I. ASCRC General Education Form (revised 1/27/11)
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
III. Language
VII: Social Sciences
(submit
III Exception: Symbolic Systems * VIII: Ethics & Human Values
separate forms
IV: Expressive Arts
IX: American & European
if requesting
V: Literary & Artistic Studies
X: Indigenous & Global
more than one
VI: Historical & Cultural Studies
XI: Natural Sciences
general
w/ lab  w/out lab 
education
group
*Courses proposed for this designation must be standing requirements of
designation)
majors that qualify for exceptions to the modern and classical language
requirement
Dept/Program Environmental Studies (ENST)
Course #
373A
Course Title
Prerequisite
Nature Works: Writing about Nature and the Environment
Credits
3
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
Instructor
Assoc. Prof. Phil Condon
Phone / Email X2904 phil.condon@mso.umt.edu
Program Chair Prof. Len Broberg
Dean
CAS Dean Comer
III. Type of request
New
One-time Only
Renew XXX
Reason for Gen Ed inclusion, change or deletion
Description of change
Change
Renew
Renew
Date
2/10/12
Remove
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://umt.edu/facultysenate/archives/minutes/gened/GE_preamble.aspx
This course introduces students to the writing of creative non-fiction (essays) about nature and
about environmental subjects and concerns, for a general audience. The course employs the
multiple instructional modes of A) sustained student writing and revising throughout term, B)
writing craft textbook reading, discussion, and exercise practice, C) instructor-directed class
discussion and critique of both published and classmates’ work, and D) comprehensive
individualized instructor feedback on written work in progress. The overall course purposes for
students are 1) to gain a foundation of skill and confidence in all the processes of writing-observing, researching, finding inspiration, making notes, drafting, shaping, revising, reading
aloud, editing; 2) to identify their individual writing tendencies and traits, both strengths and
shortcomings, and to learn strategies for expanding on strengths and improving weaknesses;
and 3) to understand and anticipate how they, and others, read and respond, and incorporate this
awareness into their writing and revision.
V. Criteria: Briefly explain how this course meets the criteria for the group. See:
http://umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/GE_Criteria5-1-08.aspx
The course guides students to acquire
Students engage in critical assessment of
foundational skills in the writing of creative
their own work as an integral and ongoing
nonfiction about nature and the environment
component of the course, particularly in
through 1) ongoing journaling and natural
revision after class workshop and instructor
history observation, 2) three specific writing
feedback. Students engage in critical
projects graduated in length and complexity,
assessment of others’ work through the
including a thorough revision, 3) small group
direct experiences of reading written work
and full class workshop discussion of student
from all their classmates, discussing the
work, 4) reading and critique of published
work in an instructor-facilitated workshop,
creative environmental nonfiction, and 5)
and writing short responses to others’ work.
instructor lecture and lessons on writing craft,
Students also attend live readings of
approaches, and strategies.
nature/environmental writing outside of class
and write brief critical responses.
VI. Student Learning Goals: Briefly explain how this course will meet the applicable learning
goals. See: http://umt.edu/facultysenate/documents/forms/GE_Criteria5-1-08.aspx
1: The primary and ongoing assignment and
3: Students learn to critique the quality of
grading component of the course is the writing
their own and others work through the
of three original creative nonfiction essays about semester-long practice of reading others’
environmental and nature concerns and topics,
work, responding to it constructively in brief
and the revision, after workshop discussion and written critiques, and engaging in instructor
instructor feedback, of one of these.
directed workshop discussions, and also
through the ongoing and assigned process of
2: Through instructor lecture, assigned readings revision of their own work after assessment
in a craft textbook on nature/environmental
and feedback from instructor and class.
writing, assigned published readings in the
genre, and attendance of outside live readings,
students gain foundational understanding of the
genre of nature/environmental nonfiction
writing, the multiple forms and approaches
available to writers within that genre, and the
relationship of the genre to other genres--for
instance, broader literary writing, environmental
journalism, and fiction and poetry about nature
and environment.
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).
The EVST undergraduate curriculum has been carefully designed and is reviewed annually by
EVST Faculty to meet a challenging balancing act: how to best serve a rapidly growing
undergraduate major cohort (n=240) with limited faculty resources (6 FT tenured, 1 FT
adjunct), all of whom also teach graduate courses in our M.S. program. Our undergraduate
curriculum needs regular 300-level elective courses as options for our undergrad major
requirement of a minimum of 9 credits of UD EVST elective. At the same time, it remains
important to maintain full enrollment for our electives, which acknowledging the Expressive
Arts content and focus of EVST 373 as an “A” Gen-Ed course helps to do, by attracting
students from other areas when space is available. This acknowledgement of the artistic and
creative essence of EVST 373 also helps meet the needs of our many transfer students,
particularly the significant number of transfers who are also starting a new major here with
EVST. In the compressed time they have to complete, it’s very helpful to have an option for
them to meet the A Gen-Ed while taking an EVST UD elective. These logistical, strategic,
curricular concerns are very important to the EVST undergrad major, its students, and its
faculty. Given that EVST 373 is squarely within the Expressive Arts criteria, and it is
comparable in workload and expectation with many other 300-level courses, the EVST faculty
believes these considerations and needs justify an exception to the normal practice of Gen Ed
courses being numbered at 100-200 level.
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
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.