Double Counting FAQs
Double Counting from E.O. 1065
“General Education, Major, and Other Requirements
Through a process of campus-wide curriculum review and approval, campuses may permit the
“double counting” of courses for General Education Breadth with major requirements and
prerequisites only after giving careful consideration to the impact of such actions on general
education programs.”
Cal State L.A. GE Policy (effective Fall 2016)
“Faculty shall have the opportunity to request that existing or new courses be allowed to double
count in GE and the major provided the courses meet the outcomes for GE.”
1.
These are questions regarding a major's required course offered by that major
department that is being proposed to double count for GE for that major. (Such as a
CHEM course that is proposed to double count for GE UD B for Chemistry majors):
a. Does the request for double-counting require the entire program modification proposal
and all course modifications (the complete proposal package)?
Yes, a program modification proposal should indicate a justification for double-counting any
given course for the major and for GE. Additionally, if a set of courses is being proposed to
double count for one block course or GE designation, then each of those courses and the entire
program proposal should be presented.
If the catalog description of the major will include reference to even a single course serving as
double counting for GE, which will be helpful for advisement, then the program modification
proposal will be contingent on the approval of the GE double counting.
b. Does the request belong in a cover memo, on the course modification/new course
proposal, on the program modification, two of the three, or all three?
Because courses that include within the proposals a request for a GE designation that result in
double counting can be submitted to Undergraduate Studies beyond the GE deadline of June 30th,
a simple cover memo will serve to help UGS identify them for review by the GE Subcommittee.
The cover memo should briefly identify which course(s) are to be reviewed for double-counting
and how it affects a program proposal. Additionally, the course proposals and the program
proposals should include complete explanation and rationale for the request to double-count.
c. Is the double counting request required to explain how the GE learning outcomes for
that block are satisfied?
The proposal must include SLOs that clearly meet the block SLOs and the justification should
include explanation of the double counting in terms of meeting course and block outcomes.
There is no specific place on the course proposal form to check off GE or double counting.
Courses that will serve to satisfy GE for students from any major must include the GE
designations in the catalog description within the form. However, requests for double counting
that do not include GE designations in the Catalog description will still require full review by
GES to determine that the block outcomes will be met. That should be evident in two places
within the proposal, the SLOs should include the GE block SLOs and the justification should
address the request.
e. What besides learning outcomes will be used as criteria to decide if there can be double
counting?
The GE Subcommittee will primarily focus on the learning outcomes. However, any program
proposal that requests double counting major courses to satisfy many GE courses, will be
evaluated in terms of offering enough breadth for their students. Double counting should be
considered an exception and every attempt should be made to expose students to courses outside
of the major discipline. Thus, while SLOs will be the only criteria for determining whether a
course or set of courses satisfy a GE requirement, a program proposal will need to provide
rationale for how the double counting of several GE requirements is in the best interests of the
students in that major.
f. What is the deadline for courses that are requesting double counting for the major only?
Technically, the deadline is the same as for all other non-GE course and program proposals,
September 15th. However, it is highly recommended that such courses be submitted prior to that
deadline so that the program proposals can be prepared and submitted accordingly without
missing the September 15th deadline.
g. Do any exceptions have to be approved BEFORE the deadline?
The published deadline for the Provost to provide final determination of exception approval is
September 26th, after the deadline for final approval within the colleges. It is highly
recommended to get on the Exceptions committee agenda as soon as possible in order to avoid
submitting proposals to UGS that are still pending approval for exceptions.
2. In cases in which a major's required course is offered by a different department than is
being proposed to double count for GE for a major (Such as a non-GE MATH course that
is proposed to double count for GE Block B4 for Chemistry majors):
a. Does the request for double counting require the entire program modification and all
course modifications (the complete proposal package)?
Yes.
b. Does the request for double-counting require a copy of the different department's course
proposal to see the course outcomes and the justification for double counting in GE? (For
example, does the CHEM proposal for double counting the MATH course for GE B4 need
to include the entire MATH course proposal?
No, but approval of the program will be contingent on approval of all courses within the
program, including any GE double counting requests.
c. Does the request belong in a cover memo, on the program modification, or both?
Both
d. Is the request required to refer to Major Program learning outcomes?
No.