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 216N
Course Title
Prerequisite
Physics Laboratory I with Calculus
Prereq. or coreq. PHSX 215N
Credits
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
1
Date
Instructor
Jennifer Fowler
Phone / Email 5273/jennifer.fowler@umontana.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
Laboratory survey of classical mechanics, coverage includes: kinematics, dynamics, rotational
motion, conservation laws, waves and sound. Along with PHSX 218N, serves as the laboratory
portion of a general introduction to classical physics for students interested in majoring in the
physical sciences (geology, chemistry, physics, and computer science) and engineering. The
lecture portion is provided by PHSX 215-217N.
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.
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.
2. Courses address the concept of analytic
Statistical analysis and error propagation in
uncertainty and the rigorous process required to measurement are discussed extensively. The
take an idea to a hypothesis and then to a
testing of physical laws through laboratory
validated scientific theory.
measurements is emphasized.
3. Lab courses engage students in inquiry-based Laboratories include: Measurement of the
learning activities where they formulate a
acceleration of gravity, exploration of
hypothesis, design an experiment to test the
circular motion and torques and conservation
hypothesis, and collect, interpret, and present
laws, which all use instruments and materials
the data to support their conclusions.
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
1. Students will be able to understand the
Newton’s laws of mechanics, along with
general principles associated with the
conservative principles of physics are the
discipline(s) studied.
important unifying themes in this course.
2. Students will be able to understand the
All of the laboratory exercises use
methodology and activities scientists use to
instruments and materials typical of physics
gather, validate and interpret data related to
research laboratories.
natural processes.
3. Students will be able to detect patterns, draw
Students are required to analyze their
conclusions, develop conjectures and
measurements and draw conclusions based
hypotheses, and test them by appropriate means on their results.
and experiments.
4. Students will be able to understand how
The testing of physical laws through
scientific laws and theories are verified by
laboratory measurements is emphasized
quantitative measurement, scientific
throughout this course.
observation, and logical/critical reasoning.
5. Students will be able to understand the means Analytic uncertainty is emphasized along
by which analytic uncertainty is quantified and
with error propagation in analysis of
expressed in the natural sciences.
experimental data.
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.