The University Senate of Michigan Technological University

Proposal 15-11
(Voting Units: Academic)

“CONCENTRATIONS/OPTIONS AND FOCUS AREAS/TECHNICAL AREA OF EMPHASIS WITHIN DEGREE PROGRAMS”

Concentrations (also referred to as options) within a major degree program will be granted to students who have completed the requirements established by the program's home academic unit at Michigan Technological University. Concentrations will be noted on official transcripts and diplomas. The purpose of a concentration is to give recognition that the student has actively and consciously engaged the intellectual issues central to the concentration.

Focus areas and technical areas of emphasis are groups of courses within a major or concentration that are designed to guide students to suites of classes that are topically related to each other. These areas do not need senate approval and they differ from concentrations, as they do not appear on transcripts or diplomas. Focus areas and technical areas of emphasis are approved though the annual curriculum process.

A concentration does not have any specific credit limitations, except that the total number of credits required by the degree and the major concentration combined may not exceed 128 credits (or 131 credits if 3 credits of free elective are included in the degree requirements). The academic unit offering the concentration determines specific courses fulfilling the requirement. The minimum grade-point average required for the concentration is that of the major degree program.

Faculty Endorsement and University Approval of a New Concentration

The offering of a concentration may be initiated by any academic unit (as recognized by the University Senate). The specifics of each concentration will be determined by the faculty within that unit or a multidisciplinary group that has at least one faculty member in the program's home academic unit.

The process of approval is the same as undergraduate majors. The academic unit will submit the proposed concentration to the Provost’s Office to initiate a review by the Senate and other designated University and State review panels.

In most instances at Michigan Technological University, it is preferable to propose entire, separate majors rather than multiple concentrations within a single major.

Introduced to Senate: 16 February 2011
Adopted by Senate with amendments (in red): 2 March 2011
Approved by Administration: 22 March 2011