Arts & Sciences Curriculum
Revised – March 17, 2000
CORE SKILLS AND DISTRIBUTION (CS&D) PLAN
What's "wrong" with the current core? Skills (writing and quantitative reasoning) requirements are weak; students are able to postpone needed skills courses. Critical Thinking courses are unevenly defined. The seven Content Area categories (e.g., Ideals and Values, U.S. Context, etc.) are difficult to define clearly without imposing arbitrary and hard-to-justify distinctions. In general there is no clear distinction between courses in and those not in the core. The number of courses designated to satisfy requirements in different categories continues to grow, while there is often no apparent rationale for why some and not other specific courses are designated as core. Thus, the curriculum is hard to rationalize to students; transfer students
(~40% of our student body) are especially handicapped by the current system. Students also find the current core too complex and difficult to navigate, in part because requirements change if and when one changes one's major.
What's different about the proposed plan? Three features characterize the proposed plan. First, it is designed to strengthen students' core skills. Second, it shifts from the idea of a "core" course system (some courses in and others not in core) to a general education approach that features three area distributional requirements. Third, it highlights and promotes interdisciplinary teaching and learning through optional, newly developed, innovative Interdisciplinary Modes of Inquiry courses. Overall, the plan is simpler, clearer, more streamlined.
Introduction. The phrase "core curriculum" invites the belief that at the heart of a university education lies a combination of courses that once completed will prepare students for their major and, more importantly, the world. University studies, however, have always been subject to the convictions of the current culture. Years ago, Latin, Greek, and theology constituted the core requirements of almost all universities. In the recent past, history, English, and philosophy were considered indispensable (and may still be). Most academic departments regard their disciplines as valuable and worthy of inclusion in a core curriculum. The challenges, then, for any group of professors and students trying to construct a core are pedagogical, but they are also political. When old ideals are supplanted by new ones, people want to know why. We must debate what kinds of knowledge we believe are most valuable, but we must also arrive at some consensus when we transform that debate into curricular choices. To that end, the Core Curriculum Task Force has tried to take into account student needs, faculty concerns, and a changing society. Western civilization is now but one civilization among many. Literary canons have been shown to neglect or ignore marginalized peoples. Philosophy treats analytic questions as often as it does historical ones. So where does one begin?
We submit that it is no longer possible to talk about a core curriculum, and indeed that the current core curriculum, now in place for over ten years, is itself not a true core but a set of somewhat arbitrarily defined distributional requirements. There are core skills that we all do agree on: writing, math, foreign languages, and a broad ability at articulation. These core skills are the vehicles that enable students to undertake serious study. The proposal outlined embodies a curricular structure that combines a strong emphasis on these indispensable core skills along with distributional requirements that will allow students to explore the intellectual resources of this university and its faculty in a broad and challenging way.
The Committee. The Core Curriculum Task Force is a broadly representative group of faculty from the three divisions of the College, advisors, alumni, and students. It was established in fall 1997 to review the current core requirements and make recommendations to the Arts & Sciences faculty as a whole.
Guiding questions. Throughout our discussions, we identified strengths and weakness of the current core curriculum. Initial discussions centered on ideals and purposes. We addressed such questions as, What should liberal arts and sciences graduates know and be able to do? What are we trying to produce? What kind of graduate do we want? A well-educated, well-rounded citizen or a more specialized, highly-skilled expert who is guaranteed employment in an increasingly technology-driven society? What is the purpose of our general education requirements? These questions were addressed in terms of the following more specific issues. How can we balance demands for both breadth and depth? How can we balance the perhaps out-dated goal of a common experience for undergraduates and the need for educational diversity? How can we foster interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary education and problem-solving in an educational system that is department-based?
We identified five separate but interrelated parts of what we consider an ideal liberal arts education. These are:
(1) Core Skills (reading, writing, speaking; math and quantitative reasoning; foreign languages)
(2) Diversity (gender and cultural)
(3) Interdisciplinary modes of inquiry (Optional)
(4) Breadth via exposure to major academic divisions
(5) Depth in one area of inquiry, as provided by a major
Specific Goals. With these elements clarified, we agreed to (1) strengthen the College's core skill requirements, (2) maintain the College's culture/gender diversity requirement, (3) streamline and simplify substantive area requirements, (4) promote interdisciplinary work through optional Interdisciplinary Modes of Inquiry courses that provide both breadth and common experiences for undergraduates, and (5) support and encourage a capstone course in the major.
The Plan in Outline Form. Also see attached diagram. We propose a new A&S College Curriculum that features:
(1) A strong foundation in core skills (reading & writing; math & quantitative reasoning; foreign language) for all students.
-Lower & upper division writing courses (6 hours). No exceptions. The lower division course must be completed before a student has completed 60 credit hours. The upper division course must be completed before a student has completed 90 credit hours.
-Proficiency in Math and Quantitative Reasoning (0-6 hours, based upon proficiency demonstrated by passing approved course(s), advanced placement credit, or performance on an examination mandatory for all entering students.) Must be completed before student has completed 60 credit hours.
-Third semester proficiency in a Foreign Language (0-15 hours, depending on skill level based on courses previously completed and/or testing).
(2) At least one 3 hour course that focuses on cultural and/or gender diversity.
(3) Distributional requirements for breadth and balance:
Students will be required to take 9 hours each in the Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences and 10 hours (including 1 hour of laboratory) in the Natural Sciences, regardless of major. Departments teaching natural science core courses will compose common entrance and achievement standards for all of their core courses. Courses within these areas of inquiry may be applied toward the major. Within these three areas students must take courses from at least two different departments. The courses may be either lower- or upper-division.
(4) Interdisciplinary Modes of Inquiry courses will function as "wild cards" in the curriculum--that is, students may substitute one (but only one) of these courses (from an approved list) for any one Distribution course toward satisfying distributional requirements listed above.
(5) A small-enrollment Senior Experience course in the MAJOR that emphasizes
reading/writing/speaking. (This might be similar to current critical thinking courses, or could be a capstone or honors course.)
Hours will be distributed roughly as follows:
Core Skills: 06 Writing Courses
0-06 Math & Quantitative reasoning
0-15 Foreign language (3rd semester proficiency)
Diversity: 03 Gender or Culture
Distribution: 09 Arts & Humanities
09 Social Sciences
10 Natural Sciences
Total 37-58
The Plan in Detail. Core Skills. A commitment to literacy and articulateness unites, propels, and guides the new curriculum. Reading, writing, speaking, mathematics and quantitative reasoning are essentials, providing the bedrock foundation for the viability, effectiveness and quality of the entire curriculum. We consider these processes the basis of a quality college education. We endorse the principle that literacy be a campus-wide initiative, that excellence in writing, writing instruction, math and quantitative reasoning and their instruction, be part of the identity of the campus.
Because writing is so fundamental to educational success, we propose both lower and upper division writing course requirements—with no exceptions. We endorse the policy that writing be an integral component of all areas of the curriculum. We endorse the goal of reinforcing writing/reading/speaking skills throughout the curriculum.
Mathematics and quantitative reasoning are likewise critical for success as a student and as a member of society. We propose that students demonstrate MQR proficiency by passing an approved course or courses, or by having advanced placement credit, or by performing to a high standard on an examination mandatory for all entering students. The examination will be designed to test proficiency in quantitative reasoning using the standards set down by the Mathematical Association of America (url:http://www.valpo.edu/home/faculty/rgillman/ql). The examination will also be used to help students decide whether they should take one approved course or an approved two-semester sequence of courses to obtain proficiency. We endorse the goal of reinforcing math and quantitative reasoning skills at higher levels in the curriculum.
Foreign Languages engage the student in another culture and in unfamiliar ways of thinking. The current requirement of third level proficiency is appropriate in an increasingly global world. Committee members acknowledged that considerable proficiency (at least 3rd level) is necessary to learn another culture, its expression, and its ways of thinking. Language proficiency is demonstrated by placing out of or passing 3rd level courses designated by faculty in the Foreign Language Departments. The number of hours needed to satisfy this requirement will vary, depending on the student’s background and testing results.
Diversity. The Committee endorses continued commitment to the importance of understanding the world’s diversity and pluralism through the study of (1) a non-Western culture and/or (2) the nature and meanings of the categories of race, ethnicity, and gender. Specific courses that will satisfy this 3-hour requirement will be nominated to a list to be approved by the College's Curriculum Committee.
Distribution. The purpose of a distribution requirement is to expose the student to the full range of subject matter available at the University. Thus we ask that each student take 9 hours of course work in Arts and Humanities and Social Sciences, and 10 hours in Natural Sciences, including a laboratory course. Laboratory experience is essential to inquiry in the natural sciences, hence the one-hour laboratory requirement.
Optional Interdisciplinary Modes of Inquiry courses address the question, “How do we know what (we think) we know?” Because different disciplines and sub-disciplines answer this question differently—radically differently in some cases—these courses will expose the student to different epistemologies in a single course while focusing on a single issue, major work or set of works. Their purpose is to present different disciplines’ principles through studying a specific topic. These innovative courses must include content from all three areas (Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences). An example might be a course on a specific environmental issue from the disciplines of philosophy, geology, and political science.
The rationale for these optional courses came out of discussions about different ways of knowing-—the extent to which different disciplines emphasize different learning processes such as observation, description, performance, analysis, cause and effect models, introspection, interpretation, deductive and inductive reasoning, convergent and divergent thinking, empirical and rational models, etc. Interdisciplinary Modes of Inquiry courses will explore the ways in which knowledge is acquired and tested in different disciplines. Although topic-oriented, they will focus on the ways in which different academic disciplines engage our capacity to learn. These courses may be team-taught. Their structure could vary in innovative ways. There will be both lower and upper division courses from which students can select appropriately.
The purposes of Interdisciplinary Modes of Inquiry courses are to establish faculty relationships with students, teach different ways of knowing, build breadth into the curriculum, give exposure to thinking outside the student’s major, and give students a common experience.
A & S faculty will determine the content of optional Interdisciplinary Modes of Inquiry courses. We anticipate that interdisciplinary teams of faculty will create and propose IMOI courses to the College's Curriculum Committee. Optional means not required but substitutable.
Senior Experience. We envision a low-enrollment course in the major that emphasizes active participation on the part of the student through extensive reading, writing, and speaking in class. This requirement will give the graduating senior an opportunity to pursue a topic in depth, hone basic skills, polish his/her understanding of the major, and integrate his/her undergraduate experience. Faculty in the major department or program will determine the nature of this course.
Course Designation. Each course used for College requirements would have one (and only one) of the following designations:
SE: Senior Experience
MQR: Math and quantitative reasoning
FL: Foreign Language
CGD: Cultural and Gender Diversity
WL: Lower-division writing
WU: Upper-division writing
NS: Natural Science
SS: Social Science
AH: Arts and Humanities
IMOI/WC: Interdisciplinary Modes of Inquiry/Wild Card
Faculty in departments will designate which area or category their individual courses fulfill. The College's Curriculum Committee would review and oversee these designations (as it does now).
Listed below are A & S faculty, staff, students, and alumni who have served on the Core Curriculum Task Force.
MEMBER DEPT TERM
Armstrong, David EPOB 99-00
Avallone, Linnea PAOS 98-99 99-00
Bagenal, Frances APS 98-99 99-00
Bergquist, Erin ASSG 98 98-99
Cary, John PHYS 97-98
Deans, Nancy CHEM 99-00
Del Caro, Adrian GSLL 98 98-99 99-00
Dempsey, Matt ASSG 98-99 99-00
Epstein, Steven HIST 97-98
Fall, Ray CHEM 97-98 98-99 99-00
Goodrich, Kent MATH 97-98 98-99
Grant, David MATH 99-00
Guralnick, Elissa UWRP 97-98 98-99 99-00
Huff, James GEOG 97-98 98-99
Jacobs, Janet WMST 97-98 98-99 99-00
Kelley, Sean THDN 97-98
Kosanovich, Amy UCSU 97-98
Lee, Nicholas GSLL 97
Levitt, Paul UWRP 97-98 98-99 99-00
Mandal, Tilak ASSG 97-98
Martin, Kimberly ASSG 97-98
Medley, Lara A&S 97-98
Mills, Claudia PHIL 97-98 98-99 99-00
Nielsen, Joyce SOCY 97-98 98-99 99-00
Pierpont, Cortlandt CHEM 99-00
Poyton, Robert MCDB 97-98
Pyle, Cassie Alumna 97-98
Raudenbush, Fran Alumna 97-98
Scarritt, James PSCI 97-98 98-99 99-00
Spear, Peter A&S 97-98 98-99 99-00
Stegman, Gerry A&S 97-98 98-99 99-00
Stevenson, John ENGL 97-98 98-99 99-00
Takahara, Kumiko EALL 97-98
Yoshinaga-Itano, C. SLHS 97-98 98-99 99-00
EX-OFFICIO
Nishikawa, Richard A&S 97-98 98-99 99-00
Guertin, Elizabeth A&S 98-99 99-00
Phillips, Susan A&S 97-98 98-99 99-00
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