Reference no: EM133340666

Assignment:

Introduction

The "Degree Rationale" is the very last task in planning your degree program. The purpose of this essay is to explain to the faculty Committee on Academic Review (CAR) your educational goals and how your program meets your goals and the expectations of the college. The Rationale should include any statements you wish to make to the faculty -- it should anticipate any questions they might have and explain any apparent overlap or unusual contract titles. Most important, the faculty should get a clear idea of what you want to accomplish at Empire State College and how your degree program helps you do so.

You might find the Rationale Essay section of the Educational Planning textbook a good place to start.

As you plan the Rationale, you should review the degree program you designed.

Does it really meet your goals?

• Are these studies what you really want to learn?
• Does the title really describe the content of your concentration?
• Does your concentration show depth and progression?
• If the title is used at traditional colleges, is your concentration similar to theirs?
• If you used a specific curriculum as a model have you included that model as an attachment?
• Are there ESC Curricular Guidelines for your title -- does your program meet them?
• You should also, of course, recheck all of the numbers to make sure you meet the requirements of the college.

Writing the EssayAudience:

The audience for this essay is the "committee on academic review"; it is composed of three members of the faculty who understand the educational planning process but who may not know you or your field. In general, committees have 2 members from the same School, but they may not be from the same department as your degree. The third member is from outside the School.

Goals:

[This section of the Rationale is based on the goal statement you wrote at the beginning of the course.] So - how will faculty evaluate your degree program and rationale? We, the faculty at Empire State College, believe that students should plan their degree based on their goals subject to the expectations of the college, the greater academic environment, and your presumed profession (if related to your degree).