Proposing a Course for General Education Status
Before submitting a proposal for a course to be granted General Education status, please review the General Education areas and the comprehensive and specific content criteria and well as the important instructional and course policies for GE courses. Proposals that do not reflect these criteria and policies are not approved. All course proposals must clearly show that the course fulfills both the comprehensive GE criteria and specific criteria for the proposed GE area, thus facilitating the outcomes of the overall Program.
The checklist with the appropriate materials must accompany the proposal.
Please note the following before applying for GE status for any course:
Generally, only courses that have been taught at least once are considered for GE status, especially since the process requires a syllabus, an exam and quizzes, and sample assignments.
Most GE courses are introductory and may represent the only course a student studies in a subject. A course approved for General Education must provide a breadth of experience in content and/or in methods in the area(s) in which it is approved. Such breadth is found typically in introductory courses, with course numbers below 100 and generally below fifty.
Titles and course descriptions should also suggest the introductory nature of the course. The syllabus should also reveal the introductory nature of the course, the course's relation to the GE Program, and the specific ways the course fulfills the stated GE criteria, especially in the areas of written and oral communication.
It is appropriate to have some upper-level courses approved for General Education. These courses should contain a breadth of subject matter or application that distinguishes them from other departmental courses offered at the upper level, a fact that should be made clear in the course's title, description, and assignments.
Upper-level courses approved for General Education may have prerequisites, but the prerequisites should also be courses approved for General Education. The prerequisites may be offered by the department or by other departments. As with introductory courses, these courses must also have a syllabus that states the course's relation to the GE Program and the specific ways the course fulfills the stated GE criteria, especially in the areas of written and oral communication.
All General Education courses should have ISIS descriptions that discuss the GE nature of the course, helping students to understand the importance of the GE Program.
Proposals may ask for approval in more than one GE area, but the proposal must address how the course is appropriate for each proposed area. Please be specific and detailed.
All GE courses are reviewed every five years.
Deadlines and Procedures
All proposals for implementation for a spring semester are due by mid-September. For implementation for summer or fall, proposals are due by mid-February. Proposals received after these deadlines will be held for the next review cycle. Packets may be sent either electronically or through campus mail. Only one copy is required; please do not use staples in order to facilitate the duplication of materials.
Departments proposing General Education status for a course should contact Kathryn Hall, 120 Schaeffer Hall, to discuss the General Education Curriculum Committee schedule and agenda.