Summary

Currently, the English Technical Communication program at Boise State

allows students to graduate only at the end of the spring semester. This is
due to the practice of offering the 400-level courses on a set schedule of
alternating semesters, which restricts the number of these upper-division
courses that can be completed in a given semester, as well as the order in
which they can be taken. These restrictions serve as a barrier to students
who wish to complete those upper-division courses that are not dependent
on prerequisite course work in the fewest number of semesters possible.
I propose to research student attitudes toward the impact the current
scheduling has on their academic goals, the alternatives other universities
are using to successfully address similar scheduling issues, and faculty
experience with and attitudes toward those alternatives. This research would
be conducted via an on-line survey, secondary research, and interviews.
To perform this research and present a recommendation report will take
approximately thirty-four hours over the course of seven weeks. Calculated
at an hourly research rate of $20.00, the total projected cost is $680.00. As a
senior at Boise State majoring in English with a Technical Communication
emphasis, I am well-qualified to conduct this research and present a
recommendation on the findings.
Upon approval of this proposal, I would begin my research immediately,
submitting to Dr. Munger a progress report on October 30, 2015, and a
recommendation report on November 20, 2015. The recommendation report
would include the details of my research, and my recommendation regarding
whether and how to proceed with modifying the upper division Technical
Communication course schedule.