FROM: Joseph Boles, Chair, UCC

TO: UCC

FROM: Joseph Boles, Chair, UCC

Ron Pitt, Associate Provost, Academic Administration

Subjects:

Inconsistencies and Inequity in BA designations
Justification requirement for Credit Hour Increases

C. Review of University Requirement Suffixed Classes (E, G, W, C)

A. Language Requirements for the BA

Issue # 1: There is no set credit designation for the language requirement in BA degrees at NAU. There is no set number of semesters or semester equivalents across the degrees, ranging from 8 to 16 credits.

Proposal: We set a 16 credit (or 4 semester) language requirement for all B.A.s. . The same language for four terms.

Issue # 2: The Undergraduate Catalogue states the following:

bachelor of arts (B.A.)

which includes a major and minor, or an extended major, and is designed to provide you with breadth and depth in your major area and general knowledge in your minor area. (Please note that NAU bachelor of arts degrees include a language requirement in a single, non-English language, which can include American Sign Language; computer languages do not satisfy the B.A. language requirement.)

Discussion: This language is ambiguous as it suggests the language requirements can include American Sign Language, though no BAs list ASL. The University accepts ASL as a High School/College transfer. As the list below suggests, there is no consistency in the language of the language requirement for the BA: some units specify languages while others providing simply a “other than English” statement. Some units say“foreign language.” Majors in language (French, German, Navajo, Spanish , etc) don’t specifically say the Language requirement is met through the major. Minors and course work in ancient languages (Greek, Latin, Sanskrit, etc); Hopi; Russian; Japanese; Chinese are often unaddressed. Some areas, such as Art History, Art Education, and Music History and Performance allow Italian, though Modern Languages at NAU does not offer Italian.

Proposal: One of the following will make

# 1: We ask all BA granting units to specify which languages they will accept, either through course work or transfer credit. We ask for a statement saying these languages “best meet the needs and demands of the discipline.”

# 2: We ask all BA granting units to specify which languages they will not accept either through course work of transfer credit.

Issue # 3: Exceptions to what we decide, who can grant exceptions, and audit procedures for exceptions need be discussed. Implications of “or language approved by advisor” designation.

Issue # 4: Transfer issues, especially for students taking ASL or languages a Department does not list as approved.

B. Justification of Credit Hour Increases

Issue: There are no stated guidelines on form for course change or new courses which define how credits in various teaching formats (lecture; lab; studio, etc.) are to be understood.

Proposal: The course change/new course form provide the link to the ABOR policy (below) with a statement saying that credit designation or change be part of the justification. The UCC will consider the policy in deliberations.

C. Review of University Requirement Suffixed Classes (E, G, W, C)

Issue: Diversity Classes are presently reviewed by a subcommittee of the UCC. Junior Level Writing and Capstone are done by Liberal Studies. Liberal Studies reviews the W and C designation because it was part of the last Liberal Studies Program revision. The W and C are not part of Liberal Studies though, it is held, it is “of” Liberal Studies, especially as regards assessment, but not community college transfer.

Proposal: We make this consistent. Have UCC create a second subcommittee for W and C designations, parallel in structure to the Diversity group, drawing on UCC members and others as nominated from the faculty at large. This issue will probably need to be vetted with the Senate and in consultation with the Liberal Studies and Senate Liberal Studies review committee

Appendices:

ABOR Definition of a credit 2-206 Academic Credit (PDF)

Definition of a Unit of Credit

An hour of work is the equivalent of 50 minutes of classtime (often called a "contact hour") or 60 minutes of independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Ordinarily, a course must cover a one-week period for every unit of credit given. During summer sessions, however, six units of credit may be given over a five-week period.

At least 15 contact hours of recitation, lecture, discussion, testing or evaluation, seminar, or colloquium, as well as a minimum of 30 hours of student homework is required for each unit of credit; Workshops must involve a minimum of 45 hours for each unit of credit, including a minimum of 15 contact hours, with the balance of the requirement in homework; Studios must involve at least 30 contact hours and at least 15 hours of homework for each unit of credit; Laboratory courses require a minimum of 45 contact hours per unit of credit; Field trips will be counted hour?for?hour as laboratory meetings; Each unit of internship or practicum must require a minimum of 45 clock hours of work; and Music instruction and specialized types of music performance offerings must conform to the requirement for accreditation of the National Association of Schools of Music. Off-campus courses, regardless of mode of delivery, may be assigned credit based on competencies or learning outcomes that are acquired through coursework and are equivalent to those of students in a traditional classroom setting. An equivalent of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit.

Current Catalogue Prose by Major –Those in blue are exceptions to the 4 semester standard. Language BAS in purple.

Anthropology/Extend Major/International Cultural Immersion

Applied Indigenous Studies/Extended Major

You must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English that is equivalent to four terms of university coursework in the same language. You may satisfy this requirement by taking language courses or by testing out of all or part of it by taking CLEP exams arranged by NAU’s Counseling and TestingCenter. Click here for more information.Because these courses are available at NAU, we suggest that you fulfill this requirement with either Navajo or Spanish, depending on your career aspirations.

Art Education

Language Requirement

You must develop a two-term proficiency in two of the following foreign languages: French, German, Spanish, and Italian. You may meet this proficiency requirement in one of three ways:

Art History

Electronic Media

Demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English that is equivalent to four terms of university coursework in the same language. You may satisfy this requirement by taking language courses or by testing out of all or part of it by taking CLEP exams arranged by NAU’s Counseling and Testing Center.Click here for more information

English

French

In addition, you must pass the international French proficiency exam given on the Flagstaff campus and an oral exit interview in French.

German

In addition, you are expected to pass the Zertifikat Deutsch als Fremdsprache exam, given on the Flagstaff campus at regular intervals, with a score of gut or better before completing your undergraduate degree

History/Extended Major

You must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English that is equivalent to three terms of university coursework in the same language. You may satisfy this requirement by taking language courses or by testing out of all or part of it by taking CLEP exams arranged by NAU’s Counseling and TestingCenter. Click here for more information.

Humanities

International Affairs

Foreign Language

You take 6 units of foreign language at the 300 or 400 level. Please note that if you major in both international affairs and a modern language, this 6-unit requirement is waived, thus reducing the units required for your major. In other words, you don’t need to replace the 6 waived units with additional coursework.

Language Requirement

You must demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language that is equivalent to four terms of university coursework in the same language. You may satisfy this requirement by taking language courses or by testing out of all or part of it by taking CLEP exams arranged by NAU’s Counseling and TestingCenter. Click here for more information

Liberal Studies (All Bails Degrees, including Extended)

two courses (6-8 units) in a modern language other than English, selectedfrom the same language (You can take CLEP or AP exams to fulfill all or part of this requirement; however, you can’t use “travelers” or “conversation only” language courses for this requirement.)

Modern Languages Extended

30 units in the primary language, excluding courses numbered 101 and 102

20 units in the secondary language, excluding courses numbered 101 and 102

Music

Music Performance

You must develop a two-term proficiency in two of the following foreign languages: French, German, Spanish, and Italian. You may meet this proficiency requirement in one of three ways:

Philosophy

Political Science

Psychology

Religious Studies

Sociology/Extended

Spanish/Extended Major

No notation

Speech Communication

Theater

Women’s Studies