The IMP Proposal Consists of the following
elements in exactly the order listed below.
1. The IMP proposal cover sheet.
This cover sheet is available from either the IMP secretary or the IMP coordinator in the Harpur College Advising Office, SW 110
2. An endorsement letter from the faculty sponsor. Note: This item is absolutely mandatory before the proposal can be reviewed.
3. A three to five (3-5) page essay.
Students must write an academically sound essay which summarizes their goals,
and which describes and justifies their majors.
4. A list of twelve to fifteen (12-15) courses which will constitute the
major.
(Students must bear in mind that a fill "course" consists of at least 3 credit hours, and while. 1- and 2-credit-hour classes may be used toward an IMP major, the total number of credit-hours for the major must add up to at least 48). The courses (listed by course rubric, name, and credit-hours, e.g., GEOL 324, "Geological History of the Earth," 4 credit-hours) must come from three or more departments. At least six of the courses must be at the 300-level or above. There must be at least 4 (but no more than 8) credits worth of independent study integrating the various aspects of the major. No more than three courses may be from the professional schools. Approved courses taken at other institutions may be used, subject to committee approval. While compiling a rough draft of their list, students should be alert to two possible trouble areas: (1) many courses have pre-or co-requisites, and (2) some courses are only offered one semester a year, or even more irregularly. These situations can obviously have an impact on long-term scheduling. Students are responsible for investigating these possibilities. The academic viability of this list of major courses must have the explicit endorsement of the faculty sponsor.
5. Course descriptions (or an "annotated course list").
Students must provide an additional list of the same courses (as in IV), explaining why each course is part of the major. Note whether the course has been completed, is in-progress, or is to be taken in a future semester.
Additional Notes:
Students are advised to submit proposals within the first six weeks of a semester to increase the likelihood of a response from the committee by semester's end. Also, a completed proposal must be received in the Harpur Advising Office before it can be placed on the agenda for an IMP committee meeting. The IMP committee only convenes when it has received materials to review.
After an IMP major has been approved, the new IMP major will receive a letter from the coordinator listing the courses that have been accepted for the major. The list of courses as presented in the acceptance letter is viewed as a contract between the IMP committee and the new major. However, rare situations may arise where students need to make substitutions to major requirements. In consultation with their faculty sponsor and the IMP coordinator, students may propose subsequent course-substitutions to the committee.
All requests presented to the IMP committee must be accompanied by the written approval of the faculty sponsor.
