Accountancy Department makes history
July 31, 2009
LaGrange College Evening College will expand its list of offerings this fall by
adding Public Health as a major—the first of four majors to be offered in a new
degree-completion format. Over the next three years, the major will be joined by
degrees in Psychology, Education Studies and Business Administration.
Public health is one of America’s fastest-growing fields, according to Evening
College Director Linda McMullen.
“As we see more emphasis across the country on creating healthier communities,
this discipline is getting greater attention,” she said. “The field targets health
education and promotion, disease prevention and improved quality of life.
“We would expect our graduates to work in the areas of public health administration,
environmental health, nutrition, senior health care or nonprofit case management.”
The change to the cohort system means that once students complete their core curriculum,
they enroll in a cohort—a single class of roughly a dozen students—and stay with
that group until graduation. Cohorts typically meet for four hours one night a
week.
The system has been used with great success at LaGrange College at Albany, and
it offers several benefits, according to McMullen.
“Cohorts are able to move faster than traditional college courses, with much of
the work done outside class,” she said. “They’re also known to be more supportive,
since members usually build close relationships and work together toward shared
goals.
“Adult students also appreciate the fact that they come to campus only one night
each week.”
A typical cohort will continue its weekly meetings for 23 months to complete the
requirements for the major.
Evening College provides associate and baccalaureate programs that meet the academic
needs of adult learners in the region. It currently operates on the quarter system
with nine-week terms beginning in September, January and March. A seven-week summer
session is also offered.
For more information on Evening College or the Public Health major, contact McMullen
at evening@lagrange.edu or (706) 880- 8298.