{"id":358,"date":"2018-10-27T16:18:23","date_gmt":"2018-10-27T16:18:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-educationalplanning\/?post_type=chapter&p=358"},"modified":"2018-12-11T18:08:26","modified_gmt":"2018-12-11T18:08:26","slug":"research-into-academic-expectations","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-educationalplanning\/chapter\/research-into-academic-expectations\/","title":{"raw":"Additional Research into Academic Expectations","rendered":"Additional Research into Academic Expectations"},"content":{"raw":"\"decorative\r\n\r\nThere are many cases in which understanding the ESC Area of Study Guidelines in your area and SUNY General Education Requirements\u00a0is \"enough\" academic research for you to plan your degree.\u00a0 But there are other instances in which fuller academic research is helpful, such as if you are developing a unique, individualized concentration; addressing field-specific expectations; preparing for professional certification; or preparing for graduate school.\r\n

Unique, Individualized Concentration<\/h3>\r\nIf you're planning something unique, it may be useful to look at other colleges to compare your plans with what they offer.\u00a0 Of course, you do not<\/strong><\/em> have to mimic those other college programs.\u00a0 But you can<\/strong><\/em> use the evidence you find to validate your unusual focus, by showing that there's some precedent for degrees focused in the same general area. For example, a student who\u00a0was a professional chef with interests in farm-to-table, ecology, and sustainability found that the group of courses he was interested in taking, which built upon his previous transcript credit in culinary arts, tended toward a focus on culinary sustainability.\u00a0 This is not a degree focus commonly offered in most colleges.\u00a0 It made sense for this student to search and find a college (Kennesaw College, if you're interested) that offers a degree in this field.\u00a0 It also made sense to discuss these findings in his rationale essay, as a means of validating his choices for his degree that went over and above the general ESC interdisciplinary guidelines.\r\n

Field-Specific Expectations<\/h3>\r\nSome academic fields are related to professional organizations that have expectations for content in undergraduate degrees.\u00a0 If you intend to enter that field professionally, it's good practice to know and address those expectations in your planning.\u00a0 For example, the American Psychological Association publishes Guidelines for the Psychology Major that identify the knowledge and skills needed in degrees.\r\n

Preparation for Professional Certification<\/h3>\r\nIf your goal is to get a specific certification along with or after you complete your degree, it's important to research requirements for certification as part of your academic research.\u00a0 For example, if you intend to become a certified public accountant, you need to research undergraduate course requirements needed to sit for the CPA exam, which include very specific courses and credit amounts.\u00a0 The same holds true for the long-term goal of elementary or secondary education, for which you would need to research the specific teacher certification requirements for your state.\u00a0 If you want professional certification in Early Childhood, or Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling,\u00a0it's important to research certification requirements as a means of\u00a0identifying some courses to take in your degree.\r\n

Preparation for Graduate School<\/h3>\r\nIf one of your goals is to attend a graduate program, even if it's a few years after you complete a bachelor's degree, it's important to \"work backwards\" and research particular programs to which you want to apply.\u00a0 Different graduate programs have different preliminary course requirements, and some programs even require certain\u00a0majors as a prerequisite to acceptance.\r\n

Fully-Informed Study Choices<\/h3>\r\nIf you have not had time to review ESC's full array of offerings, then take the time to review the online catalog, looking for courses that interest you and that offer coursework in\u00a0your field of study, general education, or\u00a0\"elective areas.\"","rendered":"

\"decorative<\/p>\n

There are many cases in which understanding the ESC Area of Study Guidelines in your area and SUNY General Education Requirements\u00a0is “enough” academic research for you to plan your degree.\u00a0 But there are other instances in which fuller academic research is helpful, such as if you are developing a unique, individualized concentration; addressing field-specific expectations; preparing for professional certification; or preparing for graduate school.<\/p>\n

Unique, Individualized Concentration<\/h3>\n

If you’re planning something unique, it may be useful to look at other colleges to compare your plans with what they offer.\u00a0 Of course, you do not<\/strong><\/em> have to mimic those other college programs.\u00a0 But you can<\/strong><\/em> use the evidence you find to validate your unusual focus, by showing that there’s some precedent for degrees focused in the same general area. For example, a student who\u00a0was a professional chef with interests in farm-to-table, ecology, and sustainability found that the group of courses he was interested in taking, which built upon his previous transcript credit in culinary arts, tended toward a focus on culinary sustainability.\u00a0 This is not a degree focus commonly offered in most colleges.\u00a0 It made sense for this student to search and find a college (Kennesaw College, if you’re interested) that offers a degree in this field.\u00a0 It also made sense to discuss these findings in his rationale essay, as a means of validating his choices for his degree that went over and above the general ESC interdisciplinary guidelines.<\/p>\n

Field-Specific Expectations<\/h3>\n

Some academic fields are related to professional organizations that have expectations for content in undergraduate degrees.\u00a0 If you intend to enter that field professionally, it’s good practice to know and address those expectations in your planning.\u00a0 For example, the American Psychological Association publishes Guidelines for the Psychology Major that identify the knowledge and skills needed in degrees.<\/p>\n

Preparation for Professional Certification<\/h3>\n

If your goal is to get a specific certification along with or after you complete your degree, it’s important to research requirements for certification as part of your academic research.\u00a0 For example, if you intend to become a certified public accountant, you need to research undergraduate course requirements needed to sit for the CPA exam, which include very specific courses and credit amounts.\u00a0 The same holds true for the long-term goal of elementary or secondary education, for which you would need to research the specific teacher certification requirements for your state.\u00a0 If you want professional certification in Early Childhood, or Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counseling,\u00a0it’s important to research certification requirements as a means of\u00a0identifying some courses to take in your degree.<\/p>\n

Preparation for Graduate School<\/h3>\n

If one of your goals is to attend a graduate program, even if it’s a few years after you complete a bachelor’s degree, it’s important to “work backwards” and research particular programs to which you want to apply.\u00a0 Different graduate programs have different preliminary course requirements, and some programs even require certain\u00a0majors as a prerequisite to acceptance.<\/p>\n

Fully-Informed Study Choices<\/h3>\n

If you have not had time to review ESC’s full array of offerings, then take the time to review the online catalog, looking for courses that interest you and that offer coursework in\u00a0your field of study, general education, or\u00a0“elective areas.”<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t

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