 Chemistry for Life [I] 4 credits
NS 100 Science in Society [I] 3 credits
NS 141 Environmental Science [I] 4 credits