Cooperative Degree Programs

Please note: The information displayed here is current as of Sunday, October 6, 2013, but the official Course Catalog should be used for all official planning.

2013-2014 Course Catalog

Introduction

A liberal arts education provides excellent preparation for careers in a variety of professions. For this reason, several professional schools have contracted with Lawrence for cooperative programs that enable students to build a foundation in the liberal arts and then acquire specific professional skills. These programs lead, in most cases, to the awarding of two degrees.

The Lawrence cooperative programs listed below generally provide for students to study at Lawrence for three years and then transfer to a professional school for two more years. To qualify for a Lawrence degree in these programs, students must earn 162 units and fulfill all other degree requirements that cannot be met in the professional school. Students must undertake careful planning with the professional advisors and with their own faculty advisors to make sure all requirements will be completed satisfactorily.

Engineering

Program advisor: J. Collett
Students wishing to combine a liberal arts program with professional training in engineering or computer science may want to choose the 3-2 program in engineering, which involves three years of study at Lawrence University and two years of study at an engineering school. Lawrence has formal affiliations with Columbia University (New York, New York), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, New York), and Washington University (St. Louis, Missouri), but students may transfer to any accredited engineering school with the agreement of the chosen institution. Upon satisfactory completion of the five-year program, these students will receive the Bachelor of Arts degree from Lawrence as well as a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the professional school they have attended. To prepare for the transfer to an engineering school, students must include among their courses basic mathematics (normally MATH 140, 150, 160, and 210), computer science (CMSC 110 or 150), introductory chemistry (CHEM 115 and 116), introductory physics with calculus (PHYS 141 & 151, or 151 &160), and six courses (36 units) in humanities and social sciences. Many of these courses also will figure in the student’s major at Lawrence. Because specific requirements vary slightly among the engineering schools, students contemplating the 3-2 program should consult early with the program advisor.

Forestry and Environmental Studies

Program advisor: B. De Stasio
The college offers a cooperative program with Duke University in the areas of environmental science and forestry. Upon satisfactory completion of this five-year program, spending three years at Lawrence and two at Duke’s School of the Environment, the student will receive the B.A. degree from Lawrence and the professional degree Master of Forestry or Master of Environmental Management from Duke.

The major emphases at Duke are in forest resource production, resource ecology, resource policy and economics, water and air resources, and ecotoxicology. An undergraduate major in natural sciences, social sciences, or pre-engineering is good preparation for the programs at Duke, but a student with any undergraduate concentration will be considered for admission. The student must complete a total of 48 units at Duke, which generally takes four semesters. The student must complete 162 units at Lawrence and fulfill all other requirements that cannot be completed at Duke. All students contemplating this cooperative program should plan to take work in ecology, economics, and statistics at Lawrence before matriculating at Duke.

Some students may prefer to complete the bachelor’s degree before undertaking graduate study at Duke. The master’s degree requirements for these students are the same as those for students entering after the junior year, but the 48-unit requirements may be reduced for relevant, already completed undergraduate work of satisfactory quality. All credit reductions are determined individually and consider both the student’s educational background and objectives.

Occupational Therapy

Program advisor: G. Metalsky
Lawrence offers a 3-2 program in occupational therapy in conjunction with the School of Medicine of Washington University, St. Louis. Students spend three years of study at Lawrence and then continue for five semesters and two summers in the occupational therapy program at Washington University. After two semesters of successful study at Washington University, Lawrence awards the Bachelor of Arts degree. The student then continues for three more semesters and two summers at Washington University to earn the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy degree. Students who complete this program are prepared to address the prevention and treatment of physical or mental dysfunctions that impair people’s abilities to perform activities of daily life. Occupational therapists focus on the methods that permit individuals to engage in meaningful life activities. They also assist in modifying environments that make it possible for individuals to function at home, at work, and in the community.

Lawrence students apply to the occupational therapy program of the School of Medicine, Washington University during the fall of the junior year and must meet the entrance requirements established by the occupational therapy program. The Washington University School of Medicine is one of the finest in the country, and the occupational therapy program is competitive. A 3.000 Lawrence grade-point average is a minimum requirement but does not guarantee admission. Students who are admitted may apply for financial aid provided by Washington University.

To complete the occupational therapy program, students must complete 162 units at Lawrence, meet General Education Requirements, and fulfill all requirements for a Lawrence major. Students also must fulfill the prerequisite course requirements for occupational therapy, as follows: BIOL 110, 140, and 242; one additional biology course (6 units) numbered 200 or above; one additional science course (6 units) chosen from physics, chemistry, biology, or neuroscience; PSYC 250 and 260; one course (6 units) chosen from among PHIL 100, PHIL 120, PHIL 320, PHIL 440, ECON 290, or GOV 495; two additional courses (12 units) chosen from the social sciences; and MATH 107. Completing Lawrence requirements and the prerequisite requirements will require careful planning, which must begin early in the Lawrence career. Students interested in this program should talk with their faculty advisors not later than the beginning of the sophomore year. Students should coordinate their plans with Students should coordinate their plans with the program advisor as well.