I. ASCRC General Education Form (revised 2/8/13) 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 II. Mathematics VII: Social Sciences (submit III. Language VIII: Ethics & Human Values separate forms III Exception: Symbolic Systems * IX: American & European if requesting IV: Expressive Arts X: Indigenous & Global more than one V: Literary & Artistic Studies XI: Natural Sciences general w/ lab w/out lab education VI: Historical & Cultural Studies 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 Physics and Astronomy Course # PHSX U 207N Course Title Prerequisite College Physics II Prereq., PHSX 205N, and prereq. or coreq. PHSX 208N Credits 4 II. Endorsement/Approvals Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office Please type / print name Signature Date Instructor Alex Bulmahn Phone / Email 2076/alexander.bulmahn@mso.umt.edu Program Chair Andrew Ware Dean Chris Comer III. Type of request New One-time Only Renew Change Remove Reason for Gen Ed inclusion, change or deletion Description of change 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 Introductory course on electricity, magnetism, optics, and modern physics. The course is design to help students acquire important physical concepts and principles, to help them apply physical theories to their fields of study, and to help them develop numerical problem solving skills in the physical sciences. Along with PHSX 205N, serves as the lecture portion of a general introduction to classical physics for students interested in majoring in the life and health sciences (biology, pre-physical therapy, pharmacy. The laboratory portion is provided by PHSX 206-208N. 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 1. Courses explore a discipline in the natural sciences and demonstrate how the scientific method is used within the discipline to draw scientific conclusions. 2. Courses address the concept of analytic uncertainty and the rigorous process required to take an idea to a hypothesis and then to a validated scientific theory. The intimate connection between experiment and theory is stressed in this course. Broad classes of phenomena are distilled into general physical laws on a daily basis. Demonstrations of physical phenomena are used extensively to reinforce the concepts covered in class. Analytic uncertainty, discussed in terms of measurements, significant digits, and error propagation, is emphasized in the associated laboratory course, PSHX 208N. The process of testing a hypothesis is addressed in lectures and lecture demonstrations. 3. Lab courses engage students in inquiryThis is not a laboratory course. based learning activities where they formulate a hypothesis, design an experiment to test the hypothesis, and collect, interpret, and present the data to support their conclusions. 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 Maxwell’s electromagnetic theory, Einstein’s 1. Students will be able to understand the special theory of relativity, and quantum general principles associated with the theory are the most important theories for the discipline(s) studied. course. Lectures and lecture demonstrations 2. Students will be able to understand the emphasize experimental verification of methodology and activities scientists use to theoretical results. gather, validate and interpret data related to natural processes. 3. Students will be able to detect patterns, draw Homework assignments and exam questions conclusions, develop conjectures and challenge students to apply physics laws and hypotheses, and test them by appropriate means theories to a range of problems. and experiments. Classroom demonstrations, as described 4. Students will be able to understand how above, help to reinforce the process of moving scientific laws and theories are verified by from hypothesis to experimental verification. quantitative measurement, scientific Students are required to give logical observation, and logical/critical reasoning. arguments to justify their responses. 5. Students will be able to understand the means Analytic uncertainty is emphasized in the by which analytic uncertainty is quantified and corresponding laboratory course, PHSX expressed in the natural sciences. 208N. 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). This course is the second semester of a two-semester sequence. The first semester course (PHSX 205N) is a prerequisite for this course and the associated lab course (PHSX 208N) is a prerequisite or co-requisite. 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.