University Breadth Requirements – Senate Ad Hoc Committee

February 16, 2009

Membership of the Ad Hoc Committee

• Avron Abraham –UST and Gen Ed (Chair)

• Brian Ackerman – A&S

• Eric Rise – A&S

• Tony Seraphin – A&S

• Lynn Worden – CHEP

• Steve Hastings – CANR

• Doug Buttrey – ENGR

• Carolyn Manning – HS

• Jennifer Gregan-Paxton – B&E

• John Madsen – CMES and UGS

Summary of University Breadth Requirements – Senate Ad Hoc Committee

February 16, 2009

Introduction

The University of Delaware does not have uniform breadth requirements across all majors and it has become increasingly more difficult for students, advisors and faculty to understand how particular courses meet the requirements outlined by colleges, departments, majors and programs. University-wide breadth requirements that are consistent across majors would allow students greater flexibility and contribute to easier movement between majors.

The process outlined below is an attempt to make the university breadth requirement inclusive and transparent with the result being that a very large number of courses representing all colleges would be eligible to meet the university breadth requirement. The committee feels strongly that departments should whenever possible adhere to the spirit of the university-wide breadth requirement and allow individual student choice in meeting the university breadth requirement, thus promoting exploration and increasing flexibility.

Breadth Requirement Outline

There would be a minimum University breadth requirement of 12 credits.

a. The requirement would include at least one course from each of four categories (for categories see below), with no more than one course taken from any single rubric. (ie: the four- letter subject code ACCT, HIST etc. ).This would include courses that are cross-listed with that rubric.

b. University breadth courses would and should include courses from all Colleges.

c. To meet the University Breadth requirement students would not be permitted to take courses with the rubric of the student’s major. A course cross-listed with the student’s major rubric would not satisfy the breadth requirement. If multiple rubrics exist within a department the student could satisfy the breadth requirement from a rubric that does not represent their major.

(Example: NTDT 200 meeting the breadth requirement for Health Behavior Science Majors which has a HESC rubric)

d. When the college/major breadth requirements exceed 12 credits then the additional course(s) could come from the home department. This would be determined by the college or department and designated under College/Department requirements.

e. A minimum grade of C- would be required for the four courses designated to meet the University breadth requirement.

f. The breadth requirement would not include ENGL110

g. Breadth courses would be required to be open to all students (not majors and minors only. When pre-requisites are required those courses would also be open to non-majors/non-minors.

h. Departments/ Colleges would have the flexibility to increase the number of courses required to meet “their” breadth requirement.

i. If a breadth course is required for a student’s major then that course would count for both breadth and major requirement, subject to the limitations in (c) above.

j. There would be four categories ( see expanded description below)

- Creative Arts and Humanities

- History and Cultural Change

- Social and Behavioral Sciences

- Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology

Administration of the University Breadth Requirement

Oversight of the University breadth requirement would be the purview of a standing faculty committee with representation from all the Colleges. The ad hoc committee recommends that the committee be comprised of a faculty representative from all the colleges including one member of the Senate UGS committee. This committee would report to the Senate UGS Committee.

Committee Charge:

1. Overall oversight of the breadth procedures including ongoing review of the placement of courses within appropriate categories and ensuring the availability of courses (ensuring that an appropriate number of seats > 50% are open to those whose majors do not require the course).
2. The committee’s responsibility would not include the approval of breadth courses. This function would remain within the individual colleges.
3. Ensuring that the intent of breadth remains inclusive and maintaining a substantial list of courses that encourage exploration by the student in areas outside of their major.

College responsibility

Colleges (their committee) would be charged with:

a. Approving courses submitted within their college as university wide breadth courses and suggesting the category into which the courses should be placed. The expectation is that these courses would originate from individual departments.

b. Setting credit and/or grade requirements over and above the minimum university requirement of 12 credits.

c. Evaluating substitutions and waivers. Students who request the transfer of breadth courses from other institutions that do not have a UD equivalent would need those courses accepted by the college where the rubric resides. Once accepted by that college the course would meet the University requirement across all colleges (The course would in effect become part of that particular student’s list of breadth courses).

Notes

· Colleges/Departments/Majors would be able to still set their own requirements beyond the University requirements.

· A procedure would have to be set up to begin the process of placing courses into the four categories. Colleges could begin the process by submitting a list of courses with a suggested placement to the University committee.

· Transfer of courses from other institutions that would meet a breadth requirement would match an equivalent course from UD. This would follow the process already in place and courses would be posted on the transfer matrix.

· There is an understanding that the implementation of the requirement would take time and would necessitate Colleges/Departments/Majors changing the way their program looks.

Proposed Outline:

University Requirements

- E110

- FYE

- DLE

- Multicultural

- 12 credits of Breadth ( One from each category, and that breadth requirements can satisfy FYE, DLE and multicultural, and major requirements )

College Requirements

Major requirements

Categories

Creative Arts and Humanities

Courses give students a better understanding and appreciation of the visual and performing arts, of aesthetic forms, designs, or craftsmanship, or of literary, philosophical, and intellectual traditions.  Courses may focus on a single aesthetic form or intellectual tradition, or cross-cultural differences or similarities. 

.

History and Cultural Change

Courses provide students with an understanding of the sources and forces of historical changes in ideas, beliefs, institutions, and cultures. Courses may address social, cultural, intellectual, economic, technological, artistic, scientific, and political development, changes in a discipline, or globalization and its effects.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Courses provide students with an understanding of the behavior of individuals and social groups in the context of their human and natural environments. Courses emphasize the empirical findings, applications, and methods of the social and behavioral sciences.

Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology

Courses provide students with an understanding of fundamental and/or applied concepts and phenomena from mathematics, logic, natural or physical sciences, and technology including quantitative reasoning and methods used to approach and solve problems.