PRELIMINARY SPRING 2004 CURRICULUM REPORT

PLEASE BRING THIS REPORT OF THE UO COMMITTEE ON COURSES

 TO THE UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING ON MAY 12, 2004

 

 

The body of this report consists of two major sections:  Proposed Course Changes for Fall 2004 (unless stated otherwise) and Other Curricular Matters.  Policies and definitions governing group and multicultural status are listed in the main body of this report.  Policies and definitions governing group and multicultural general-education requirements are under Other Curricular Matters.

 

Changes in University Senate-approved UOCC reports take effect the following fall term unless requested by a department and stated otherwise in the report.

 

The committee will continue to consider new proposals and those completed since publication of the Winter 2004 Final Report.  The committee will submit the next quarterly report to the University in December 2004.

 

Grading, repeatability, sequence.  Unless indicated otherwise, courses may be taken either pass/no pass or for letter grades.  P/N only or Graded only indicates that all students must take the course as specified in the bold print.  Separate grading options for majors are bracketed in this report and appear in UO class-schedule notes; they are not printed in UO catalogs.  R after course credits means that the course number may be repeated for credit.  “Sequence: after the description means the courses must be taken in numerical order.  Changes in grading option, course description, pre- and co-requisites, conditions of repeatability, and instruction type are not necessarily included here.

 

 

The Committee on Courses offers the following reminders:

 

ü       Proposals to the Committee on Courses must be submitted on electronic forms, available on the CAS web site, http://uocurriculum.uoregon.edu/. Arrangements for access may be made with Peter Campbell in the CAS office, knroc@cas or 6-3336. Proposals submitted on old forms will be returned, without review, to academic departments, schools, or colleges.

ü       If there is any question that a proposed new or changed course might duplicate coverage in an existing course from another department or school, the proposing department must gain written confirmation that the other department has been consulted and does not object to the new or changed course.

ü       Proposals for new courses should be accompanied by full syllabi.

ü       For 400-/500-level courses, both proposal forms and syllabi must state explicitly the substantive and measurable differences in type and amount of work for the two levels.

ü       At its May 1998 meeting, the University Senate agreed that the University Committee on Courses should include in its reports courses that should be dropped because (1) they have not been taught for three years, and (2) the department provided no reasonable explanation of why they have not been taught or whether they will be in the future.

ü       The minimal requirements for general education status of a course are regarded as necessary, but not always sufficient, for inclusion of a course as part of a comprehensive general education program at the University.

Group satisfying courses are intended to provide students with a cohesive general-education program.  Proposals for group satisfying status of a course should explain how the course enhances general education at the University, explicitly stating how the course would compliment other group satisfying courses, and which other courses would be especially suitable for students to take in accompaniment.  Approved on March 10, 2004

According to University Senate legislation, courses submitted for group-satisfying status must be submitted to the Inter-College General Education Committee.  That committee reviews all group-satisfying proposals at the end of the University Committee on Courses review period.

Proposals for undergraduate group-satisfying and multicultural courses must include written justification, regardless of whether they are new or existing courses.

Courses may not be both group-satisfying and repeatable for credit.

 

ü       The minimal requirements for multicultural status of a course are regarded as sufficient for inclusion of a course as part of the multicultural course requirements.

 

Any course that might appear to satisfy the university multicultural requirements, either by title, description, or content, is carefully examined to see if it should be listed as a multicultural course.    If a course might appear on its face eligible for multicultural status, the committee needs clear explanation of why the course does,--or does not--, satisfy multicultural course guidelines.  Arbitrary exclusion of courses from the list of multicultural satisfying courses can engender student confusion, or cynicism.  Approved on March 10, 2004.

 

ü       The UO Committee on Courses has established the policy that the phrase "or instructor’s consent" will no longer be stated along with any other course prerequisites.   The prerequisites of any course may be overridden by instructor’s consent, and need not be stated explicitly for individual courses.   Academic departments are able to override any prerequisite requirements in Banner should a student qualify to enroll. 

 

“Instructor’s consent” is reserved for use alone as a sole prerequisite to allow departments to monitor suitability of enrollment in courses for individual students, preventing enrollment without prior approval.  Academic departments should be aware they need to assume enrollment management, and must preauthorize each student individually, with this option.  Approved on March 10, 2004.

 

May 12, 2004:  University Senate considers Spring 2004 preliminary report of the University Committee on Courses.

July 2004:                  Publication of 2004-2005 University of Oregon Catalog.  The changes in this report will first appear in

                  the 2004-2005 catalog.

 

 

The University of Oregon Committee on Courses moves that Proposed Course Changes for Fall 2004 (unless otherwise stated) and Other Curricular Matters be approved.  If approved, changes are effective Fall 2004 unless stated otherwise.  Changes in this report will first appear in the 2005-2006 catalog.

 

Members, University of Oregon Committee on Courses

 

Voting:                  Paul Engelking, Chair          Ex Officio:       Jack Bennett

                  David Boush                       Herb Chereck

                  Virpi Zuck                        Toby Deemer

                                          Frances Milligan

 

Student:                  Cory Portnuff                  Staff:                  Linda Adkins

                                          Gayle Freeman

 

NEW COURSES

(Subject previously taught as 407/507)
ANTH 445/545 Archaeology of Cultural Landscapes (4) Archaeological and landscape concepts represented in the past and the present. Site distributional, ecological, and socio-symbolic dimensions of landscapes are examined. Prereq: ANTH 150, ANTH 250. Offered alternate years.

(Subject previously taught as 410/510)
ANTH 451/551 Ethnoarchaeology (4) Examines relationships between archaeology and ethnography and how archaeologists study material culture in a living context. Examples are from various world areas. Prereq: ANTH 150, ANTH 250. Offered alternate years.

(Subject previously taught as 607)
ANTH 615 Proseminar in Anthropology (2) Presents the departments structure, program, and faculty; introduction to research, writing, and funding resources.

ANTH 687 Approaches in Social Anthropology (5R) A critical and thematically-guided review of influential concepts and authors in social anthropology. 1R for maximum of 10 credits. Offered alternate years.

NEW COURSES

(Subject previously taught as CIS 199)
CIS 170 Great Ideas in Computer Science (4) Overview of basic ideas and areas of computer science, including algorithms, hardware, machine organization, programming languages, networks, artificial intelligence, and associated ethical issues. Prereq: MATH 111.  Course approved;  pending Group III Science requirement.

(Change level; add graduate course)
CIS 429/529 Computer Architecture (4) RISC (reduced instruction-set computer) and CISC (complex instruction-set computer) design, storage hierarchies, high-performance processor design, pipelining, vector processing, networks, performance analysis. Prereq: CIS 313, 314.

REINSTATED COURSES

CIS 413 Advanced Data Structures (4)  Effective Fall 2004.

COURSE CHANGES

(Change level; add graduate course; change credits for undergraduate level)
EALL 407/507 Seminar: [Topic] (1-4R)

 

NEW COURSES

(Subject previously taught as EC 410/510)
EC 418 Economic Analysis of Community Issues I (2) [Graded only for majors] Hands-on experience applying economic analysis and econometrics to problems that face local community nonprofits and government agencies. Prereq: EC 311 and EC 420.

(Subject previously taught as EC 410/510)
EC 419 Economic Analysis of Community Issues II (4) [Graded only for majors] Hands-on experience applying economic analysis and econometrics to problems that face local community non-profits and government agencies. Prereq: EC 418.

(Subject previously taught as 410/510)
EC 443/543 Health Economics (4) [Graded only for majors] Economic issues related to health insurance; includes moral hazard and adverse selection. Incentives faced by health care providers through reimbursement, managed care, and malpractice. Economic rationale for, and effects of, government intervention in the health care sector. Prereq: EC 311.

NEW COURSES

(Subject previously taught as 410)
ENVS 345 Environmental Ethics (4) [Graded only for majors] Key concepts and contemporary positions surveyed; includes anthropocentrism, individualism, ecocentrisim, deep ecology, and ecofeminism. Exploration includes case studies and theory. Prereq: ENVS 201, 202, 203 or equivalent. Offered alternate years. Course approved; pending; Group 1 Arts & Letters requirement.

ENVS 440/540 Environmental Aesthetics (4) [Graded only for majors] Explores aesthetic experience of nature through philosophical perspective emphasizing; nature and art, beauty and the sublime, embodiment, culture, and science, and ethics, conservation and preservation. Prereq: ENVS 345, PHIL 340. Offered alternate years.

(Subject previously taught as 410)
ENVS 465/565 Wetland Ecology and Management (4) [Graded only for majors] Examines management, law, and policies related to wetlands in an ecological framework; includes wetland type definitions, classification, distribution, formation and development, and restoration. Prereq: BI 370, GEOG 322, or GEOG 360. Offered alternate years.

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

GEOG 208 Geography of the United States and Canada (4)
(Changed General education requirements)
GEOG 208 Geography of United States and Canada (4)
Approved to satisfy Multicultural Requirement—American Cultures
 
NEW COURSES

GEOG 399 Special Studies (1-5R) P/NP only

(Correction from Winter 2004 Final Curriculum Report; course number recorded incorrectly)

GEOG 471/571 North American Cultural Landscapes (4).

 

GEOG 610 Experimental Course (1-5R)

OLD COURSES DROPPED

GEOL 415/515 Metamorphic Petrology (5)
 
NEW COURSES

(Subject previously taught as 410/510)
GEOL 441/541 Hillslope Geomorphology (4) Hillslope processes and landforms, including: hillslope hydrology, overland flow erosion, weathering and soil formation, soil creep, landslides and related hazards, glacial and periglacial processes, effects of land-use practices and fire, and landscape evolution. Offered alternate years.

REINSTATED COURSES

HIST 445/545 Tsarist and Imperial Russia: [Topic] (4R)  Effective Fall 2004

 

Department of Exercise Movement Science (EMS) has changed to the Department of Human Physiology (HPHY). The courses listed below have changed prefix from EMS to HPHY.

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

HPHY 101 Exercise as Medicine (4)

HPHY 102 Exercise and Wellness Across the Life Span (4)

HPHY 103 Exercise and Performance (4)

HPHY 333 Motor Control (4)

HPHY 335 Motor Development (4)

HPHY 361 Sports Medicine (4)

HPHY 371 Physiology of Exercise (4)

HPHY 381 Biomechanics (4)

HPHY 401 Research: [Topic] (1-15R) Changed credits from (1-6) credits to (1-15) credits

HPHY 403 Thesis (1-4)

HPHY 404 Internship: [Topic] (5-16R)

HPHY 405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1-15R) Changed credits from (1-6) credits to (1-15) credits

HPHY 406 Special Problems: [Topic] (1-15R) Changed credits from (1-6) credits to (1-15) credits

HPHY 408/508 Workshop: [Topic] (1-15R) Changed credits from (1-6) credits to (1-15) credits

HPHY 409 Practicum: [Topic] (1-15R) Changed credits from (1-6) credits to (1-15) credits

HPHY 463/563 Sports Nutrition (4)

HPHY 470/570 Environmental Physiology (4)

HPHY 471/571 Training in Health and Performance (4)

HPHY 503 Thesis (1-16R)

HPHY 602 Supervised College Teaching (1-5R)

HPHY 603 Dissertation (1-16R)

HPHY 605 Reading and Conference; [Topic] (1-15R) Changed credits from (1-6) credits to (1-15) credits

HPHY 608 Workshop: [Topic] (1-15R) Changed credits from (1-6) credits to (1-15) credits

HPHY 609 Practicum: [Topic] (1-15R) Changed credits from (1-6) credits to (1-15) credits

HPHY 663, 664, 665 Sports Medicine (4,4,4)

HPHY 674 Clinical and Functional Anatomy (4)

HPHY 677 Biochemical Principles of Exercise (4)

HPHY 678, 679 Systems of Physiology I, II (4,4)

HPHY 681, 682, 683 Biomechanics (4,4,4)

 

NEW COURSES

HPHY 670 Advanced Respiratory Physiology (4) Graded only. Explores advanced concepts in respiratory physiology; includes exercise adaptations and examples of pathophysiology. Prereq: HPHY 470/570 or equivalent. Offered alternate years.

 

EXISTING COURSES

 

(Correction of course title from Winter 2004 Final Curriculum Report)

LT 445/545 Second-Language Teaching (4)

 

(Correction of course title from Winter 2004 Final Curriculum Report)

LT 446/546 Second-Language Teaching Practice (4

NEW COURSES

LING 162 Nature versus Nurture in Language (4) [Graded only for majors] Compares biological (nature) and social (nurture) factors in explaining how language structure develops and is used by the individual and by language communities. Course approved; pending Group 1 Arts & Letters requirement.

OLD COURSES DROPPED

PHYS 532 Digital Electronics (4)
 
 NEW COURSES

(Subject previously taught as 610)
PHYS 618 Advanced Analog Electronics (4) Graded only. Topics include linear circuits, diodes, field effect transistors, signal processing.

(Subject previously taught as 532)
PHYS 619 Advanced Digital Electronics (4) Topics include sequential logic, amplifier noise, data conversions, computer interfacing.

NEW COURSES

(Subject previously taught as PS 399)
PS 346 Terrorism and Weapons Proliferation (4) [Graded only for majors] Examines causes and control of terrorism, especially preventing terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction; theories and policies of nonproliferation and arms control.

(Subject previously taught as PS 410/510)
PS 479/579 United States Interventions in Developing Nations (4) [Graded only for majors] Examines theories of intervention: security, economic imperialism, humanitarian intervention, spreading democracy, domestic politics; over thirty-seven U.S. interventions since 1898 are surveyed.

NEW COURSES

(Subject previously taught as 620 in 2003)
RL 623 Romance Languages Colloquium: [Topic] (2-4R) Seminar organized around a series of speakers to expose students to critical and theoretical issues central to the study of Romance languages and literatures. 6R for a maximum of 28 credits.

 

School of Architecture and Allied Arts

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

IARC 204 Survey of Interior Architecture (4)
(Changed General education requirements)
IARC 204 Survey of Interior Architecture (4)  Pending Group 1 Arts & Letters requirement.

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

(Changed General education requirements)
LA 375 Contemporary American Landscapes (4)  Pending Group 1 Arts & Letters requirement.

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

PPPM 413 Applied Social Research (5)
(Changed Credits)
PPPM 413 Applied Social Research (4)

PPPM 491 Senior Research Paper I (3)
(Changed Credits)
PPPM 491 Senior Research Paper I (4)

PPPM 628 Public Finance Administration (4)
(Changed Title)
PPPM 628 Public Sector Economy (4)

 NEW COURSES

PPPM 202 Healthy Communities (4) Historical relationships of public policy, planning, and public health; how public policies can promote health; relationship of planning and policies to inequalities in health outcomes.  Course approved, pending Group 2 Social Science requirement.

PPPM 203 Sustainable Environments (4) Overview of theories and research on the nature and development of sustainable environments; role of public policy, nonprofit organizations, and planning in creating sustainable environments. Course approved, pending Group 2 Social Science requirement.

PPPM 280 Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector (4) Overview of the nonprofit sector includes its origin, growth, oversight, and varied elements. Examines theory and research into the effectiveness of nonprofit strategies and structures. Course approved, pending Group 2 Social Science requirement.

Charles H. Lundquist College of Business

 

NEW COURSES

(Subject previously taught as BA 399)
BA 361 Cross-Cultural Business Communication (4) Graded only. Theoretical and practical approach to value dimensions across cultures and their impact on communication in business and professional contexts. Develops intercultural business communication skills. Prereq: WR 121 or equivalent.

(Subject previously taught as BA 399)
BA 362 Effective Business Writing (4) Graded only. Theory and practice of writing effectively for U.S. and international business audiences. Focuses on using rhetorical, cultural, and organizational analysis to create persuasive business documents. Designed for non-native speakers of English. Prereq: WR 121 or equivalent.

(Subject previously taught as BA 399)
BA 363 Effective Business Presentations (4) Graded only. Contrastive rhetoric approach to business presentations in U.S. and international settings. Students research and learn to present effectively for different purposes and global audiences. Designed for non-native speakers of English. Prereq: WR 121 or equivalent.

(Subject previously taught as BA 399)
BA 364 International Business Research (4) Graded only. An international/cross-cultural perspective to “information” across cultures. Focuses on the language, concepts, and strategies for conducting international business research and guidelines for communicating research findings.. Prereq: WR 121 or equivalent.

(Subject previously taught as BA 399)
BA 365 Cross-Cultural Negotiation (4) Graded only. Theory and practice of negotiating effectively across cultures. Research and analysis of culturally specific models for negotiating and experience using those models in cross-cultural simulations. Prereq: WR 121 or equivalent.

OLD COURSES DROPPED

MKTG 360 Consumer Behavior (4)
MKTG 481 Developing Business Relationships (4)
MKTG 482 Advanced Sales Management (4)

NEW COURSES

(Subject previously taught as 410)
MKTG 425 Strategic Business-to-Business Relationships (4) Graded only. Managing business-to-business relationships to deliver customer value. Supply chain, distribution, consulting, service, sales relationships. Integrating demand and supply within and across firms. Prereq: MKTG 311, MGMT 321, DSC 335.
(Subject previously taught as 360)
MKTG 435 Consumer Behavior (4) Graded only. Applications of social science concepts to the understanding of consumers and to the optimal delivery of products and services. Prereq: MKTG 311, MGMT 321, DSC 335.

(Subject previously taught as 410)
SBUS 455 Financing Sports Business (4) [Graded only for majors] Covers revenue sources available to sports organizations. Includes conventional sources such as tax support, bonds, ticket, media, and concession sales and more recent innovations including initial public offerings, seat licenses, and naming rights. Prereq: SBUS 450 or equivalent

College of Education

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

SPSY 617 Tests and Measurement in Education (3)
(Changed Credits)
SPSY 617 Tests and Measurement in Education (4)

SPSY 620 Research Design in Education (3)
(Changed Title, Credits)
SPSY 620 Multivariate Statistics and Research Design (4)
 
SPSY 650 Developmental Psychopathology (3)
(Changed Title, Credits, Description)
SPSY 650 Child Development and Psychopathology (4)
Overview of theories and models of normal child development and child psychopathology. Etiology, development, course, and prevention of major psychological disorders in childhood. Offered alternate years.

SPSY 672 Intellectual Assessment: Theory and Practice (5)
(Changed Title, Credits)
SPSY 672 Intellectual Assessment (4)
 
SPSY 682 Behavioral Consultation (3)
(Changed Credits)
SPSY 682 Behavioral Consultation (4)

Honors College

OLD COURSES DROPPED

HC 412H Gender Studies: [Topic](4R)
HC 415H World Perspectives: [Topic] (4R)

NEW COURSES

(Previously taught as HC 412H)

HC 424H HC Identities Colloquium: [Topic] (4R) Graded only. Topics focus on construction of collective identities (classes, genders, religions, sexual orientations), the emergence of representative voices, and the effects of prejudice, intolerance, and discrimination. Prereq: HC 221,222,223 or HC 231,232,233. 3R for a maximum of 16 credits Approved to satisfy Identity, Pluralism. And Tolerance multicultural requirement

(Previously taught as HC 415H)

HC 434H HC International Cultures Colloquium [Topic] (4R) Graded only. Topics focus on international cultures’ race, ethnicity, pluralism/monoculturalism, or prejudice/tolerance, or may describe and analyze a world-view substantially different from current U.S. views. Prereq: HC 221, 222, 223 or HC 231, 232, 233. 3R for a maximum of 16 credits Approved to satisfy International Cultures multicultural requirement

HC 444H HC American Cultures Colloquium [Topic] (4R) Graded only. Topics focus on multiple American racial and ethnic groups--African American, Chicano or Latino, Native American, Asian American, European American--from historical and comparative perspectives. Prereq: HC 221, 222, 223 or HC 231, 232, 233. 3R for a maximum of 16 credits Approved to satisfy American Cultures multicultural requirement

(Subject previously taught as 407)
HC 477H Thesis Prospectus (2) P/NP only. Students polish prospectuses, exchange critiques and ideas, and present research in mock defenses with thesis adviser present.

School of Music

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

(Change General Education requirement)

MUS 379 Music For Dancing (4)

Pending Group 1, Arts & Letters requirement.

 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY & RECREATION SERVICES

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

 

Lacrosse (Women)

(Change course title)

PEIA 301 Lacrosse (1R)

 

Golf (Women’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 311 Women’s Golf (1R)

 

Golf (Men’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 312 Men’s Golf (1R)

 

Tennis (Women’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 317 Women’s Tennis (1R)

 

Tennis (Men’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 318 Men’s Tennis (1R

 

Cross Country (Women’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 323 Women’s Cross Country (1R)

 

Cross Country (Men’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 324 Men’s Cross Country (1R)

Track (Women’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 329 Women’s Track (1R)

 

Track (Men’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 330 Men’s Track (1R)

 

Wrestling (Men’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 336 Wrestling (1R)

 

Softball (Women’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 341 Softball (1R)

 

Volleyball (Women’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 347 Volleyball (1R)

 

Soccer (Women’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 350 Soccer (1R)

 

Basketball (Women’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 353 Women’s Basketball (1R)

 

Basketball (Men’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 354 Men’s Basketball (1R)

 

Football (Men’s Rules)

(Change course title)

PEIA 360 Football (1R)

 

 

BIOLOGY

 

The State Board of Higher Education has approved a proposal for an undergraduate major in Marine Biology.  Effective Fall 2004.

 

EXERCISE AND MOVEMENT SCIENCE

 

The OUS Academic Council approved the proposal to rename the Department of Exercise and Movement Science to the Department of Human Physiology.  Effective July 1, 2004.

 

College of Education

The Master’s of Education Degree (M.Ed.) in Teaching and Learning was approved by the Oregon University System. Effective Summer 2004.

 

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

The OUS Academic Council approved a proposal to rename the Museum of Natural History as the Museum of Natural and Cultural History.  Effective July 1, 2004.

 

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

FHS 405 Reading (1-5R)
(Changed Credits)
FHS 405 Reading (1-15R)

FHS 605 Reading (1-5R)
(Changed Credits)
FHS 405 Reading (1-12R)

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

MUE 442/542 Teaching Singing in the Classroom (3)
(Changed Credits, Description, Instruction type)
MUE 442/542 Teaching Singing in the Classroom

 

MUE 444/544 Choral Music and Materials for Schools (3)
(Changed Title, Credits, Description, Instruction type)
MUE 444/544 Choral Music & Materials for Schools

 

 

 

CIS 513 Advanced Data Structures (4) Reinstatement pending Graduate School review of coursework differential.

 

 

SOC 550 Sociology of Developing Areas (4) Reinstatement pending Graduate School review of coursework differential.

 

CONTENTS OF COURSE SYLLABUS

 

As the primary, commonly available, summary of a course, the syllabus serves several purposes.  It outlines the course, it denotes what students may expect from the course, and it locates the course in the curriculum.  Not only read by prospective students, it is the best, concise, description of a course by those who teach it that is available to students and colleagues.  The University Committee on Courses uses course syllabi in its review of courses.  To maximize a course the usefulness of a syllabus to students and faculty, it is suggested that it contain the following contents.

 

1.  Course Number

2.  Title

3.  Credits

4.  Term, place, time, instructor

     (For a new course proposal, indicate when it is likely to be offered, and how frequently)

     (For a new course proposal, indicate who is likely to teach the course)

 

5.  Place in Curriculum

     •  Group requirement satisfying?  (Explain why)

     •  Multicultural requirement satisfying? (Explain why)

     •  Other general education requirement satisfying?

     •  Satisfying other major or program requirement?

     •  Preparatory for other courses?

     •  Prerequisites or other suggested preparation.

 

6.  Format (Lecture, Discussion, Lab, . . .)

 

7.  Outline of subject and topics explored

 

8.  Course materials (Texts, books, readings, . . .)

 

9.  Expectations for students

     •  Explicitly (by pages assigned, lengths of assignments, etc.), or by

     •  Expected student engagement (see suggested Student Engagement Inventory)

     •  Readings

     •  Problems

     •  Attendance

     •  Project

     •  Writing

     •  Laboratory

     •  Field work

     •  Electronic media/network/online

     •  Performance

     •  Presentation

     •  Tests

     •  Differential expected for graduate work for joint 400/500 level courses.

 

10.  Assessment

     •  Methods (testing, homework, . . .)

     •  Times or frequency

     •  Grading policy

 

[See Faculty Handbook for other recommendations regarding university policies.]

 

To aid in assigning student credit hours uniformly to courses in the curriculum, the committee inventories the amount of student engagement in a course.  The committee has found the following tool to be useful.  Departments preparing course proposals are invited to use this, when deciding how many SCH units to request for a proposed course, and encouraged to report to the committee how this tool may be improved for their use.

 

Please identify the number of hours a typical or average student would be expected to spend in each of the following activities. The general guideline is that each credit should reflect 30 hours of student engagement. Therefore, a 3-credit course would engage students for 90 hours total among the activities listed below, whereas a 4-credit course would list 120 hours of activities in which students are engaged over the course of the term.

 

Educational activity	Hours student engaged	Explanatory comments (if any):
Course attendance
Assigned readings
Project
Writing assignments
Lab or workshop
Field work/experience
Online interaction
Performances/creative activities
Total hours:

 

Definition of terms:

Course attendance	Actual time student spends in class with instructor or GTF
Assigned readings	Estimated time it takes for a student with average reading ability to read all assigned readings
Writing assignments	Estimated time it takes for a student with average writing ability to produce a final, acceptable written product as required by the assignment
Project	Estimated time a student would be expected to spend creating or contributing to a project that meets course requirements (includes individual and group projects)
Lab or workshop	Actual time scheduled for any lab or workshop activities that are required but are scheduled outside of class hours
Field work/ experience	Actual or estimated time a student would spend or be expected to spend engaged in required field work or other field-based activities
Online activities	Actual or estimated time a student would spend or be expected to spend engaged in online activities directly related to the course, separate from online research required for projects or writing assignments
Performances/creative activities	Actual or estimated time a student would spend or be expected to spend outside of class hours engaged in preparing for required performance or creative activity

 

 

 

The following criteria were proposed by the Undergraduate Council and the College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee.  The University Senate approved them in May 1998.

 

1.   Group-satisfying courses proposed by departments or individual faculty members must be reviewed by both the Inter-College General Education Review Committee and the University Committee on Courses before submission to the University Senate.

 

2.   Group-satisfying courses must be numbered at the 100, 200, and 300 levels.  Lower-division courses must be offered annually and upper division courses at least biannually.  Approved courses must be at least 4 credits each [Senate Resolution US 9900-6, February 9, 2000].

 

3.   No more than three courses with the same subject code may be counted by a student as satisfying group requirements.

 

4.   Group-satisfying courses in art and letters, social science, and science must meet the following criteria:

1. Group-satisfying courses in arts and letters must create meaningful opportunities for students to engage actively in the modes of inquiry that define a discipline.  Proposed courses must be demonstrably liberal in nature and broad in scope.  Though some courses may focus on specialized subjects or approaches, there must be a substantial course content locating that subject in the broader context of the major issues of the discipline.  Qualifying courses will not focus on teaching basic skills but will require the application or engagement of those skills through analysis and interpretation.

 

b.   Group-satisfying courses in the social sciences must be liberal in nature rather than professionally oriented or devoted in substantial measure to the performance of professional skills.  They must cover a representative cross-section of key issues, perspectives, and modes of analysis employed by scholars working on the subject matter addressed by the course.  The subject matter of the course will be relatively broad (e.g., involving more than one issue, place, or time).  Courses with emphasis on methods and skills will satisfy the requirement only if there is also a substantial and coherent theoretical component.

 

c.  Group-satisfying courses in the sciences should introduce students to the foundations of one or more scientific disciplines, or provide a scientific perspective on a major problem facing society, or provide an introduction to scientific methods (including the use of mathematics and computers) used within or among disciplines.

 

5.   In particular:

 

a.       Courses designed primarily for majors are not excluded a priori from group status.

 

b.  Courses in methods or statistical analysis are excluded in the social sciences, but courses in theory construction are acceptable.

 

c.       Laboratory courses are not excluded from group-satisfying status in the sciences.

 

d.  Qualifying courses in arts and letters cannot focus on teaching basic skills, so first-year German, for example, could not qualify for group status, but reading Goethe in German might.

 

 

 

The 2000-2001 academic year was the first year that the Committee on Courses systematically deleted from the University catalog courses that have not been taught for three years or more.

 

In several cases, departments had not offered a specialized course under a course number and title specified in the catalog.  Yet, similar courses had been taught regularly in the department in various formats, under experimental numbers (410, 510, 610), or under the general designations for special topics seminars, workshops, or practicums (the 4/5/6 06,07,08,09 series).  With time, departments had discovered that a course description in the catalog was too specialized to apply to any of their courses as actually being taught.

 

Unfortunately, removal of an overly specialized course, although untaught, still might have consequences for departments.   Often, that course had been the sole representatives in the catalog of subjects that are taught by a department and are part of the regular curriculum.  Dropping that course could make it appear that a department offered no courses in that course’s subject area.

 

The committee has noted another, companion problem.  Over the years, the committee has observed that new courses tailored to the particular research interests and instructional style of an individual faculty member are likely to fall into disuse within a few years as the person's teaching assignments and interests change, or if the instructor becomes unavailable for teaching that particular course.

 

The Committee on Courses recommends that departments and programs develop more sustainable course descriptions.   A sustainable course description would identify a subject area and general approach, but would not be so restrictive as to exclude different perspectives or specializations also representative of that subject area.

 

The Committee also recommends that departments and programs be selective when proposing permanent course status for specialized courses that can only be taught by one particular instructor.

 

For example: A department with several experts qualified to teach ceramics, but having only one instructor who specializes in Ming porcelain per se, might currently have a specialized course titled  “Ming Dynasty Porcelains” in the catalog.   A more sustainable course title could be “Chinese Porcelains, ” or even “Porcelains,” depending upon the range of expertise available to teach the course.  Another approach would use the topics course “Ceramics,” possibly repeatable as the exact subject material–and transcript title–changes.

 

Departments following these recommendations could then represent the full range of their curricular offerings and could maintain a sustainable list of courses in the catalog.

 

 

Category A:  American Cultures.  The goal is to focus on race and ethnicity in the United States by considering racial and ethnic groups from historical and comparative perspectives.  Five racial or ethnic groups are identified: African American, Chicano or Latino, Native American, Asian American, European American.  Approved courses deal with at least two of these groups in a comparative manner.  They do not necessarily deal specifically with discrimination or prejudice, although many do.

 

Category B:  Identity, Pluralism, and Tolerance.  The goal is to gain scholarly insight into the construction of collective identities, the emergence of representative voices from varying social and cultural standpoints, and the effects of prejudice, intolerance, and discrimination.  The identities at issue may include ethnicities as in the American Cultures category, as well as classes, genders, religions, sexual orientations, or other groups whose experiences contribute to cultural pluralism.  This category includes courses that analyze the general principles underlying tolerance, or the lack of it.

 

Category C: International Cultures.  The goal is to study world cultures in critical perspective.  Approved courses either treat an international culture in view of the issues raised in Categories A and B­­—namely, race and ethnicity, pluralism and monoculturalism, and/or prejudice and tolerance—or explicitly describe and analyze a world-view—i.e., a system of knowledge, feeling, and belief—that is substantially different from those prevalent in the 20^th-century United States.

 

 

The Committee on Courses has discussed the criteria for adding an “H” suffix to a course number and recommends the following:

 

The “H” suffix is intended to advise students that a course provides honors content of significant difficulty and requires honors effort from students.  The University Committee on Courses will be looking for evidence of the following in determining whether a course should hold an “H” suffix designation:

 

1.  Students enrolling should have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30 in their major.

 

2. The content of the class, and the level of analysis, should be significantly deeper than for non-honors classes.

 

3. Class size should be small enough to promote intensive student participation.

 

4. The faculty member(s) teaching the course should be available for close advising outside of class.

 

 

 

MAJOR

 

Definition

Courses in designated primary subject areas/disciplines in which a student commits to gaining in-depth knowledge, skills, competence, and attitudes through a coherent pattern of courses.  A footnote accompanies the major definition: Divisional major programs emphasize a general and integrated approach to learning, with the student’s major program broadly inclusive of work in several of the discipline or subject areas within the specific division within which the student’s degree program lies (i.e. humanities, social science, science).  For instance, a divisional major program in the social sciences would call for the student to include within his/her major work from several of the disciplines or subject areas in the social sciences (e.g. sociology, political science, economics).  Because of the breadth of disciplines or subjects included in the major, the student has less opportunity to delve in depth into a single subject area such as sociology, political science, or economics, than they would be able to do were they in a “departmental major” program in a single one of these disciplines or subject areas.

 

Minimal Requirements

36 credits – of which a minimum of 24 must be upper division.  Departments should consider setting minimum residency requirements.

 

MINOR

 

Definition

Courses in a designated secondary subject area or discipline distinct from and usually outside the student’s degree major in which knowledge is gained in a coherent pattern of courses.

 

Minimal Requirements

24 credits – of which a minimum of 12 must be upper division.  Should be within discipline that already has a pre-existing major or sponsored by department.

 

CERTIFICATE

 

Definition

An approved academic award given in conjunction with the satisfactory completion of a program of instruction requiring one year or more, but less than four years, of full-time equivalent post-secondary level work.  The conditions and conferral of the award are governed by the faculty and ratified by the governing board of the institution granting the certificate.

 

Minimal Requirements

36 credits – 24 upper division with 12 minimum at 400 level. Sponsoring department must provide guidance – template/check list, name of an advisor, with notice that student must consult an advisor to apply for certificate at least two terms prior to graduation.