Overview
Prior to beginning the Master
of Human Services (MHS) Program, students may be required to improve
their academic skills by participating in the Pre-Master's Program.
There, they will receive intensive instruction and practice in writing
and grammar, as well as basic word processing skills.
Students enroll in one of
three options:
-
Option I (fall and
spring
semesters): 12 credits
-
- Option
III (summer semester only): 6 credits
Student Learner Outcomes
Goal:
Students who successfully complete the Pre-master’s Program will
demonstrate the critical thinking and communication skills required for
beginning graduate-level academic work.
Objectives:
Students completing the Pre-master’s Program
successfully will be able to
- compose short essays on academic topics that
contain no pattern of basic grammar error and demonstrate a mastery of
the general organizational and stylistic conventions of academic
writing, including the ability to incorporate information from outside
sources accurately and appropriately;
- read academic publications with an
understanding of purpose, content, structure and potential bias;
- demonstrate themselves to be reflective,
independent learners who can work effectively in peer groups to
construct, compare, contrast and refine information while exercising
respect for others, independent thinking, fair-mindedness and an
openness to new ideas;
- use technology efficiently to find, retrieve,
produce, and present information.
General
Description of Courses:
Designed specifically for
adults, classes are held on Saturday or weeknights and taught by senior
MHS faculty members. Class size is limited, to permit maximum
individualized attention.
In the writing component of
the Pre-Master's curriculum, students
strengthen their grammar and organizational skills by practicing a
variety of work- and academic-related writing tasks in a computer
laboratory setting. The computer component enables students to do the
extensive writing and revision required while also learning practical
word processing and multimedia applications.
The critical thinking
component enables students to refine their analytical skills through
critical reading of social science texts. Students practice expressing
their point of view in carefully-reasoned, well-supported written and
oral arguments, skills essential to both professional and academic
achievement.
