A New Look At the Undergraduate Curriculum in Wood Products

An undergraduate curriculum should provide preparation for career or advanced education, a balanced education, and personal growth for the average as well as the brilliant stu dent. A model revised curriculum has been developed for the Alabama Polytechnic Institute to meet these needs and to provide the field with qualified graduates who have administrative abilities and problem-solving abilities. The curriculum consists of 2 years of mostly English and basic science to avoid loss of credit if a student changes his major. Summer work experience is required. To graduate, 216 hours are required with 57 hours of electives, which include 20-25 hours each for two required minors. Allowing a student to include required sophomore courses in a minor and to omit required courses if subject matter is included in more intensive courses, provides considerable latitude in course selection. The curriculum could be improved by including a humanities sequence and a specific course or thesis to develop problem-solving techniques. In revising a curriculum we should remember that the student has invested considerable time and money; that a curriculum is 5-6 years old before it yields a graduate; that a highly specialized curriculum is unnecessary since the future employment situation is unknown; and that a “typical” student may decide to attend graduate school

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