Honors and Special Programs

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THE LAWRENCE HENRY GIPSON SCHOLAR PROGRAM

In 1972, the college established a program for students with superior high school records and named it in honor of Lawrence Henry Gipson, a distinguished historian, Rhodes Scholar and Pulitzer Prize winner who began his academic career at Albertson in its early years.

Gipson Scholars develop individual program contracts and work within the spirit of the college's liberal arts objective without the necessity of meeting General Graduation Requirements. High scholarship and senior honors papers or projects are expected of all participants.

To be eligible for the Gipson Scholar Program, a student must have a high school GPA of at least 3.75 plus an ACT or SAT score in the 90th percentile. Freshmen not meeting these standards, sophomores, and transfer students may petition the Gipson Board for acceptance into the program.

For more information about the Gipson Scholar Program, contact the Director of the Honors Program.

DEPARTMENTAL HONORS PROGRAM

Students may be eligible for participation in the honors program after earning 78 credits, attaining a grade-point average of 3.25 in the total undergraduate record, in the Albertson record, and a 3.5 GPA in the major field of study, in the courses taken therein at Albertson, and in the field in which their honors paper is to be written. A full description of the honors program may be obtained from the chairperson of each academic department.

PHI ETA SIGMA

In 1984, a chapter of Phi Eta Sigma was chartered at Albertson. This freshmen scholarship honorary, founded nationally in 1923, is designed to encourage and reward high scholastic achievement among freshmen in institutions of higher learning. Eligibility requirements include a 3.5 cumulative GPA in a normal academic load that is applicable toward earning a bachelor's degree, and rank in the upper 20 percent of the class.

SPECIAL ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES

THE ALBERTSON LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

The Albertson Leadership Program is an interdisciplinary program which stresses preparation for leadership responsibilities. In the spring semester of their freshman year, students who have demonstrated leadership potential in their academic and extracurricular activities will be invited to attend a series of leadership workshops designed to help them identify their leadership potential. If they are interested in the program and their overall performance and academic competencies merit, they will participate in the program during their junior and senior years.

The program is available as an interdisciplinary minor. It stresses the development of oral and written communication competencies, quantitative and analytical reasoning abilities, knowledge of decision-making processes and judgments, understanding and developing a global perspective, and breadth of historical and cultural learning.

The unique feature of the program is the leadership seminars which emphasize integrative thinking. The major challenge in modern democratic societies is no longer our capacity to produce experts, but rather our capacity to marry expertise to purpose: to produce leaders who can relate disparate facts to a coherent theory, and fashion programs that are part of a strategic plan to shape the future. The leadership seminars are a creative, interdisciplinary inquiry into the nature, content and personal qualities of leadership in democratic societies and in the many public and private areas in which leadership is exercised. The issues around which the seminars revolve are those most likely to be critical during the coming decades.

In addition to the seminars, other features include a personalized combination of course selection, a two-year mentor relationship with a person in a key leadership position who helps the student understand their leadership role within an organization or community context, a junior-senior summer internship and advising sessions.

A full description of the Albertson Leadership Program may be obtained from Wallace Lonergan, Director, Albertson Leadership Program, Room 218, Kathryn Albertson International Center.

PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS 

FOR HEALTH SCIENCES

For many years, Albertson students have had an enviable record of acceptance into professional schools for medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, optometry and physical therapy.

Those interested in these fields may choose a major in any department. Most students select a major in biology or chemistry.

Consultation with an academic advisor is essential to determine the prerequisites for admission to professional school. Part of the academic program should include the following: two years of chemistry, two years of upper-division biology, one year of physics and at least one year of mathematics, including calculus.

While entry into professional schools is very competitive, Albertson students who plan their course work carefully, who maintain a high level of academic competence (3.5 GPA or better) and who score well on the appropriate professional admission test have excellent chances for acceptance. International students considering further education in U.S. medical schools should contact the Director of International Student Recruiting or the registrar for assistance in filing the documents required by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Recent Albertson graduates have been accepted into graduate programs at many fine institutions including Johns Hopkins University, the University of Arizona, University of California-Davis, University of Washington, Washington State University, Creighton University, University of Southern California, University of New Mexico, University of Nevada-Reno, Washington University in St. Louis, the Mayo Clinic and Yale Medical School.

PRE-LAW STUDIES

Albertson has a superior record in placing its graduates in law schools throughout the country. While there is no specific pre-law curriculum, students who intend to pursue a career in law are encouraged to take a broad liberal arts program including courses in English, philosophy, logic, mathematics and psychology.

DUAL-DEGREE PLAN IN ENGINEERING

The college cooperates with Columbia University, the University of Idaho and Washington University in offering a five-year course of study in engineering leading to a bachelor of science degree in pre-engineering from the college. Albertson students follow an approved three-year course of study in the sciences and the liberal arts, then transfer to a university to complete an engineering program for two additional years. Students initiate the transfer process, which includes letters of recommendation from Albertson professors. Normally, such a recommendation is based upon a 3.0 GPA for all courses taken at the college. Dual degree plans, arranged on an individual basis, are available with many other engineering schools.

INDEPENDENT STUDY, INTERNSHIPS, STUDY ABROAD

INDEPENDENT STUDY 

Opportunities for independent work are available through all college departments. A student with the approval and consent of a faculty member may enroll for independent study provided that the following guidelines are observed.

1. Application forms, which describe the independent study project, are available from the Registrar's Office. The form must be completed and filed with the registrar prior to beginning the work.
2. All applications for independent study must be cosigned by the student, the student's advisor, the faculty member who will assign the final grade, and the appropriate department chairperson.
3. A student may not enroll for more than three credits of independent study in any one session without the permission of the Academic Council.
4. Independent study does not substitute for regularly scheduled course work.
5. A faculty member may refuse to supervise an independent study project only with the permission of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
6. A faculty member may, at the beginning of an independent study project, require that the work be done on a Pass-Fail basis. 
   NOTE: Work done on a Pass-Fail basis will not count toward requirements for a major, minor, or general graduation. See Pass-Fail Option regulations.
7. Only work at the upper-division level fulfills the General Graduation Requirements for independent work.

INTERNSHIPS

Internships are planned, structured, supervised experiences that enable students to develop skills for organizing information and solving routine problems expected of professionals in a given discipline. Internships offer off-campus learning experiences that engage a student in the practical application of academic study. Communication, teamwork and leadership skills are tested and honed within an employment setting.

Some internships are already established; students design others. Internships are offered every term-including summer-and academic credit may be granted. Past students have interned with state and national government agencies, local hospitals, veterinarians, doctors, newspapers, television stations, high-tech and finance companies. 

For policies, guidelines, information and application forms, you can access the internships link at http://www.collegeofidaho.edu/academics/exlearning/internships.asp

STUDY ABROAD

International study for an academic year, semester or summer is strongly encouraged for all Albertson students. Any major — business, science, education, the arts and humanities — is enriched by experiencing institutions and practices of another culture.

Broad trends around the world are bringing countries closer together-economically, culturally and on a people-to-people basis. The college can help provide for the educational needs of students who wish to have an active role in this increasingly interdependent world. If students want to combine scholarly achievement with personal growth and self-discovery in a creative and enjoyable environment, international study can become a part of the Albertson experience.

Many academically appropriate programs throughout the world are open to qualified students. The college provides an opportunity for the student-working with professors-to develop a coordinated program that includes study abroad, language learning and courses in an academic major. Albertson supports student candidates for Rotary, Marshall, Fulbright, and Rhodes scholarships as well as other awards for undergraduate and graduate studies abroad. Students should consult with the off-campus program coordinator to develop an individualized study abroad program. 

For more information, please visit the study abroad website link at http://www.collegeofidaho.edu/academics/exlearning/studyabroad.asp.