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 [email protected]
Elizabeth HaneFaculty Associate to the Provost for General EducationCollege of [email protected]