{"269551":{"#nid":"269551","#data":{"type":"news","title":"X Degree Program Pilots Gateway Course","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKara Yogan is a student interested in tribology (the study of lubrication, friction, and wear.) But there\u2019s a problem: Georgia Tech doesn\u2019t offer it as a major.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThere is a single upper-level mechanical engineering (ME) class focused on tribology. But since my interest lies in the chemical and physical properties of these lubricants, pursuing an ME track would not be right for me,\u201d said the second-year chemical engineering student. \u201cMy interest is actually a mix of three majors \u2014 chemical engineering, ME, and materials science engineering.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEnter the interdisciplinary X Degree program, an idea that got its start during the strategic planning process a few years ago.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWhile existing majors are, and will continue to be, the core of our educational mission, some students and employers are looking for the particular skills that come from managing one\u2019s own curriculum and designing an interdisciplinary program of study,\u201d said Richard Barke, chair of the X Degree Committee. \u201cMost of Tech\u2019s peer institutions offer some version of an X Degree, although our version would be uniquely Georgia Tech.\u201d\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDuring fall semester, the committee took its next step toward implementation and offered a pilot version of the gateway course to introduce students to the program.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe course was taught by Barke; Amy Pritchett, associate professor in the School of Aerospace Engineering; and Colin Potts, vice provost for Undergraduate Education.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENine students from Tech\u0027s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.honorsprogram.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EHonors Program\u003C\/a\u003E, including Yogan, enrolled in the course, which met once a week for three hours.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cI enrolled because I have an interest in space policy and regulations,\u201d said Anna Woodmansee, a third-year aerospace engineering major. \u201cI liked the idea of being able to combine aerospace engineering and public policy, especially in a course taught by faculty from both areas and before grad school.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EEarly in the semester, students were divided into two teams and presented with a problem to solve related to security at Grant Field. They identified resources, interviewed relevant personnel, and presented findings to campus security and Georgia Tech Athletic Association officials.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor the second half of the semester, students focused on developing their individual programs of study. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThrough the course, we were able to evaluate the utility of a problem-based learning exercise as an introduction to independent interdisciplinary learning,\u201d Barke said. \u201cAnd doing this helped improve our advisement approach for students as they choose and develop programs of study.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EWhen asked for feedback on what could be improved, students said that the problem-based learning portion of the course could be longer and that there should be more time for designing their programs of study.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cA degree program like this is important because with so many great programs at the Institute, and a need in society for people who can bridge the gap between disciplines, students will be not only be able to study within multiple disciplines, but emerge from Tech with a particularly relevant set of skills for today\u2019s workforce,\u201d Woodmansee said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EIn addition to piloting the course, a white paper outlining the program structure and implementation process has been reviewed by faculty, students, and leadership. In the months to come, the final degree proposal will be submitted to the Institute Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, and the program could be in place as early as spring 2015, Barke said.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cThe X Degree is a great example of the Georgia Tech strategic planning ecosystem in progress,\u201d said David Frost, professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and chair of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/strategicvision.gatech.edu\/advisory-group\u0022\u003EStrategic Planning Advisory Group\u003C\/a\u003E. \u201cWhat started in the original Institute strategic plan as the X College has evolved, under the superb leadership of Richard Barke, with broad participation of individuals from various units across campus into a concept that captures the entrepreneurial spirit of Georgia Tech. It is not a degree that will necessarily be for everyone, but for some, it will be the key step on a path that leads to transformative ideas and solutions.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EQuestions? Contact Barke at \u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:richard.barke@pubpolicy.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Erichard.barke@pubpolicy.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EKara Yogan is a student interested in tribology (the study of lubrication, friction, and wear.) But there\u2019s a problem: Georgia Tech doesn\u2019t offer it as a major.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Kara Yogan is a student interested in tribology (the study of lubrication, friction, and wear.) But there\u2019s a problem: Georgia Tech doesn\u2019t offer it as a major."}],"uid":"27445","created_gmt":"2014-01-21 12:13:05","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:15:44","author":"Amelia Pavlik","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2014-01-21T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2014-01-21T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"269511":{"id":"269511","type":"image","title":"X Degree","body":null,"created":"1449244077","gmt_created":"2015-12-04 15:47:57","changed":"1475894959","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:49:19","alt":"X Degree","file":{"fid":"198600","name":"interdisciplinary.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/interdisciplinary_1.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/interdisciplinary_1.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":661659,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/interdisciplinary_1.jpg?itok=LngPeVns"}}},"media_ids":["269511"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.strategicvision.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech Strategic Plan"}],"groups":[{"id":"1259","name":"Whistle"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"}],"keywords":[{"id":"84411","name":"gateway course"},{"id":"11737","name":"Richard Barke"},{"id":"167488","name":"strategic plan"},{"id":"14586","name":"X Degree"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:amelia.pavlik@comm.gatech.edu\u0022\u003EAmelia Pavlik\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EInstitute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}