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 #
SCI U 225N
Course Title
Prerequisite
General Science: Physical and Chemical Science
M 095 or equiv.
Credits
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office
Please type / print name Signature
5
Date
Instructor
Diane Friend
Phone / Email 4299/diane.friend@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
This course, intended for prospective elementary school teachers and non-scientists, introduces
students to some of the physical and chemical processes that define the way our universe
works. Integrated lecture, discussion, demonstrations, and laboratory activities encourage
students to take a deeper look at the physical world around them and expose them to the
process of science as well as what’s been discovered. Topics are chosen from the fields of
physics, chemistry, and astronomy.
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.
This course explores the physical sciences
through topics in physics, chemistry, and
astronomy. Lectures outline the historical
development of scientific ideas, give
students a foundation in basic principles,
emphasize applications, and illustrate how
the various topics covered interrelate.
Laboratory and discussion activities
demonstrate how scientific knowledge is
acquired.
Uncertainty in measurements is discussed in
2. Courses address the concept of analytic
uncertainty and the rigorous process required to discussion and lab activities. The path from
observations, to well-defined hypotheses, and
take an idea to a hypothesis and then to a
testing through further measurements and
validated scientific theory.
analysis is emphasized.
3. Lab courses engage students in inquiry-based Laboratory activities in this course include:
learning activities where they formulate a
modeling celestial motions, experiments
hypothesis, design an experiment to test the
with acceleration and gravity, analyzing
hypothesis, and collect, interpret, and present
atomic spectra, measuring light, principles of
the data to support their conclusions.
geometric optics, making simple telescopes
and microscopes, experiments with
scattering and interference, experiments in
electrostatics and circuits, magnetism,
chromatography, acids and bases, and
chemical reactions. Laboratory work
provides an in-depth extension of
exploratory activities and topics covered in
discussion and lecture.
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
Discussion, homework, and laboratory
1. Students will be able to understand the
assignments emphasize critical thinking skills,
general principles associated with the
analytic skills, and controlled
discipline(s) studied.
experimentation. Students are asked to apply
what they’ve learned to design their own
science presentation on a topic of their choice.
After critical review, this presentation is given
to local school children.
Laboratory activities emphasize scientific
2. Students will be able to understand the
method and expose students to techniques and
methodology and activities scientists use to
instrumentation used in these sciences.
gather, validate and interpret data related to
natural processes.
From mini-experiments in lecture, to
exploratory activities in discussion, and
formal laboratory activities in lab sessions,
students are asked to make observations, pose
well-defined hypotheses, and formulate
conclusions based on their own observations
and analysis.
Discussion and lab activities give students
4. Students will be able to understand how
informal and formal investigative experiences
scientific laws and theories are verified by
with a number of topics, testing scientific laws
quantitative measurement, scientific
and theories.
observation, and logical/critical reasoning.
5. Students will be able to understand the means Formal laboratory activities address
by which analytic uncertainty is quantified and
scientific measurement and the uncertainty
expressed in the natural sciences.
associated with the measurements.
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).
3. Students will be able to detect patterns, draw
conclusions, develop conjectures and
hypotheses, and test them by appropriate means
and experiments.
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.