The academic program of Hendrix College comprises diverse elements in a coherent whole, combining design with flexibility. The general education requirements at the College consist of three components – The Collegiate Center, Learning Domains, and Capacities. The Collegiate Center assures students the opportunity to engage in thought about cultures and contemporary issues. The Learning Domains afford multiple options for acquiring a basic understanding of the content, disciplinary styles, and modes of inquiries of the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences in ways that may cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. The Capacities requirement recognizes that all students must exhibit basic proficiencies in fundamental skills that are utilized across multiple disciplines. Majors are offered in more than two dozen disciplinary fields and include opportunities for interdisciplinary studies. Minors in almost thirty areas complement the majors and allow students opportunities to pursue additional academic interests. The College's curricular structures are intended to guide students in a coherent process of learning while encouraging all students to exercise responsibility in constructing individual programs of study.
The provisions on the following pages apply to all candidates for the baccalaureate degree at Hendrix. Specific course descriptions are listed under the appropriate department and program headings in a later section of the Catalog.
The requirements for the baccalaureate degree are stated below. These requirements include the general education program (I, II, III, and IV below); collegiate requirements regarding the number, selection, and level of performance in courses counted toward the degree (V and VI); the requirements regarding majors, double majors, and minors (VII); and the senior capstone experience (VIII).
Hendrix also offers a program leading to a Master of Arts in Accounting as described both below and in the departmental entry for Economics and Business.
Most graduate and professional schools discourage heavy undergraduate specialization and emphasize the values of a broadly based liberal education as a preparation for advanced study. Graduate study can lead to careers in scholarship, in research, or in the professions. In planning undergraduate preparation for graduate study students should confer with the members of the department in their fields. The 2002-2003 Guide to Academic Planning contains information about pre-professional programs at Hendrix.
Academic year 2002-2003 is the first year for the curriculum described above. The implementation of this new curriculum occurs at the same time as the College completes its move from a term calendar to a semester calendar under which the normal student load is four courses per semester. The 2002-2003 Guide to Academic Planning supplements the academic planning information in the Catalog and includes detailed information concerning provisions for "bridge" students who attend Hendrix under both calendar systems. The planning for bridge students has been built around the desire that no student will be disadvantaged in progress toward a degree because of the calendar and curricular changes.
Next: The Collegiate Center
Collegiate Center | Learning Domains | Capacities | Double Counting of Courses | Number of Courses Required for Graduation | Residency Requirements | Majors and Minors | Senior Capstone Experiences | Undergraduate Research