Samples for how to fill out new General Education validation forms
Dos and Don’ts for validating courses for goal areas of the new General Education
Program
DO specify how the material of the course satisfies a learning outcome.
DON’T simply refer to how the learning outcomes of the course match those of the goal
area.
DO specify the methods whereby students engage with each learning outcome in the
course, where appropriate.
DON’T say simply that the course because of its very nature satisfies a learning outcome.
DO be as specific as possible—i.e., make sure that the specification of how this course meets
this learning outcome wouldn’t also work for how it meets other learning outcomes, and
consider ways in which this course meets it that might be different from ways in which
other courses might meet it.
DON’T be so specific that what you say likely won’t be true of most sections of the course.
DO keep in mind that the course will have to be assessed with respect to the learning
outcomes claimed for it.
SAMPLES:
Philosophy 194 (Critical Reasoning) satisfies:
Goal Area 2: Critical Reasoning
Identify, analyze and critically evaluate reasoning in a variety of domains in order to
develop well-founded beliefs and engage n rational and effective action.
(5 of 6)
1. Distinguish between discourse that contains reasoning and that which does not.
Students learn the definition of “argument” and do problem sets in which they read
passages and specify whether a view is being argued for, explained, questioned,
stated, objected to, etc. in each.
2. Distinguish between different types of reasoning.
Students learn the definitions of inductive and deductive reasoning and do problem
sets in which they categorize the reasoning as inductive or deductive.
3. Analyze arguments, distinguishing premises and conclusions.
Students learn the definitions of “premise” and “conclusion” and specify for given
arguments which part is which. They identify unstated premises or assumptions and
reconstruct the resulting arguments. They map the structure of complex arguments
and specify what the main conclusion is for each and which premises are subconclusions.
4. Evaluate inductive and deductive reasoning.
Students learn the concepts of validity and soundness and categorize deductive
arguments with respect to these. They learn the concept of inductive strength and
the factors that contribute to it, and judge inductive arguments with respect to
relative strength on the basis of these factors.
5. Apply basic logical techniques.
Students learn how to do truth tables or trees, and elementary propositional and
categorical arguments patterns. They apply these to arguments to judge their
validity.
6. Identify and avoid fallacies.
Students learn basic invalid deductive argument patterns (such as affirming the
consequent and denying the antecedent) and evaluate arguments with respect to
these. They learn a variety of informal fallacies of relevance (such as ad hominem,
straw man, and emotional appeals) and evaluate arguments with respect to these.
Attention is given to discerning fallacious from non-fallacious uses of emotion in
argument.
Philosophy 112 (Philosophical Explorations) satisfies:
Goal Area 6: Humanities and Fine Arts
Expand appreciation and critical understanding of changing modes of human expression
and systems of thought in the arts and humanities, and develop abilities in the creation and
performance of meaning.
(5 of 7)
1. Demonstrate awareness of the scope and variety of works in the arts and humanities.
Although the works studied in the course are philosophical texts, students are
required to read texts encompassing a diverse range of perspectives and interests
and styles, from ethical issues to questions about God’s existence to the nature of
scientific knowledge to what kind of government is optimal.
2. Describe and appreciate works in the arts and humanities as expressions of individual
and collective values within an intellectual, cultural, historical and social context.
Students write papers and have class discussions in which they examine how values
such as freedom, truth, knowledge, justice and rationality inform these works.
3. Interpret and respond critically to works from various cultures in the arts and
humanities.
Students are required in their written work to analyze and evaluate various views,
arguments and perspectives in philosophical thought.
4. Explore intellectually the ideas expressed in works in the arts and humanities.
In their written work and in class discussion students engage the ideas presented in
the texts by drawing out and evaluating implications of these ideas, considering
reasons for and against views presented in the texts, devising alternative viewpoints,
etc.
5. Engage in creative processes or interpretive performance.
6. Articulate an informed personal response to works in the arts and humanities.
In their written work and discussion students are required to take their own
positions on the works studied and develop them in a way that is informed by the
philosophical analyses utilized in the course.
7. Analyze the diverse means of communication in the arts and humanities.
Philosophy 111 (Multicultural Philosophy) satisfies:
Goal Area 8: Global Perspectives
Develop a comparative perspective and understanding of one’s place in a global context.
(4 of 5)
1. Explain how they are connected and related to people elsewhere in the world.
2. Describe similarities and differences among global places and populations.
Students are required to articulate their understanding of the philosophies of a wide
range of cultures and continents across the globe, such as Indian, Chinese, African
and Native American philosophies.
3. Analyze how political, economic or cultural elements influence relations among the
world’s states, peoples or societies.
Students examine the philosophical underpinnings and value assumptions of various
cultural and social institutions from different parts of the world, such as forms of
government, the role of religion in the life of a society, and the importance a society
places on various groups within itself.
4. Analyze specific international issues and propose and evaluate responses.
Students examine the different philosophical viewpoints underlying the ways in
which different cultures and nations perceive various issues, whether as problems
requiring solutions or as desirable states of affairs, and the concomitant
misunderstandings that can arise.
5. Articulate a vision of their individual roles and responsibilities in a common global
future.
In learning about the philosophical perspectives of different cultures, students learn
to respect others’ viewpoints and start to form a world view that accommodates and
incorporates the diversity of these views.
Philosophy 212 (Moral Problems and Theories) satisfies:
Goal Area 9: Ethical and Civic Engagement
Understand and evaluate ethical or civic issues and theories, and participate in active
citizenship or ethical judgment.
(5 of 6)
1. Explain the connections among education, citizenship, and participation in a democratic
society.
2. Explain major ethical or political theories.
In papers and/or on tests, students are required to explain major ethical theories of
the Western tradition such as consequentialism, deontology, relativism, virtue ethics,
and natural law.
3. Describe how interpretations of ethics or citizenship may vary by nationality, ethnicity,
race, color, religion, gender, ability and disability, or sexual orientation.
Students investigate such issues as when war is morally justified from the
perspective of different religious traditions, or how abortion laws can affect the
moral rights of women, or feminist conceptions of ethics, etc.
4. Apply concepts such as democracy, rights, morality, justice, virtue, liberty and obligation
to personal, professional, and public issues.
Students examine views on such issues as abortion, euthanasia, animal rights, war
and homosexuality and how these views stem from various understandings of the
nature of rights, freedom, virtue, etc.
5. Analyze and evaluate alternative theoretical approaches or formulate solutions to ethical
or civic issues.
Students apply consequentialist (e.g., utilitarian) and deontological approaches
(among others) to issues such as abortion, euthanasia, animal rights, war and
homosexuality and examine their implications and coherence.
6. Develop and exercise personal agency or ethical judgment in the public domain.
In written work and in discussion students develop their own views on issues such as
those above and support their views with argument informed by their understanding
of ethical concepts and theories.