FINAL WINTER 2006 CURRICULUM REPORT

Passed, as amended, by the University Senate on March 8, 2006

 

 

The body of this report consists of two major sections: Course Proposals reviewed winter 2006 and Other Curricular Matters. Policies and definitions governing group and multicultural general-education requirements are under Other Curricular Matters.

 

Course proposals approved by both the University of Oregon Committee on Courses (UOCC) and the University Senate are effective fall term 2006, 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 2006.

 

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 corequisites, grading option, and conditions of repeatability. Changes may be submitted in writing directly to the Office of the Registrar and Creative Publishing, in care of Mike Jefferis (jefferis@uoregon.edu) and Scott Skelton (sskelton@uoregon.edu). The memorandum should indicate the effective term for the change(s). Note: extensive changes may be referred to the UOCC for review.

 

Courses Not Taught Report: The UOCC has changed the policy of dropping courses not taught within the past three years from the fall curriculum report to the spring curriculum report. This allows the correct listing of courses in the catalog for the following curricular year. The intention for this change is to allow departments a chance to reply earlier and provide a more thoughtful response while still involved in curricular planning and staffing for the next academic year and can best determine which courses they are able to offer.

 

 

March 22, 2006:         Curricular proposals for consideration in the spring round must be submitted to the provost’s office.

May 10, 2006:            University Senate considers spring 2006 preliminary report of the University of Oregon Committee on Courses.

July 2006:                  Publication of 2006–7 University of Oregon Catalog. The changes in the fall report will first appear in this catalog.

September 13, 2006:  Curricular proposals for consideration in the fall round must be submitted to the provost’s office.

November 29, 2006:   University Senate considers fall 2006 preliminary report of the University of Oregon Committee on Courses.

December 20, 2006:   Curricular proposals for consideration in the winter round must be submitted to the provost’s office.

March 14, 2007:        University Senate considers winter 2007 preliminary report of the University of Oregon Committee on Courses.

March 21, 2007:         Curricular proposals for consideration in the spring round must be submitted to the provost’s office.

May 6, 2007:              University Senate considers spring 2007 preliminary report of the University of Oregon Committee on Courses.

 

Members, University of Oregon Committee on Courses

 

Voting:       Paul Engelking, Chair                      Ex officio:        Jack Bennett

                  Jack Boss                                                               Herb Chereck

                  David Boush                                                          John Crosiar

                  John Nicols                                                           Scott Skelton

                  Paul Peppis                                                          

                  Robert Ribe

                                                                                              

Student:     None                                              Staff:               Linda Adkins

                                                                                               Mike Jefferis

 

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

 

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.

 

 

REINSTATED COURSES

 

ANTH 424/524 Feminist Methods in Anthropology (4) Effective winter term 2007.

ANTH 471/571 Zooarchaeology (4) Effective fall term 2006.

 

 

REINSTATED COURSES

 

BI 123 Biology of Cancer (4) Effective fall term 2006.

BI 471/571 Population Ecology (4) Effective fall term 2006.

 

NEW COURSES

 

BI 133 Sensation, Behavior, and Biology (4) An introduction to the biological basis of perception and action in animals including humans, with an emphasis on cellular and molecular mechanisms. Approved to satisfy Group III: Science general-education requirement.

 

(Subject previously taught as BI 410/510)

BI 487/587 Molecular Phylogenetics (4) A critical introduction to the concepts and techniques of modern molecular phylogenetic analysis—the inference of evolutionary relationships from gene sequence data. Prereq: BI 380.

 

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

 

(UOCC Administrative Action)

CIS 110 Concepts of Computing: Information Processing (4)

(Changed Title)

CIS 110 Digital Information Processing (4)

 

(UOCC Administrative Action)

CIS 111 Concepts of Computing: Computers and Computation (4)

(Changed Title)

CIS 111 Web Programming (4)

 

(UOCC Administrative Action)

CIS 122 Concepts of Computing: Algorithms and Programming (4)

(Changed Title)

CIS 122 Introduction to Programming and Algorithms (4)

 

CIS 490/590 Computer Ethics (2)

(Changed Credits)
CIS 490/590 Computer Ethics (4) Effective spring term 2006.

 

CIS 630 Advanced Operating Systems (4)

(Changed Title)
CIS 630 Distributed Systems (4)

 

NEW COURSES

 

(Subject previously taught as EURO 410)

EURO 415/515 European Union History (4) History, institutions, and policy landmarks of European integration since the end of World War II. Introduction to documents and research on history of European communities.

 

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

 

HIST 345 Russia and the Soviet Union (4)

(Changed Title, Description, General-education requirements)
HIST 345 Early Russia (4) Kievan Rus and Byzantium; Christianization; Mongol dominance; rise of Moscow and two Ivans, one Great, one Terrible; crisis of modernization and subsequent religious dissent. Satisfies Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement. Approved to satisfy Group II: Social Science general-education requirement.

 

HIST 346 Russia and the Soviet Union (4)

(Changed Title, Description, General-education requirements)
HIST 346 Imperial Russia (4) Siberian and North American expansion; Peter the Great; Catherine the Great; abolition of serfdom; industrialization; Silver Age culture and revolution; World War I and collapse. Satisfies Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement. Approved to satisfy Group II: Social Science general-education requirement.

 

HIST 347 Russia and the Soviet Union (4)

(Changed Title, Description, General-education requirements)
HIST 347 Soviet Union and Contemporary Russia (4) Examines the rise, development, and collapse of the Soviet Union, the world’s first communist regime. Topics include the Russian Revolution, Stalinism, war, culture, and society. Satisfies Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement. Approved to Satisfy Group II: Social Science general-education requirement.

 

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

 

(UOCC Administrative Action)

LING 602 Supervised College Teaching

(Changed Title)

LING 602 Supervised Teaching (1–5R)

LING 609 Teaching English as a Second Language Practicum (3)

(Changed Title, Repeatability, Credits, Description, Grading options)
LING 609 Practicum: [Topic] (1–8R) [P/NP only.] R thrice for a maximum of 9 credits. Pre- or coreq: LT 445/545 or equivalent.

 

 

NEW COURSES

 

PHIL 120 Ethics of Enterprise and Exchange (4) Moral examination of business by considering the nature of enterprise and exchange. Topics include corporate and consumer responsibility, meaningful work, and leadership. Approved to Satisfy Group I: Art and Letters general-education requirement.

 

 

OLD COURSES DROPPED

 

RUSS 440/540 Russian Phonology and Morphology (4)

 

NEW COURSES

 

(Subject previously taught as RUSS 399)

RUSS 309 Russian through Theater (2–4R) [Graded only for majors] Combined elements of Russian language, literature, and culture learned through participation in a theater production. Credits vary with degree of involvement. Prereq: RUSS 103. R when different theater production is offered.

 

 

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

 

(UOCC Administrative Action)

ARCH 283 Introductory Architectural Design I (6)

(Changed title)

ARCH 283 Architectural Design I (6) [P/NP only] Design studio projects and exercises introducing fundamental concepts and considerations in environmental design. Teaches knowledge and skills needed in subsequent studio and professional course work.

 

(UOCC Administrative Action)

ARCH 284 Introductory Architectural Design II (6)

(Changed title, prerequisite)

ARCH 284 Architectural Design II (6) [P/NP only] Design studio projects and exercises introducing fundamental concepts and considerations in environmental design. Teaches knowledge and skills needed in subsequent studio and professional course work. Prereq: ARCH 283. Pre- or coreq: ARCH 222.

 

(UOCC Administrative Action)

ARCH 383 Intermediate Architectural Design I (6)

(Changed title, prerequisite)

ARCH 383 Architectural Design III (6) [P/NP only] Studio projects for second-year undergraduates. Integration of issues of context, activity support, spatial order, construction, structure, and environmental control. Emphasis on schematic concept formation and subsequent architectural development. Sequence with ARCH 384. Prereq: ARCH 284.

(UOCC Administrative Action)

ARCH 384 Intermediate Architectural Design II (6)

(Changed title, prerequisite)

ARCH 384 Architectural Design IV (6) [P/NP only] Studio projects for second-year undergraduates. Integration of issues of context, activity support, spatial order, construction, structure, and environmental control. Emphasis on schematic concept formation and subsequent architectural development. Prereq: ARCH 383.

 

 

OLD COURSES DROPPED

 

ARH 352 20th-Century Art (4) Previously satisfied Group I: Arts and Letters general-education requirement.

 

NEW COURSES

 

(Subject previously taught as ARH 352)

ARH 353 Modern Art, 1880–1950 (4) [Graded only for majors] Modern art from postimpressionism to abstract expressionism in relation to intellectual and historical developments. Sequence with ARH 354. Approved to satisfy Group I: Arts and Letters general-education requirement. Effective spring term 2006.

 

ARH 354 Art since 1945 (4) [Graded only for majors] Modern and postmodern art from abstract expressionism to the present in relation to intellectual and historical developments. Sequence with ARH 353. Approved to satisfy Group I: Arts and Letters general-education requirement. Effective spring term 2006.

 

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGE

 

PPPM 608 Workshop: Topic (1–16R) [P/NP only.]

(Changed Grading Option)

PPPM 608 Workshop: Topic (1–16R)

 

NEW COURSE

 

PPPM 450/550 Race, Ethnicity, and Social Policy (4) Explores racial and ethnic disparities in social sectors in the United States, including housing, employment, and health; and policy solutions for closing the gaps. Approved to satisfy Category A: American Cultures multicultural requirement.

 

 

 

NEW COURSES

 

CPSY 401 Research (1–5R)

 

 

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

 

DSC 335 Information Technology and Operations Management (4)

(Changed Title)
DSC 335 Operations Management (4)

 

DSC 335H Information Technology and Operations Management (4)

(Changed Title)
DSC 335H Operations Management (4)
 

 

 

OLD COURSES DROPPED

 

MIL 411 Military Science IV (3)

MIL 412 Military Science IV (3)

MIL 413 Military Science IV (3)

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

 

MIL 321 Military Science III (3)

(Changed Credits, Description)
MIL 321 Military Science III (4) Teaches the sixteen leadership dimensions and application to infantry tactics, operation orders, and orienteering. Lectures, laboratory, field training exercises. Pre- or coreq: MIL 223 or equivalent.
 

MIL 322 Military Science III (3)

(Changed Credits, Description)
MIL 322 Military Science III (4) Strengthens individual abilities with experience in marksmanship, drill, and tactics. Lectures, laboratory, field training exercises. Prereq: MIL 223 or equivalent.
 

MIL 323 Military Science III (3)

(Changed Credits, Description)
MIL 323 Military Science III (4) Evaluates leadership abilities in tactical and nontactical settings. Lectures, laboratory, field training exercises. Prereq: MIL 223 or equivalent.

NEW COURSES

 

(Subject previously taught as MIL 199)

MIL 131 Physical Training (1–5R) [P/NP only.] Participatory physical training program that follows the U.S. Army’s physical fitness program. Prepares students for the rigors of military activities through a systematic physical conditioning process.

 

(Subject previously taught as MIL 199)

MIL 141 Ranger Challenge (3R) Course training focuses on basic infantry individual and team skills. Course culminates in squad-sized teams competing against other schools in the region.

(Subject previously taught as MIL 199)

MIL 151 Marauders (3R) Designed to increase student proficiency in tactical leadership skills as well as enhance performance potential at various leadership levels in army operations.

 

(Subject previously taught as MIL 199)

MIL 331 Physical Training (1–5R) [P/NP only.] Emphasizes physical fitness and overall good health. Focus is on the intensity, duration, and frequency of fitness training, resulting in improved health and physical fitness.

 

(Subject previously taught as MIL 411)

MIL 421 Military Science IV (4) [Graded only.] Planning, evaluating, and conducting unit training and practical exercises. Lectures, laboratory, and field training exercises. Prereq: MIL 323 or equivalent.

 

(Subject previously taught as MIL 412)

MIL 422 Military Science IV (4) [Graded only.] Study of judicial and nonjudicial proceedings and administrative actions available to commanders. Lectures, laboratory, and field training exercises. Prereq: MIL 323 or equivalent.

 

(Subject previously taught as MIL 413)

MIL 423 Military Science IV (4) [Graded only.] Duties and responsibilities of a lieutenant; ethical decision making, counseling subordinates, evaluation reports, transition to active duty. Lectures, laboratory, and field training exercises. Prereq: MIL 323 or equivalent.

 

 

 

OLD COURSES DROPPED

 

MUS 167 On the Nature of Music (2)

 

(UOCC Administrative Action)

MUS 357 Celtic Music (4)

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

 

MUE 391 Choral Pedagogy (3R)

(Changed Repeatability, Description)
MUE 391 Choral Pedagogy (3) Introduction to choral music including group vocal technique, fundamentals of choral conducting, ensemble intonation, diction, blend and balance, rhythmic diction, choral score analysis and teaching strategies for the choral conductor. Prereq: MUP 140, MUE 326; coreq: MUS 397.
 

MUE 442/542 Teaching Singing in the Classroom (3)

(Changed Description)
MUE 442/542 Teaching Singing in the Classroom (3) Methods for teaching group vocal technique in the classroom with emphasis on elementary, mid-level, and emerging adult voices. Concentration on development of the adolescent changing voice. Prereq: MUP 274, MUE 391, MUE 413/513, MUS 484/584; coreq: MUS 397/697.
 

MUE 455/555 Jazz and Marching Methods (3)

(Changed Title, Description)
MUE 455/555 Marching Band Methods (3) Teaching methods for secondary school marching bands.
 

MUE 460/560 Violin Pedagogy I: Suzuki Method (3R)

(Changed Description)
MUE 460/560 Violin Pedagogy I: Suzuki Method (3R) Development of skills for teaching beginning violin students using the Suzuki method, its philosophies, and the beginning-book repertoire. Required observation and teaching assignment with Community Music Institute. 
 

MUE 461/561 Violin Pedagogy II: Suzuki Method (3R)

(Changed Description)
MUE 461/561 Violin Pedagogy II: Suzuki Method (3R) Development of skills for teaching violin students using the Suzuki method intermediate-book repertoire. Required observation and teaching assignment with Community Music Institute. Prereq: MUE 460/560.
 

MUE 462/562 Pedagogy Methods: Violin and Viola (2)

(Changed Title, Credits, Description, Repeatability)
MUE 462/562 Violin Pedagogy III: Suzuki Method (3R) Development of skills for teaching violin students using the Suzuki method advanced-book repertoire. Required observation and teaching assignment with Community Music Institute. Prereq: MUE 461/561.
 

MUS 412 Music Theory Review (2-3)

(Changed Credits, Description)
MUS 412 Music Theory Review (2) Review of tonal theory.
 

MUS 687 Performance Practices Before 1800 (3)

(Changed Title, Description)
MUS 687 Performance Practices before 1850 (3) Introduction to theory and practice of sound production, phrasing, historical pronunciation, instrumentation, improvisation, pitch and temperament, and ornamentation in vocal and instrumental music. Sequence with MUS 688.

 

NEW COURSES

 

(Subject previously taught as MUS 407)

MUS 414 Aural Skills Review (2) [P/NP only.] Review of aural skills and sight singing.

 

(Subject previously taught as MUS 407/507)

MUS 457/557 Native American Music (4) Survey of ceremonial, powwow, folk, and contemporary music; women’s musical traditions; Native American film music. Powwow drumming and singing in indigenous languages taught by a Native American. Approved to satisfy Category B: Identity, Pluralism and Tolerance multicultural requirement.

 

(Subject previously taught as MUS 357)

MUS 458/558 Celtic Music (4) Explores music and culture of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Brittany. History, culture, and modern and old performance styles studied. Approved to satisfy Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement.

 

(Subject previously taught as MUS 407/507)

MUS 459/559 African Music (4) Authentic musical instruments, repertoire, and recordings illustrate how different societies use music to express identity in a contemporary and ever-changing Africa. Traditional and recent popular styles. Approved to satisfy Category C: International Cultures multicultural requirement.

 

MUS 462/562 Popular Musics in the African Diaspora (4) Examines social and historical contexts of popular musics in the African diaspora from the 20th century on. Geographic focus is North America, the Caribbean, and Africa. Approved to satisfy Category B: Identity, Pluralism and Tolerance multicultural requirement.

 

MUS 688 Performance Practices before 1850 (3) Introduction to theory and practice of sound production, phrasing, historical pronunciation, instrumentation, improvisation, pitch and temperament, and ornamentation in vocal and instrumental music. Sequence with MUS 687.

 

 

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

 

PEAS 381 Scuba: Dive Master I (2)

(Changed Credits)
PEAS 381 Scuba: Dive Master I (1–2)

 

PEAS 382 Scuba: Dive Master II (2)

(Changed Credits)
PEAS 382 Scuba: Dive Master II (1–2)

 

NEW COURSES

 

(Subject previously taught as PEAS 399)

PEAS 380 Scuba: Underwater Photography (1R) [P/NP only.] Advanced diving skills and photographic technique, planning, organization, procedures, problems, hazards, and enjoyment of underwater still photography in a safe and supervised environment. Prereq: PEAS 368.

 

(Subject previously taught as PEMA 199, 399)

PEMA 214 Italian Long Sword (1R) [P/NP only.] Skills, techniques, knowledge, and history of 15th-century Italian sword play. Improve fitness, self-confidence, discipline, and respect for others in a safe learning environment.

 

(Subject previously taught as PERU 199)

PERU 101 Fitness Walking (1R) [P/NP only.] Learn proper walking form, increase cardio endurance, and acquire knowledge to organize workout programs. Students experience various walking routes in the campus area.

 

(Subject previously taught as PETS 199)

PETS 101 Bocce Ball (1R) [P/NP only.] Learn pointing, blocking, spocking; offensive and defensive strategies; scoring, safety, rules, and etiquette that combine for a fun environment for learning this ancient game.

 

(Subject previously taught as PETS 199)

PETS 111 Flag Football (1R) [P/NP only.] Throwing, catching, running, cutting, pulling flags; strategies and techniques; offense, defense, game rules, and ground rules that create a safe and fun playing experience.

 

 

 

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.

 

School of Law

 

The Oregon University System has approved a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Environmental and Natural Resources Law.  Effective fall term 2006.

 

College of Education

 

The Oregon University System has approved the request to terminate the Early Intervention major in the College of Education. Effective fall term 2006.

 

 

 

NEW COURSE

 

TA 213 Theater Production III (2) Introduction to costume execution skills, including basic hand and machine sewing techniques, measurements, and fabric identification. The department will use an experimental course number for this course until they hire a new faculty member to teach both components of TA 212.

 

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

 

CDS 609 Practicum Speech & Language (1-9)

(Changed Title)
CDS 609 Practicum Speech, Language, Hearing The UOCC determined the title change was unnecessary.

 

 

NEW COURSE

 

(Subject previously taught as MUE 462/562 alternate years)

MUE 463/563 Pedagogy Methods: Violin and Viola (2) Principles and techniques of violin and viola teaching selected from the pedagogical approach of Flesch, Galamian, Dounis, Rolland. Straka, Lucktenberg. Requires additional information regarding undergraduate-graduate differential for demonstrating mastery.

 

EXISTING COURSE CHANGES

 

BA 352 Leadership and Communication (4)

(Changed Description)
BA 352 Leadership and Communication (4) Personal leadership and communication skills. Course focuses on self-awareness for leading, persuading, and working with others; effective business writing and speaking; and team development. The changes to the description were minor and did not need to be reviewed by the UOCC.

 

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 by contacting the appropriate college curriculum coordinator for each individual professional school or college. Proposals submitted on old forms will be returned, without review, to academic departments, schools, or colleges. 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. All departments should consult their college curriculum coordinator for deadline dates or go to http://uocurriculum.uoregon.edu/ and click the “Important Dates” link.

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 Mike Jefferis (jefferis@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.