General Education Review Committee Agenda

Transcription

1 General Education Review Committee Agenda I. Call to Order 12:30-1:30 October 19, 2012 ADM 204 Roll ( )Vacant UAB ( ) Vacant UAB ( ) Utpal Dutta UAB/SOE ( ) Kevin Keating UAB/Library ( ) Kathryn UAB Hollis-Buchanan ( ) Vacant Natural & Physical Sciences ( ) Vacant CAS Humanities ( ) Len Smiley CAS Quantitative Skills ( ) Shawnalee Whitney CAS Oral Communication ( ) Walter Olivares CAS Fine Arts ( ) Robert Capuozzo COE ( ) Donald Ketner CTC ( ) Sandra Pence COH/Chair ( ) Kyle Hampton CBPP Social Sciences ( ) Sheri Denison Mat-Su Written Communication ( ) Dave Fitzgerald UAB Ex officio/uab Chair ( ) Susan Kalina UAB Ex officio/oaa ( ) Vacant Student II. Approval of Agenda (pg. 1) III. Approval of Summary (pg. 2-3) IV. Report from Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs Susan Kalina V. Chair s Report Sandra Pence VI. Course Action Requests Chg SOC A488 Capstone Seminar (3 cr)(3+0)(pg. 4-9) VII. Old Business A. Timeline for general education category/discipline area catalog copy review/revision (pg. 10) Motion: General education Tier 1 and Tier 2 category areas will review, and revise as needed, their respective sections of the general education catalog copy. The reviewed areas include each category s discipline description and outcomes that precede each category s course listing. The updated catalog copy for each GER category should be completed by the end of the Fall 2013 semester so they can available for university-wide faculty review during the Spring 2014 semester and then submitted to the appropriate initial curriculum committee at the beginning of the Fall 2014 semester. B. Review BOR policy and/or regulations related to general education (pg ) VIII. IX. New Business Informational Items and Adjournment 1

2 General Education Review Committee Summary I. Call to Order 12:30-1:30 October 12, 2012 ADM 204 Roll ( )Vacant UAB ( ) Vacant UAB (x) Utpal Dutta UAB/SOE (e) Kevin Keating UAB/Library (x) Kathryn UAB Hollis-Buchanan ( ) Vacant Natural & Physical Sciences ( ) Vacant CAS Humanities ( ) Len Smiley CAS Quantitative Skills (x) Shawnalee Whitney CAS Oral Communication (e) Walter Olivares CAS Fine Arts (x) Robert Capuozzo COE (x) Donald Ketner CTC (x) Sandra Pence COH/Chair (e) Kyle Hampton CBPP Social Sciences (x) Sheri Denison Mat-Su Written Communication (x) Dave Fitzgerald UAB Ex officio/uab Chair (x) Susan Kalina UAB Ex officio/oaa ( ) Vacant Student II. Approval of Agenda (pg. 1) Approved III. Approval of Summary (pg. 2-3) Approved IV. Report from Vice Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs Susan Kalina No Report V. Chair s Report Sandra Pence Dana Thomas spoke at Faculty Senate last week. Sandy mentioned to him that GERC is interested in talking with the other MAUs regarding general education VI. Course Action Requests VII. Old Business A. Timeline for general education category/discipline area catalog copy review/revision (pg. 4) Sandy color coded similar categories on the timeline Discussion took place on the process of reviewing and approving changes Motion: General education Tier 1 and Tier 2 category areas will review, and revise as needed, their respective sections of the general education catalog copy. The reviewed areas include each category s discipline description and outcomes that precede each category s course listing. The updated catalog copy for each GER category should be completed by the end of the Fall 2013 semester so they can available for university-wide faculty review during the Spring 2014 semester and then submitted to the appropriate initial curriculum committee at the beginning of the Fall 2014 semester. Motion is postponed until next meeting 2

3 VIII. IX. New Business A. Review BOR policy and/or regulations related to general education (pg. 5-12) Discussed section C. Assumptions Regarding General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees Discussed other changes to the BOR policies Informational Items and Adjournment 3

4 Course Action Request University of Alaska Anchorage Proposal to Initiate, Add, Change, or Delete a Course 1a. School or College AS CAS 1b. Division ASSC Division of Social Science 1c. Department SOC 2. Course Prefix SOC 6. Complete Course Title Capstone Seminar 3. Course Number A Previous Course Prefix & Number NA 5a. Credits/CEUs 3.0 5b. Contact Hours (Lecture + Lab) (3+0) Abbreviated Title for Transcript (30 character) 7. Type of Course Academic Preparatory/Development Non-credit CEU Professional Development 8. Type of Action: Add or Change or Delete If a change, mark appropriate boxes: Prefix Course Number Credits Contact Hours Title Repeat Status Grading Basis Cross-Listed/Stacked Course Description Course Prerequisites Test Score Prerequisites Co-requisites Other Restrictions Registration Restrictions Class Level College Major Other update CCG (please specify) 9. Repeat Status No # of Repeats Max Credits 10. Grading Basis A-F P/NP NG 11. Implementation Date semester/year From: Spr/2013 To: 9999/ Cross Listed with Stacked with Cross-Listed Coordination Signature 13a. Impacted Courses or Programs: List any programs or college requirements that require this course. Please type into fields provided in table. If more than three entries, submit a separate table. A template is available at Impacted Program/Course Catalog Page(s) Impacted Date of Coordination Chair/Coordinator Contacted 1. Sociology BA, BS 87, 132, 485 4/18/12 J. Riley Initiator Name (typed): K. Pfeiffer Initiator Signed Initials: Date: 13b. Coordination Date: 8/31/12 submitted to Faculty Listserv: (uaa-faculty@lists.uaa.alaska.edu) 13c. Coordination with Library Liaison Date: 8/31/ General Education Requirement Oral Communication Written Communication Quantitative Skills Humanities Mark appropriate box: Fine Arts Social Sciences Natural Sciences Integrative Capstone 15. Course Description (suggested length 20 to 50 words) Overview of the discipline emphasizing synthesis of theory and research, critical reflection and evaluation, and recent developments in sociology with social action. Particular emphasis will be given to the integration of sociology with other social sciences. 16a. Course Prerequisite(s) (list prefix and number) (SOC A361 and SOC A402) with minimum grades of C. 16b. Test Score(s) 16c. Co-requisite(s) (concurrent enrollment required) 16d. Other Restriction(s) College Major Class Level 16e. Registration Restriction(s) (non-codable) Completion of all GER Tier 1 (basic college level skills) courses and senior standing 17. Mark if course has fees 18. Mark if course is a selected topic course 19. Justification for Action To modify minimum grades for prerequisite courses and update CCG. Initiator (faculty only) K. Pfeiffer Initiator (TYPE NAME) Approved Disapproved Approved Disapproved Department Chairperson Curriculum Committee Chairperson Date Date Date Approved Disapproved Approved Disapproved Approved Disapproved Dean/Director of School/College Date Undergraduate/Graduate Academic Date Board Chairperson Provost or Designee Date 4

5 I. Date of Initiation: Spring 2013 COURSE CONTENT GUIDE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Sociology Department II. III. Course Information Course Subject/ Number: SOC A488 Credits and Contact Hours: 3.0 Credits, 3+0 Contact Hours Course Title: Capstone Seminar Grading Basis: A F Course Description: Overview of the discipline emphasizing synthesis of theory and research, critical reflection and evaluation, and recent developments in sociology with social action. Particular emphasis will be given to the integration of sociology with other social sciences. Prerequisites: (SOC A361 and SOC A402) with minimum grades of C. Co-requisites: None Other Restrictions: Completion of all GER Tier 1 (basic college-level skills) courses and senior standing Instructional Goals and Student Learning Outcomes A. Instructional Goals: 1. Present overarching issues with which sociologists have struggled and how these questions have been framed regarding the nature of social life, about what holds society together and what tears it apart, about order and conflict, stability and change. 2. Demonstrate synthesis and evaluation of credible answers to sociological questions including competing explanations from within sociology, as well as from other disciplines such as psychology. 3. Demonstrate evaluative explanation through empirical testing within the context of the fundamental questions of sociology and other ways of knowing. 4. Demonstrate connections among disparate areas in sociology: bridges among sociological specialties, theoretical emphases, and practical experience, as well as interdisciplinary topics in psychology and other social sciences. 5

6 B. Student Learning Outcomes: Student Learning Assessments Outcomes 1.Integrate 1. Educational Testing sociological Service (ETS) knowledge through Sociology Major Field the discussion of Exam (majors only). disciplinary Individualized learning foundations in contracts and philosophy, history, personalized short and economics, and long term goals psychology and how this knowledge may apply to immediate experience. 2. Demonstrate critical analysis skills with regard to social science research, social policy, and world events. 3. Demonstrate job related skills, including quantitative and qualitative research skills. 2. Papers, writing assignments, graded group discussions. 3. Resumes, student portfolios, community based service-learning projects, research projects and presentations. Capstone Criteria Knowledge Integration. Critical Thinking Quantitative Perspectives Effective Communication Information Literacy Effective Communication Information Literacy Quantitative Perspectives IV. Guidelines for Evaluation Letter Grades (A-F) will be calculated based upon performance in activities such as writing assignments, graded class discussions, the ETS Major Field Exam, student portfolios, community service-learning activities, research projects, and other activities as outlined in the course syllabus. V. Course Level Justification This course requires both 300 and 400 level prerequisites (SOC A361 - Research Methods and SOC A402 - Theories of Sociology.) VI. Capstone Justification A major goal of this course is the integration of Tier I and Tier II GER courses, with regard to knowledge integration, effective communication, critical thinking, information literacy, and quantitative perspectives. Knowledge Integration: This is an overall goal of the course. Sociology s relationship to other social sciences is considered in the broader context of human history and knowledge. 6

7 Effective Communication: Course activities focus specifically on effective communication through written assignments, small group discussions and presentations. Critical Thinking: Another key goal of the course, with particular emphasis on the process of empirical social criticism and the role of ideologies in the shaping of public opinion. Information Literacy: Students are expected to achieve and demonstrate a full range of computer, library and Internet skills for acquiring information. Quantitative Perspectives: Since Sociology considers itself an empirical discipline, students are expected to demonstrate quantitative research skills appropriate to graduating social science majors. Research projects, community-based service learning projects, and ETS testing should reflect these skills. VII. Topical Course Outline A. Sociological Paradigms a. Functionalism b. Conflict Theory c. Symbolic Interactionism d. Foundations of Contemporary Theory B. Other Models of Human Behavior a. Economic Models of Human Behavior b. Psychological Models of Human Behavior c. Biological Models of Human Behavior d. Non-scientific Models of Human Behavior C. Contemporary Theories a. Exchange Theory b. Dramaturgy/Ethnomethodology c. Rational Choice Theory d. Phenomenological Sociology e. Feminist Theory f. Post-Modern Theories D. Reviewing Methodologies a. Quantitative Methods b. Qualitative Methods c. Triangulation d. Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Methods E. Applications a. Social Problems b. Social Policy c. Social Research d. Social Change F. Jobs That Utilize Sociological/Behavioral Science Skills a. Human Services and Social Welfare b. Education c. Research d. Business 7

8 e. Arts and Entertainment f. Justice and Law Enforcement G. The Question of Post-Graduate Study a. Which school and why b. Teaching and research assistantships c. Application process H. Sociological Imagination and Social Conscience a. Social activism b. Social action research c. Morality and Society VIII. Suggested Texts Berger, Peter L Adventures of an Accidental Sociologist: How to Explain the World Without Becoming A Bore. New York: Prometheus Books. Charon, Joel M The Meaning of Sociology. 9th Edition. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Schwalbe, Michael The Sociologically Examined Life. 4 th Edition. New York: McGraw Hill. XI. Bibliography Babbie, Earl The Practice of Social Research. 12 th Edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Cengage. Booth, Wayne C., Colomb, Gregory G. and Joseph M. Williams The Craft of Research. 3 rd Edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Collins, Randall Sociological Insight: An Introduction to Non-Obvious Sociology. 2 nd Edition, New York: Oxford University Press. The Economist, print or online. This is a news journal also available at local bookstores and Costco. Student subscriptions are available at Ferguson, Susan J Mapping the Sociological Landscape: Readings in Sociology. 6th Edition, Boston: McGraw-Hill. Goffman, Erving Asylums: Essays on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates. New York: Anchor Books. Goffman, Erving (1961). Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. New York: Touchstone Books. Hechter, Michael and Christine Horne (eds.) Theories of Social Order: A Reader. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Lemert, Charles Social Theory: The Multicultural and Classic Readings. 4 th Edition, Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Maslow, A. H Toward A Psychology of Being. 3 rd Edition. New York: Wiley. 8

9 Mills, C. Wright (1959). The Sociological Imagination. New York: Oxford University Press. Skinner, B. F (1971). Beyond Freedom and Dignity. New York: Hackett Publishing 9

10 Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Fall 2013 Spring 2014 Fall 2014 Spring 2015 Establish time line and send to UAB/Faculty Senate for approval Notify disciplines of need for update/revision of their catalog preamble (description and course outcomes) Discipline areas review current outcomes during assessment process re: applicability and assessabilty GERA Task Force researches GER assessment methods Discipline areas revise/update catalog copy (description and course outcomes) as needed GERA Task Force reports to faculty on recommended GER assessment process Establish GER Outcome Committee University-wide coordination for input on proposed changes to catalog copy GER Outcome Committee begins review/revision of current GER outcomes New catalog copies go through curriculum process University-wide coordination for revised GER outcomes GER assessment plan developed Revised GER Outcomes go through curriculum process GER assessment implementation process is started. 10

11 Notes from last year: a General Education Requirements Discuss goals and objectives vs outcomes approach b General Education Coursework Transfer Needs clarification: i. Does this mean a student enrolled at one university can GER shop at other universities to find courses he/she would prefer to take over courses required by the university in which the student is enrolled? (e.g. MATH F103X vs MATH A107) ii. Transfer of COMPARABLE courses is not an issue. Here is the list of BOR Policy and Regulation that GERC has been asked to review and categorize: RED: YELLOW: GREEN: Policies which are incorrect or out-of-date and need to be revised. Policies which may require a detailed examination at a later time after dealing with the RED category. Policies which do not need to be changed. BOR website: Expectations: Teaching and Learning Expectations: Curriculum Academic Program Integration Degree and Certificate Program Approval Credit Hour Requirements for Degree and Certificate Programs General Education Requirements Discipline Course and Credit Hour Requirements Transfer of Credit General Education Coursework Transfer Part C Degree and Certificate Credit Transfer Non-Traditional Learning Developmental and Remedial Education 11

12 Evaluation of Student Performance and Course Level Definitions Academic Calendar Inter-Institutional Delivery of Courses and Programs Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) REGENTS POLICY PART IX ACADEMIC POLICY Chapter Student Affairs; General Provisions P Expectations: Teaching and Learning. A. The university will provide a faculty that: 1. is actively involved in curriculum development and refinement; 2. is proficient and current in the subject matter; 3. uses effective teaching and learning strategies; 4. is available for consultation; 5. works cooperatively with students and colleagues; and 6. works to instill in each student a life-long joy of learning. B. Students will: 1. meet the prerequisites for courses in which they enroll; 2. participate in course activities to the best of their abilities; 3. invest the time and effort demanded by course requirements; and 4. work cooperatively with faculty and colleagues. ( ) P Expectations: Curriculum. A. The university will: 12

13 1. design and implement a curriculum of high quality that is current, responsive to student and community needs, consistent with the university's mission, meets accreditation standards when applicable in accordance with P , and is within the limits of facilities, resources, and personnel; 2. provide accurate and available statements of program and other academic requirements; 3. offer courses on a schedule and sequence that permit students to complete a degree or certificate within the time specified by the program; and 4. provide knowledgeable advisors to help students identify appropriate courses and possible vocational options. B. Students will: 1. seek advice from faculty and staff who are knowledgeable about program and other academic requirements; 2. be familiar with program and other academic requirements; 3. be familiar with the course schedule and sequence and plan a program of study accordingly; and 4. undertake a manageable course load. ( ) REGENTS POLICY PART X ACADEMIC POLICY Chapter Admission and Graduation Requirements P Academic Program Integration. A. The University of Alaska will endeavor to provide access for the citizens of the state to a broad array of instructional programs and to facilitate student progress toward achievement of academic goals. To provide access without unnecessary duplication of programs, each MAU will have the responsibility of serving both local and statewide constituencies. Each MAU will contribute to the integrated instructional program of the university through practices such as: 1. sharing intellectual and material resources; 2. collaboration among units in teaching, research/creative activity, and public service; 13

14 3. establishing common curricula or reciprocity agreements for meeting general education core requirements and core requirements for similar academic degrees and certificates; 4. coordinated planning to assure orderly and efficient changes in educational programs in response to shifts in the needs of the state and its people; and 5. employing alternative delivery methods where academically appropriate and cost effective to improve educational opportunities. B. The faculty and academic officers of the university will be collectively responsible for establishing and maintaining procedures to affect these practices, in accordance with applicable regents policy and university regulation. P Degree and Certificate Program Approval. All program additions, deletions, major revisions, or the offering of existing programs outside the State of Alaska, requires approval by the board. The board delegates approval authority of occupational endorsements and workforce credentials to the president. ( ) P Credit Hour Requirements for Degree and Certificate Programs. A. The minimum number of credits that may be required by a degree or certificate program will be, for each level: Occupational Endorsement Certificate Associate degree Bachelor's degree Master's degree Graduate Certificate Post-Baccalaureate Certificate 9 credits 30 credits 60 credits 120 credits 30 credits 12 credits 24 credits B. The maximum number of credits that may be required by a degree or certificate program will be, for each level: Occupational Endorsement Certificate Associate degree Bachelor's degree Master's degree Graduate Certificate Post-Baccalaureate Certificate 29 credits 60 credits 75 credits 132 credits 45 credits 29 credits 60 credits 14

15 C. The actual number of credits required for each degree and certificate, including prerequisites for required courses, will be specified in the current catalog of each university or community college. D. The president may make exceptions to minimum or maximum credit hours for individual programs on the recommendation of the appropriate MAU faculty senate and chancellor. E. Non-credit only workforce credentials have no minimum or maximum number of continuing education units or contact hours. F. While no minimum or maximum credit hours are required for the doctorate, a student is expected to be affiliated with the university for at least two years and complete all requirements for the degree within ten years. ( ) P General Education Requirements. University general education requirements will provide a nucleus of a broad cultural background that includes a critical awareness of the human heritage, of the challenging requirements and opportunities of the present and future, and of the complexities and possibilities of the human mind and personality. Each MAU will have a common core of general education requirements consisting of a minimum of 34 credits of coursework distributed among categories as described in the accompanying university regulation. This core will be the minimal requirements for the general education curriculum for baccalaureate degrees. The definitions of distribution categories for the common core of general education requirements and the distribution of credit among these categories will be established by university regulation, following review by the faculty and the MAU chief academic officers and the recommendation of the chancellors. Comment [SP1]: Set of assessable general education outcomes? (output oriented instead of input oriented) P Discipline Course and Credit Hour Requirements. Courses and credit hour requirements will be established by each MAU for each degree and certificate program approved by the board and will be published in current catalogs. P Transfer of Credit. A. To serve students who obtain their college education from two or more institutions, the university will provide transfer processes that: 1. enhance the ability of students to achieve their educational goals; 2. expand student access to the educational opportunities in the university ; and 3. recognize the distinction and maintain the integrity of individual degree programs. B. It is in the interest of both the student and the university that its universities accept in 15

16 transfer as much credit as is appropriate to the student's new degree and graduation requirements. To further facilitate student ability to benefit from the range of academic offerings available within the university system, the maximum articulation possible among degree and certificate programs will be sought. Information on course transfer and articulation among the programs of the universities and community colleges will be published in their catalogs. P General Education Coursework Transfer. A. The general education requirements for each university and community college will include a common core of coursework constructed in part to facilitate transfer of general education credit among the universities and community colleges. B. A student who has completed the general education requirements at one university system university or community college and transfers to another system university or community college will be considered to have completed the general education requirements at all University of Alaska universities and community colleges. C. A student who has completed some of the general education requirements at one university system university or community college will have those credits count toward fulfillment of the same categories of general education requirements outlined in the common core at all University of Alaska universities and community colleges. This applies even if there is no directly matching coursework at the institution to which the student transfers. This statement will be published in each university and community college catalog. P Degree and Certificate Credit Transfer. A. Articulation agreements developed for transfer of credit between universities to meet degree or certificate requirements or for joint delivery of similar programs will be approved by the appropriate chancellors. They will be made readily available to advisers and students. B. Admission of students to degree and certificate programs will be subject to completion of appropriate prerequisites, to timely completion of application procedures, and to space availability. C. Students will fulfill the graduation requirements of the university and the requirements of the certificate or degree program from which they expect to graduate. D. University system universities and community colleges are encouraged to develop degree programs that build upon a student's prior experience. Such degrees may include: 16

17 1. associate of applied science degrees, which build upon a student's previous training, or 2. baccalaureate programs, which build upon certificate and associate programs. P Non-Traditional Learning. Each MAU, in recognition of the validity of credit for experiential learning, credit for prior learning, and credit by examination, may provide students the opportunity to apply for such credit in subjects which fall within the institution's regular curriculum. P Developmental and Remedial Education. To assist students in the successful completion of their educational goals, universities and community colleges of the University of Alaska will make available developmental and remedial courses in basic skills. P Evaluation of Student Performance and Course Level Definitions. The university will establish in university regulation a common grading system and course level definitions applicable across the university system to use in the evaluation of student performance. Student grade point averages will also be computed by a common methodology established in university regulation. ( ) P Academic Calendar. The academic calendar for each university campus will provide for a fall and spring semester of not less than fifteen weeks of instruction, which may include examination days. Class schedules must provide for a minimum of 750 minutes of instruction per credit hour. P Inter-Institutional Delivery of Courses and Programs. A. The MAUs will cooperate in the establishment and delivery of educational courses and programs to promote access to a quality education, minimize ineffective duplication of effort, and ensure the effective use of university resources. Inter-MAU use of faculty expertise, specialized equipment, and library collections will be promoted and collaboration with other colleges and universities will be sought. B. Each MAU will develop rules and procedures to provide students opportunities for academic advising prior to registration. These rules and procedures will be reviewed by 17

18 the university s chief academic officers collectively in order to promote maximum facilitation and coordination of systemwide advising. C. Procedures governing the development and sharing of courses and programs will be outlined in university regulation. 18

19 UA Board of Regents (Excerpted ) P General Education Requirements. University general education requirements will provide a nucleus of a broad cultural background that includes a critical awareness of the human heritage, of the challenging requirements and opportunities of the present and future, and of the complexities and possibilities of the human mind and personality. Each MAU will have a common core of general education requirements consisting of a minimum of 34 credits of coursework distributed among categories as described in the accompanying university regulation. This core will be the minimal requirements for the general education curriculum for baccalaureate degrees. The definitions of distribution categories for the common core of general education requirements and the distribution of credit among these categories will be established by university regulation, following review by the faculty and the MAU chief academic officers and the recommendation of the chancellors. P General Education Coursework Transfer. A. The general education requirements for each university and community college will include a common core of coursework constructed in part to facilitate transfer of general education credit among the universities and community colleges. B. A student who has completed the general education requirements at one university system university or community college and transfers to another system university or community college will be considered to have completed the general education requirements at all University of Alaska universities and community colleges. C. A student who has completed some of the general education requirements at one university system university or community college will have those credits count toward fulfillment of the same categories of general education requirements outlined in the common core at all University of Alaska universities and community colleges. This applies even if there is no directly matching coursework at the institution to which the student transfers. This statement will be published in each university and community college catalog. R General Education Requirements. A. Categories for the Common Core of General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees 1. Oral Communication Skills Courses that fulfill this requirement are those which emphasize the acquisition of English language skills in orally communicating ideas in an organized fashion through instruction accompanied by practice. 19

20 2. Written Communication Skills Courses that fulfill this requirement are those which emphasize the acquisition of English language skills in organizing and communicating 3. Quantitative Skills Courses that fulfill this requirement are those which emphasize the development and application of quantitative problem-solving skills as well as skills in the manipulation and/or evaluation of quantitative data. 4. Natural Sciences Courses that fulfill this requirement are those that provide the student with broad exposure and include general introduction to the theory, methods, and disciplines of the natural sciences. 5. Humanities Courses that fulfill this requirement are those that provide the student with an introduction to the visual arts and performing arts as academic disciplines as opposed to those that emphasize acquisition of skills. General humanities courses introduce the student to the humanistic fields of language, arts, literature, history, and philosophy within the context of their traditions. 6. Social Sciences Courses that fulfill this requirement are broad survey courses which provide the student with exposure to the theory, methods, and data of the social sciences. B. Credit Distribution for the Common Core of the General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees Written Communication Skills 6 credits minimum Oral Communication Skills 3 credits minimum Humanities/Social Sciences 15 credits minimum at least 3 credits in the arts at least 3 credits in general humanities at least 6 credits in the social sciences, from 2 different disciplines Quantitative Skills/Natural Sciences 10 credits minimum at least 3 credits in mathematics at least 4 credits in the natural sciences, including a laboratory Total 34 credits minimum 20

21 C. Assumptions Regarding General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees 1. All credits must be at 100 level or above. 2. Most requirements will be fulfilled at the 100 or 200 level. In some cases, upper division courses may meet the criteria. 3. Credit may be counted towards general education or a degree major requirement, but not both. 4. General education requirements may extend beyond the 34 credit minimum described by the common core outlined in this Regulation. 21