BUTLER TWP — Butler County Community College is working to get a scholars program for advanced students in place by the beginning of next school year.

The classes in the program will take the normal course curriculum a step further.

"For example, instead of simply learning about research procedures and methods in a psychology course, the BC3 scholar may be asked to carry out an actual research project that requires application of the concepts," said Francie Spigelmyer, vice-president for academic affairs at the college, in an e-mail.

"Or a student in a marketing course may be asked to evaluate an actual business in the community and provide recommendations for marketing a particular product or service."

Spigelmyer said the program is in its infancy. A college subcommittee is planning the structure of the program, but she said the college hopes to have it in place for fall 2010.

The idea of the program began with director of admissions Pattie Bajuszik, who started the research process several years ago.

When Nick Neupauer left the academic affairs office to become president of the college, he asked his replacement Spigelmyer to head up the project and continue it, she said.

"The creation of a Scholars Program further solidifies BC3 as a top-tier teaching and learning institution," according to Spigelmyer.

These classes will be taught by full-time and part-time faculty members who have met special criteria and been approved to teach in the program. A subcommittee is working on those criteria as well as the criteria for students to be enrolled in the program.