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I. ASCRC General Education Form (revised 9/15/09)
Use to propose new general education courses (except writing courses), to change existing
gen ed courses and to remove designations for existing gen ed courses.
Note: One-time-only general education designation may be requested for experimental courses
(X91-previously X95), granted only for the semester taught. A NEW request must be
submitted for the course to receive subsequent general education status.
Group
VIII: Ethics & Human Values
Dept/Program Computer Science
Course #
CSCI 315
Course Title
Prerequisite
Computers, Ethics, & Society
 FOR 220
 Successful completion of the Upper
Division Writing Proficiency
Assessment (UDWPA).
 Or consent of instructor
Credits
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Instructor
Alden Wright
4790
alden.wright@umontana.edu
Program Chair Joel Henry
Dean
Chris Comer
III. Type of request
New
X
One-time Only
Reason for Gen Ed inclusion, change or deletion
3
Date
11-202009
Phone / Email
Change
Remove
Up until this year (fall 2009), CS415 has
historically counted as satisfying the gen
ed ethics requirement. This designation
was taken away and we would like it
renewed for our students.
Description of change
All CS undergraduates are required to
take CSCI 315 in order to graduate, and
because of the Ethics covered in this
course, we feel it is redundant for them
to have to go out and take yet another
Gen Ed Ethics course.
IV. Description and purpose of new general education course: General Education courses
must be introductory and foundational within the offering department or within the General
Education Group. They must emphasize breadth, context, and connectedness; and relate course
content to students’ future lives: See Preamble:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/gened/GEPreamble_final.htm
Course Description:
In this class, we learn about ethical problems that computer scientists face, the codes of
ethics of computing professional societies, and the social implications of computers,
computing, and other digital technologies. The stated goals of the course include that
students should:
1. Understand, identify, and apply different ethical philosophies, frameworks,
and methodologies.
2. Identify and interpret the codes of professional conduct relating to the
disciplines of computer science and software engineering.
3. Understand and apply the concepts and principles of moral thinking to
problems relating to computing and digital technologies.
4. Have improved skills writing argumentative essays, and in critical thinking,
analysis, and presentation.
5. Be familiar with a number of noteworthy essays written by influential
researchers in the field of cyberethics.
This course combines coverage of ethics and of "computers and society". The coverage
of ethics is introductory and foundational, but the coverage of computers and society
does assume some background knowledge of computers and computer technology.
V. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group. See:
http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
CS415 was a required course for
Computer Science undergraduates, and
its proposed replacement CSCI 315 will
continue to be a required course. We
believe it is introductory and
foundational in its ethical theory
components. During the first 2-3 weeks
of the class, students are exposed to
various ethical theories, including
relativism, consequence-based theory,
and deontology. We then use these
theories as a foundation and framework
for discussing and analyzing many of the
cases and situations that apply to digital
and computing technology and to
professionals in these areas. Since digital
technology is now central to our society,
most of the cases analyzed are very
relevant to society as a whole. It would
be redundant for our students to have to
go out and take another Ethics course
given the content of our CS315.
VI. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning
goals. See: http://www.umt.edu/facultysenate/ASCRCx/Adocuments/GE_Criteria5-1-08.htm
This course meets Learning Goal 1 by first
Learning Goal 1: Correctly apply the basic
focusing on a number of ethical theories and
concepts and forms of reasoning from the
methodologies used to analyze ethical
tradition or professional practice they studied
issues. Once we understand this, we use
to ethical issues that arise within those
these theories and methodologies as a
traditions or practices; 
framework for discussing many topics that
those involved with computing are likely to
encounter, including professional ethics,
security, privacy, the Internet, cybercrime,
intellectual property, etc.
Learning Goal 2: Analyze and critically evaluate This course meets Learning Goal 2 by using
the basic concepts and forms of reasoning from ethical theory as a basis for arguing many
different ethical cases and scenarios that
the tradition or professional practice they
apply to computing. While these arguments
studied. 
are often presented orally during class
discussion, this course is a writing intensive
course and argumentative essays are also a
key component.
VII. Justification: Normally, general education courses will not carry pre-requisites, will carry
at least 3 credits, and will be numbered at the 100-200 level. If the course has more than one
pre-requisite, carries fewer than three credits, or is upper division (numbered above the 200
level), provide rationale for exception(s).
We propose the course at the 300 level with the listed pre-requisites because it also satisfies our
upper division writing requirement.
VIII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form.  The syllabus
should clearly describe how the above criteria are satisfied. For assistance on syllabus
preparation see: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/syllabus.html
The syllabus is online at
http://websrv.cs.umt.edu/classes/cs415/index.php/CS_315_Proposed_Syllabus.
Please note: Approved general education changes will take effect next fall.
General education instructors will be expected to provide sample assessment items and
corresponding responses to the Assessment Advisory Committee.