FYS Proposal Guide_ Updated Fall 2024

We strongly recommend that you read this guide prior to entering the curriculum portal to enter your course proposal. It will also be valuable to have this guide at hand while entering your proposal to ensure that you have thoroughly addressed all the needed information. Proposals that do not include all of the required criteria will be returned for revision. If at any time you are not sure or have a question, you should contact the General Education office for assistance.

Propose a First Year Seminar topic

First Year Seminar proposals are a special type of General Education proposal in which a faculty or staff member proposes to teach a particular topic in either a Writing-focused or Quantitative-focused seminar. The basic course structure already exists, the proposal is to describe how the particular topic or theme addresses all of the required elements of the course.

First Year Seminar topic proposals are due by the first Tuesday in November. Approved topics are included in the General Education program for three years, starting with the following academic year. For example, a topic proposal approved in fall term 2021 would be eligible to be taught during the 2022 – 23, 2023 – 24 and 2024 – 25 academic years.

First Year Seminar topic proposals originate with the faculty or staff member making the proposal and are directly reviewed by the General Education Committee. The topic proposals do not need approval at the department/program or division level and are not reviewed by the division or university Curriculum Committee.

Special Note: Scheduling of First Year Seminars:

Approved FYS sections should be included in your department’s or program’s course schedule. The General Education Program does not control scheduling of FYS sections. You will be free to choose days and times that work in the context of your department’s or program’s needs and preferences. The scheduling information provided here is for General Education planning and advising purposes. Staff members proposing FYS who would like assistance scheduling an FYS should contact the General Education Director for assistance.

Step-by-Step proposal preparation and submission instructions for First Year Seminar proposals

Has this topic been taught before?

If you are requesting renewal of a course you have previously taught, you will be asked to respond to some additional questions that reflect on that prior experience.

If this a new topic, prior to beginning a First Year Seminar topic proposal, identify whether you intend to propose a Writing-Focused topic (FYS 107) or a Quantitative-Focused topic (FYS 207). You will be required to articulate how your proposed topic section will require either writing or quantitative practice and the General Education Committee will recommend revision and resubmission of proposals in which the alignment is not clear.

Section Title:

Provide a title for inclusion in General Education advising materials. This is a critical part of your proposal. Your course will be listed alongside tens of other FYS 107 and FYS 207 offerings. Your title should let students know what kinds of topics they will address or inquire about in language that is evocative and as broadly appealing as possible. If your course will engage students in particular kinds of inquiry, or activity, try to convey that in your title as well

Examples:

A Paradise Built in Hell: Writing in a Changing Climate

What’s the Worst that Could Happen? Why we Love Dystopian Stories

Science or Snake Oil: What’s Real and What’s Not in Health Care

Term(s) and Year(s) to be Offered:

First Year Seminar topics may be proposed for potential inclusion in the General Education program for three years before you need to reapply, although depending on the number of proposals, the General Education program may not be able to offer all seminars as many times as proposers suggest.  Identify in which term and academic year you would like to offer your section. You may select multiple terms. If you are interested and available to teach the section more than once, or have flexibility in which term you can teach, please note that in the comments field. If you are proposing a course that is to be taught by another instructor (e.g. a Division chair making a proposal on behalf of an NTT instructor), please also note that in the comments field.

Course Description (for catalog):

This is a brief (no more than one paragraph) description of the topic for inclusion in General Education advising materials. This description should provide a very brief overview for students of what they can expect from this topic section.

Examples:

Explores fresh perspectives on the significance of play. Hands-on experience, small group research, play design, and writing assignments will guide students through the interpretation, analysis, and application of multiple theories of play.

Relationships with parents are always changing and not always easy. Using a developmental and multidisciplinary approach, this course focuses on the relationships between parents and children as both age over time.

What does it mean to eat compassionately? This seminar examines plant-based living and its potential consequences on personal health and the world.

Will the course be co-taught?

If you will be collaborating with another faculty or staff member to teach the course, please select yes. This includes topic sections in which instructors will each teach one of multiple sections, partially team-taught sections where faculty members are planning together but not regularly in the classroom together, and fully team-taught sections in which both instructors are in the classroom for all class sessions.

If applicable, supply the name(s) and contact information for other instructors:

You will need to include the full name, academic unit, and email contact for any collaborating instructors.

Opportunities to practice Foundational Skills.

First Year Seminars require that students practice all of the following Foundational Skills:

• read and analyze for interpretation and comprehension
• find, evaluate, and use credible information
• think innovatively, use evidence and make connections to solve problems
• appropriately select and responsibly use technology, with a particular emphasis on systems at WOU

You must describe how your topic section will offer students the opportunities to practice all of the above skills. Please ensure that you have provided either a detailed description or a concrete example of how students will engage in every Foundational Skill through the lens of the topic you have selected. Proposals that do not include a clear connection to each Foundational skill will be returned for revision.

Alignment of topic focus to General Education Learning Outcomes

In this section you will verify that your FYS topic aligns to the General Education Learning Outcomes 1 (Intellectual Foundations and Breadth of Exposure: Put into practice different and varied forms of knowledge, inquiry, and expression that frame academic and applied learning) and 4 (Multidisciplinary Learning Integrate knowledge, perspectives, and strategies across disciplines to answer questions and solve problems). You will also explain how you will address Foundational Skills related to practicing a variety of types of writing (FYS 107) or using and understanding quantitative information/evidence (207). You will also be asked to review information about General Education program assessment and agree to take part in assessment activities.

Special Course information

Some First Year Seminars provide unique opportunities for students or require special pedagogical features. You should check any of the common options available include seminars (bilingual, offered on Salem campus, includes lab or studio time, require reduced course caps or need for a limited – no more than $20/student – budget to support special course activities) and provide additional information regarding the special information in the comment field.

Additional required information for renewal of previously taught topics:

In this section, you will be asked to provide a copy of the syllabus from the last time you taught the topic. You will also need to answer two additional questions about your previous experience: Why you want to continue teaching this FYS topic and what

you learned about supporting incoming WOU students by teaching this topic. You will benefit by providing a detailed rationale for how the FYS course program benefits from maintaining this topic in the available offerings.

Notes/Comments

This section is optional, but allows you to provide essential information regarding your proposal that may not have been covered in other portions of the proposal form.

Supporting Documents

This section is optional. If you have any supporting documents (e.g. sample assignments, a draft syllabus or course outline) those can be provided. Please be aware that supporting documents do not replace the content required in the previous fields. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding foundational skills or learning outcome alignment in attached documents.

The Foundational Knowledge, Exploring Knowledge and Integrating Knowledge course categories require proposers to develop a course proposal that clearly articulates how the course aligns to the appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes, how the course content addresses the required General Education course content criteria, and how the course will contribute to fulfilling the Mission of the General Education program.

Types of proposals

New courses

When a new course is developed and proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it must be reviewed by both the General Education Committee and the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/).

A new course that is not recommended for inclusion in the General Education program by the General Education Committee may still be approved as a new course by the Curriculum Committee.

Existing courses

When an existing course is proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it is reviewed by the General Education Committee only, provided there are only minor modifications required for General Education eligibility. These minor modifications may include: changing the course title, changing the course description, changing a prerequisite. Multiple modifications to a course, and/or a change in credits must also be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/).

Modify a course that is already included in the General Education program

A course that is already identified as included in the General Education program is reviewed by the General Education Committee as part of any course revision review process. We recommend that programs making a change to a course that is included in the General Education program arrange a consultation with the General Education Director to discuss the proposed changes prior to submitting the proposal, in addition to discussions with any other program affected by the course changes.

Step by Step Proposal Instructions

Are you proposing a new course or existing course?

In this section you should note whether or not you are proposing a new course or modifying an existing course. Your selection will affect the behavior of the curriculum system.

Is this part of a 400/500 or 600/700 (slash) course offering?

The majority of General Education courses are unlikely to be 400/500 offerings, although some Integrating Knowledge courses may fit this description. If you are proposing a slash course, you will also need to submit a separate course proposal for the graduate level component of the course to the Graduate Studies Committee.

Will this be offered within an existing division or department?

Applies to new courses only.

Is this a General Education course?

You should select yes to ensure the course routes appropriately to the General Education Committee. If this course has already been approved for inclusion in General Education, it is a General Education course. If you are proposing the course for inclusion in General Education, it is also considered a General Education course for purposes of routing and review.

Which General Education Category applies to this course?

In this case, select Foundational Skills. Make sure you are familiar with the content and assessment criteria for each category prior to submitting your proposal.

Which General Education Subcategory applies to this course?

In this case, you should select “Communication and Language” from the drop down menu for Foundational Skills, which also includes Mathematics, Writing, Critical Thinking, and Health Promotion.

Is this curricular change driven by assessment data you have collected?

If the course is being proposed for inclusion in the General Education program, that can be indicated in subsequent rationale and it is appropriate to note the rationale for inclusion without having assessment data yet. It is expected that modification to courses already approved for General Education will be driven by assessment data (either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods).

Summary/Rationale

This section requires a clear and cogent summary of why the proposer feels that this course belongs not only in the General Education program, but also in the specific proposed category. This rationale must go beyond noting the proposer wants to add the course to General Education. Proposals that do not include a rationale for why the proposer believes the course to be a good fit for General Education will be returned for revision. Inclusion in a previous iteration of General Education, such as the LACC, is not a sufficient rationale for inclusion in the current program.

What is being modified?

For courses being modified, select any option that is appropriate to your proposal. Proposers should carefully review specific credit and prerequisite requirements for their selected General Education category. Proposals that do not align to these requirements will be returned for revision.

Does this course include one or more High Impact Practice (HIP)?

Courses in the Integrating Knowledge category must include at least one high impact practice. Courses in the other General Education categories do not require high impact practices, but may include them if the proposer finds it appropriate. Please select only one high impact practice that represents the primary practice for the course. You may note additional use of others in the comments section of the proposal if necessary.

Please select the HIPs utilized in the course

Courses in Integrating Knowledge must select at least one of the identified high impact practices. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected practice(s) are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify high impact practices but do not describe how students will engage in those practices will be returned for revision.

Is the course associated with a program request that has also been submitted?

If the course is part of another program (non-General Education) that is being proposed or modified, then that should be indicated. Program proposals will be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee.

Course Information

For existing courses, this information is automatically generated using the information in the current WOU course catalog.

Modified course information

Depending upon which elements you selected in the “What is being modified?” section of the proposal, you will have the opportunity to update that information in this section.

Syllabus

You must attach a syllabus for the course that includes course goals clearly articulated with at least one goal aligned to the required General Education learning outcomes for the category. Proposals without syllabi attached, or with syllabi that do not include course goals and learning outcome alignment will be returned for revision. Please be aware that a syllabus is not a replacement for the required proposal information. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding course content criteria or other required information in attached documents.

Which of the following ways to develop the student’s ability to convey and receive ideas to others will be addressed in this course?

• active practice and application of communication-centered knowledge
• preparation for effective participation in academic and public dialogues, discussions, and exchanges
• create and analyze messages appropriate to purpose and context
• learn to negotiate meaning and express oneself in a variety of registers and in more than one cultural or linguistic context

These are the content criteria specific to this category. You must select one, but do not need to select more than one of these content criteria. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected content criteria are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify content criteria but do not describe how those criteria are addressed will be returned for revision.

Describe how the option(s) marked above will be addressed within the course, including specific examples of activities and course content.

You must describe how your topic section will offer students the opportunities to practice every one of the content criteria that you selected in the previous section. Please ensure that you have provided either a detailed description or a concrete example of how students will engage in the content criteria you have selected. In preparing your description of how the course meets content criteria you should plan to communicate with a broad disciplinary audience and not take for granted that reviewers may have specialized disciplinary knowledge needed to understand how specific content and concepts, activities, pedagogical techniques or theoretical frameworks may address the content criteria. Proposals that do not clearly describe alignment to all of the content criteria selected by the proposer will be returned for revision.

Current goals.

For existing courses, a read-only table of course learning goals and alignments will be generated. For new courses, enter proposed goals and outcome alignments.

Alignment of proposed course to General Education Mission & Outcomes.

There are two parts to this section: a requirement to answer the question, “How will this course, as proposed, contribute to fulfillment of the General Education Mission at WOU?” and alignment with appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs). In this case, courses should be aligned with GELO 1, “Intellectual foundations and breadth of exposure.”

Which of the following rubrics will be used as part of the assessment of this course? (check all that apply)

• Foundational Skills

For this category, the Foundational Skills rubric is the only available rubric for use in assessment of this course for General Education purposes.

Terms of Agreement.

This section spells out the assessment obligations for General Education courses. Indicate agreement by checking the appropriate box.

Programs affected/consulted

If this course is used in other programs or courses of study outside of General Education, you should clearly articulate how they will be affected, who you consulted with and when and the outcome of that consultation.

Faculty and Facilities Needed (Dean review only)

This section identifies resources needed to teach the course. If there are new resources needed should this course be offered, that should be noted here.

Notes/Comments

If there is additional information needed to convey information about your proposal, that should be included here. For example, if the course is part of a learning community or if you are teaching a 1 credit course that can be repeated for credit to meet the total number of credits required for the category that should be noted here.

Supporting Documents

You should provide a copy, or outline of your signature assignment for assessment as a supporting document. Please be aware that supporting documents do not replace the content required in the previous fields. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding foundational skills or learning outcome alignment in attached documents.

The Foundational Knowledge, Exploring Knowledge and Integrating Knowledge course categories require proposers to develop a course proposal that clearly articulates how the course aligns to the appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes, how the course content addresses the required General Education course content criteria, and how the course will contribute to fulfilling the Mission of the General Education program.

Types of proposals

New course

When a new course is developed and proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it must be reviewed by both the General Education Committee and the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/).

A new course that is not recommended for inclusion in the General Education program by the General Education Committee may still be approved as a new course by the Curriculum Committee.

Existing courses

When an existing course is proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it is reviewed by the General Education Committee only, provided there are only minor modifications required for General Education eligibility. These minor modifications include: changing the course title, changing the course description, changing a prerequisite. Multiple modifications to a course, and/or a change in credits must also be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/).

Modify a course that is already included in the General Education program

A course that is already identified as included in the General Education program is reviewed by the General Education Committee as part of any course revision review process. We recommend that programs making a change to a course that is included in the General Education program arrange a consultation with the General Education Director to discuss the proposed changes prior to submitting the proposal, in addition to discussions with any other program affected by the course changes.

Step by step proposal instructions

Are you proposing a new course or existing course?

In this section you should note whether or not you are proposing a new course or modifying an existing course. Your selection will affect the behavior of the curriculum system.

Is this part of a 400/500 or 600/700 (slash) course offering?

The majority of General Education courses are unlikely to be 400/500 offerings, although some Integrating Knowledge courses may fit this description. If you are proposing a slash course, you will also need to submit a separate course proposal for the graduate level component of the course to the Graduate Studies Committee.

Will this be offered within an existing division or department?

Applies to new courses only.

Is this a General Education course?

You should select yes to ensure the course routes appropriately to the General Education Committee. If this course has already been approved for inclusion in General Education, it is a General Education course. If you are proposing the course for inclusion in General Education, it is also considered a General Education course for purposes of routing and review.

Which General Education Category applies to this course?

In this case, select Foundational Skills. Make sure you are familiar with the content and assessment criteria for each category prior to submitting your proposal.

Which General Education Subcategory applies to this course?

In this case, you should select “Critical Thinking” from the drop down menu for Foundational Skills, which also includes Mathematics, Writing, Communication & Language, and Health Promotion.

Is this curricular change driven by assessment data you have collected?

If the course is being proposed for inclusion in the General Education program, that can be indicated in subsequent rationale and it is appropriate to note the rationale for inclusion without having assessment data yet. It is expected that modification to courses already approved for General Education will be driven by assessment data (either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods).

Summary/Rationale

This section requires a clear and cogent explanation for why the proposer feels that this course belongs not only in the General Education program, but also in the specific proposed category. This rationale must go beyond noting the proposer wants to add the course to General Education. Proposals that do not include a rationale for why the proposer believes the course to be a good fit for General Education will be returned for revision. Inclusion in a previous iteration of General Education, such as the LACC, is not a sufficient rationale for inclusion in the current program.

What is being modified?

For courses being modified, select any option that is appropriate to your proposal. Proposers should carefully review specific credit and prerequisite requirements for their selected General Education category. Proposals that do not align to these requirements will be returned for revision.

Does this course include one or more High Impact Practice (HIP)?

Courses in the Integrating Knowledge category must include at least one high impact practice. Courses in the other General Education categories do not require high impact practices, but may include them if the proposer finds it appropriate. Please select only one high impact practice that represents the primary practice for the course. You may note additional use of others in the comments section of the proposal if necessary.

Please select the HIPs utilized in the course

Courses in Integrating Knowledge must select at least one of the identified high impact practices. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected practice(s) are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify high impact practices but do not describe how students will engage in those practices will be returned for revision.

Is the course associated with a program request that has also been submitted?

If the course is part of another program (non-General Education) that is being proposed or modified, then that should be indicated. Program proposals will be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee.

Course Information

For existing courses, this information is automatically generated using the information in the current WOU course catalog.

Modified course information

Depending upon which elements you selected in the “What is being modified?” section of the proposal, you will have the opportunity to update that information in this section.

Syllabus

You must attach a syllabus for the course that includes course goals clearly articulated with at least one goal aligned to the required General Education learning outcomes for the category. Proposals without syllabi attached, or with syllabi that do not include course goals and learning outcome alignment will be returned for revision. Please be aware that a syllabus is not a replacement for the required proposal information. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding course content criteria or other required information in attached documents.

A student’s ability to do which of the following will be addressed in this course?

• use investigative and analytical thinking skills to clearly articulate issues, examine alternatives, explore complex questions, and solve challenging problems
• identify and analyze how contexts, biases, and assumptions can affect a position
• evaluate the logic and validity of arguments, and the relevance of data and information
• synthesize information in order to arrive at reasoned conclusions
• recognize and avoid common logical and rhetorical fallacies

These are the content criteria specific to this category. You must select one, but do not need to select more than one of these content criteria. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected content criteria are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify content criteria but do not describe how those criteria are addressed will be returned for revision.

Describe how the option(s) marked above will be addressed within the course, including specific examples of activities and course content.

You must describe how your topic section will offer students the opportunities to practice every one of the content criteria that you selected in the previous section. Please ensure that you have provided either a detailed description or a concrete example of how students will engage in the content criteria you have selected. In preparing your description of how the course meets content criteria you should plan to communicate with a broad disciplinary audience and not take for granted that reviewers may have specialized disciplinary knowledge needed to understand how specific content and concepts, activities, pedagogical techniques or theoretical frameworks may address the content criteria. Proposals that do not clearly describe alignment to all of the content criteria selected by the proposer will be returned for revision.

Current goals.

For existing courses, a read-only table of course learning goals and alignments will be generated. For new courses, enter proposed goals and outcome alignments.

Alignment of proposed course to General Education Mission & Outcomes.

There are two parts to this section: a requirement to answer the question, “How will this course, as proposed, contribute to fulfillment of the General Education Mission at WOU?” and alignment with appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs). In this case, courses should be aligned with GELO 2, “Critical Thinking.”

Which of the following rubrics will be used as part of the assessment of this course? (check all that apply)

• Foundational Skills

For this category, the Foundational Skills rubric is the only available rubric for use in assessment of this course for General Education purposes.

Terms of Agreement.

This section spells out the assessment obligations for General Education courses. Indicate agreement by checking the appropriate box.

Programs affected/consulted

If this course is used in other programs or courses of study outside of General Education, you should clearly articulate how they will be affected, who you consulted with and when and the outcome of that consultation.

Faculty and Facilities Needed (Dean review only)

This section identifies resources needed to teach the course. If there are new resources needed should this course be offered, that should be noted here.

Notes/Comments

If there is additional information needed to convey information about your proposal, that should be included here. For example, if the course is part of a learning community or if you are teaching a 1 credit course that can be repeated for credit to meet the total number of credits required for the category that should be noted here.

Supporting Documents

You should provide a copy, or outline of your signature assignment for assessment as a supporting document. Please be aware that supporting documents do not replace the content required in the previous fields. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding foundational skills or learning outcome alignment in attached documents.

Download pdf copy of Foundations: Health Promotion proposal guide

The Foundational Knowledge, Exploring Knowledge and Integrating Knowledge course categories require the proposers develop a course proposal that clearly articulates how the course aligns to the appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (including a plan for assessment of those outcomes) and how the course content addresses the required General Education course content criteria.

 

Types of proposals

New courses

When a new course is developed and proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it must be reviewed by both the General Education Committee and the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/). A new course that is not recommended for inclusion in the General Education program by the General Education Committee may still be approved as a new course by the Curriculum Committee.

 

Existing courses

When an existing course is proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it is reviewed by the General Education Committee only, provided there are only minor modifications required for General Education eligibility. These minor modifications include: changing the course title, changing the course description, changing a prerequisite. Multiple modifications to a course, and/or a change in credits must also be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/).

 

Modify a course that is already included in the General Education program

A course that is already identified as included in the General Education program is reviewed by the General Education Committee as part of any course revision review process. We recommend that programs making a change to a course that is included in the General Education program arrange a consultation with the General Education Director to discuss the proposed changes prior to submitting the proposal, in addition to discussions with any other program affected by the course changes.

 

Step by step proposal instructions

Are you proposing a new course or existing course?

In this section you should note whether or not you are proposing a new course or modifying an existing course. Your selection will affect the behavior of the curriculum system.

 

Is this part of a 400/500 or 600/700 (slash) course offering?

The majority of General Education courses are unlikely to be 400/500 offerings, although some Integrating Knowledge courses may fit this description. If you are proposing a slash course, you will also need to submit a separate course proposal for the graduate level component of the course to the Graduate Studies Committee.

 

Will this be offered within an existing division or department?

Applies to new courses only.

 

Is this a General Education course?

You should select yes to ensure the course routes appropriately to the General Education Committee. If this course has already been approved for inclusion in General Education, it is a General Education course. If you are proposing the course for inclusion in General Education, it is also considered a General Education course for purposes of routing and review.

 

Which General Education Category applies to this course?

In this case, select Foundational Skills. Make sure you are familiar with the content and assessment criteria for each category prior to submitting your proposal.

 

Which General Education Subcategory applies to this course?

In this case, you should select “Health Promotion” from the drop down menu for Foundational Skills, which also includes Mathematics, Writing, Critical Thinking, and Health Promotion.

 

Is this curricular change driven by assessment data you have collected?

If the course is being proposed for inclusion in the General Education program, that can be indicated in subsequent rationale and it is appropriate to note the rationale for inclusion without having assessment data yet. It is expected that modification to courses already approved for General Education will be driven by assessment data (either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods).

 

Summary/Rationale

This section requires a clear and cogent explanation for why the proposer feels that this course belongs not only in the General Education program, but also in the specific proposed category. This rationale must go beyond noting the proposer wants to add the course to General Education. Proposals that do not include a rationale for why the proposer believes the course to be a good fit for General Education will be returned for revision. Inclusion in a previous iteration of General Education is not a sufficient rationale for inclusion in the current program.

 

What is being modified?

For courses being modified, select any option that is appropriate to your proposal. Proposers should carefully review specific credit and prerequisite requirements for their selected General Education category. Proposals that do not align to these requirements will be returned for revision.

 

Does this course include one or more High Impact Practice (HIP)?

Courses in the Integrating Knowledge category must include at least one high impact practice. Courses in the other General Education categories do not require high impact practices, but may include them if the proposer finds it appropriate. Please select only one high impact practice that represents the primary practice for the course. You may note additional use of others in the comments section of the proposal if necessary.

 

Please select the HIPs utilized in the course

Courses in Integrating Knowledge must select at least one of the identified high impact practices. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected practice(s) are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify high impact practices but do not describe how students will engage in those practices will be returned for revision.

 

Is the course associated with a program request that has also been submitted?

If the course is part of another program (non-General Education) that is being proposed or modified, then that should be indicated. Program proposals will be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee.

 

Course Information

For existing courses, this information is automatically generated using the information in the current WOU course catalog.

 

Modified course information

Depending upon which elements you selected in the “What is being modified?” section of the proposal, you will have the opportunity to update that information in this section.

 

Syllabus

You must attach a syllabus for the course that includes course goals clearly articulated with at least one goal aligned to the required General Education learning outcomes for the category. Proposals without syllabi attached, or with syllabi that do not include course goals and learning outcome alignment will be returned for revision. Please be aware that a syllabus is not a replacement for the required proposal information. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding course content criteria or other required information in attached documents.

 

Which of the following will be addressed in this course?

You must select at least two of these content criteria. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected content criteria are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify content criteria but do not describe how those criteria are addressed will be returned for revision.

 

Describe how the option(s) marked above will be addressed within the course, including specific examples of how students will integrate and apply information to their personal engagement in health promoting behaviors.

You must describe how your topic section will offer students the opportunities to practice every one of the content criteria that you selected in the previous section. Please ensure that you have provided either a detailed description or a concrete example of how students will engage in with the content you selected. In preparing your description of how the course meets content criteria you should plan to communicate with a broad disciplinary audience and not take for granted that reviewers may have specialized disciplinary knowledge needed to understand how specific content and concepts, activities, pedagogical techniques or theoretical frameworks may address the content criteria. Proposals that do not clearly describe alignment to all of the content criteria selected by the proposer will be returned for revision.

 

Current goals.

For existing courses, a read-only table of course learning goals and alignments will be generated. For new courses, enter proposed goals and outcome alignments.

 

Alignment of proposed course to General Education Mission & Outcomes.

There are two parts to this section: a requirement to answer the question, “How will this course, as proposed, contribute to fulfillment of the General Education Mission at WOU?” and alignment with appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs). In this case, courses should be aligned with GELO 1, “Intellectual foundations and breadth of exposure” and GELO 2, “Critical Thinking.”

 

Which of the following rubrics will be used as part of the assessment of this course? (check all that apply)

• Foundational Skills
• Inquiry and Analysis

For this category, both Inquiry and Analysis and Foundational Skills rubrics are the available rubrics for use in assessment of this course for General Education purposes. You must select at least one, and can select both.

Terms of Agreement.

This section spells out the assessment obligations for General Education courses. Indicate agreement by checking the appropriate box.

 

Programs affected/consulted

If this course is used in other programs or courses of study outside of General Education, you should clearly articulate how they will be affected, who you consulted with and when and the outcome of that consultation.

 

Faculty and Facilities Needed (Dean review only)

This section identifies resources needed to teach the course. If there are new resources needed should this course be offered, that should be noted here.

 

Notes/Comments

If there is additional information needed to convey information about your proposal, that should be included here. For example, if the course is part of a learning community or if you are teaching a 1 credit course that can be repeated for credit to meet the total number of credits required for the category that should be noted here.

 

Supporting Documents

You should provide a copy, or outline of your signature assignment for assessment as a supporting document. Please be aware that supporting documents do not replace the content required in the previous fields. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding foundational skills or learning outcome alignment in attached documents.

Download pdf copy of Exploring Knowledge: Social, Historic & Civic Perspectives proposal guide

The Foundational Knowledge, Exploring Knowledge and Integrating Knowledge course categories require the proposers develop a course proposal that clearly articulates how the course aligns to the appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (including a plan for assessment of those outcomes) and how the course content addresses the required General Education course content criteria.

 

Types of proposals

New courses

When a new course is developed and proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it must be reviewed by both the General Education Committee and the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/). A new course that is not recommended for inclusion in the General Education program by the General Education Committee may still be approved as a new course by the Curriculum Committee.

 

Existing courses

When an existing course is proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it is reviewed by the General Education Committee only, provided there are only minor modifications required for General Education eligibility. These minor modifications include: changing the course title, changing the course description, changing a prerequisite. Multiple modifications to a course, and/or a change in credits must also be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/).

 

Modify a course that is already included in the General Education program

A course that is already identified as included in the General Education program is reviewed by the General Education Committee as part of any course revision review process. We recommend that programs making a change to a course that is included in the General Education program arrange a consultation with the General Education Director to discuss the proposed changes prior to submitting the proposal, in addition to discussions with any other program affected by the course changes.

 

Step by Step proposal Instructions

Are you proposing a new course or existing course?

In this section you should note whether or not you are proposing a new course or modifying an existing course. Your selection will affect the behavior of the curriculum system.

 

Is this part of a 400/500 or 600/700 (slash) course offering?

The majority of General Education courses are unlikely to be 400/500 offerings, although some Integrating Knowledge courses may fit this description. If you are proposing a slash course, you will also need to submit a separate course proposal for the graduate level component of the course to the Graduate Studies Committee.

 

Will this be offered within an existing division or department?

Applies to new courses only.

 

Is this a General Education course?

You should select yes to ensure the course routes appropriately to the General Education Committee. If this course has already been approved for inclusion in General Education, it is a General Education course. If you are proposing the course for inclusion in General Education, it is also considered a General Education course for purposes of routing and review.

 

Which General Education Category applies to this course?

In this case, select Exploring Knowledge. Make sure you are familiar with the content and assessment criteria for each category prior to submitting your proposal.

 

Which General Education Subcategory applies to this course?

In this case, you should select “Social, Historic and Civic Perspectives” from the drop down menu for Exploring Knowledge, which also includes Literary and Aesthetic Perspectives and Scientific Perspectives.

 

Is this curricular change driven by assessment data you have collected?

If the course is being proposed for inclusion in the General Education program, that can be indicated in subsequent rationale and it is appropriate to note the rationale for inclusion without having assessment data yet. It is expected that modification to courses already approved for General Education will be driven by assessment data (either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods).

 

Summary/Rationale

This section requires a clear and cogent explanation for why the proposer feels that this course belongs not only in the General Education program, but also in the specific proposed category. This rationale must go beyond noting the proposer wants to add the course to General Education. Proposals that do not include a rationale for why the proposer believes the course to be a good fit for General Education will be returned for revision. Inclusion in a previous iteration of General Education is not a sufficient rationale for inclusion in the current program.

 

What is being modified?

For courses being modified, select any option that is appropriate to your proposal. Proposers should carefully review specific credit and prerequisite requirements for their selected General Education category. Proposals that do not align to these requirements will be returned for revision.

 

Does this course include one or more High Impact Practice (HIP)?

Courses in the Integrating Knowledge category must include at least one high impact practice. Courses in the other General Education categories do not require high impact practices, but may include them if the proposer finds it appropriate. Please select only one high impact practice that represents the primary practice for the course. You may note additional use of others in the comments section of the proposal if necessary.

 

Please select the HIPs utilized in the course

Courses in Integrating Knowledge must select at least one of the identified high impact practices. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected practice(s) are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify high impact practices but do not describe how students will engage in those practices will be returned for revision.

 

Is the course associated with a program request that has also been submitted?

If the course is part of another program (non-General Education) that is being proposed or modified, then that should be indicated. Program proposals will be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee.

 

Course Information

For existing courses, this information is automatically generated using the information in the current WOU course catalog.

 

Modified course information

Depending upon which elements you selected in the “What is being modified?” section of the proposal, you will have the opportunity to update that information in this section.

 

Syllabus

You must attach a syllabus for the course that includes course goals clearly articulated with at least one goal aligned to the required General Education learning outcomes for the category. Proposals without syllabi attached, or with syllabi that do not include course goals and learning outcome alignment will be returned for revision. Please be aware that a syllabus is not a replacement for the required proposal information. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding course content criteria or other required information in attached documents.

 

A student’s ability to do which of the following will be addressed in this course?

These are the content criteria specific to this category. You must select one, but do not need to select more than one of these content criteria. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected content criteria are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify content criteria but do not describe how those criteria are addressed will be returned for revision.

 

Describe how the option(s) marked above will be addressed within the course, including specific examples of activities and course content.

You must describe how your topic section will offer students the opportunities to practice every one of the content criteria that you selected in the previous section. Please ensure that you have provided either a detailed description or a concrete example of how students will engage with the content you selected. In preparing your description of how the course meets content criteria you should plan to communicate with a broad disciplinary audience and not take for granted that reviewers may have specialized disciplinary knowledge needed to understand how specific content and concepts, activities, pedagogical techniques or theoretical frameworks may address the content criteria. Proposals that do not clearly describe alignment to all of the content criteria selected by the proposer will be returned for revision.

 

Current goals.

For existing courses, a read-only table of course learning goals and alignments will be generated. For new courses, enter proposed goals and outcome alignments.

 

Alignment of proposed course to General Education Mission & Outcomes.

There are two parts to this section: a requirement to answer the question, “How will this course, as proposed, contribute to fulfillment of the General Education Mission at WOU?” and alignment with appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs). In this case, courses should be aligned with GELO 1, “Intellectual foundations and breadth of exposure” and GELO 2, “Critical Thinking.”

 

Terms of Agreement.

This section spells out the assessment obligations for General Education courses. Indicate agreement by checking the appropriate box.

 

Programs affected/consulted

If this course is used in other programs or courses of study outside of General Education, you should clearly articulate how they will be affected, who you consulted with and when and the outcome of that consultation.

 

Faculty and Facilities Needed (Dean review only)

This section identifies resources needed to teach the course. If there are new resources needed should this course be offered, that should be noted here.

 

Notes/Comments

If there is additional information needed to convey information about your proposal, that should be included here. For example, if the course is part of a learning community or if you are teaching a 1 credit course that can be repeated for credit to meet the total number of credits required for the category that should be noted here.

 

Supporting Documents

You should provide a copy, or outline of your signature assignment for assessment as a supporting document. Please be aware that supporting documents do not replace the content required in the previous fields. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding foundational skills or learning outcome alignment in attached documents.

Download pdf copy of Foundations: Literary & Aesthetic Perspectives proposal guide

The Foundational Knowledge, Exploring Knowledge and Integrating Knowledge course categories require the proposers develop a course proposal that clearly articulates how the course aligns to the appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (including a plan for assessment of those outcomes) and how the course content addresses the required General Education course content criteria.

 

Types of proposals

New courses

When a new course is developed and proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it must be reviewed by both the General Education Committee and the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/). A new course that is not recommended for inclusion in the General Education program by the General Education Committee may still be approved as a new course by the Curriculum Committee.

 

Existing courses

When an existing course is proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it is reviewed by the General Education Committee only, provided there are only minor modifications required for General Education eligibility. These minor modifications include: changing the course title, changing the course description, changing a prerequisite. Multiple modifications to a course, and/or a change in credits must also be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/).

 

Modify a course that is already included in the General Education program

A course that is already identified as included in the General Education program is reviewed by the General Education Committee as part of any course revision review process. We recommend that programs making a change to a course that is included in the General Education program arrange a consultation with the General Education Director to discuss the proposed changes prior to submitting the proposal, in addition to discussions with any other program affected by the course changes.

 

Step by step proposal instructions

Are you proposing a new course or existing course?

In this section you should note whether or not you are proposing a new course or modifying an existing course. Your selection will affect the behavior of the curriculum system.

 

Is this part of a 400/500 or 600/700 (slash) course offering?

The majority of General Education courses are unlikely to be 400/500 offerings, although some Integrating Knowledge courses may fit this description. If you are proposing a slash course, you will also need to submit a separate course proposal for the graduate level component of the course to the Graduate Studies Committee.

 

Will this be offered within an existing division or department?

Applies to new courses only.

 

Is this a General Education course?

You should select yes to ensure the course routes appropriately to the General Education Committee. If this course has already been approved for inclusion in General Education, it is a General Education course. If you are proposing the course for inclusion in General Education, it is also considered a General Education course for purposes of routing and review.

 

Which General Education Category applies to this course?

In this case, select Exploring Knowledge. Make sure you are familiar with the content and assessment criteria for each category prior to submitting your proposal.

 

Which General Education Subcategory applies to this course?

In this case, you should select “Literary and Aesthetic Perspectives” from the drop down menu for Exploring Knowledge, which also includes Scientific Perspectives and Social, Historic and Civic Perspectives.

 

Is this curricular change driven by assessment data you have collected?

If the course is being proposed for inclusion in the General Education program, that can be indicated in subsequent rationale and it is appropriate to note the rationale for inclusion without having assessment data yet. It is expected that modification to courses already approved for General Education will be driven by assessment data (either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods).

 

Summary/Rationale

This section requires a clear and cogent explanation for why the proposer feels that this course belongs not only in the General Education program, but also in the specific proposed category. This rationale must go beyond noting the proposer wants to add the course to General Education. Proposals that do not include a rationale for why the proposer believes the course to be a good fit for General Education will be returned for revision. Inclusion in a previous iteration of General Education is not a sufficient rationale for inclusion in the current program.

 

What is being modified?

For courses being modified, select any option that is appropriate to your proposal. Proposers should carefully review specific credit and prerequisite requirements for their selected General Education category. Proposals that do not align to these requirements will be returned for revision.

 

Does this course include one or more High Impact Practice (HIP)?

Courses in the Integrating Knowledge category must include at least one high impact practice. Courses in the other General Education categories do not require high impact practices, but may include them if the proposer finds it appropriate. Please select only one high impact practice that represents the primary practice for the course. You may note additional use of others in the comments section of the proposal if necessary.

 

Please select the HIPs utilized in the course

Courses in Integrating Knowledge must select at least one of the identified high impact practices. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected practice(s) are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify high impact practices but do not describe how students will engage in those practices will be returned for revision.

 

Is the course associated with a program request that has also been submitted?

If the course is part of another program (non-General Education) that is being proposed or modified, then that should be indicated. Program proposals will be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee.

 

Course Information

For existing courses, this information is automatically generated using the information in the current WOU course catalog.

 

Modified course information

Depending upon which elements you selected in the “What is being modified?” section of the proposal, you will have the opportunity to update that information in this section.

 

Syllabus

You must attach a syllabus for the course that includes course goals clearly articulated with at least one goal aligned to the required General Education learning outcomes for the category. Proposals without syllabi attached, or with syllabi that do not include course goals and learning outcome alignment will be returned for revision. Please be aware that a syllabus is not a replacement for the required proposal information. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding course content criteria or other required information in attached documents.

 

A student’s ability to do which of the following will be addressed in this course?

These are the content criteria specific to this category. You must select one, but do not need to select more than one of these content criteria. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected content criteria are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify content criteria but do not describe how those criteria are addressed will be returned for revision.

 

Describe how the option(s) marked above will be addressed within the course, including specific examples of activities and course content.

You must describe how your topic section will offer students the opportunities to practice every one of the content criteria that you selected in the previous section. Please ensure that you have provided either a detailed description or a concrete example of how students will engage with the content you selected. In preparing your description of how the course meets content criteria you should plan to communicate with a broad disciplinary audience and not take for granted that reviewers may have specialized disciplinary knowledge needed to understand how specific content and concepts, activities, pedagogical techniques or theoretical frameworks may address the content criteria. Proposals that do not clearly describe alignment to all of the content criteria selected by the proposer will be returned for revision.

 

Current goals.

For existing courses, a read-only table of course learning goals and alignments will be generated. For new courses, enter proposed goals and outcome alignments.

 

Alignment of proposed course to General Education Mission & Outcomes.

There are two parts to this section: a requirement to answer the question, “How will this course, as proposed, contribute to fulfillment of the General Education Mission at WOU?” and alignment with appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs). In this case, courses should be aligned with GELO 1, “Intellectual foundations and breadth of exposure” and GELO 2, “Critical Thinking.”

 

Which of the following rubrics will be used as part of the assessment of this course? (check all that apply)

• Foundational Skills
• Inquiry and Analysis

For this category, both Inquiry and Analysis and Foundational Skills rubrics are the available rubrics for use in assessment of this course for General Education purposes. You must select at least one, and can select both.

 

Terms of Agreement.

This section spells out the assessment obligations for General Education courses. Indicate agreement by checking the appropriate box.

 

Programs affected/consulted

If this course is used in other programs or courses of study outside of General Education, you should clearly articulate how they will be affected, who you consulted with and when and the outcome of that consultation.

 

Faculty and Facilities Needed (Dean review only)

This section identifies resources needed to teach the course. If there are new resources needed should this course be offered, that should be noted here.

 

Notes/Comments

If there is additional information needed to convey information about your proposal, that should be included here. For example, if the course is part of a learning community or if you are teaching a 1 credit course that can be repeated for credit to meet the total number of credits required for the category that should be noted here.

 

Supporting Documents

You should provide a copy, or outline of your signature assignment for assessment as a supporting document. Please be aware that supporting documents do not replace the content required in the previous fields. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding foundational skills or learning outcome alignment in attached documents.

Download pdf copy of Exploring Knowledge: Scientific Perspectives proposal guide

The Foundational Knowledge, Exploring Knowledge and Integrating Knowledge course categories require the proposers develop a course proposal that clearly articulates how the course aligns to the appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (including a plan for assessment of those outcomes) and how the course content addresses the required General Education course content criteria.

 

Types of proposals

New courses

When a new course is developed and proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it must be reviewed by both the General Education Committee and the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/). A new course that is not recommended for inclusion in the General Education program by the General Education Committee may still be approved as a new course by the Curriculum Committee.

 

Existing courses

When an existing course is proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it is reviewed by the General Education Committee only, provided there are only minor modifications required for General Education eligibility. These minor modifications include: changing the course title, changing the course description, changing a prerequisite. Multiple modifications to a course, and/or a change in credits must also be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/).

 

Modify a course that is already included in the General Education program

A course that is already identified as included in the General Education program is reviewed by the General Education Committee as part of any course revision review process. We recommend that programs making a change to a course that is included in the General Education program arrange a consultation with the General Education Director to discuss the proposed changes prior to submitting the proposal, in addition to discussions with any other program affected by the course changes.

 

Step by step proposal instructions

Are you proposing a new course or existing course?

In this section you should note whether or not you are proposing a new course or modifying an existing course. Your selection will affect the behavior of the curriculum system.

 

Is this part of a 400/500 or 600/700 (slash) course offering?

The majority of General Education courses are unlikely to be 400/500 offerings, although some Integrating Knowledge courses may fit this description. If you are proposing a slash course, you will also need to submit a separate course proposal for the graduate level component of the course to the Graduate Studies Committee.

 

Will this be offered within an existing division or department?

Applies to new courses only.

 

Is this a General Education course?

You should select yes to ensure the course routes appropriately to the General Education Committee. If this course has already been approved for inclusion in General Education, it is a General Education course. If you are proposing the course for inclusion in General Education, it is also considered a General Education course for purposes of routing and review.

 

Which General Education Category applies to this course?

In this case, select Exploring Knowledge. Make sure you are familiar with the content and assessment criteria for each category prior to submitting your proposal.

 

Which General Education Subcategory applies to this course?

In this case, you should select “Scientific Perspectives” from the drop down menu for Exploring Knowledge, which also includes Literary and Aesthetic Perspectives and Social, Historic and Civic Perspectives.

 

Is this curricular change driven by assessment data you have collected?

If the course is being proposed for inclusion in the General Education program, that can be indicated in subsequent rationale and it is appropriate to note the rationale for inclusion without having assessment data yet. It is expected that modification to courses already approved for General Education will be driven by assessment data (either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods).

 

Summary/Rationale

This section requires a clear and cogent explanation for why the proposer feels that this course belongs not only in the General Education program, but also in the specific proposed category. This rationale must go beyond noting the proposer wants to add the course to General Education. Proposals that do not include a rationale for why the proposer believes the course to be a good fit for General Education will be returned for revision. Inclusion in a previous iteration of General Education is not a sufficient rationale for inclusion in the current program.

 

What is being modified?

For courses being modified, select any option that is appropriate to your proposal. Proposers should carefully review specific credit and prerequisite requirements for their selected General Education category. Proposals that do not align to these requirements will be returned for revision.

 

Does this course include one or more High Impact Practice (HIP)?

Courses in the Integrating Knowledge category must include at least one high impact practice. Courses in the other General Education categories do not require high impact practices, but may include them if the proposer finds it appropriate. Please select only one high impact practice that represents the primary practice for the course. You may note additional use of others in the comments section of the proposal if necessary.

 

Please select the HIPs utilized in the course

Courses in Integrating Knowledge must select at least one of the identified high impact practices. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected practice(s) are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify high impact practices but do not describe how students will engage in those practices will be returned for revision.

 

Is the course associated with a program request that has also been submitted?

If the course is part of another program (non-General Education) that is being proposed or modified, then that should be indicated. Program proposals will be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee.

 

Course Information

For existing courses, this information is automatically generated using the information in the current WOU course catalog.

 

Modified course information

Depending upon which elements you selected in the “What is being modified?” section of the proposal, you will have the opportunity to update that information in this section.

*Special note: Exploring Knowledge: Scientific Perspectives requires that the course description includes indication that the course includes a significant component in  which students will spend at least 40% of their course time engaged in laboratory activities.

 

Syllabus

You must attach a syllabus for the course that includes course goals clearly articulated with at least one goal aligned to the required General Education learning outcomes for the category. Proposals without syllabi attached, or with syllabi that do not include course goals and learning outcome alignment will be returned for revision. Please be aware that a syllabus is not a replacement for the required proposal information. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding course content criteria or other required information in attached documents.

 

A student’s ability to do which of the following will be addressed in this course?

These are the content criteria specific to this category. You must select one, but do not need to select more than one of these content criteria. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected content criteria are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify content criteria but do not describe how those criteria are addressed will be returned for revision.

 

Describe how the option(s) marked above will be addressed within the course, including specific examples of active learning strategies, laboratory components and course content.

You must describe how your topic section will offer students the opportunities to practice every one of the content criteria that you selected in the previous section. Please ensure that you have provided either a detailed description or a concrete example of how students will engage with the content you selected. For this category you must also make it very clear how students will be engaging in active-learning laboratory activities that provide opportunities for them to engage in scientific practice. The mere presence of a “lab” section is insufficient to demonstrate that students will engage in these strategies, nor is a dedicated “lab” section required for students to engage in these strategies. In preparing your description of how the course meets content criteria you should plan to communicate with a broad disciplinary audience and not take for granted that reviewers may have specialized disciplinary knowledge needed to understand how specific content and concepts, activities, pedagogical techniques or theoretical frameworks may address the content criteria. Proposals that do not clearly describe alignment to all of the content criteria selected by the proposer will be returned for revision.

 

Current goals.

For existing courses, a read-only table of course learning goals and alignments will be generated. For new courses, enter proposed goals and outcome alignments.

 

Alignment of proposed course to General Education Mission & Outcomes.

There are two parts to this section: a requirement to answer the question, “How will this course, as proposed, contribute to fulfillment of the General Education Mission at WOU?” and alignment with appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs). In this case, courses should be aligned with GELO 1, “Intellectual foundations and breadth of exposure” and GELO 2, “Critical Thinking.”

 

Which of the following rubrics will be used as part of the assessment of this course? (check all that apply)

• Foundational Skills
• Inquiry and Analysis

For this category, both Inquiry and Analysis and Foundational Skills rubrics are the available rubrics for use in assessment of this course for General Education purposes. You must select at least one, and can select both.

 

Terms of Agreement.

This section spells out the assessment obligations for General Education courses. Indicate agreement by checking the appropriate box.

 

Programs affected/consulted

If this course is used in other programs or courses of study outside of General Education, you should clearly articulate how they will be affected, who you consulted with and when and the outcome of that consultation.

 

Faculty and Facilities Needed (Dean review only)

This section identifies resources needed to teach the course. If there are new resources needed should this course be offered, that should be noted here.

 

Notes/Comments

If there is additional information needed to convey information about your proposal, that should be included here. For example, if the course is part of a learning community or if you are teaching a 1 credit course that can be repeated for credit to meet the total number of credits required for the category that should be noted here.

 

Supporting Documents

You should provide a copy, or outline of your signature assignment for assessment as a supporting document. Please be aware that supporting documents do not replace the content required in the previous fields. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding foundational skills or learning outcome alignment in attached documents.

Download Integrating Knowledge: Citizenship, Social Responsibility & Global Awareness proposal guide

The Foundational Knowledge, Exploring Knowledge and Integrating Knowledge course categories require the proposers develop a course proposal that clearly articulates how the course aligns to the appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (including a plan for assessment of those outcomes) and how the course content addresses the required General Education course content criteria.

 

Types of proposals

New courses

When a new course is developed and proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it must be reviewed by both the General Education Committee and the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/). A new course that is not recommended for inclusion in the General Education program by the General Education Committee may still be approved as a new course by the Curriculum Committee.

 

Existing courses

When an existing course is proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it is reviewed by the General Education Committee only, provided there are only minor modifications required for General Education eligibility. These minor modifications include: changing the course title, changing the course description, changing a prerequisite. Multiple modifications to a course, and/or a change in credits must also be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/ccguidelines-and-help/).

 

Modify a course that is already included in the General Education program

A course that is already identified as included in the General Education program is reviewed by the General Education Committee as part of any course revision review process. We recommend that programs making a change to a course that is included in the General Education program arrange a consultation with the General Education Director to discuss the proposed changes prior to submitting the proposal, in addition to discussions with any other program affected by the course changes.

Step by step proposal instructions

Are you proposing a new course or existing course?

In this section you should note whether or not you are proposing a new course or modifying an existing course. Your selection will affect the behavior of the curriculum system.

 

Is this part of a 400/500 or 600/700 (slash) course offering?

The majority of General Education courses are unlikely to be 400/500 offerings, although some Integrating Knowledge courses may fit this description. If you are proposing a slash course, you will also need to submit a separate course proposal for the graduate level component of the course to the Graduate Studies Committee.

 

Will this be offered within an existing division or department?

Applies to new courses only.

 

Is this a General Education course?

You should select yes to ensure the course routes appropriately to the General Education Committee. If this course has already been approved for inclusion in General Education, it is a General Education course. If you are proposing the course for inclusion in General Education, it is also considered a General Education course for purposes of routing and review.

 

Which General Education Category applies to this course?

In this case, select Integrating Knowledge. Make sure you are familiar with the content and assessment criteria for each category prior to submitting your proposal.

 

Which General Education Subcategory applies to this course?

In this case, you should select “Citizenship, Social Responsibility and Global Awareness” from the drop down menu for Integrating Knowledge, which also includes Science, Technology and Society.

 

Is this curricular change driven by assessment data you have collected?

If the course is being proposed for inclusion in the General Education program, that can be indicated in subsequent rationale and it is appropriate to note the rationale for inclusion without having assessment data yet. It is expected that modification to courses already approved for General Education will be driven by assessment data (either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods).

 

Summary/Rationale

This section requires a clear and cogent explanation for why the proposer feels that this course belongs not only in the General Education program, but also in the specific proposed category. This rationale must go beyond noting the proposer wants to add the course to General Education. Proposals that do not include a rationale for why the proposer believes the course to be a good fit for General Education will be returned for revision. Inclusion in a previous iteration of General Education is not a sufficient rationale for inclusion in the current program.

 

What is being modified?

For courses being modified, select any option that is appropriate to your proposal. Proposers should carefully review specific credit and prerequisite requirements for their selected General Education category. Proposals that do not align to these requirements will be returned for revision.

 

Does this course include one or more High Impact Practice (HIP)?

Courses in the Integrating Knowledge category must include at least one high impact practice. Courses in the other General Education categories do not require high impact practices, but may include them if the proposer finds it appropriate. Please select only one high impact practice that represents the primary practice for the course. You may note additional use of others in the comments section of the proposal if necessary.

 

Please select the HIPs utilized in the course

Courses in Integrating Knowledge must select at least one of the identified high impact practices. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected practice(s) are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify high impact practices but do not describe how students will engage in those practices will be returned for revision.

Is the course associated with a program request that has also been submitted?

If the course is part of another program (non-General Education) that is being proposed or modified, then that should be indicated. Program proposals will be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee.

 

Course Information

For existing courses, this information is automatically generated using the information in the current WOU course catalog.

 

Modified course information

Depending upon which elements you selected in the “What is being modified?” section of the proposal, you will have the opportunity to update that information in this section.

 

Syllabus

You must attach a syllabus for the course that includes course goals clearly articulated with at least one goal aligned to the required General Education learning outcomes for the category. Proposals without syllabi attached, or with syllabi that do not include course goals and learning outcome alignment will be returned for revision. Please be aware that a syllabus is not a replacement for the required proposal information. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding course content criteria or other required information in attached documents.

 

A student’s ability to do which of the following will be addressed in this course?

These are the content criteria specific to this category. You must select one, but do not need to select more than one of these content criteria. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected content criteria are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify content criteria but do not describe how those criteria are addressed will be returned for revision.

 

Current goals.

For existing courses, a read-only table of course learning goals and alignments will be generated. For new courses, enter proposed goals and outcome alignments.

 

Alignment of proposed course to General Education Mission & Outcomes.

There are two parts to this section: a requirement to answer the question, “How will this course, as proposed, contribute to fulfillment of the General Education Mission at WOU?” and alignment with appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs). In this case, courses should be aligned with GELO 3, “Citizenship” and GELO 4, “Multidisciplinary Learning.”

 

Which of the following rubrics will be used as part of the assessment of this course? (check all that apply)

• Diversity
• Integrative Learning

For this category, both Diversity and Integrative Learning rubrics are the available rubrics for use in assessment of this course for General Education purposes. Both of these rubrics should be identified, although you may select additional rubrics for purposes of assessment.

 

Terms of Agreement.

This section spells out the assessment obligations for General Education courses. Indicate agreement by checking the appropriate box.

 

Programs affected/consulted

If this course is used in other programs or courses of study outside of General Education, you should clearly articulate how they will be affected, who you consulted with and when and the outcome of that consultation.

 

Faculty and Facilities Needed (Dean review only)

This section identifies resources needed to teach the course. If there are new resources needed should this course be offered, that should be noted here.

 

Notes/Comments

If there is additional information needed to convey information about your proposal, that should be included here. For example, if the course is part of a learning community or if you are teaching a 1 credit course that can be repeated for credit to meet the total number of credits required for the category that should be noted here.

 

Supporting Documents

You should provide a copy, or outline of your signature assignment for assessment as a supporting document. Please be aware that supporting documents do not replace the content required in the previous fields. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding foundational skills or learning outcome alignment in attached documents.

Download Integrating Knowledge: Science, Technology & Society proposal guide

The Foundational Knowledge, Exploring Knowledge and Integrating Knowledge course categories require the proposers develop a course proposal that clearly articulates how the course aligns to the appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (including a plan for assessment of those outcomes) and how the course content addresses the required General Education course content criteria.

 

Types of proposals

New courses

When a new course is developed and proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it must be reviewed by both the General Education Committee and the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/curricular-guidelines/). A new course that is not recommended for inclusion in the General Education program by the General Education Committee may still be approved as a new course by the Curriculum Committee.

 

Existing courses

When an existing course is proposed for inclusion in the General Education program it is reviewed by the General Education Committee only, provided there are only minor modifications required for General Education eligibility. These minor modifications include: changing the course title, changing the course description, changing a prerequisite. Multiple modifications to a course, and/or a change in credits must also be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee (make sure to refer to Curriculum Committee guidelines at https://wou.edu/facultysenate/committees/curriculum/curricular-guidelines/).

 

Modify a course that is already included in the General Education program

A course that is already identified as included in the General Education program is reviewed by the General Education Committee as part of any course revision review process. We recommend that programs making a change to a course that is included in the General Education program arrange a consultation with the General Education Director to discuss the proposed changes prior to submitting the proposal, in addition to discussions with any other program affected by the course changes.

 

Step by step proposal instructions

Are you proposing a new course or existing course?

In this section you should note whether or not you are proposing a new course or modifying an existing course. Your selection will affect the behavior of the curriculum system.

 

Is this part of a 400/500 or 600/700 (slash) course offering?

The majority of General Education courses are unlikely to be 400/500 offerings, although some Integrating Knowledge courses may fit this description. If you are proposing a slash course, you will also need to submit a separate course proposal for the graduate level component of the course to the Graduate Studies Committee.

 

Will this be offered within an existing division or department?

Applies to new courses only.

 

Is this a General Education course?

You should select yes to ensure the course routes appropriately to the General Education Committee. If this course has already been approved for inclusion in General Education, it is a General Education course. If you are proposing the course for inclusion in General Education, it is also considered a General Education course for purposes of routing and review.

 

Which General Education Category applies to this course?

In this case, select Integrating Knowledge. Make sure you are familiar with the content and assessment criteria for each category prior to submitting your proposal.

 

Which General Education Subcategory applies to this course?

In this case, you should select “Science, Technology and Society” from the drop down menu for Integrating Knowledge, which also includes Citizenship, Social Responsibility and Global Awareness.

 

Is this curricular change driven by assessment data you have collected?

If the course is being proposed for inclusion in the General Education program, that can be indicated in subsequent rationale and it is appropriate to note the rationale for inclusion without having assessment data yet. It is expected that modification to courses already approved for General Education will be driven by assessment data (either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods).

 

Summary/Rationale

This section requires a clear and cogent explanation for why the proposer feels that this course belongs not only in the General Education program, but also in the specific proposed category. This rationale must go beyond noting the proposer wants to add the course to General Education. Proposals that do not include a rationale for why the proposer believes the course to be a good fit for General Education will be returned for revision. Inclusion in a previous iteration of General Education is not a sufficient rationale for inclusion in the current program.

 

What is being modified?

For courses being modified, select any option that is appropriate to your proposal. Proposers should carefully review specific credit and prerequisite requirements for their selected General Education category. Proposals that do not align to these requirements will be returned for revision.

 

Does this course include one or more High Impact Practice (HIP)?

Courses in the Integrating Knowledge category must include at least one high impact practice. Courses in the other General Education categories do not require high impact practices, but may include them if the proposer finds it appropriate. Please select only one high impact practice that represents the primary practice for the course. You may note additional use of others in the comments section of the proposal if necessary.

 

Please select the HIPs utilized in the course

Courses in Integrating Knowledge must select at least one of the identified high impact practices. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected practice(s) are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify high impact practices but do not describe how students will engage in those practices will be returned for revision.

Is the course associated with a program request that has also been submitted?

If the course is part of another program (non-General Education) that is being proposed or modified, then that should be indicated. Program proposals will be reviewed by the Curriculum Committee.

 

Course Information

For existing courses, this information is automatically generated using the information in the current WOU course catalog.

Modified course information

Depending upon which elements you selected in the “What is being modified?” section of the proposal, you will have the opportunity to update that information in this section.

 

Syllabus

You must attach a syllabus for the course that includes course goals clearly articulated with at least one goal aligned to the required General Education learning outcomes for the category. Proposals without syllabi attached, or with syllabi that do not include course goals and learning outcome alignment will be returned for revision. Please be aware that a syllabus is not a replacement for the required proposal information. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding course content criteria or other required information in attached documents.

 

A student’s ability to do which of the following will be addressed in this course?

These are the content criteria specific to this category. You must select one, but do not need to select more than one of these content criteria. You will be required to clearly and completely explain how the selected content criteria are addressed by your course, so select carefully. Courses that identify content criteria but do not describe how those criteria are addressed will be returned for revision.

 

 

Describe how the option(s) marked above will be addressed within the course.

You must describe how your topic section will offer students the opportunities to practice every one of the content criteria that you selected in the previous section. Please ensure that you have provided either a detailed description or a concrete example of how students will engage with the content you selected. In preparing your description of how the course meets content criteria you should plan to communicate with a broad disciplinary audience and not take for granted that reviewers may have specialized disciplinary knowledge needed to understand how specific content and concepts, activities, pedagogical techniques or theoretical frameworks may address the content criteria. Proposals that do not clearly describe alignment to all of the content criteria selected by the proposer will be returned for revision. As the Integrating Knowledge category also emphasizes linkages between academic disciplines, a description of how this course will bring together content, skills, or disciplinary practice from more than one field is an essential element. Proposals that do not clearly identify inclusion of multiple disciplines to explore the selected content criteria will be returned for revision.

 

Current goals.

For existing courses, a read-only table of course learning goals and alignments will be generated. For new courses, enter proposed goals and outcome alignments.

 

Alignment of proposed course to General Education Mission & Outcomes.

There are two parts to this section: a requirement to answer the question, “How will this course, as proposed, contribute to fulfillment of the General Education Mission at WOU?” and alignment with appropriate General Education Learning Outcomes (GELOs). In this case, courses should be aligned with GELO 3, “Citizenship” and GELO 4, “Multidisciplinary Learning.”

 

Which of the following rubrics will be used as part of the assessment of this course? (check all that apply)

• Diversity
• Integrative Learning

For this category, both Diversity and Integrative Learning rubrics are the available rubrics for use in assessment of this course for General Education purposes. Both of these rubrics should be identified, although you may select additional rubrics for purposes of assessment.

 

Syllabus

You must attach a syllabus for the course that includes course goals clearly articulated with at least one goal aligned to the required General Education learning outcomes for the category. Proposals without syllabi attached, or with syllabi that do not include course goals and learning outcome alignment will be returned for revision. Please be aware that a syllabus is not a replacement for the required proposal information. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding course content criteria or other required information in attached documents.

 

Terms of Agreement.

This section spells out the assessment obligations for General Education courses. Indicate agreement by checking the appropriate box.

 

Programs affected/consulted

If this course is used in other programs or courses of study outside of General Education, you should clearly articulate how they will be affected, who you consulted with and when and the outcome of that consultation.

 

Faculty and Facilities Needed (Dean review only)

This section identifies resources needed to teach the course. If there are new resources needed should this course be offered, that should be noted here.

 

 

Notes/Comments

If there is additional information needed to convey information about your proposal, that should be included here. For example, if the course is part of a learning community or if you are teaching a 1 credit course that can be repeated for credit to meet the total number of credits required for the category that should be noted here.

 

Supporting Documents

You should provide a copy, or outline of your signature assignment for assessment as a supporting document. Please be aware that supporting documents do not replace the content required in the previous fields. You should not assume that the General Education Committee will hunt for required information regarding foundational skills or learning outcome alignment in attached documents.