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 208N
Course Title
Prerequisite
College Physics Laboratory II
Prereq. or coreq., PHSX 207N
Credits
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
1
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 laboratory course on electricity, magnetism, optics, and modern physics. Along
with PHSX 206N, serves as the laboratory 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 lecture portion is provided by PHSX 205-207N.
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.
3. Lab courses engage students in inquiry-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.
The intimate connection between experiment and
theory is stressed in this course. Broad classes of
phenomena are distilled into general physical
laws and tested in each laboratory exercise.
Significant digits and uncertainty in
measurement are discussed extensively. The
testing of physical laws through laboratory
measurements is emphasized.
Laboratories include: Measurement of Earth’s
magnetic field, analysis of simple circuits, and
exploring the wave and particle nature of light,
which all use instruments and materials typical
of physics research laboratories. Analysis of
measurements and interpretation of results is
stressed.
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.
All of the laboratory exercises use instruments
2. Students will be able to understand the
and materials typical of physics research
methodology and activities scientists use to
laboratories.
gather, validate and interpret data related to
natural processes.
3. Students will be able to detect patterns, draw
Students are required to analyze their
measurements and draw conclusions based on
conclusions, develop conjectures and
hypotheses, and test them by appropriate means their results.
and experiments.
The testing of physical laws through laboratory
4. Students will be able to understand how
measurements is emphasized throughout this
scientific laws and theories are verified by
course.
quantitative measurement, scientific
observation, and logical/critical reasoning.
5. Students will be able to understand the means Analytic uncertainty is emphasized in
by which analytic uncertainty is quantified and
analysis of experimental data.
expressed in the natural sciences.
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 course carries 1-credit as it is a lab complement to a 4-credit lecture course.
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.