Introductory Horticulture at Illinois State University is approved for inclusion in the University Studies Program. This program is comprised of courses whose content is considered of general importance to the educated layperson, rather than to the specialist in the field. Departments may use the University Studies Program as a means of attracting students to the field. This has been done with fair success with Introductory Horticulture. Because the course must provide personal enrichment, be broad in scope, offer a systematic design for further learning, and assure a breadth of knowledge and understanding, this course has been designed to focus on the economies of the various horticultural industries, how they are related to the socioeconomic history of the various regions of the country and how the marketing of horticultural products and enterprises affects the personal life of individuals. Acceptance of this approach has been two-fold: first: student evaluations are positive, a steady enrollment has been maintained, and the course has steadily provided 10% to 15% of new Horticulture students, and second: the University Studies review committee has twice affirmed the “tenure” of Introductory Horticulture in spite of increasingly stringent guidelines that discourage many traditional science courses.
Educating Technical Communication Teachers: The Origins, Development, and Present Status of the Course, “Teaching Technical Writing” at Illinois State University
