P a g e 179 2.9 BACHELOR S DEGREES IN PUBLIC HEALTH Baccalaureate public health degrees shall include: Required Coursework in Public Health Core Knowledge that provide a basic understanding of the five core areas. Elective Public Health Coursework: Students must complete additional public health-related courses which may include addressing social, economic, quantitative, geographic, educational and other issues that impact the health of populations and health disparities within and across populations. Capstone Experience: students must complete an experience that provides opportunities to apply public health principles outside of a classroom and builds on coursework-- at least 3cr. Experience may be tailored to students post-baccalaureate goals. Experience may be: internship, servicelearning project, senior seminar, portfolio project, research paper or honors thesis. The required public health core coursework and capstone experience must be taught or supervised by faculty documented in Criteria 4.1.a and 4.1.b. 2.9.a Identification of all bachelor s-level majors offered by the school. The instructional matrix in Criterion 2.1.a may be referenced for this purpose. The college offers two baccalaureate degrees in public health: 1) the BS in Public Health (BSPH) with two concentrations: Community Health and Health Administration, and 2) The BS in Environmental Health (BSEH). The BSEH program formerly had two concentrations: Environmental Health Practice and Occupational Safety and Health. The latter concentration was deactivated in 2013-14 for three reasons: a) coursework was similar to the environmental health concentration; b) coursework did not provide a complete introduction to all five core areas of public health; and c) enrollment in the concentration was low. The resulting BSEH program is stronger for having public health core content explicitly provided in the curriculum, and program management is more efficient. 2.9.b Description of specific support and resources in the school for the bachelor s degrees. Support services and resources for the BSPH and BSEH vary due to the fact that the BSPH is offered between departments, and the BSEH is offered primarily in one department. While each undergraduate degree has a program coordinator who oversees curricular matters and student services and orientation, the scope of activity is somewhat more complex for the BSPH coordinator since several departments participate in the program. As such, the college funds a graduate assistant to help the BSPH coordinator with administration of the program. The college has also hired a professional advisor for the BSPH program. The BSEH coordinator is a senior faculty member in environmental health, and together with another senior faculty member, advises the BSEH students. The Office of Public Health Practice is the coordinating unit of the college for the culminating field experience courses. The field internship coordinators oversee the Office and are supported by a graduate assistant. In this role, the field internship coordinators provide career counseling and linkage between the students and public health practice. 2.9.c Identification of required and elective public health courses for the bachelor s degree(s). The school must demonstrate in 2.6.c that courses are connected to identified competencies (i.e., required and elective public health courses must be listed in the competency matrix in 2.6.d). Students pursuing the BSPH get public health orientation in virtually all of their coursework (see Table 2.9.c below.) Students gain skills in the five core areas of public health via the required core courses in Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Emerging Technologies for the Health Professions, Environmental Sanitation, Lifetime Behaviors for Healthy Living, First Aid and Emergency Care, Medical
P a g e 180 Terminology, Health Services Administration, Community Health, Gerontology and Health, and Cultural Competence and Spirituality in Health Care. Students pursuing the BSPH Community Health concentration gain concentration-specific knowledge via courses in Nutrition Science, Principles and Practices of Public Health Education, Community Organization for Health Education Programs, and Thanatology. Students pursuing the BSPH Health Administration concentration gain concentrationspecific knowledge via courses in Health Systems, Health Services Planning, Quality and Utilization Assurance, and Principles of Public Health Research. All BSPH students complete a semester long culminating field experience. In addition, students are encouraged to attend seminars, colloquy and symposia sponsored by the college and departments. Each course in Table 2.9.c.1 is listed in the corresponding competency matrix in Criterion 2.6. Table 2.9.c.1 Courses for the BSPH Public Health Bachelor s Degree 1 Courses Core Knowledge Credits Public Health Core (33 Cr.) COBH 1010 Lifetime Behaviors Cross-cutting 3 COBH 2030 First Aid and Emergency Care Cross-cutting 3 COBH 2750 Medical Terminology Cross-cutting 3 BSTA 3000 Biostatistics Biostatistics 3 ENVH 3040 Environmental Sanitation Environmental Health 3 EPID 3080 Principles of Epidemiology Epidemiology 3 HSMP 3200 Health Services Administration Health Policy & Mgmt 3 COBH 3330 Cultural Competency & Spirituality in Health Care Cross-cutting 3 COBH 4030 Community Health Social & Behavioral 3 COBH 4457 Emerging Technology for Health Professions Cross-cutting 3 COBH 4607 Gerontology and Health Social & Behavioral 3 Concentration - Community Health (16 Cr. all of these) Concentration Knowledge NTFD 2420 Principles of Nutrition Social & Behavioral 3 COBH 3120 Principles and Practices of Public Health Education Social & Behavioral 4 COBH 4060 Community Organizing for Health Ed. Programs Social & Behavioral 3 COBH 4357 Thanatology Social & Behavioral 3 Elective 3 Concentration Health Administration (16 Cr. all of these) Concentration Knowledge HSMP 2100 Health Systems Health Policy & Mgmt 3 HSMP 3220 Health Services Planning Health Policy& Mgmt 3 HSMP 3600 Quality and Utilization Assurance Health Policy & Mgmt 3 EPID 3950 Principles of Public Health Research Health Policy & Mgmt 3 BGSD 2300 Building e-portfolios Cross-cutting 1 Elective 3 Suggested Elective Courses COBH 2120 School Health Education K-12 Social & Behavioral 3 EPID 3010 Accident Prevention Epidemiology 3 COBH 4007 Principles and Practices of Patient Education Social & Behavioral 3 COBH Stress Management Social & Behavioral 3 Culminating Experience (12 Cr.) COBH/HSMP 4850 Field Experience Core and Concentration 12 1 BSPH students are also required to complete a 15-credit hour minor. Many of the BSPH Health Administration Concentration students complete a minor in management, accounting or related field. Students pursuing the BSEH get public health orientation to the core areas of public health via required coursework in Biostatistics (BSTA 3000), Epidemiology (EPID 3080), Human Ecology and Environmental Education (ENVH 3010 social & behavioral), Environmental Health Program Planning and Administration (ENVH 4400 social & behavioral, and health services management), Public Health
P a g e 181 Law (ENVH 4000 health policy), and the Environmental Health Practice field placement (ENVH 4080). Environmental Health competencies are provided by the rest of the coursework. In addition, students are encouraged to attend seminars, colloquy and symposia sponsored by the college and departments, including the Leading Voices in Public Health lecture series. Each course in Table 2.9.c.2 is listed in the corresponding competency matrix in Criterion 2.6. Table 2.9.c.2 Courses for the BSEH (Environmental Health) Bachelor s Degree Courses Public Health Core Knowledge Credits Math and Science Core (30 Cr.) CHEM 1120/1 General Chemistry Lecture II & Lab II 4 CHEM 2010/1 Organic Chemistry Lecture I & Lab I 5 PHYS 2010 General Physics I- Non-calculus 3 HSCI 3000 Human Anatomy Cross-Cutting: Biology 4 HSCI 3020 Human Physiology Cross-Cutting: Biology 4 HSCI 3320/1 General Microbiology & Lab Cross-Cutting: Biology 4 BSTA 3000 Introduction to Biostatistics Biostatistics 3 EPID 3080 Principles of Epidemiology Epidemiology 3 Environmental Health Coursework (46 Cr.) ENVH 3010 Human Ecology and Environmental Education Social & Behavioral 3 ENVH 3100 Water Supplies and Wastewater Treatment Environmental Health 3 ENVH 3400 Introduction to Air Pollution Environmental Health 3 ENVH 3500 Environmental Safety Environmental Health 3 ENVH 3700 Solid Waste Management Environmental Health 3 ENVH 4000 Public Health Law Health Policy & Management 3 ENVH 4100 Shelter Environments Environmental Health 3 ENVH 4207 Principles of Radiological Health Environmental Health 3 ENVH 4340 Occupational Health Environmental Health 3 ENVH 4357 Toxicology Environmental Health 3 ENVH 4387 Biological Analysis in Environmental Health Environmental Health 4 ENVH 4397 Environmental Analysis Environmental Health 4 ENVH 4400 Env. Health Program Planning & Administration Social & Behavioral; 3 Health Policy & Management ENVH 4607 Food Sanitation Principles Environmental Health 3 ENVH 4610 Soil Science for Environmental Health Environmental Health 2 Culminating Experience (3 Cr.) ENVH 4080 Environmental Health Practice (FIELD) Cross-cutting 3 2.9.d A description of school policies and procedures regarding the capstone experience The college is strongly committed to undergraduate practical experiences. BSPH students are required to complete a field experience as their capstone experience. Under the joint supervision of the college faculty and an approved field preceptor (see Criterion 2.4 for preceptor selection criteria), this course is designed to provide practice-based learning experiences that validate a student s ability to integrate essential public health competencies. The field experience is presently supervised by C. Chesley and M. Maczka-Johnson, field internship coordinators and full-time faculty in the college. Depending on their concentration, students register in HSMP 4850 or COBH 4850, a 12-credit hour course equivalent to a minimum of 400 service learning hours. The student should be in the final semester before graduation and completed all other coursework. In the semester prior to the field experience, the student meets with their professional advisor to confirm that they are eligible to pursue the field experience. The student then submits the Field Experience Application to the Office of Public Health Practice. The Office
P a g e 182 ensures that the college has an affiliation agreement (Memorandum of Understanding) with the student s proposed field site. If not, the Office contacts the proposed field site to establish an MOU. The field experience must have a primary focus on community health or health administration and be a new learning experience (not current employment). The student, preceptor, and course instructor jointly develop appropriate learning objectives for the field experience. The field experience requirements include progress reports, student midterm and final evaluations, an integrative concentration paper, a final oral presentation, a field experience portfolio, and the Major Field Test. The preceptor also submits a midterm and a final evaluation of the student s performance relative to the concentration and cross-cutting competencies. The undergraduate field experience website (http://www.etsu.edu/cph/center_phpp/training/fieldexp/undergraduate.aspx) provides students and preceptors with the field experience toolbox including the Undergraduate Field Experience Guidelines/Syllabus, Field Experience Application, Preceptor Guidelines and Forms, Field Affiliate Organization Listing, sample student portfolio, and information about the global public health internships and scholarships. (See Resource File for copies of those materials.) BSEH students are also required to complete a field experience to apply public health principles. Students complete a three credit internship (ENVH 4080 Environmental Health Practice, 180 hours for one semester) or a three credit cooperative experience, ENVH 4989/99, Internship/Cooperative Education. P. Scheuerman, professor of environmental health, currently serves as the instructor of ENVH 4080. Students are assigned to a local, state, or federal environmental health protection agency, nonprofit organization or private sector company. Students are provided supervised application, observation and training of public health and environmental health practices and techniques. The field experience must be a new learning experience (not current employment), and the student must have a designated preceptor within the host organization. The student, preceptor, and course instructor jointly develop appropriate learning objectives for the experience. The final grade is determined based on the preceptor evaluation, bi-weekly progress, daily log, final integrative paper, and optional presentation. Table 2.9.d lists the agencies and preceptors that BSPH and BSEH students have utilized over the past two years. For BSPH students, the list is organized by Concentration. Table 2.9.d Agencies and Preceptors for Undergraduate Programs Preceptor Name, Degrees and Title & Organization Years of Experience 1 Academic Year 2013-14 Community and Behavioral Health Sydney Manis Manager for Programs and Education, Alzheimer s Association-Mid South Chapter, Johnson City, Karen Heaton, BS, MEd (12) Health Initiatives Representative, American Cancer Society, Johnson City, Jon Cardwell, BS (28) Director of Vocational Services, Dawn of Hope, Johnson City, Misti Gillmore*, BSN (7) Health Coach/RN, Eastman Chemical Company-Wellness and Fitness, Kingsport, Russell Lewis Executive Director of Quillen Physicians, ETSU Physicians and Associates, Johnson City, Sherri Montgomery, MS, Public Health County Director 3, Hamblen & Jefferson County Health Departments, RD/LDN (28) Morristown, Jamie Swift, RN, BSN, CIC Corporate Director, Infection Prevention and Inpatient Wound Care, MSHA- (14) Infectious Disease Control, Johnson City, Jackie O Sullivan MSHA-Volunteer Services, Johnson City,
P a g e 183 Preceptor Name, Degrees and Title & Organization Years of Experience 1 Diana Vaughn, OMT (25) Clinical Educator, Regional Eye Center, Kingsport, Sherry Merion SIKIA Program Director, Rise Up!, Johnson City, Kathy Smith, BS (15) Community Relations Director, Second Harvest Food Bank, Gray, Barry Honeycutt, BS (22) Director of Operations, Sullivan County Regional Health Department, Blountville, Heather Mullins, BS, MPH (8) Regional Epidemiologist and DIS Director, Sullivan County Regional Health Department, Blountville, Heatherly Sifford, BSPH (14) Public Health Educator 2, Washington County Health Department, Johnson City, Environmental Health Dan O Brien*, BS, MS (14) Director for Environmental Health and Safety, ETSU Environmental Health and Safety, Johnson City, Celeste Davis, MPH Director of Environmental Services, Indian Health Service, Nashville, Damon Bryant Crew Supervisor, Johnson City Water Department, Johnson City, Carol Doss, MA Executive Director, Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, Abingdon, VA Karen Gilmer, MS Environmental Coordinator, Upper Tennessee River Roundtable, Abingdon, VA Health Services Management and Policy Karen Heaton, BS, MEd (12) Health Initiatives Representative, American Cancer Society, Johnson City, Todd Werner, MBA (19) Chief Executive Officer, Banner Gateway Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ Oscar Weinmeister President and CEO, Ambulatory Development, Blue Ridge Hospital, Spruce Pine, NC Alex Gaddy, BSPH (15) Administrator, Center on Aging and Health, Erwin, Chuck Arnold, BS (16) Administrator, Christian Care Center of Johnson City, Inc., Johnson City, Wilma Brantley, MS (30) Director of Journey to Excellence Program, Operational, Cultural, Improvement Department, Covenant Health, Knoxville, Ashley Keys, BS (6) Operations Manager, Dollywood-Operations Management, Pigeon Forge, Misti Gillmore, BSN (7) Health Coach/ RN, Eastman Chemical Company-Wellness and Fitness, Kingsport, Teresa Cody Director of Human Resources, ETSU-Physicians and Associates, Johnson City, Genie Guinn, BS (15) Lead Service Coordinator, First Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability, Johnson City, Diane Bowen, MEd (25) Director of Compliance and Quality Assurance, Frontier Health System, Gray, David Hall, BA, MBA/MSHA (26) Director of Education &Volunteer Services, Halifax Medical Center, Daytona Beach, FL Marti Smith, MPH (33) Health Educator, Hamilton County Health Dept., Chattanooga, Susan Glenn, MS (25) CEO, HealthSouth Hospital, Kingsport, Monty McLaurin, MHA (36) CEO/Vice President, MSHA Indian Path Medical Center, Kingsport, Kamela Easlic, BS (16) Program Development Supervisor, Johnson City Senior Center, Johnson City, Kelly Lane, AAS, CNMT, BA, BBA (26) Site Director of the Value Optimization System, Johnston Memorial Hospital, Abingdon, VA Nyda Bays*, BA (22) Administrator, Lakebridge HealthCare Center, Johnson City, Suzie Racek, BS (3) Executive Director, March of Dimes, Knoxville, Chris Taylor, BS (33) Director of Community Health, Metro Public Health Dept., Nashville, Vincent Pinkney, MBA (8) Deputy Director, Division of Policy, Planning and Assessment, Metro Public Health Department, Nashville, James Walters Administrator, Meridian Assisted Living, Elk Park, NC Stephanie Green Physician Recruiter, Mission Hospital, Asheville, NC Mary Vance, BA, MS (30) Executive Director and CEO, Mountain Hope-Good Shepard, Sevierville, Brenda Neas, RHIA, MPH (42) Vice President of Corporate Services, Mountain States Medical Group, Johnson City, Carol Jones, BSN (28) Trauma Program Manager, MSHA-Emergency Department, Johnson City, Ken York, MBA (10) Corporate Director of Purchasing, MSHA-Purchasing, Johnson City, June Virgilio, BSN, MBA (20) AVP Oncology, MSHA-Cancer Center, Johnson City,
P a g e 184 Preceptor Name, Degrees and Title & Organization Years of Experience 1 Bradley Arnold, MBA (5) Director Clinical Operations, MSHA-Clinical Operations, Johnson City, Tony Benton, BS, MBA (24) Interim CEO, Washington Co. Hospitals, MSHA-Franklin Woods, Johnson City, David Nicely CEO, MSHA-Franklin Woods, Johnson City, Susan Kennedy Senior Quality Project Analyst, MSHA- Quality Management, Johnson City, Jamie Parsons, BA, MHA (23) Vice President/ Chief Human Resources Officer, MSHA-Human Resources, Johnson City, Ryan Youngblood, BS, MHA Administrator, MSHA-Northside Hospital, Johnson City, (3) Rob Adams*, BS, MBA (8) Associate Administrator, MSHA-Quality and Planning, Johnson City, Ron Messimer Administrator, National Healthcare Corporation, Johnson City, Regina Wilder, BS, MPH (24) Director of Coordinated School Health, Elizabethton School System, Elizabethton, Cindy Dorton, NHA (27) Executive Director, Preston Place Suites, Kingsport, Joy Cook, Ed.D., CHES, M.S. (25) Director of Community Services, East Tennessee Regional Health Office, Knoxville, Joy Powers, BA (25) Regional Consultant/ Administrator, Roan Highlands Nursing Center Lyndon Gallimore, MBA (2) Assistant Vice President of Business Development, Takoma Medical Center, Greeneville, Mary Ann Conroy, BSN, MSN CEO, Terre Haute Regional Medical Center, Terre Haute, IN (24) Mary Bray, PT, DPT, MBA (23) Clinical Rehabilitation Manager, James H. Quillen Veteran s Affairs Medical Center, Mountain Home, Ronald Dykes (37) Director of Schools, Washington County Department of Education, Johnson City, Brian Hobson, RRT, RPFT, BBA (28) V.P. / Chief Operating Officer, Wellmont Bristol Regional Medical Center, Bristol, Kim Wyatt, BA (2015) (24) Patient Services Manager, Wellmont Bristol Regional Medical Center, Bristol, Greg Marcum, BA, MD (24) Attending Physician, Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center, Kingsport, Academic Year 2012-13 Community and Behavioral Health Angela Morris, BA (3) Community Services Specialist, American Red Cross-NE, Johnson City, Andrew Worley, AS (8) Director, Carter County Emergency Management Agency, Elizabethton, Mallory Carden Center for Refugees and Immigrants of Tennessee, Nashville, Sharon R. Moore, BS (11) Wellness Education Supervisor, Church Health Center, Memphis, Jessica Thomas, BS (3) Co-Council Director, Girls on the Run, Memphis, Tim Ricks, DMD, MPH (20) Director, Nashville Area Indian Health Service Office of Public Health, Indian Health Services, Nashville, Stephen Loyd, MD (14) Chief of Medicine, Associate Chief of Staff for Education, James H. Quillen Veteran s Affairs Medical Center, Mountain Home, Lisa Fleming, MSN, FNP (25) Nurse Practitioner & Clinical Director, Johnson City Downtown Clinic, Johnson City, Nyda Bays, BA (22) Administrator, Lakebridge HealthCare Center, Johnson City, Dustin Mohr, BA, MBA (2015) CEO/ Owner, Mohr Fitness, Johnson City, (9) Chris Gage*, BSPH (10) Director, MSHA-Volunteer Services, Johnson City, Betty Nkoana, BA (4) Program Operational Director, Project Hope UK, Munsieville, South Africa Senator Rusty Crowe, BS, JD (24) Senator, District 3 (Chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee), State Capitol-Nashville, Shannon Bishop, BSN (15) Coordinated School Health Supervisor, Washington County Department of Education, Jonesborough, Rebecca English, BSN, MPH (16) Northeast Regional Director, Washington County Health Department, Johnson City,
P a g e 185 Environmental Health Preceptor Name, Degrees and Title & Organization Years of Experience 1 Julie Grubaugh, MPH Academic Health Department Coordinator, Knox County Health Department, Knoxville, Jeff Winters, BS Director of Regulatory Compliance, Jarden Zinc, Greeneville, Wes Cole*, BS Environmental Specialist, Johnson City Power Board, Johnson City, Damon Bryant* Crew Supervisor, Johnson City Water Department, Johnson City, Health Services Management and Policy Karen Heaton*, BS, MEd (12) Health Initiatives Representative, American Cancer Society, Johnson City, Glenda Bobolick, BA (27) Executive Director, American Red Cross, Kingsport, Tina Reed, BSN (33) Administrator, Brookhaven Manor, Kingsport, Richard Lynch, BA, M.A. (20) Director of Physician Relations and Outreach, Boston Children s Medical Center Sheriff Chris Mathes Sheriff, Carter County Detention Center, Elizabethton, Chuck Arnold, BS (16) Administrator, Christian Care Center of Johnson City, Inc., Johnson City, Joy Cook, EdD, CHES, MS (25) Director of Community Services, East Tennessee Regional Health Office, Knoxville, Genie Guinn, BS (15) Lead Service Coordinator, First Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability, Johnson City, Kamela Easlic, BS (16) Program Development Supervisor, Johnson City Senior Center, Johnson City, Nyda Bays, BA (22) Administrator, Lakebridge HealthCare Center, Johnson City, Ashley Lee, BS (5) Executive Director, Life Care Center of Gray, Gray, Teresa Cody* Director of Human Resources, ETSU Physicians and Associates, Johnson City, David Nicely* CEO, MSHA-Administration, Johnson City, Will Fritz*, AAS, BS, MBA (25) Corporate Manager, Safety and Emergency Management, MSHA-Disaster Management, Johnson City, Rachel Hurley, BS, MBA (18) Senior Director of Human Resources, MSHA-Franklin Woods Community Hospital, Johnson City, Katie Neel, BSPH, MPH (3) Infection Prevention Practitioner, MSHA-Human Resources, Johnson City, David Robinson OSHA Officer, MSHA Johnson City, Ken York, MBA (10) Corporate Director of Purchasing, MSHA-Purchasing, Johnson City, Roger Franklin, BA, MBA (14) I.S. Business Systems Analyst II, MSHA-Sycamore Shoals Hospital, Elizabethton, Chris Gage, BSPH (10) Director, MSHA-Volunteer Services, Johnson City, Brenda Neas, RHIA, MPH (42) Vice President of Corporate Services, Mountain States Medical Group, Johnson City, Angela Thompson, MPH (35) Director of Behavioral Health Services, Metro Health Department, Nashville, Betty Nkoana, BA (4) Program Operational Director, Project Hope-UK, Munsieville, South Africa Teresa Cody Director of Human Resources, ETSU Physicians and Associates, Johnson City, Sherry Marion SIKIA Program Director, Rise Up!, Johnson City, Jan Tilman Family Nurse Practitioner, Rural Health Consortium Inc., Roan Mountain, Don Best, BSE, Med (6) Coordinator of School Health, Sevier County School System, Sevierville, Todd Taylor, BA (27) Vice President of Operations, Presbyterian Homes of, Shannondale Retirement Center, Knoxville, Beth Rader, BS (36) Community Services Director/PIO, Northeast Regional Health Office, Johnson City, Mary Bray, PT, DPT, MBA (23) Clinical Rehabilitation Manager, James H. Quillen Veteran s Affairs Medical Center, Mountain Home, Joe Windham, BS (36) Administrative Assistant to the Associate Director, James H. Quillen Veteran s Affairs Medical Center, Mountain Home, Andrew Worley, AS, (8) Director, Carter County Emergency Management, Elizabethton, Amber Hensley, BS, MBA (10) Performance Improvement Specialist, Wellmont Health System, Bristol, Kim Wyatt, BA (2015) (24) Patient Services Manager, Wellmont Health System/CVA Heart Institute, Kingsport, 1 Years of full-time experience in public health or a healthcare setting. *Field preceptor who supervised two or more students in one year.
P a g e 186 2.9.e Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met and an analysis of the school s strengths, weaknesses and plans relating to this criterion. This criterion is met. Strengths: Both BSPH and BSEH programs are well-established. The BSEH is the oldest EHAC-accredited program in the country. All BSPH and BSEH students receive a broad introduction to the principles of public health, especially epidemiology, biostatistics, health services administration, social and behavioral health sciences, and environmental health sciences. All BSPH and BSEH programs have a required culminating experience. Weaknesses: None noted. Plans: Implement the new BSPH curriculum to continue to prepare students for workplace demands and assure student success for retention and graduation. Key changes in the revised curriculum include competencies addressing the critical components for undergraduate public health education, sequenced course schedule, increased emphasis on professional competencies, technology, and communication skills, and three required Skills and Encounters courses (1-hour each) which will place students in the community throughout their academic program. The college and university curriculum committees and the Tennessee Board of Regents have approved the new curriculum, which will be implemented effective 2015.