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Message from Head of Department
Dr. Alexandra Dimitri
Head of Department
General Requirements Department
I would like to welcome you all to the General Requirements Department at Fatima College of Health Sciences. In the GRD, we strive to equip students with the necessary skills in order to develop confident students who are able to become independent learners and flourish during their time at FCHS. Our courses provide a strong scientific core while emphasizing Arabic and English communicative instructional techniques. Courses are delivered using a variety of technology-based systems.
Our highly qualified and diverse GRD staff members are dedicated to the students’ success. We are committed to achieving excellence through student-centered teaching approaches while providing a supportive and vibrant education medium.
We welcome you to our department and hope you will enjoy your time studying with us.
The Department
General Requirements Department, known as GRD, offers a number of courses required by all academic programs of FCHS. The department specializes in the following categories: English writing and academic skills, basic science and technology, humanities, English foundation program, advising and academic support.
GRD
Courses
GRD courses fall under 4 of the 5 categories of the FCHS curriculum:
(Refer to FCHS curriculum structure page)
- General Education Requirements (GER)
- College Core Requirements (CCR)
- College Elective Requirements (CER) and
- Major Core Requirements (MCR) {2 courses for Nursing}
A team of highly qualified teaching professionals works collaboratively in the holistic development of students. Student-centered teaching approaches that promote technology usage, demonstrations, discussions, etc., are always featured in the classroom.
Advising & Support
The department also oversees advising and support for students by offering
- First Year Seminar(FYS)provides orientation and support for new students when they first join FCHS. It helps them to make a smooth transition from high school to FCHS. FYS include pre-major advising sessions, workshops, and activities that help the student in understanding and adapting to the college life.
- Academic advising and supportby assigning eachstudent joining FCHS to a GRD advisor. The advisor guides the student in the selection of appropriate courses recommended by the program’s study plan during registration week. The advisor is a primary contact point for any academic assistance required by the students, and is also responsible for facilitating their acclimatization to the college learning environment. He or she follows up on students in need of additional academic support and helps them develop personalized study plans.
- Peer mentorshipprogramthat gives consistently high performing students in their second year and above the opportunity to provide mentorship and academic assistance to first-year students. This is under the supervision of a full-time member of staff who ensures that the mentee is supported by the mentor as well as the faculty teaching that subject.
- Education Supportthat deliversone-to-one and small group tutorials and workshops led by a teaching staff, which help students improve their academic performance and develop effective communication skills.
English Foundation Program
Goals
The goal of the GRD is to build students’ understanding of their relationship to the world and equip them with tools to be successful at the college within their chosen program of study.
Mission
The mission of the department is to:
- Impart cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills in science education.
- Prepare students with solid fundamental knowledge in courses required by healthcare programs.
- Provide advising and academic support that allows students to reach their maximum performance level at FCHS.
- Equip students with robust academic skills that enable them to become independent learners.
- Train students to clearly and effectively communicate in English.
Scope
General Education Requirements (GER)
The general education courses contribute to the students’ development while on the path of becoming a healthcare professional. The general education courses play an important role in improving students’ abilities to understand natural science concepts, use their critical thinking and quantitative skills, IT literacy and English language to accurately articulate their learning outcomes and mature as young adults.
College Core Requirements (CCR)
GRD offers mandatory courses that help students strengthen their basic knowledge in subjects that are required by all healthcare programs at FCHS.
College Elective Requirements (CER)
The department offers elective courses that have been crafted to supplement, extend and develop the students’ knowledge and understanding of their major courses. These electives are designed to broaden students’ perspectives, enhance their learning ability and enrich their interdisciplinary learning experiences.