An overview of newGeneral Education framework for RIT undergraduate students

Agenda

•Why the change?

•What changed?

•Requirements of the new GE Curriculum Framework

“The only education that prepares us for change is a liberal education. In periods of change, narrow specialization condemns us to inflexibility – precisely what we do not need. We need the flexible intellectual tools to be problem solvers, to be able to continue learning over time.”

-David Kearns, former CEO of Xerox Corporation, 2002

Guiding PrinciplesSupporting programs/majors • Provide a progression of courses that are integrated with major fields of study • Provide courses that support the basic requirements for students in the majorsImplementation • Be clear and concise to ease processes for: Scheduling, Auditing, Advising• Offer students courses and programs that support their major field of study and

other interests• Provide students choices in how to fulfill their requirements• Be clear and easy to understand for students, faculty, and staff• Allow for easy adaptation for future reformOther• Be intellectually stimulating for faculty and students• Be adaptive to changing curricula and a changing world• Support innovation, creativity, scholarship, and entrepreneurship

How the New Framework Differs

•University-wide engagement •Not disciplinary, but outcome driven•Opportunities for integrated and

inter-/trans-disciplinary experiences• Intentional scaffolding•Writing intensive

NYSED Requirements

• Students in all BS degree programs are required to complete at least 60 semester credit hours of general education.• Students in BFA programs are required to

take 30 semester credit hours of general education.

FY Elective

First Year

Writing

Math-ematical

Artistic

Ethical

Social

Global

Math-ematical

Science Inquiry

Science Principles

3

2

1

Plus + Elective General Education courses to bring total to 60 credits

PerspectivesFoundation Immersion

General Education Framework BS Degree

Minor 4(optional)

Minor 5 (optional)

Critical Reading

& Writing

3

2

1

Minor 4(optional)

Total should be a minimum of 30 credits

Minor 5 (optional)

General Education – BFA Degree

PerspectivesFoundation Immersion

Artistic

Ethical

Social

Global

FY Elective

First Year

Writing

Critical Reading

& Writing

Additional program determined or elective courses to bring total to 30 credits

General Education – AS Degrees

Perspectives

Artistic

Ethical

Social

Global

SciencePrinciples

FY Elective

First Year

Writing

Foundation

Critical Reading

& Writing

Additional program determined or elective courses to bring total to 25 credits

General Education – AAS Degrees

Perspectives

Artistic

Ethical

Social

Global

SciencePrinciples

FY Elective

First Year

Writing

Foundation

Critical Reading

& Writing

RIT’s GE Framework

Note: There may be some flexibility depending on whether student takes 3 or 4 credit courses in some of the Perspectives categories; may change number of GE electives

General Education Framework BS BFA AAS AS

FoundationFoundational ElectiveFirst-Year Writing

6 6 6 6

Perspectives Categories 24 12 15 15

Immersion RequirementThree additional, related courses

9 9 0 0

General Education Electives 21 3 3 9

MINIMUM TOTAL 60 30 24 30

Foundation

• Two courses in the first year that introduce students to intellectual life of the university, and prepare them for future coursework and career preparation:• First-Year Writing • Should be taken in their first year

• First-Year Elective• Foundational Elective• Note: The General Education Committee is

currently revisiting these three credits. Currently students may use these 3 credits as ANY general education course.

Perspectives• Introduce students to fundamentals of liberal arts and sciences

• Students must choose one course from each of the 7 categories:

• Artistic• Social• Global • Ethical• Scientific Principles• Natural Science Inquiry• Mathematical (2 courses)

Artistic

• Will enable students to interpret and evaluate artistic expression considering cultural context in which it was created• Examples of courses:• Literary and Cultural Studies• Intro to Visual Arts • Intro to Music• Intro to Film• Intro to Western Art & Architecture• English and World literature courses

Social• Focus on the analysis of human behavior within the context of

social systems and institutions• Examples of courses:• Microeconomics • Macroeconomics• Themes in US History• American Politics• Intro to Psychology• Abnormal Psychology• Foundations of Sociology• Intro to Criminal Justice Systems

Global• Will enable students to examine connections among the

world’s populations• Examples of courses:• Microeconomics • Macroeconomics• Cultural Anthropology• Literary and Cultural Studies• History of Modern East Asia• 20th Century Europe• Intro to International Relations • Foreign Languages

Ethical

• Focus on ethical aspects of decision-making and argument, whether at the individual, group, national or international level• Examples of courses:• Intro to Philosophy• Critical Thinking• Professional Ethics• Intro to Environmental Studies• Science, Technology & Values

Scientific Principles• Provide an opportunity to apply methods of scientific inquiry

in the natural or social sciences• Examples of courses:• Intro to Psychology• Developmental Psychology• Human Biology• General Biology• College Physics• Solar System Astronomy• General & Analytical Chemistry• Concepts of Environmental Science

Natural Scientific Inquiry• Courses in this category focus on the basic principles and

concepts of one of the natural sciences. Students apply methods of scientific inquiry and problem solving in a lab or field experience.

• Courses include• Natural science courses that include a lab component• College and University Physics (combining lecture and lab)• General & Analytical Chemistry• Human Biology• General Biology

Mathematical• Courses in this category focus on identifying and

understanding the role that mathematics plays in the world. Students comprehend and evaluate mathematical or statistical information and perform college level mathematical operations on quantitative data

• Students must take two from this Perspective category• Courses include• All Math Courses at the 100-level and above in the semester

numbering system• Intro to Computational Problem Solving• Introduction to Statistics

PerspectivesImportant Points:• Courses may be listed in more than one category• A student may only use a single course to fulfill a single

category• Students must complete one writing intensive course in

their general education curricula

Immersion• Three courses linked by theme or discipline (courses may be

across departments and/or across Colleges)• Supports deeper learning within a focus area• Immersions ideally lead to minor with two additional courses• Programs cannot require students to complete specific

immersion as part of their requirements• Examples:• Foreign Languages• Communications• Text & Code• Sociology• Philosophy• Mathematics• Astronomy

Gen Ed Electives

• Remaining GE elective credits may be specified by programs in order for students to fulfill supporting requirements (e.g. mathematics, science, ethics, etc.)• Ideally, some of these credits should be free GE electives

that can be chosen by students • Credits in the Perspectives category that exceed

minimum requirement will be applied toward elective credits

Questions?

Contacts:

John SmithgallAssistant DeanCollege of Liberal Artsjssgla@RIT.edu

Elizabeth HaneFaculty Associate to the Provost for General EducationCollege of Scienceenhsbi@rit.edu