The University of Idaho Faculty Senate approved several changes to the UI curriculum at their meeting Tuesday afternoon.
These changes were unanimously supported and passed with little discussion by the senate.
The interior design major and minor as well as the communication studies minor have been renamed interior architecture and design and communication respectively.
The interior design and architecture name change is meant to better reflect what is truly encompassed in the course offering at UI and to differentiate the program from Washington State University’s interior design program said Rula Awwad-Rafferty, term program head of interior design.
The communication minor name change is being made to prevent confusion because of the plan to bring back a communication major to UI in the summer of 2019 said Todd Thorstein, the department chair of psychology and communication studies.
Additionally, four new certificates will be available as well as three teaching endorsements.
A certificate in cybersecurity, a certificate in nuclear technology management, a certificate in culturally responsive pedagogy and a certificate in virtual technology design were all approved at the meeting. Theses certificate programs allow students who want to to attain a base level of knowledge about their area of interest before entering the professional world said John Anderson, the program head of virtual technology and design.
The teaching endorsements approved were in the fields of natural science, sociology and anthropology and drama. Teaching endorsements grant their recipients the right to teach a subject in addition to the subject of their major said Taylor Raney, the associate department chair of curriculum and instruction.
Lastly, the Master of Science in metallurgy is being discontinued. The degree has had no graduates since 2003 and has been all but replaced by the degree in metallurgical engineering said John Crepeau, the associate dean in the college of engineering.
Gavin Green can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @gavingreenphoto