[Plsfaculty] FW: General Education - Multiple Courses in a Tier One Study Area

[Donna-Rae Marquez]

From: Printing & Publishing 3Ds [mailto:PPSS3DS at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU] On
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Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2011 2:03 PM
To: PPSS3DS at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
Subject: General Education - Multiple Courses in a Tier One Study Area

 

MEMORANDUM

 

DATE:                        September 15, 2011

 

TO:                 Deans, Directors, Department Heads, and Advisors

 

FROM:           Thomas Fleming, Chair, University-wide General Education
Committee

George Gehrels, Chair, Undergraduate Council  

                        Celeste Pardee, Curriculum Associate, Curricular
Affairs

 

RE:                  General Education - Multiple Courses in a Tier One
Study Area

 

Effective in Fall 2011, students may apply more than one course in a General
Education Tier One Study Area category to their degree program.  In the past
only one course per Study Area category (e.g., INDV 101) applied toward a
student's degree because the second INDV 101 course with a different
subtitle was coded as a repeat (no credit) in UA systems.   Now that all
Tier One courses have department prefixes and new numbers, two courses will
not be identified as repeats by the UAccess system.  Tier One renumbering in
Summer 2011 provided an opportunity for students to earn credit for more
than one course in a Study Area category.  The following policy revision was
initiated by the University-wide General Education Committee, approved by
the Undergraduate Council on 4/12/11, and passed by the Faculty Senate on
9/12/11.  It applies to all currently enrolled students and has been added
to the 2011-12 Catalog.

 

Revision of General Education Tier One Policy - second paragraph 

( <http://catalog.arizona.edu/2011-12/gened_tiers.html#tier2>
http://catalog.arizona.edu/2011-12/gened_tiers.html#tier2):  

Tier One courses introduce students to fundamental issues and concepts
pertinent to three study areas.  Courses in each study area have a
department prefix but the same number, as shown below.  To complete each
study area, students must take two courses in different subareas or
categories, designated by a letter (A, B, C) following the 3-digit course
number. 


Tier One Study Areas: 

Required Breadth: 


Individuals & Societies (xxxx150)

2 -150 courses with different letters (A, B, C)


Traditions & Cultures (xxxx160)

2 - 160 courses with different letters (A, B, C, D)


Natural Sciences (xxxx170)

2 - 170 courses with different letters (A, B, C)


 

Total:   6 courses

The first course taken in a study area category (e.g., ARC 160D1) will count
toward the Tier One requirement; a second course taken in the same study
area category - identical course number and letter (e.g., JUS 160D1) - will
count as general elective credit.  Tier One courses cannot apply toward the
major or minor.

Rationale for the Revision:

 

.         With a variety of courses offered in each study area, it is
appropriate for a second or third course in a study area category to count
for elective credit.

.         Few courses within each study area category are equivalents.  The
equivalents will be coded as identical/mutually exclusive to prevent
students from repeating the same content.

.         Tier One courses that are interdisciplinary in scope offer
undecided students an opportunity to explore majors in many disciplines.
This is a legitimate use of Tier One courses.

.         Currently, there are ample seats in Tier One courses, so students
may take more than one per study area category for elective credit without
creating a shortage of seats.

.         Tier One courses for first year students have been created to
comply with General Education criteria, to be reviewed periodically by the
University-wide General Education Committee, and to be managed for incoming
freshmen by the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs.  

 

Management of the Tier One Policy:

 

.         UAccess Student is programmed to apply the first course completed
with a passing grade in a Tier One Study Area category toward the specific
Study Area requirement.  The second course passed in a Study Area category
will apply toward total degree units as general elective credit.  

.         Tier One courses cannot apply toward a major or minor.

 

Questions about the General Education policy should be addressed to Celeste
Pardee, Curriculum Associate, at 621-5375,  <mailto:cpardee at u.arizona.edu>
cpardee at u.arizona.edu.

 

 

 

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