UWSP General Education Program
GEP Course Application
Department: School of Education
Contact Person: Babak Vaezzadeh
Instructor(s): Babak Vaezzadeh
Curriculum: FYS
Course Number: 103
Course Title: First Year Seminar: Variety is the Spice of Life
Existing Course? Recently
approved
Credits: 3
Enrollment expected per section: 20
If known, how often will this be Two sections Fall 2013.
offered and how many sections?
Catalog Description: A First Year Seminar is a foundational course for incoming first-year students designed
to introduce critical thinking skills, orient you to the academic community and campus
life, and equip you with other skills necessary to be a successful student.
(link to Catalog)
Existing GDR? No
If yes, which GDR Category / Categories?
☐ Freshman English
☐
☐ Writing Emphasis
☐
☐ Communication
☐
Mathematics
☐
☐
☐ Wellness
☐
☐ Non-Western
☐
Humanities 1
Humanities 2
Humanities 3
Humanities 4
Minority Studies
Environmental Literacy
☐
☐
☐
☐
☐
History
Social Science 1
Social Science 2
Foreign Language
Natural Science
Include Representative Syllabus (please include filename: )
Select GEP Category:
If appropriate, select at most ONE of the following:
First Year Seminar
If appropriate, select at most ONE of the following:
U.S. Diversity
Note: A summary of the approved learning outcomes for each GEP Category can be found here.
Course Learning
Outcomes:
(describe or attach)
First Year Seminar Learning Outcomes:
Upon completing this requirement, students will be able to:
1. Describe the importance of a liberal education and the ways in which
academic study is structured at UWSP.
2. Describe the importance of critical thinking and information literacy and
apply the associated skills.
3. Identify and apply appropriate note-taking, test-taking, and timemanagement strategies to their academic studies.
4. Describe the importance of co-curricular involvement and how it enhances
their academic study at UWSP.
5. Identify and utilize UWSP programs, resources, and services that will support
their academic studies and co-curricular involvement.
6. Develop a plan that demonstrates their responsibility for their own
education, specifically how it relates to their interests, abilities, career
choices, and personal development.
U.S. Diversity Learning Outcomes:
Upon completing this requirement, students will be able to:
•
•
Explanation of
Alignment:
(explain how your
course learning
outcomes align with
the GEP category
outcomes)
Describe the various dimensions of diversity and marginalization within the
United States.
Explain the means by which one or more persistently marginalized groups in
the U.S. have negotiated the conditions of their marginalization.
Each First Year Seminar is designed and organized around the approved learning
outcomes for FYS. Individual instructors might emphasize some of these FYS learning
outcomes more than others.
See “Vaezzadeh FYS 103 Learning Outcomes Attachment 1.pdf” for FYS learning
outcomes.
See “Vaezzadeh FYS 103 Explanation of Alignment with US Diversity Attachment
2.pdf” for US Diveristy learning outcomes.
(GEP outcomes can be
found here)
How Student Learning
will be Assessed:
The students in this course will demonstrate their understanding of the course
learning outcomes through two projects, class discussion, and participation.
(describe or attach)
One of the objectives of this course is to develop sensitivity to and appreciation of
different cultures and ethnic groups. The students in this seminar, through
presentations and research, will become familiar with history of migration,
contributions, and influences of different ethnic groups in the United States.
See attachments for additional details.
Example Assignment:
As part of the assessment for the course, the students are assigned to complete an
individual and a group action research projects to be presented in class.
(describe or attach)
The projects will require each group to research the unique characteristics and traits
of different ethnic groups in the United States. The students are encouraged to
discover similarities and differences in regards to geographical location, historical
events, religious beliefs, etc. During this process, the students are also required to
examine and reflect their prior beliefs and stereotypes, and the sources of such
beliefs about each ethnic group.
Library Resource 1. Have you contacted the Library about any additional resources (e.g., books, journals,
and Services:
DVDs, databases, streaming videos, etc.) needed for the proposed course?
< click here to contact Collection Development Librarian >
2. Would you be interested in discussing with a Librarian ways to support the research
or information-literacy components of the proposed course?
Yes
< click here to contact the Coordinator of Library Instruction >
Note: Approval of the course proposal does not imply availability of library resources.
Department Vote:
Approve: 11
Oppose:
0
Abstain:
1
Date:
3/4/2013
Next Steps / Please submit completed form to the Chairperson of the General Education Committee
Instructions:
General Education
Committee Action: