St. Cloud State University
General Education Goal Area 9
Civic Engagement and Ethics
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
1.
2.
Prepared by: Steve Covey
Phone: 8-5161
Proposal Number:
Email: covey@stcloudstate.edu
Requesting Unit: COSE
3.
Department, Course Number, Title: MME/ECE 101 Ethics and the Engineering Profession
(old title: Introduction to the Engineering Profession)
4.
New Course
Existing 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:
No
Diversity Proposal Accompanying This Form
No
Yes
Major ethical theories; sources of ethics; professional responsiblities; social impact of engineering ethics;
teamwork skills; design; engineering careers. 3 Cr. F,S.
(Old description: History of engineering achievements; social impact of engineering; critical thinking and
engineering problem solving; design; engineering careers and work opportunities; professional responsibilities
and ethics. Prereq.: MATH 072 or MATH/STAT 193 or equivalent. 3 Cr. F, S.)
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.
All engineering programs require this course.
9.
Indicate any changes that must be made in offerings or resources in your department or other
departments by offering this course.
none
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.
N/A
12/11/2009
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.
The Requesting Unit understands and recognizes the above conditions.
12/11/2009
12.
Provide a concise explanation of how the following goal is a “significant focus” of the proposed course.
Goal Area 9: Civic Engagement and Ethics
Understand and evaluate ethical or civic issues and theories, and participate in active citizenship or ethical
judgment.
a. Understand and evaluate ethical or civic issues and theories. Students will:
(i) learn the major ethical theories including utilitarianism, rights and duty ethics, virture ethics, and selfrealization ethics
(ii) consider various sources of ethics and values and explore the impact of alternate ethical dilemma decisions
based upon race, culture, gender, etc.
(iii) learn various components of various professional ethics including law, medicine, and engineering
(iv) address the social and civil impact of ethics on various engineering decisions
b. Participate in active citizenship or ethical judgement. Students will:
(i) participate in case studies involving ethical delimmas clearly identifying student ethical authorities involving
personal ethics, the environment, the space program, and others
(ii) understand the role of active citizenship in communicating signficant policy decisions in a democratic society
(iii) students will identify ethical dilemmas scenarios, make decisions, and compare their decision to others
through discussion
(iv) students will assess the role of ethical concepts to teamwork objectives
13. In order for a course to be designated as fulfilling Goal Area 9, it must address at least 5 of the 6 student learning
outcomes (SLOs) below. Check the SLOs below that are focused on in the proposed general education course.
1. Explain the connections among education, citizenship, and participation in a democratic society.
2. Explain major ethical or political theories.
3. Describe how interpretations of ethics or citizenship may vary by nationality, ethnicity, race, color, religion,
gender, ability and disability, or sexual orientation.
4. Apply concepts such as democracy, rights, morality, justice, virtue, liberty and obligation to personal,
professional, and public issues.
5. Analyze and evaluate alternative theoretical approaches or formulate solutions to ethical or civic issues.
6. Develop and exercise personal agency or ethical judgment in the public domain.
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.)
SLO2: Students learn ethical principles such as beneficence, least harm, autonony and justice and the major
ethical theoriessuch as utilitarianism, virtue ethics, deontology, relativism. Exam questions, discussons, and
homework assignments measure understanding and identify personal approachs to resolving ethical dilemmas.
12/11/2009
SLO3: Engineering programs nationwide have a significant cultural diversity, thereby facilitating animated
discussions and team projects. Through assignments and discussion, students explore interpretations of ethics
based on ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, gender, etc.
SLO4: Students apply their personal approach to issues related to the concepts of morality,democracy, justice,
virtue, etc. Students use various ethical sources to explore how such concepts are integrated.
SLO5: Students apply different ethical theories such as deontology, utilitarianism, virtue ethics and relativism to
issues such as controversial medical research, inadequate risk assessment of new technologies, environmental
damage from high-tech products, space program, automation versus unemployment versus increasing
productivity, and examine their implications and coherence.
SLO6: Students assess the consequences and impact of various ethical case studies and local issues including
decisions made by civic leaders (such as political and corporate leaders). Through discussion, students examine
their own and other approachs to such issues.
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.
15 % - Eth
10 % 10 % 10 % 10% - Teamwork and Design
10 % nd 5
10 % - Engineering Fields
10 % - Engineering Disciplines and Lifelong Learning
15 % Approximately 70% of this course develops ethics and ethical issues.
12/11/2009
St. Cloud State University
General Education Transmittal Form
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
Proposal Number
Department: MME
Course or Course(s): MME/ECE 101 Ethics and the Engineering Profession
Ben Baliga
Department or Unit Chair Signature
02_26_10
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