Dec 21, 2024  
2014 - 2015 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2014 - 2015 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

How to Read Course Descriptions


A course number indicates – in a general way – the difficulty and level of the student group for which the course is offered. Courses numbered 100 to 199 are primarily for freshmen; 200 to 299 for sophomores; 300 to 499 for juniors and seniors; 500 to 799 for juniors, seniors and graduate students. Students must attain sophomore standing (26 semester hours) before enrolling in any 300/400-level course. (See “Exception Policy ”.)

The number in parentheses after the course title indicates the credit in semester hours (See credit hour policy below). A hyphen (-) between the numbers of a course indicates no credit will be given until all of the course sequence is successfully completed.

A colon (:) between the numbers of the course and semester hours credit indicates credit will be given as each semester of the course is completed, and they must be taken in order.

A comma (,) between the numbers of a course and semester hours credit indicates credit will be given as each semester of the course is completed. The line following the course title and credit tells the number of lecture and laboratory hours a week. The third line gives the prerequisite, if any.

Following some course descriptions will be listed the semester in which the course is offered (fall, spring). When no semester (or semesters) is listed at the end of the course description, then in most cases that course is offered each semester during the academic year. However, students must consult with their academic advisors to ensure that a course will be offered the semester they would like to take it.

To obtain detailed information regarding a specific course, students may view the complete course syllabus for a specific course by accessing the course through the Radford University computer network.

Credit Hour Policy: A credit hour for a standard course is not less than three hours of student time on task each week throughout the course of a semester of approximately 15 weeks.   For example, standard residential lecture courses typically include one hour of classroom-based or faculty- directed instruction and two hours of out-of-class student work.

Standard residential courses offered as distance education courses (hybrid or fully on-line) incorporate  not less than three hours of student time on task per credit hour, though the ratio of faculty-directed instruction (synchronous or asynchronous) to out- of- class student work varies across different types of courses.  Distance-delivered courses must meet the same student learning outcomes and have comparable student assessments as the equivalent standard residential course.

Courses such as practica, internships, and independent studies, must include not less than three hours of student time on task per credit hour.      

A credit hour for laboratory work is not less than two hours of laboratory work each week throughout the course of a semester.

Course Prefix

ACTG Accounting
ANSC Anthropological Sciences
APST Appalachian Studies
ART Art
ARTH Art History
ASTR Astronomy
ATTR Athletic Training
BIOL Biology
BLAW Business Law
CHEM Chemistry
CHNS Chinese (Mandarin)
CLSS Classics
COBE Business and Economics
COED Counselor Education
COMS Communication and Media Studies
SOSD Communication Sciences and Disorders
CORE Core Foundations
CRJU Criminal Justice
CVPA Performing Arts
DNCE Dance
DSN Design
DSNF Fashion
DSNI Interior Design
DSNM Design Merchandising
ECON Economic
EDEC Education/Early Childhood
EDEF Educational Foundations
EDET Educational Technology
EDM Middle Education
EDRD Reading
EDSP Special Education
EDUC Education
ENGL English
ESHE Exercise, Sport and Health Education
FINC Finance
FORL Foreign Language
FOSC Forensic Science
FREN French
GEOG Geography
GEOL Geology
GEOS Geospatial Science
GRMN German
HIST History
HLTH Health Education
HUMD Human Development
INST International Studies
ITEC Information Technology
LATN Latin
LEAD Student Leadership Program
MATH Mathematics
MGNT Management
MKTG Marketing
MSCI Military Science
MUSC Music
NUTR Nutrition and Dietetics
PEAC Peace Studies
PHIL Philosophy
PHSC Physical Science
PHYS Physics
POSC Political Science
PSYC Psychology
RCPT Recreation, Parks and Tourism
RELN Religious Studies
RUSS Russian
SOCY Sociology
SOWK Social Work
SPAN Spanish
STAT Statistics
THEA Theatre and Cinema
UNIV University 100
WMST Women’s Studies