Students now have two new ways to reach their goals at NSU.
The Fischler School of Education added two new Dual Admission programs: one in speech pathology and the other in education.
The Dual Admission Program allows incoming freshmen to apply to an undergraduate program while provisionally saving a seat in one of NSU’s graduate programs. Students adhere to coursework, grade and other requirements to stay in the program.
Students in the Dual Admission Program are able to choose from more than 35 programs including law, business and psychology. This winter, more than 200 students applied to the Dual Admission Program. This fall, about 150 students began the program and more than 400 students are currently in it.
Robin Sherman, associate dean in the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, looks at the admission applications. She also tracks the students in the program and makes sure they are meeting all the requirements and doing well.
“It puts them on a path that will get them where they want to go but still give them the freedom to look around at other things,” Sherman said. “If they start to lose their way a little bit, there’s somebody there to say ‘Don’t forget what the goal is. The goal is law school. The goal is medical school.’ I keep them on the path academically.”
Associate Dean for Teacher Education and Undergraduate Programs Jaime Manburg said the two new programs received official approval from President George Hanbury on Aug. 20. Hanbury, Ron Chenail, interim dean of the Fischler School, and Farquhar Dean Don Rosenblum signed proclamations formally recognizing the new programs.
The speech pathology program, which started last year, is open to incoming freshman. In this program, students majoring in speech-language and communication disorders will have a spot saved in Fischler’s Master of Science in speech-language pathology.
The Master’s Accelerated Program 3+2, an accelerated track for elementary education and exceptional student education majors, began this year and is open to both transfer students and incoming freshmen. Students spend the first three years of their undergraduate studies at Fischler. During the fourth year, students start taking graduate coursework in addition to undergraduate courses. At the end of the fourth year, students earn their bachelor’s degree. They then continue with graduate studies and receive a master’s a year later, totaling five years of study.
Manburg said that the speech-language and communication disorders major opened in fall 2013 and was formed based on the speech-language pathology program. Until the speech-language and communication disorders major opened, Dual Admission students who wanted to enter the graduate speech-language pathology program were majoring in communication studies or psychology or related fields.
Last year, Candace Sowle, sophomore speech-language and communication disorders major, applied to the program while a senior in high school. Being in the program has led to a good relationship with her professors, as they lead her to job opportunities because they know what career path she wants to take.
“I’m very passionate about what I do so knowing that I have my spot saved makes it a little easier,” Sowle said. “I know for sure I’m going to be accepted somewhere.”
Sherman said the Fischler School saw the Master’s Accelerated Program as a way to encourage strong students interested in graduate studies.
“They come out being a very well trained, experienced teacher because they’re going to do a lot of student teaching. They’ll be in the classroom a lot. They’ll be working with master teachers,” Sherman said. “You go in and five years later have a master’s degree and be fully credentials and ready to go to work. It’s a great program.”
Manburg agreed.
“The feedback we’re hearing from students is that they prefer earlier access to the graduate programs,” Manburg said. “We’ve never had a program like that before, and I think the [Master’s Accelerated Program 3+2] is timely. It’s certainly what’s reflecting the interest of the students and the faculty were interested in working on something like this as well.”
Farquhar Dean Don Rosenblum said the program makes NSU’s graduate programs accessible to highly motivated undergraduate students and that the university is committed to making their desired career path available.
“For those who have known since they were 5 or 6-years-old that they wanted to be a doctor, an attorney, or a business leader or teacher, it’s a great way to affirm that commitment and give them that opportunity,” Rosenblum said.
Rosenblum said the program is a hallmark of the university.
“Our president talks often about being one university, and I think this program is a great poster child for that sense of connection, partnership and collaboration of all levels and programs of the university,” Rosenblum said. “It really is a great way of showing that undergraduate students are highly regarded by our graduate and professional schools.”
Manburg said Fishler wants to provide more Dual Admission pathways in the future to provide students with more career options and is looking into the 2015-2016 school year.
