Natural and Historical Interpretation

Program Description
Curriculum
Additional Resources
Outcomes

Natural and Historical Interpretation

Key Program Features: Real-world experience, small class sizes, hands-on learning, professional opportunities, and an engaging faculty.

Since its inception, the Natural and Historical Interpretation program at Hocking College has become renowned for training experienced, confident and talented educators.

As a student in the Natural and Historical Interpretation program, you will be trained to educate others about the environment and human connections to it.

Classes use the backdrop of Southeastern Ohio to extract stories of interest in the natural world and the history of nearby areas. Emphasis is placed on practical experience, leading programs with groups of all kinds, exhibit design and development of interpretive sites. You will also receive unique training in researching and developing living history subjects and techniques.

Hocking Woods Nature Center provides Interpretation students the opportunity to work with captive wildlife, including raptors and reptiles. We even have a planetarium for learning and teaching about astronomy and night interpretation. Robbins Crossing is a collection of authentic log homes that allows students to practice "living history" presentations in period clothing, designed to engage visitors in the skills and lifestyles of the past including blacksmithing, wood stove cooking and woodworking.

"Interpreters are teachers whose classrooms exist outside the four walls of a building."

The following outcomes are skills, behaviors, and attitudes cultivated in students seeking the Associate of Applied Science in Natural and Historical Interpretation:

Interprets accurate information in an interactive, entertaining, and educational fashion to the satisfaction of a variety of audiences.
Demonstrates guiding abilities in group programming situations, both educational and recreational.
Demonstrates ability to match Ohio Academic Content Standards to specific environmental education activities.
Demonstrates ability to research and gather information from both primary and secondary sources to develop interpretive programs and displays.
Initiates professional contacts in the interpretation field.

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Hocking College

2018 - 2019 Associate of Applied Science in Natural and Historical Interpretation

Total Credit Hours:
61.0

Estimated Course Fees:
$3,282.00

Class Hours: 29.0
Lab Hours: 58.0

Total Credit Hours:
62.0

Estimated Course Fees:
$3,442.00

Class Hours: 29.0
Lab Hours: 60.0

Hocking College Reserves the right to modify curricular requirements, to change course content, and change course fees at any time.

COURSE NO.	FIRST SEMESTER	Class Hours	Lab Hours	Credit Hours	Course Fee
FOR-1109	Dendrology	1.00	0.00	1.00	$40.00
FOR-1109L	Dendrology Lab	0.00	4.00	2.00	$140.00
INTP-1100	Introduction to Interpretation	0.00	4.00	2.00	$525.00
GS-1000	HC Cornerstone	1.00	0.00	1.00	$80.00
WLM-1156	Wildlife Ecology and Identification	1.50	0.00	1.50	$10.00
WLM-1156L	Wildlife Ecology and Identification Lab	0.00	3.00	1.50	$120.00
MATH-1103	Applied Mathematics	2.00	2.00	3.00	$182.00
	Totals	5.50	13.00	12.00	$1,097.00

COURSE NO.	SECOND SEMESTER	Class Hours	Lab Hours	Credit Hours	Course Fee
INTP-1118	Environmental Education Techniques	1.00	4.00	3.00	$145.00
INTP-1121	Interpretive Guide Techniques	1.00	4.00	3.00	$250.00
BIOS-1163	Wild Edible Plants and Mycology	0.00	2.00	1.00	$200.00
WLM-2271	Ornithology	1.00	0.00	1.00	$10.00
WLM-2271L	Ornithology Lab	0.00	2.00	1.00	$75.00
BIOS-1132	Field Biology	0.50	0.00	0.50	$10.00
BIOS-1132L	Field Biology Lab	0.00	3.00	1.50	$85.00
ENGL-1510	English Composition I	4.00	0.00	4.00	$50.00
	Totals	7.50	15.00	15.00	$825.00

	COURSE NO.	SUMMER SEMESTER	Class Hours	Lab Hours	Credit Hours	Course Fee
	NRM-2296	Natural Resources Practicum & Seminar	1.00	7.00	2.00	$100.00
		Totals	1.00	7.00	2.00	$100.00

COURSE NO.	THIRD SEMESTER	Class Hours	Lab Hours	Credit Hours	Course Fee
INTP-2215	Historical Interpretation	1.00	3.00	2.00	$100.00
INTP-2109	Night Interpretation	0.00	2.00	1.00	$90.00
INTP-1114	Interpretive Employment Seminar	1.00	0.00	1.00	$40.00
NRM-2217	Aquatic Ecology	1.50	0.00	1.50	$10.00
NRM-2217L	Aquatic Ecology Lab	0.00	3.00	1.50	$80.00
INTP-2230	Interpretive Facilites & Displays	2.00	2.00	3.00	$100.00
COMM-1130	Speech	3.00	0.00	3.00	$40.00
***	Social Science Elective	0.00	0.00	3.00
	Totals	8.50	10.00	16.00	$460.00

COURSE NO.	FOURTH SEMESTER	Class Hours	Lab Hours	Credit Hours	Course Fee
INTP-2241	Interpretation Capstone	2.00	2.00	3.00	$190.00
INTP-2250	Exhibition Planning & Design	2.00	2.00	3.00	$200.00
ENGL-2126	English Composition II: Nature Readings	3.00	0.00	3.00	$40.00
GEO-1125	Map Reading and Interpretation	0.00	2.00	1.00	$95.00
NRM-1113	Watercraft Operation and Maintenance	0.00	2.00	1.00	$175.00
GEOL-1130	Environmental Geology	1.50	3.00	3.00	$100.00
***	BIOS-1120/1120L or BIOS-1170/1170L	0.00	0.00	3.00
	Totals	6.50	13.00	16.00	$900.00

FIRST SEMESTER
Course Hours: 5.50	Lab Hours: 15.00	Cost: $1,157.00

SECOND SEMESTER
Course Hours: 7.50	Lab Hours: 15.00	Cost: $825.00

SUMMER SEMESTER
Course Hours: 1.00	Lab Hours: 7.00	Cost: $100.00

THIRD SEMESTER
Course Hours: 8.50	Lab Hours: 10.00	Cost: $460.00

FOURTH SEMESTER
Course Hours: 6.50	Lab Hours: 13.00	Cost: $900.00

Additional Resources

A Career in Natural and Historical
Interpretation Promises a Entertaining Future

Graduates of the Natural and Historical Interpretation program are prepared to perform as practitioners within private and public educational settings, including national, state, and metropolitan parks, residential camps, museums, zoos, and educational institutions.

Graduates of this program have found positions such as: Park Naturalist, Outdoor/Environmental Education Specialist, Museum Educator, Zoo Educator, Living History Interpreter, Tour Guide, Camp Program Specialist, Interpretive Ranger and Adventure Guide.

Interested in learning more about natural and historical interpretation? Download The Ultimate Guide To Becoming A Naturalist.

Student Learning Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) are statements of what a student will be able to do when they have completed a program. They represent the knowledge and skills a program has determined are most important for students to gain from that program and include both the Success Skills (institutional outcomes) and Program Outcomes. SLOs are specific and measurable so the program can accurately assess the degree to which students have achieved each outcome, and they align with college and institution mission and values. Data on the achievement of SLOs is used to make improvements in the program and increase student success.

Success Skills

CE - Communicates Effectively
PA - Maintains Professional Skills and Attitudes
CT - Demonstrates Learning Critical Thinking, and Problem Solving Skills
ET - Maintains a Code of Ethics
HR - Practices Human Relations Skills
MS - Demonstrates Math Skills
GA - Demonstrates Community, Cultural and Global Awareness
IT - Implements Career-Appropriate Technology

To learn more about each of these, click here.

Program Outcomes

The following outcomes are skills, behaviors, and attitudes cultivated in students seeking the Associate of Applied Science in Natural and Historical Interpretation:

Interprets accurate information in an interactive, entertaining, and educational fashion to the satisfaction of a variety of audiences.
Demonstrates guiding abilities in group programming situations, both educational and recreational.
Demonstrates ability to match Ohio Academic Content Standards to specific environmental education activities.
Demonstrates ability to research and gather information from both primary and secondary sources to develop interpretive programs and displays.
Initiates professional contacts in the interpretation field.

Retention Rates

Retention rates are determined by the office of Institutional Research utilizing the following criteria:

All registered fall/autumn students with registration status for the following fall/autumn.
Excludes special populations - College Credit Plus, Non Degree, Online Military and University Center.
Potential for upcoming fall/autumn excludes graduates from that fall/autumn, spring and summer terms.

Academic Year	Retention Rate
2016 - 2017	50%
2015 - 2016	80%
2014 - 2015	70%

2017 - 2018 Retention Rate: N/A

2016 - 2017 Retention Rate: N/A

2015 - 2016 Retention Rate: N/A

2014 - 2015 Retention Rate: N/A

2013 - 2014 Retention Rate: N/A

Graduation Rates

Graduation rates are determined by the office of Institutional Research. To ensure appropriate time for data collection, this report will be run and posted annually in the last week of September for the previous academic year. It should be noted that annual graduation rates may change as students continue to graduate. The following criteria will be utilized for the calculation of graduation rates:

Overall Program Completion Rate is defined as a percentage of the ratio:
All graduates of the program
_________________________________________________________________
All students with the program in their history of programs of study
For the purposes of reporting, the program completion rates are aggregated by academic year of entry.
A student is considered to have completed or graduated from a program or certificate by virtue of having been awarded the degree or certificate.
A student is considered to be undertaking activity in a program of study for the duration of time that they are in an active status in a program or certificate. This is defined by having a Program of Study with a status of ‘A’ during the duration of time they are taking coursework. Should a student move in and out of active status in a program of study while continuing to take coursework, we only take into account the student’s activity while the program has an active status for that particular program of study.

Academic Year	Graduation Rate
2016 - 2017	29.41%
2015 - 2016	18.75%
2014 - 2015	45.45%

2017 - 2018 Graduation Rate: N/A

2016 - 2017 Graduation Rate: N/A

2015 - 2016 Graduation Rate: N/A

2017 - 2018 Employment Rate: N/A

2016 - 2017 Employment Rate: N/A

2015 - 2016 Employment Rate: N/A

Natural and Historical Interpretation

Learn everything you need to know about this major in our free ebook. Download here!