PRELIMINARY WINTER 2005 CURRICULUM REPORT

PLEASE BRING THIS REPORT OF THE UO COMMITTEE ON COURSES

TO THE UNIVERSITY SENATE MEETING ON MARCH 9, 2005.

 

 

The body of this report consists of two major sections: Course Proposals reviewed winter 2005 and Other Curricular Matters. Policies and definitions governing group and multicultural general-education requirements are under Other Curricular Matters. 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 the UO Catalog. 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.

 

Course proposals approved by both the University Committee on Courses (UOCC) and the University Senate are effective fall term 2005, unless a specific term is requested by an academic department and stated otherwise in this report.

 

The UOCC will consider new proposals during spring term and will submit a spring quarterly report to the University Senate in May 2005.

 

Routing of Minor Changes: The UOCC has confirmed that the following minor course changes may be made without review by the full committee: minor edits of course description, pre- or co-requisites, grading option, and conditions of repeatability. Changes may be submitted in writing directly to the Offices of the Registrar and Creative Publishing, in care of Gayle Freeman(gfreeman@uoregon.edu) and Scott Skelton (sskelton@darkwing.uoregon.edu), respectively. The memorandum should indicate the effective term for the change(s). Note: extensive changes may be referred to the UOCC for review.

 

 

March 9, 2005:        University Senate considers winter 2005 preliminary report of the University of Oregon Committee on Courses.

March 15, 2005:       Curricular proposals for consideration in the spring round must be submitted to the provost’s office.

May 11, 2005:          University Senate considers spring 2005 preliminary report of the University of Oregon Committee on Courses.

July 2005:               Publication of 2005–6 University of Oregon Catalog. The changes in the winter report will first appear in this catalog.

 

Members, University of Oregon Committee on Courses

 

Voting:       Paul Engelking, Chair                        Ex Officio:       Jack Bennett

                  Jack Boss                                                               Herb Chereck

                  David Boush                                                           John Crosiar

                  Paul Peppis                                                             Toby Deemer

                  Virpi Zuck                                                              Scott Skelton

                                                                                               

Student:      Sara Hamilton                                   Staff:               Linda Adkins

                                                                                               Gayle Freeman

 

The University of Oregon Committee on Courses moves that the following course proposals and Other Curricular Matters, be approved.

 

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

ANTH 440/540 Topics in Old World Prehistory: [Topic] (4R)

(Change title; UOCC action)

ANTH 440/540 Old World Prehistory: [Topic] (4R)

 

 

NEW COURSES

 

ASIA 350 What is Asia: Theoretical Debates (4) [Graded only for majors] An interdisciplinary seminar designed to introduce students to current theoretical debates about Asia, modernization, and area studies. Prereq: One upper division course on Asia, excluding language courses. Approved to satisfy Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement.

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

(Approved fall 2004 as new courses; change effective term)

BI 478/578 Neotropical Ecology (2) Effective summer term 2005.

BI 479/579 Neotropical Ecology Field Study (6) Effective summer term 2005

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

CRWR 601 Research: [Topic] (1–16R)

(Change grading option; UOCC action)

CRWR 601 Research: [Topic] (1–16R) Pass/No Pass only

 

 

REINSTATED COURSE

 

(Incorrectly listed in fall 2004 report as :[Topic]. Course is not approved with variable topics or repeatable.)

JPN 438/538 Classical Japanese Literary Language (4)

NEW COURSES

 

(Previously taught as EALL 199)

EALL 209 Language and Society in East Asia (4) Introduction to language and society in East Asia. Topics include: the structure of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean; politeness; intercultural communication; writing; minority and immigrant communities. In English. Approved to satisfy Group I: Arts and Letters group requirement and Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement.

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

ENG 488/588 Race and Representation in Film (4)

(Change title, repeatability, description)

ENG 488/588 Race and Representation in Film: [Topic] (4R) Screening, interpretation, and analysis of films from developing non-European cultures and by people of color. Mechanisms of racism in dominant U.S. media. R thrice for a maximum of 12 credits.

 

 

NEW COURSES

 

(Previously taught as 399)

ES 340 Racial Formation and Performance (4) [Graded only for majors] Explores how race has been constructed in the United States through performances and displays of the body, including world’s fairs, minstrelsy, film, and tourist performances. Prereq: ES 101 or 102 recommended. Offered alternate years. Approved to satisfy Category B: Identity, Pluralism and Tolerance multicultural requirement.

 

(Previously taught as 407/507)

ES 456/556 History of Native American Education (4) [Graded only for majors] Examines the historical conflict between traditional culture and knowledge transmission among Native Americans and the assimilationist educational system and practices of Euro-American culture. Prereq: ES 101 or 102. Offered alternate years. Approved to satisfy Category B: Identity, Pluralism and Tolerance multicultural requirement.

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

GEOL 334 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (4)

(Change description, prerequisites)

GEOL 334 Sedimentology and Stratigraphy (4) Sedimentary processes; characteristic properties of sedimentary rocks and their use in interpreting depositional environments; principles of lithostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy. Pre- or co-requisite: GEOL 101-103 or GEOL 201-203; GEOL 311 or GEOL 332.

 

GEOL 350 Structural Geology (3)

(Correct prerequisites from fall 2004 report)

GEOL 350 Structural Geology (3)

Prereq: GEOL 318; GEOL 311 or 332

 

GEOL 414/514 Igneous & Metamorphic Petrology (5)

(Change credits)

GEOL 414/514 Igneous & Metamorphic Petrology (4)

GEOL 636 Advanced Paleontology I: Topic in Evolution: [Topic] (3R)

(Change title; UOCC action)

GEOL 636 Advanced Paleontology: [Topic] (3R)

 

GEOL 640 Topics in Global Stratigraphy: [Topic] (3R)

(Change title; UOCC action)

GEOL 640 Global Stratigraphy: [Topic] (3R)

 

NEW COURSES

 

GEOL 460/560 Crustal Deformation (3) Deformation of the earth’s lithosphere from seismic, volcanic, and hydrologic processes; geodetic and seismic techniques; models of elastic and visco-elastic deformation. Prereq: MATH 253, GEOL 315. Offered alternate years.

 

GEOL 461/561 Project in Crustal Deformation (1R) Graded only. Analysis of geodetic and seismic data; modeling of crustal deformation processes; seismotectonics. Pre- or co-requisite GEOL 460/560. R thrice for a maximum of 4 credits. Offered alternate years.

 

GEOL 467/567 Fault Mechanics (4) The physics of faulting throughout the earthquake cycle. Topics include fault friction, seismic rupture, earthquake triggering, and other fault zone processes. Prereq: GEOL 315, MATH 253. Offered alternate years.

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

GER 460/560 Special Topics in German Literature: [Topic] (4R)

(Change title; UOCC action)

GER 460/560 German Literature: [Topic] (4R)

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

HIST 609 Supervised Tutoring Practicum: [Topic](1–3R)

(Change title; UOCC action)

HIST 609 Supervised Tutoring (1–3R)

 

NEW COURSES

 

HIST 444/544 The Holocaust (4) [Graded only for majors] Surveys history of Nazi genocide, focusing on terror and complicity in formation of racial policy; and on perceptions of Nazi anti-Semitism as the Holocaust was occurring. Approved to satisfy Category B: Identity, Pluralism and Tolerance multicultural requirement.

 

(Previously taught as 410/510)

HIST 446/546 Modern Russia: [Topic] (4R) [Graded only for majors] This course will explore topics such as the intellectual and cultural history of Russia from the revolution to recent times. R twice for a maximum of 12 credits. Approved to satisfy Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement.

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

HUM 210 Special Topics in the Humanities: [Topic] (4R)

(Change title; UOCC action)

HUM 210 Culture and Society in the Humanities: [Topic] (4R)

 

Corrections from fall 2004 report.

 

DROPPED COURSES

 

HPHY 678 Systems of Physiology I (4)

HPHY 679 Systems of Physiology II (4)

 

NEW COURSES

 

(Previously taught as HPHY 678)

HPHY 676 Human Cardiovascular Control (4) Cardiovascular physiology, including central control of blood pressure and flow regulation. An integrative approach toward how the cardiovascular system is coordinated with overall body function.

 

 

NEW COURSES

 

(Previously taught as INTL 399)

INTL 345 Africa Today: Issues and Concerns (4) Introduces students to current challenges facing African peoples today. Extends “survey” of Africa courses, and prepares students for more advanced study regarding the African continent. Approved to satisfy Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement.

 

(Previously taught as INTL 407/507)

INTL 445/545 Development and Social Change in Sub-Saharan Africa (4) Introduces theoretical and practical aspects of development and social change in sub-Saharan Africa, with focus on key issues in African development during the post-colonial era. Approved to satisfy Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement.

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

HBRW 311 Biblical Narrative (4)

(Change repeatability, general education requirements)

HBRW 311 Biblical Narrative (4R)

R twice when topic changes. No longer satisfies Group I: Arts and Letter group requirement.

 

HBRW 312 Biblical Poetry (4)

(Change repeatability, general education requirements)

HBRW 312 Biblical Poetry (4R)

R twice when topic changes. No longer satisfies Group I: Arts and Letter group requirement.

HBRW 313 Post-Biblical Literature (4)

(Change repeatability, general education requirements)

HBRW 313 Post-Biblical Literature (4R)

R twice when topic changes. No longer satisfies Group I: Arts and Letter group requirement.

 

 

DROPPED COURSES

 

LING 351 Analytical Methods in Morphology and Syntax (4)

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

451/551 Syntax and Semantics I (4)

(Change prerequisite)

451/551 Syntax and Semantics I (4)

Prereq: LING 435/535.

 

NEW COURSES

 

(Previously taught as 410/510)

LING 415/515 Semantics (4) [Graded only for majors] Survey of the fundamentals of semantic theory from traditional formal logic to modern cognitive approaches. Additional coverage of fundamental notions in pragmatics. Prereq: LING 290.

 

(Change level; previously taught as LING 351)

LING 435/535 Morphology and Syntax (4) [Graded only for majors] Methods of determining the morphological and syntactic patterns of natural language data, with introduction to typological and theoretical issues in morphology. Prereq: 290 or 421/521.

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

MATH 681, 682, 683 Advanced Topics in Algebra: [Topic] (4–5)

(Change title: UOCC action)

MATH 681, 682, 683 Advanced Algebra: [Topic] (4–5)

 

MATH 684, 685, 686 Advanced Topics in Analysis: [Topic] (4–5)

(Change title: UOCC action)

MATH 684, 686, 686 Advanced Analysis: [Topic] (4–5)

 

MATH 690, 691, 692 Advanced Topics in Geometry and Topology: [Topic] (4–5)

(Change title: UOCC action)

MATH 690, 691, 692 Advanced Geometry and Topology: [Topic] (4–5)

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

PHIL 443/543 Topics in Feminist Philosophy: [Topic] (4R)

(Change title; UOCC action)

PHIL 443/543 Feminist Philosophy: [Topic] (4R)

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

(Approved fall 2004 as a new course; change effective term)

PHYS 361 Modern Science and Culture (4) Effective spring term 2005.

 

 

DROPPED COURSES

 

RUSS 424/524 Dostoevsky (4)

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

REES 409 Supervised Tutoring Practicum: [Topic] (1–3R)

(Change title; UOCC action)

REES 409 Supervised Tutoring (1–3R)

 

NEW COURSES

 

(Previously taught as RUSS 399)

RUSS 331 Russian Short Story (4) Analyze short stories by important 19th and 20th century Russian writers in the context of social political and literary development. Readings in English. Offered alternate years. Approved to satisfy Group I: Arts and Letters group requirement and Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement.

 

(Change level; previously taught as RUSS 424/524)

RUSS 334 Dostoevsky (4) [Graded only for majors] Introduction to the novels and short stories of Dostoevsky. His literary, ethical, and political development. Readings and instruction in English. Offered alternate years. Approved to satisfy Group I: Arts and Letters group requirement and Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement.

 

(Previously taught as RUSS 425/525, dropped in 2003)

RUSS 335 Tolstoy (4) [Graded only for majors] Examines short and long works by Leo Tolstoy focusing on ethical questions and Tolstoy’s literary art. In English. Offered alternate years. Approved to satisfy Group I: Arts and Letters group requirement and Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement.

 

(Subject previously taught as RUSS 410/510)

RUSS 340 Russian Women in Literature (4) [Graded only for majors] Explores writings and lives of Russian women in the 19th and 20th centuries and their image in literature. Readings and instruction in English. Offered alternate years. Approved to satisfy Group I: Arts and Letters group requirement and Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement.

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

SOC 428/528 Advanced Topics in Social Psychology: [Topic] (4R)

(Change title; UOCC action)

SOC 428/528 Advanced Social Psychology: [Topic] (4R)

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

WGS 413/513 Feminist Pedagogy (1)

(Change credits)

WGS 413/513 Feminist Pedagogy (2) Effective spring term 2005.

 

 

 

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

ARH 601 Research: [Topic] (1–5R)

(Change grading option; UOCC action)

ARH 601 Research: [Topic] (1–5R) Pass/No Pass only

 

 

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

 

BA 361 Cross-Cultural Business Communication (4)

(Change prerequisite)

BA 361 Cross-Cultural Business Communication (4)

Prereq: WR 121 recommended

 

BA 362 Effective Business Writing (4)

(Change prerequisite)

BA 362 Effective Business Writing (4)

Prereq: WR 121 recommended

 

BA 363 Effective Business Presentations (4)

(Change prerequisite)

BA 363 Effective Business Presentations (4)

Prereq: WR 121 recommended

 

BA 364 International Business Research (4)

(Change prerequisite)

BA 364 International Business Research (4)

Prereq: WR 121 recommended

 

BA 365 Cross-Cultural Negotiation (4)

(Change prerequisite)

BA 365 Cross-Cultural Negotiation (4)

Prereq: WR 121 recommended

 

BA 712 Financial Accounting and Reporting (3)

(Change credits)

BA 712 Financial Accounting and Reporting (4)

 

BA 714 Managerial Accounting (2)

(Change credits)

BA 714 Managerial Accounting (3)

 

BA 721 Managing in the Future (3)

(Change credits)

BA 721 Managing in the Future (4)

 

NEW COURSES

 

(Previously taught as 710)

BA 728 Information Systems (2) Graded only. Provide understanding of how to use Information Technology effectively for progressive growth of organizations. Exposure to key concepts and timely issues related to selection and deployment of information technology applications.

 

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

FHS 601 Research: [Topic] (1–16R)

(Change grading option; UOCC action)

FHS 601 Research: [Topic] (1–16R) Pass/No Pass only

 

 

DROPPED COURSES

 

CDS 667 Management of Dementia (1R)

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

CDS 409 Practicum: [Topic] (1–7R)

(Change grading option)

CDS 409 Practicum: [Topic] (1–7R) Pass/No Pass only

 

CDS 411 Clinical Observation (2) [Graded only for majors]

(Change credits, grading option)

CDS 411 Clinical Observation (3) Pass/No Pass only

 

CDS 607 Seminar: [Topic] (1–3R) [Graded only for majors]

(Change grading options)

CDS 607 Seminar: [Topic] (1–3R) Optional grading

 

CDS 609 Practicum: [Topic] (1–9R)

(Change credits)

CDS 609 Practicum: [Topic] (1–16R)

 

CDS 611 Clinical Methods (1) Graded only

(Change grading options)

CDS 611 Clinical Methods (1) Pass/No Pass only

 

CDS 654 Theory & Remediation of Language Disorders in Adults (3)

(Change credits, description)

CDS 654 Theory & Remediation of Language Disorders in Adults (4) Provides a foundation in diagnosis and treatment of adult neurogenic language disorders, concentrating on aphasia and the cognitive-linguistic changes associated with dementia.

 

NEW COURSES

 

CDS 201 Communication Disorders in Society and Media (4) This course presents a survey of communication disorders and differences, comparing individual and social-cultural perspectives through popular media and real case examples. Denied Category B: Identity, Pluralism and Tolerance multicultural requirement.

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

GET 601 Research: [Topic] (1–6R)

(Change grading options; UOCC action)

GET 601 Research: [Topic] (1–6R) Pass/No Pass only

 

GET 625 Early Childhood and Elementary Student Teaching (9)

(Change credits)

GET 625 Early Childhood and Elementary Student Teaching (6–12) Effective spring 2005.

 

MSEC 601 Research: [Topic] (1–5R)

(Change grading options; UOCC action)

MSEC 601 Research: [Topic] (1–5R) Pass/No Pass only

 

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

J 409 Practicum (1–3R)

(Change credits)

J 409 Practicum (1–4R)

 

J 452/552 Public Relations Writing (4) Graded only

(Administrative change to correct course number; approved fall 2004)

J 440/540 Public Relations Writing (4) Graded only

 

NEW COURSES

 

J 452/552 Advanced Public Relations Writing (4) Graded only. Extends basic public relations writing to specific writing contexts and challenges facing professionals in public relations, corporate communication and marketing communication through highly specialized assignments. Prereq: J 440/540

 

 

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

LAW 601 Research: [Topic] (1–16R)

(Change grading options; UOCC action)

LAW 601 Research: [Topic] (1–16R) Pass/No Pass only

 

 

 

 

COURSE CHANGES

 

LIB 323 Modern Information Environment (4)

(Change title, description)

LIB 323 Research Strategies: [Topic] (4) Discusses strategies for locating, retrieving, and evaluating information in the modern information environment, within a topical context. Examines sociopolitical issues of information access.

 

NEW COURSES

 

LIB 409 Practicum: [Topic] (1–12R)

 

 

The following information is not provided for approval by the University Senate. It is to inform academic and administrative departments about the status of proposals received but not approved by the UO Committee on Courses during winter 2005.

 

The UO Committee on Courses passed a motion that all courses numbered 601, Research: [Topic] must be offered as Pass/No Pass only.

 

PPPM 202 Healthy Communities (4)

Denied request for Group II Social Science requirement.

 

CDS 201 Communication Disorders in Society and Media (4)

Denied Category B: Identity, Pluralism and Tolerance multicultural requirement. Decision may be reconsidered if permanent faculty is attached to the course.

 

ANTH 321 Peoples of India (4)

(Changed Title)

ANTH 321 Cultures of South Asia

Requires new number and description. No response received from department.

 

(New Course)

ASIA 350 What is Asia: Theoretical Debates (4)

Course approved; UOCC requests more specific course prerequisite.

 

(New Course)

BI 492/592 Molecular Phylogenetics (4)

Requires additional information regarding undergraduate-graduate differential for demonstrating mastery.

 

(New Courses, Subject Code)

CRES 601 Research (1–9R)

CRES 605 Reading and Conference (1–5R)

CRES 607 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R)

CRES 608 Workshop: [Topic] (1–5R)

CRES 609 Practicum: [Topic] (1–8R)

CRES 610 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–5R)

CRES 611 Terminal Project (1–9R)

CRES 612 Philosophy of Conflict Resolution (4)

CRES 613 Perspectives on Conflict Resolution (4)

CRES 614 Negotiation, Bargaining and Persuasion (4)

CRES 615 Cross Cultural Dynamics in Conflict Resolution (4)

CRES 616 Mediation Skills (4)

CRES 617 Professionalism in Practice (4)

CRES 618 Adjudication and Courts (2)

CRES 619 Reflective Practice (2)

CRES 630 Arbitration and Hybrid Processes (2)

CRES 631 Research Methodology (3)

CRES 650 Capstone Seminar (2)

The UOCC requires additional information about how courses compliment and build upon each other for a cohesive program.

 

INTL 251 Cooperation, Conflict and Global Resources (4)

(Change title)

INTL 251 Examining the Culture of Capitalism (4)

 

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 website, 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     Proposals must be submitted to the Committee on Courses prior to the beginning of the term in which they are to be considered. Proposals received after the beginning of the term will be deferred to the following term. Departments in the arts and sciences should consult the college for deadline dates.

ü     The following minor course changes may be made without review by the full committee: minor edits of course description, pre- or co-requisites, grading option, and conditions of repeatability. Changes may be submitted in writing directly to the Offices of the Registrar and Creative Publishing, in care of Gayle Freeman(gfreeman@uoregon.edu) and Scott Skelton (sskelton@darkwing.uoregon.edu), respectively. The memorandum should indicate the effective term for the change(s). Note: extensive changes may be referred to the UOCC for review.

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 must be accompanied by full syllabi.

ü     For 4xx/5xx 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     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 complement other group-satisfying courses, and which other courses would be especially suitable for students to take in accompaniment. Approved March 10, 2004.

According to University Senate legislation, courses submitted for group-satisfying status must be submitted to the Intercollege General Education Review Committee.

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

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 not 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 must code the courses correctly and assume enrollment management responsibilities, preauthorizing each student individually, with this option. Approved March 10, 2004.

 

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. The syllabus is the best, most concise description of a course by its teacher available to both prospective students and colleagues. The Committee on Courses uses syllabuses in its review of courses. To maximize the usefulness of a syllabus to students and faculty, it should 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. Position in the curriculum

• Satisfies group requirement? Explain why

• Satisfies multicultural requirement? Explain why

• Satisfies other general-education requirement?

• Satisfies other major or program requirement?

• Preparatory for other courses?

• List prerequisites or other suggested preparation

 

6. Format (lecture, discussion, laboratory)

 

7. Outline of subject and topics explored

 

8. Course materials (texts, books, readings)

 

9. Instructor expectations of students

• Be explicit (by pages assigned, lengths of assignments)

• Level of student engagement expected (see suggested Student Engagement Inventory on following page)

• Readings

• Problems

• Attendance

• Project

• Writing

• Laboratory

• Field work

• Work with electronic media, network, online

• Performance

• Presentation

• Exams

• Differential expected for graduate work for joint 4xx/5xx-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 form when deciding how many SCH units to request for a proposed course. Departments are 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 expect to spend in each of the following activities. The general guideline is that each undergraduate credit should reflect thirty hours of student engagement. Therefore, a 3-credit course would engage students for ninety 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. (Graduate students are expected to perform work of higher quality and quantity, typically with an additional 20–25 percent effort expected.)

 

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
Performance, 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 criterions were proposed by the Undergraduate Council and the College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee. The University Senate approved them in May 2001 by Motion US0001-3 Replacement Motion governing the approval of courses meeting general education requirements and the distribution of courses student must complete within each group.

 

1. Group satisfying courses in Arts and Letters, Social Science, and Science must meet the following general criteria:

1.1. 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 broad in scope and demonstrably liberal in nature (that is, courses that promote open inquiry from a variety of perspectives). 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.

1.2. Group satisfying courses in the social sciences must be liberal in nature rather than being professionally oriented or limited 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 an emphasis on methods and skills will satisfy the requirement only if there is also a substantial and coherent theoretical component.

1.3. Group satisfying courses in the sciences should introduce students to the foundations of one or more scientific disciplines, or should provide an introduction to fundamental methods (such as mathematics) that are widely used in scientific disciplines. Courses should introduce students to the process of scientific reasoning.

 

2. Specific Criteria:

2.1. Group satisfying courses must be numbered at the 100, 200, and 300 levels.

2.2. Lower division courses must be offered annually, and upper division courses at least every other year.

2.3. Approved courses must be at least 4 credits each.

2.4. Upper division group satisfying courses must provide depth and rigor beyond that of typical lower-division general education courses. Departments must justify, in terms of content, workload, and method of instruction, the assignment of a course to the upper level.

2.5. Courses that are offered for majors only are excluded from group status, but courses that are designed for both majors and other students may qualify.

2.6. Although laboratory courses are not automatically excluded from group status in the sciences, to acquire this status, the courses must not focus primarily on techniques or data collection.

 

3. Procedures governing the approval of all courses designed to meet General Education requirements.:

3.1. Before submission to the Senate, such courses proposed by departments must be reviewed at several levels:

3.1.1. By the curricular committees of the various colleges and schools

3.1.2. By an inter-college committee including the members of the CAS Curricular Committee and two representatives appointed by the deans of the others schools and colleges. This second committee is also charged to review such courses as do not meet the standards set in paragraph (2.) and to negotiate a solution with the sponsoring department.

3.1.3. By the University Committee on Courses.

3.2. The inter college committee is authorized to establish procedures governing the review process.

4. Completion of group requirements (student progress):

4.1. Within the full set of courses that fulfills all of the requirements, students may not count

4.1.1. more than one course that has the subject code of the major, or

4.1.2. more than three courses that have the same subject code.

4.2. Within the smaller set of courses that fulfills the requirements of each group, students must complete at least two courses that have the same subject code.

 

 

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 406/407/408/409, 506/507/508/509, 606/607/608/609 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 representative 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, prejudice and tolerance) or explicitly describe and analyze a worldview (i.e., a system of knowledge, feeling, and belief) that is substantially different from those prevalent in the twentieth-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 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 nonhonors 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 or 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 or her major work from several of the disciplines or subject areas in the social sciences (such as sociology, political science, or 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 a discipline that already has a preexisting major or is sponsored by a 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, postsecondary-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. The sponsoring department must provide guidance—a template or check list and the name of an adviser, with notice that the student must consult an adviser to apply for the certificate at least two terms prior to graduation.