St. Cloud State University
General Education Goal Area 8
Global Perspectives
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
1.
Prepared by: Morgan Nyendu
Phone: 8-2537
Proposal Number:
Email: mnyendu@stcloudstate.edu
2.
Requesting Unit: Political Science
3.
Department, Course Number, Title: Political Science, POL 335, African Government and Politics.
4.
New Course
5.
Will this course be flagged as a diversity course?
Already Designated as Diversity
6.
Will this course also satisfy another General Education Goal Area?
If “Yes” specify which goal area.
7.
Course bulletin description, including credits and semesters to be offered:
This course examines political behavior and institutions of Africa with emphasis on Sub-Saharan Africa.
Preq.:101; 3 Cr; DEMAND.
Existing Course
No
Diversity Proposal Accompanying This Form
No
Yes
8.
Indicate the clientele for whom this course is designed. Is the course for general education only, or
does it fulfill general education and other program needs for this or another department? Obtain
signatures from any affected departments.
Students could take this course for general education and also for Political Science and International
Relations majors and minors.
9.
Indicate any changes that must be made in offerings or resources in your department or other
departments by offering this course.
None. This course has been taught every year since 2007.
10.
For new courses or courses not yet approved for General Education, indicate any other SCSU departments
or units offering instruction that relates to the content of the proposed course.
None.
11.
Courses designated as General Education are included in the assessment plan for the Goal Area(s)
for which they are approved. Courses for which assessment is not included in the annual GE
assessment report for two years will be removed from the General Education Program.
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The Requesting Unit understands and recognizes the above conditions.
12.
Provide a concise explanation of how the following goal is a “significant focus” of the proposed course.
Goal Area 8: Global Perspectives
Develop a comparative perspective and understanding of one’s place in a global context.
The course examines the historical, economic, social, and political lives of pre-colonial African societies, the
colonial experience, and the impact of colonial rule, thereby enabling students to develop a critical
understanding of how Africa's relationship with the West has influenced its development in the postcolonial era. Thus the course will focus on how the European presence in Africa has come to determine the
developmental priorities of the continent even long after the demise of formal colonialism.
13. In order for a course to be designated as fulfilling Goal Area 8, it must address at least 4 of the 5 student learning
outcomes (SLOs) below. Check the SLOs below that are focused on in the proposed general education course.
1. Explain how they are connected and related to people elsewhere in the world.
2. Describe similarities and differences among global places and populations.
3. Analyze how political, economic or cultural elements influence relations among the world’s states, peoples, or
societies.
4. Analyze specific international issues and propose and evaluate responses.
5. Articulate a vision of their individual roles and responsibilities in a common global future.
14.
Discuss how each Student Learning Outcome checked above is achieved in this course. (Note: Although
descriptions of typical assignments or types of assignments may be part of this discussion, it is not
appropriate to submit copies of actual assignments.)
1- Explain how they are connected and related to people elsewhere in the world.
Students taking the course will understand how the policies of the colonial empires affected and continue to
affect peoples living in Africa and in the diaspora. Moreover, the course will enable students to realize that by the
processes of globalization, no country or continent is an island and that events in Africa can affect people living in
other parts of the world.
2- Describe similarities and differences among global places and populations.
Students in the course will understand and appreciate the fact that African societies had institutions of
governance, economic management, cultural and social stability, which in several ways are similar to the same
institutions in the West in terms of the purposes that the institutions in Africa were created to achieve. However,
students will also learn that some other institutions in African societies are unique to the continent.
3- Analyze how political, economic or cultural elements influence relations among the world's states, peoples, or
societies.
Students will examine how the colonial experiences of the various colonies in Africa, the emergence of the anticolonial struggle and subsequently, the achievement of independence have all combined to determine Africa's
relationship with the 'outside' world, and have influenced for better or worse relationships between Africa and the
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West, more especially with the respective former colonial powers since independence. Moreover, these also have
bearings on relationships between the peoples of Africa and others living on other continents of the world.
4-Analyze specific international issues and propose and evaluate responses.
Students taking the course will have the opportunity to analyze the causes and consequences of intra- and interstate wars in Africa, problems of drought, refugees, hunger and famine, and the continuing dependence of
African states on mono-crop economies. This analysis will enable students to discuss proposals that they think
could be helpful in alleviating the above situations.
15.
List or attach the Course Outline (adequately described and including percentage of time to be allocated
to each topic). Curriculum Committees may request additional information. Topics larger than 20% need
to be broken down further. Indicate in your course outline where the Student Learning Outcomes
checked above are being met.
100 % of the course material is focused on pre-colonial African behavior and institutions; colonial rule, policies,
and impact; nationalism and independence; state-society relations; political institutions and political developments
in the post-colonial era; globalization; and civil society.
a) The impact of colonialism on state and society in Africa (15%):
SLO-1
b) Recent political history of African countries (15%):
SLO-3
c) State-society relations in Africa (15%):
SLO-3
d) The impact of globalization on state and society in Africa (20%): SLO-2
e) The role of civil society in governance and political development in African countries (15%): SLO-4
f) The complex dynamics of transitions to democracy in Africa (20%):
SLO-4
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St. Cloud State University
General Education Transmittal Form
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
Proposal Number
Department: Political Science
Course or Course(s): POL 335
Dr. Steven Wagner
Department or Unit Chair Signature
Date
Department forward to Academic Affairs for publication and electronically to Chair of General Education Committee, Chair
of College Curriculum Committee, College Dean
Recommendation of General Education Committee:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
Chairperson
Committee
Signature
Date
Recommendation of University Curriculum Committee:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
Chairperson
Committee
Signature
Date
Recommendation of Faculty Association:
Approve
Remarks:
Disapprove
FA Senate
Signature
Date
Action of Academic Vice President:
Approve
Disapprove
Signature
Entered in Curriculum Data File
12/11/2009
Remarks:
Date