Course Approval Requests

Guidelines

Faculty who wish to submit a course for approval to fulfill a University Studies requirement should use the online Submission Form.

To complete the application, the following items need to be included:

1. Master Syllabus. Under the Supporting Materials section, there is a template to be used for the Master Syllabus.  In addition, the Annotated Template provide extenstive instructions on how to complete each section of the Master Syllabus.
2. University Studies Course Rationale statement.  This statement, no longer than 500 words, should describe the general content and goals of the course, the pedagogical approaches and types of assignments and the ways in which the course will attempt to help students meet the University Studies learning outcomes for that Cluster requirement.  This statement is an opportunity for the sponsoring faculty to speak directly about how the course will fit into the Cluster requirement's scope and goals.
3. Faculty and Chair Sponsor Sheet.  This is the only item that will not be submitted electronically, because it requires the signature of the sponsoring faculty and the department chair.  This Sheet describes a set of responsibilities the faculty and chair agree to uphold as part of having an approved University Studies course.
4. Course Catalog Description.  For existing courses, this is the official course description contained in the undergraduate course catalog.  For newly proposed courses, the proposed description can be used.  Faculty are encouraged to update the official catalog description prior to submitting the course here, such that the description is an accurate depiction of the current scope and content of the course.
5. New Course Proposal Form for newly proposed courses.  If faculty are proposing an entirely new course that is simultaneously going through the regular curricular review process, they should upload a copy of the New Course Proposal Form.

When approval requests are submitted, they will receive a preliminary review by the Director of General Education.  Faculty may be contacted by the Director to make changes or provide additional information.  Once cleared by the Director, approval requests will be considered for final approval by the General Education Committee.

Any questions about the approval process should be sent to the Interim Director of General Education, Tom Boone.

Supporting Materials

Master Syllabus Annotated Template Revised  

Faculty and Chair Sponsor Sheet 

Request Deadlines 2011 - 2012

During the 2011-2012 Academic Year, the General Education Committee will be reviewing a particularly large number of approval requests in order to approve a sufficient number of courses for the 2012-2013 Academic Year, when the new curriculum begins.  In order to meet their goals, the Committee has established deadlines for approval requests for the various Cluster requirements that have been designated top priority (these are the requirements that will be in demand among first-year students).  Approval requests for the other Cluster requirements will be considered if time permits.

September 16, 2011: Cluster 1B - Mathematics

September 30, 2011: Cluster 3B - Visual and Performing Arts

October 28, 2011: Cluster 2A - Science of the Natural World

November 25, 2011: Cluster 4A - Human Questions and Contexts

January 27, 2012: Cluster 4B - Nature of US Society; Cluster 4C - Nature of Global Society

March 1, 2012: Cluster 2B - Science in the Engaged Community

Submission Form

CLICK HERE TO SUMBIT AN APPROVAL REQUEST