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FAQs about ISAT
What is a degree
in Integrated Science and Technology? What is a degree in Integrated Science and Technology? The most significant real world problems over the past quarter century are multidisciplinary and driven by new technologies. The people trained for and capable of solving these problems are in short supply. Clearly there is a need for a new curriculum that focuses on the integration of science, management, engineering, information technologies, and liberal studies. The Bachelor of Science in Integrated Science and Technology has been designed around these conditions. The BS Degree in Integrated Science and Technology is thus a new degree program, similar to ones recently developed at other universities, that provides an alternative to traditional programs in science, technology, and engineering. It is integrated in two distinct ways. Individual courses have subject matter from different disciplines integrated into new configurations, moving beyond single-subject courses, with courseware designed to be strongly informed by and integrated among those various disciplines. The program itself integrates subjects into a unified sequence of courses that provides a conceptual whole for students. To accomplish this the IST program brings together faculty and subject matter from engineering, chemistry, physics, biological science, computer and information science, mathematics, English, communication studies, management, and medicine to create a uniquely different degree program.
What are the goals of this degree program? The IST degree has the following objectives:
Why do we need a new degree to do these things? Many national science and engineering organizations have been calling for curricular changes in science and technology fields in order to better prepare students for a new world of work. The MIT monograph Made In America puts it best: "The winds of change that are sweeping through industry and the economy will not spare institutions of higher education. In particular, the education of engineers and managers must be transformed." The National Science Foundation reported, in 1991, that while the present system of engineering education produced graduates with strong technical skills, it was less successful in developing other, critical skills necessary for increasing international competition. "These critical skills, include oral and written communication, teamwork, leadership, an understanding of the non-technical factors [such as] economic, social, political, ethical [issues] in engineering decision-making, and a broad international perspective." Marshall University is moving to fill this gap that is not being addressed by many traditional programs. Our IST graduates will see how science and technology have an effect upon society and learn how society has an impact upon science and technology in return. Our graduates will learn to place a premium upon communication skills, skills that all employers tell us their employees desperately need. Our students will have abundant opportunities to work cooperatively with others, learning how to function as teams. IST graduates from Marshall will have opportunities to develop and utilize problem-solving skills. In all these ways, and more, Marshall University is filling a gap in the traditional training of scientists and engineers. What kind of students are we looking for? We are looking for students who have a strong interest in science, engineering, and technology fields, as well as interests in manufacturing, the liberal arts, information science, knowledge based systems and the uses of technology in business and industry. They should be responsive to an interdisciplinary approach to teaching, and willing to work in different sorts of classroom situations. Specific standards for admission to the IST program are:
What sorts of courses will the students take? The IST program has five major components:
The IST degree is a four-year program that requires 128 credit hours. What is different about this program of study? The IST degree is not another reshuffling of old courses into a different program for the purposes of having something that can be called "new". Over thirty new courses have been prepared specifically for the IST degree program. They bring together faculty and subject matter from a variety of disciplines in order to provide genuinely new classroom experiences. One example illustrates this idea: the Communications and Connections courses are taken as co-requisites the same semester. The communications courses feature English and Communication Studies faculty in order to provide instruction in both oral and written communication in the same course. The Connections courses, taught by science faculty along with those from English and Communication Studies, allow students to use their communication skills in the exploration of relationships between science, technology, and society. What are the career opportunities for graduates of the IST program? The IST degree prepares graduates for a wide range of careers that call for a solid scientific and technological background, excellent communication skills, the ability to work effectively in teams, and the flexibility to adapt to changing work conditions. Careers that will attract IST graduates may well be in areas such as product design, manager of quality and standards, technology relationship manager, information technology, materials manager, product management, quality assurance manager, product service manager, environmental consultants, manager of scientific conferences, inventory management, ecology laboratory manager, director of technical development, director of risk control, service technical specialist, and many more. The key to careers for IST graduates is the idea of flexibility. IST graduates will not be limited by training in a narrow specialization. IST graduates will have the wide range of skills mentioned earlier: skills in communications, skills in leadership, skills in teamwork. They will have knowledge of the social, political, business, and ethical issues that influence science and technology in today’s world. |
