FINAL FALL 2008 CURRICULUM REPORT
OVERVIEW
The body of this report consists
of two major sections: Course Proposals
reviewed fall 2008 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
2009, unless a specific term is requested by an academic department and stated
otherwise in this report.
The UOCC will consider new
proposals during winter term and will submit a winter quarterly report to the
University Senate in March 2009.
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 Design and Editing Services, 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.
Multicultural
Courses Policy: As part of general education, offerings of
multicultural courses at the 100, 200, and 300 levels need to be available to a
wide spectrum of students from all across the university. Departments wishing
to offer courses to satisfy the multicultural requirement should make these
courses available at the more general 100, 200, or 300 levels whenever
possible, rather than at the more specialized 400 level.
Extended Course Descriptions for
Group-Satisfying Courses: All proposals for courses that
would satisfy a group requirement for general education must include a suitable
extended course description, for use with the course, as specified in senate
legislation:
ÒFor all group-satisfying courses to be offered during a particular
term, faculty members or departments are asked to post electronically, in the
Schedule of Classes, course descriptions that are substantially expanded over
those provided in the catalog. The posted course information should be
understandable to someone unfamiliar with the field and should emphasize the
questions or issues that reveal, by their breadth and significance, why the
course has earned group-satisfying status.Ó (US03/04-8, May 12, 2004)
LOOKING
AHEAD
Academic
Year 2008–9
December
3, 2008: University
Senate considers fall 2008 preliminary report of the University of Oregon
Committee on Courses.
December
17, 2008: Curricular
proposals for consideration in the winter 2009 round must be submitted to the
provostÕs office.
March 11,
2009: University
Senate considers winter 2009 preliminary report of the University of Oregon
Committee on Courses.
March 18,
2009: Curricular
proposals for consideration in the spring 2009 round must be submitted to the
provostÕs office.
May 13,
2009: University
Senate considers spring 2009 preliminary report of the University of Oregon
Committee on Courses.
Members, University of Oregon Committee
on Courses
Voting: Paul
Engelking, Chair Ex officio: Sue
Eveland
Jack
Boss (absent for fall round) John
Crosiar
Emma
Martin Marian
Friestad
Frances
White Scott
Skelton
Shlomo
Libeskind Andrew
Wahlstrom
Jens
Noeckel
Student: Dylan
Corbin Staff: Tami
Oar
Mike
Jefferis
Motion
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. ÒP/N onlyÓ or Ògraded onlyÓ 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. ÒSequenceÓ after the
description means the courses must be taken in numerical order.
College
of Arts and Sciences
AFRICAN
STUDIES
New Courses
(UO administrative action
effective winter 2009)
AFR 196 Field Studies:
[Topic] (1–5R) Pass/no pass only grading
AFR 198 Workshop: [Topic]
(1–5R) Pass/no pass only grading
AFR 199 Special Studies:
[Topic] (1–5R) optional grading
AFR 399 Special Studies:
[Topic] (1–5R) optional grading
AFR 401 Research: [Topic]
(1–12R) Pass/no pass only grading
AFR 403 Thesis: [Topic] (1–12R)
Pass/no pass only grading
AFR 404 Internship: [Topic]
(1–12R) Pass/no pass only grading
AFR 405 Reading and
Conference: [Topic] (1–12R) Pass/no pass only grading
AFR 406 Field Studies:
[Topic] (1–12R) Pass/no pass only grading
AFR 407/507 Seminar:
[Topic] (1–5R) Pass/no pass only grading
AFR 408/508 Workshop:
[Topic] (1–12R) Pass/no pass only grading
AFR 409 Supervised
Tutoring (1–4R) Pass/no pass only grading
AFR 410/510 Experimental
Course: [Topic] (1–5R) optional grading
ANTHROPOLOGY
REINSTATED
COURSES
ANTH
350 Ancient Mesoamerica (4)
The
course will be reinstated effective winter term of 2009
EXISTING
COURSE CHANGES
ANTH 365
Food and Culture (4) Prereq: ANTH 174 or 270, and ANTH 161
(Remove
prerequisite)
ANTH 365 Food and Culture (4) effective summer 2008
ARTS AND
SCIENCES (DeanÕs Office)
New Courses
(UOCC administrative
action)
ARB 399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R) effective
fall 2008
CHEMISTRY
EXISTING
COURSE CHANGES
(Change pre-requisite)
CH 417
Physical Chemistry Lab (4) Prereq: PHYS 204, 205, 206; pre- or coreq: CH 411
CH 417 Physical Chemistry Lab (4)
Pre or coreq: CH 411.
Effective winter 2009
CH 418
Physical Chemistry Lab (4) Prereq: PHYS 204, 205, 206; pre- or coreq: CH 412
CH 418 Physical Chemistry Lab (4)
Pre or coreq: CH 412. Effective winter 2009
CH 419
Physical Chemistry Lab (4) Prereq: PHYS 204, 205, 206; pre- or coreq: CH 413
CH 419 Physical Chemistry Lab (4)
Pre or coreq: CH 413.
Effective winter 2009
COMPUTER
AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
EXISTING
COURSE CHANGES
CIS 313
Introduction to Data Structures (4)
(Changed
Course Title)
CIS
313 Intermediate Data Structures
CIS 315
Introduction to Algorithms (4)
(Changed
Course Title)
CIS
315 Intermediate Algorithms
CIS
413/513 Data Structures (4)
(Changed
Course Title)
CIS
413/513 Advanced Data Structures
GEOGRAPHY
EXISTING
COURSE CHANGES
GEOG
418/518 Fundamentals of Remote Sensing (4) Prereq: GEOG 416/516.
(Change
prerequisite)
GEOG 418/518 Fundamentals of Remote
Sensing (4) Prereq
for 418: GEOG 311; prereq for 518: GEOG 512 or 516.
GEOLOGICAL
SCIENCES
EXISTING
COURSE CHANGES
GEOL 432/532 Paleontology
II: Mesozoic and Cenozoic Marine Fossils (4) Mesozoic and Cenozoic marine
invertebrates. Laboratory exercises on fossil specimens.
(Changed Course
Description, Course Title)
GEOL 432/532 Invertebrate
Paleontology
An overview of the
interpretation and classification of invertebrate fossils, with emphasis on
laboratory exercises and fieldwork.
GEOL 472/572 Aqueous
Geochemistry (4)
(Changed Course Title)
GEOL 472/572
Aqueous-Mineral-Gas Equilibria
GERMAN AND
SCANDINAVIAN
EXISTING
COURSE CHANGES
NORW 101 First-Year
Norwegian (4)
(Changed
Credits/Workload)
NORW 101 First-Year Norwegian (5)
NORW 102 First-Year
Norwegian (4)
(Changed
Credits/Workload)
NORW 102 First-Year Norwegian (5)
NORW 103 First-Year
Norwegian (4)
(Changed
Credits/Workload)
NORW 103 First-Year Norwegian (5)
HUMAN
PHYSIOLOGY
REINSTATED
COURSES
HPHY 676 Human Cardiovascular
Control (4) effective winter 2009
INTERNATIONAL
STUDIES
New
Courses
(UOCC administrative
action)
SWAH 399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)
effective fall 2008
LINGUISTICS
OLD
COURSES DROPPED
LING
162 Nature versus Nurture in Language (4)
New
course LING 202 being added
Previously
satisfied Arts and Letters group requirement.
LING
290 Introduction to Linguistic Analysis (4)
Adding
LING 301, which is more appropriate for level of course.
Previously
satisfied Social Science group requirement.
LING
490/590 Sociolinguistics (4)
Adding
course with overlapping content at 300 level.
NEW
COURSES
(Course
previously taught as 162 in 200702)
LING
202 Language Learning and Change (4) [Graded only for majors] Compares biological and social
factors in explaining how language structure develops and is used by the individual.
Perspectives on language learning and language change.
Approved
to satisfy Arts and Letters group requirement.
(Course
previously taught as 290 in 200703)
LING
301 Introduction to Linguistics Analysis (4) [Graded only for majors] Study of human language and
linguistics as a scientific and humanistic discipline. Lexicon, phonology,
syntax, semantics, language change. Basic analytic techniques for drawing
language generalizations.
Approved
to satisfy Social Science group requirement.
(Course
previously taught as LING 490/590 in 200702)
LING
390 Introduction to Sociolinguistics (4) [Graded only for majors] Language structure and
change relative to social-interpersonal interaction. Dialects, pidgin and
creole development, language death, attitudes toward language variation,
multilingualism. Major theoretical frameworks for sociolinguistics.
Approved
to satisfy Social Science group requirement.
Approved
to satisfy Identity, Pluralism and Tolerance multicultural requirement.
ROMANCE
LANGUAGES
New Courses
(UOCC administrative
action)
PORT 399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R) effective
fall 2008
(UOCC administrative
action effective winter 2009)
RL 605 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–6R)
Graded only for majors.
OLD COURSES DROPPED
FR
361 Francophone Literature and Culture (4)
We do
not require this course for the major or the minor and we do not have adequate
staff to offer it regularly. More or less the same content is offered at the
third-year level in FR303: ÒCulture et langage: identitŽs francophones.Ó It
also overlaps in content with FR 490/590: Ò20th-Century LiteratureÓ and FR 497/597:
ÒFrancophone WomenÕs Writing.Ó
PROFESSIONAL
SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
School of
Architecture and Allied Arts
ART
EXISTING
COURSE CHANGES
ARTR 446/546 Intermediate
and Advanced Relief Printing and Intaglio (4R) Relief printing emphasizes color
techniques, chine colle, wood engraving, monotype. Intaglio includes color
methods with multiple plates and a la poupee. Focuses on personal imagery
development.
(Changed Course
Description, Course Title)
ARTR 446/546
Intermediate and Advanced Printmaking (4R)
Further exploration of
techniques and concepts with emphasis on discussion and creative work. Content
varies by term and may include color methods, chine collŽ, monoprints.
Pre- or coreq: ARTR 346
or 347.
Charles
H. Lundquist College of Business
BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION
NEW
COURSES
(Course previously taught
as 410 in spring 2008)
BA 430 Leadership in
Action (4) P/NP only. Integrates
technical, critical-thinking, communication, leadership, and teamwork skills.
Students complete substantive consulting projects with local nonprofit and
government organizations. Prereq: BA 352.
DECISION
SCIENCES
EXISTING
COURSE CHANGES
(Change Prereq)
DSC 466 Project and
Operations Management (4) Prereq: DSC 340 or 340H
DSC 466 Project and Operations Management Models (4)
Prereq: DSC 335 or 335H. Effective winter 2009.
MANAGEMENT
EXISTING
COURSE CHANGES
MGMT 455 Business
Planning for Entrepreneurs (4) Students research a business opportunity;
produce a professional start-up business plan that includes market analysis,
cash flow analysis, and financial pro formas.
(Changed Course
Description, Course Title)
MGMT 455 Implementing
Entrepreneurial Strategies (4) Focuses
on turning an idea into a serious business venture. Students research new
business opportunities and become skilled in developing business tools and
processes to carry out venture launch strategies. Pre-: ACTG 340, MGMT 335,
MKTG 445.
College
of Education
COUNSELING
PSYCHOLOGY AND HUMAN SERVICES
EXISTING COURSE CHANGES
FHS 329 Child-Family
Issues and Resources (4) Reviews childhood problems using a developmental
framework. Topics address problems across the lifespan with attention to
culture and context. Presents assessment techniques and intervention
procedures.
(Changed Course
Description, Course Title)
FHS 329 Youth
Psychopathology in Context (4) Presents
child and adolescent psychopathology and problems within a diagnostic
framework. Topics address psychosocial issues for youth in family and cultural
contexts.
ADMINISTRATIVE
ACTION
(Change
grading option from optional to P/NP only effective winter 2009)
EDST 338 Observation: Learning
Teaching and Assessment 1
EDST 339 Observation: Learning Teaching
and Assessment 2
EDST 348 Observation: Curriculum
Studies 1
EDST 349 Observation: Curriculum
Studies 2
EDST 429/529 Observation: Equal
Opportunity 1
EDST 459/559 Observation: Equal
Opportunity 2
NEW COURSES
(Course previously taught
as CDS 410/510 in Spring 2008)
ASL 312 American Sign
Language for Educators II (3) [Graded
only for majors] Designed for students who have one term of ASL. Sequence with
ASL 311. Prereq: ASL 311.
Physical
Education and Recreation
NEW
COURSES
(Course previously taught
as 199 in spring 2008)
PEF 205 Pilates Yoga
Fusion (1R) P/NP only. This course
combines Pilates and Yoga techniques to improve balance and flexibility while
building a strong muscular core. R All PE activity classes are
repeatable once.
(Course previously taught
as 399 in spring 2008)
PEF 325 Healthy Weight
Loss (3) For students motivated to
use a lifestyle approach to weight loss. Two hours of both lecture and activity
each week.
(Course previously taught
as 199 in spring 2008)
PEI 101 Disc Golf I
(1R) P/NP only. Learn the
strategies and techniques for this exciting new competitive game. Disc Golf
combines skills/concepts from the games of golf and frisbee. R All PE
activity classes are repeatable once for credit.
(Course previously taught
as 199 in spring 2008)
PEI 102 Disc Golf II
(1R) P/NP only. Learn advanced
skills and strategies for this new game that combines golf concepts and frisbee
throwing skills. Sequence: Disc Golf I Prereq: Disc Golf I R All PE
activity classes are repeatable once for credit.
(Course previously taught
as 399 in spring 2008)
PEI 305 Triathlon (2R)
P/NP only. Learn to manage your
competitive training while improving techniques in swimming, running and
biking. Prereq: Beginning swim, run and biking experience. R All PE
activity courses are repeatable once for credit.
OTHER CURRICULAR
MATTERS
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
Instructional
program leading to minor in queer studies approved. Effective winter 2009.
SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND ALLIED ARTS
The graduate-level ecological
design certificate in architecture and allied arts was approved at the June 6,
2008, meeting of the State Board of Higher Education. Effective date of the
program is fall 2008.
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
The department of Teacher
Education has received approval to change its name from Teacher Education to
the Department of Education Studies, effective Fall Term 2009.
SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION
On
March 10, 2008, the State Board of Higher Education approved a proposal for a master
of arts (M.A.) degree in strategic communication. Effective fall term 2008.
MULTICULTURAL REQUIREMENTS
Students
who participate in University of Oregon sponsored study abroad programs can fulfill
one Category C International Cultures-satisfying course through this
participation in order to meet Multicultural Requirements.
The UO Foreign Study Programs Committee in collaboration with Study Abroad
staff will identify which UO-sponsored programs will meet the International Cultures requirement,
based on the following criteria:
ROMANCE
LANGUAGES
REINSTATED
COURSES
SPAN
497/597 Spanish Women Writers (4) Dropped spring 2005; over allowed
time to reinstate. Requires new course proposal.
PENDING
PROPOSALS
PLANNING,
PUBLIC POLICY AND MANAGEMENT
NEW
COURSES
(Course previously taught as 407/507 in spring 2008)
PPPM 465/565 Program Evaluation (4) Introduction
to the design and implementation of program evaluations.
CoMMUNICATION DISORDERS and sciences
CDS 609 Practicum Externship (1-16)
(Changed Course Title)
CDS 609 Practicum Medical Externship
WITHDRAWN
PROPOSALS
SUBMITTING COURSE PROPOSALS
The Committee on Courses offers
the following reminders:
Ÿ 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 ÒImportant DatesÓ link.
Ÿ 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 Office of the Registrar and to Design and Editing Services, 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.
Ÿ 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.
Ÿ Proposals
for new courses must be accompanied by full syllabi.
Ÿ 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.
Ÿ 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.
Ÿ 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.
Ÿ The UO
Committee on Courses has established the policy that the phrase Òor
instructorÕs consentÓ will not be stated along with any other course
prerequisites. The prerequisites of any course may be overridden by
instructorÕs 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.
ÒInstructorÕs
consentÓ 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.
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. 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, and 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
¥ Incomplete policy
[See Faculty Handbook for other recommendations regarding
university policies.]
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT INVENTORY
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 |
UNDERGRADUATE GENERAL-EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
GROUP-REQUIREMENT POLICIES
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 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.
SUSTAINABLE COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
The 2000–2001 academic years 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 courseÕs 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
personÕs 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.
MULTICULTURAL-CATEGORY
DEFINITIONS
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.
CRITERIA
FOR ADDING AN ÒHÓ SUFFIX TO A COURSE NUMBER
The Committee on Courses has discussed
the criteria for adding an ÒHÓ suffix to a course number and recommends the
following:
The ÒHÓ 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 ÒHÓ suffix
designation:
1. Students enrolling should have a cumulative
GPA of at least 3.30 in their major.
SUGGESTIONS
FOR REVISING DEFINITIONS OF
UNDERGRADUATE
MAJORS, MINORS, CERTIFICATES
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 studentÕs major program broadly
inclusive of work in several of the discipline or subject areas within the
specific division within which the studentÕs 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
Òdepartmental majorÓ 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 studentÕs 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.
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