Quest II Syllabus Checklist
Name:
Department:
Signature Question
Sustainability
Intercultural Competence and Knowledge
Civic Engagement
Other Requirements Impacting Content
Global Citizenship (see end of checklist for requirement guidelines)
Ethnic Studies (UW System requirement)
Part I: General Quest II Content. All students enrolled in Quest II courses will have completed the
Quest I sequence, and so they will be familiar with the basic parameters of the program. Quest II
courses should reinforce the basic concepts of liberal education and the USP that were introduced in
Quest I. Please use the following checklist as you prepare your Quest II syllabi; this same checklist
will be used to review each syllabus. The following elements are expected in all Quest II syllabi:
Included?
Syllabus Requirement
Explanation of the USP and the role of Quest II in the USP
Note the goals of a liberal arts education and how the course contributes to them
Definition of “ethical reasoning” and its importance
Explanation of the value of Quest II and ethical reasoning in preparing students for
their community experiences in Quest III
Evidence that ethical reasoning has been incorporated into the student learning
outcomes, assignments, and assessments
Assessable student learning outcomes that incorporate the Signature Question (see
Part II, below)
Ethical reasoning student learning outcomes (see below)
Note about Early Alert grading and assignments that will be evaluated by that time
Explanation of the ePortfolio and specification of the assignment that will be
uploaded for the course
Ethical Reasoning Student Learning Outcomes: These are required in all Quest II syllabi, as
determined by the Quest II Working Group in October 2014.
1.)
2.)
3.)
Define and explain ethical reasoning and recognize ethical issues and questions.
Recognize and understand the reasons for your personal beliefs. Identify and understand
arguments that challenge those beliefs. Engage in difficult--but respectful-conversations with those who share or do not share your beliefs.
Identify, assess and articulate the ethical issues related to course materials.
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Questions/Comments:
Part II: Signature Question Content. Each Quest II course focuses on a single Signature Question.
The syllabus expectations are listed below, and these were determined collaboratively by faculty
members at the May 2012 Faculty College. For additional information, please see the USP website
under “Teaching Resources.”
Intercultural Knowledge:
The full text of the Signature Question;
The full definition of Intercultural Knowledge and Competence from the USP Teaching
Resources website;
A course description that includes central concepts of the SQ that will be taught over the
semester and an explanation of the importance of the SQ to an incoming student;
A list of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will be taught in the course that, at minimum,
include those central to the AAC&U VALUE rubric on Intercultural Knowledge and
Competence (see USP Teaching Resources website);
An acknowledgment within the syllabus that the course will provide actual experiences of
cultural differences for students and a forum for discussing those experiences. (It is not
necessary to know exactly what form these experiences will take at this time but the student
should be made aware of the importance of them to his/her learning about the SQ);
Instructors are encouraged to integrate intercultural knowledge and competence fully into
their course, but the minimum requirement for Quest II is that 30-50% of the learning
outcomes, assignments, and assessments pertain to intercultural knowledge and competence;
Course must be designated as either Ethnic Studies or Non-Western Studies. (If it is not
Non-Western, Intercultural courses are designated as Ethnic Studies.)
Sustainability:
The full text of the Signature Question;
The Sustainability Learning Outcome used at UW Oshkosh (see Teaching Resources site);
A definition of sustainability (see Teaching Resources for multiple definitions);
Course description must mention sustainability and provide an explanation of the
importance of the SQ to an incoming student;
Course should introduce students to the three “pillars” of sustainability and the connections
between them, but courses only need to focus primarily on one pillar. NOTE: Disciplinary
courses bear more responsibility for introducing students to definitions and pillars of
sustainability than Quest Writing or Quest Speaking courses, although all instructors must
include sustainability in their course;
Instructors are encouraged to integrate sustainability fully into their course, but the
minimum requirement for Quest II is that 30-50% of the learning outcomes, assignments, and
assessments for the course pertain to sustainability.
Civic Knowledge and Engagement:
The full text of the Signature Question;
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The definition of Civic Knowledge and Civic Engagement from the USP Teaching Resources
website;
Course description must mention Civic Knowledge and/or Civic Engagement and include an
explanation of the importance of the SQ to an incoming student;
At least TWO of the expected course outcomes which are assessed and listed in the syllabus
will be from the list of “Outcomes” offered by Caryn McTighe Musil (see USP Teaching
Resources site for full list of outcomes [PDF])
Instructors are encouraged to integrate civic knowledge and engagement fully into their
course, but the minimum requirement for Quest II is that 30-50% of the learning goals,
assignments, and assessments for the course pertain to civic knowledge and engagement.
Questions/Comments related to Signature Question requirements:
Part III: Global Citizenship Designation. Any Explore or Quest course in any Signature Question may
be designated a “Global Citizenship” course. The following elements are expected in all Global
Citizenship syllabi (see USP website for full definition, learning outcomes, and other criteria):
The complete definition of Global Citizenship
Statement about the relevance of Global Citizenship for a liberal arts education
Course description including the three Global Citizenship course criteria
Student learning outcomes related to Global Citizenship course criteria
At least TWO learning outcomes drawn from the eight Global Citizenship learning
outcomes listed in the requirement
Integration of Global Citizenship throughout the course
Provision that at least ONE Global Citizenship artifact (paper, presentation, etc.) will be
uploaded to the ePortfolio.
Questions/Comments related to Global Citizenship requirements:
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