Undergraduate Studies Committee
May 1, 2013
Minutes
Present:
Absent:
Guests:
Ann Agee, Rocio Avila, Bem Cayco, Cary Feria, Laura Ingraham, Dennis Jaehne, Peter
Lee, Ravisha Mathur (Chair),
Laura Hart, Paul Douglass, Weider Yu
Steve Branz (UGS), Gloria Edwards
I.
Approval of Minutes.
The 4/17/13 minutes were approved with 1 abstention.
II.
Guidelines for Double Degrees (Steve Branz, UGS)
Steve Branz, UGS, has requested the UGS Committee develop guidelines for degrees (such as a
BA and a BS or a Preparation for Teaching degree) as well as concentrations. He had previously
suggested the Committee begin looking at degrees and then move on to concentrations.
Before making any recommendations, the Committee wanted to know how many departments
had more than one degree (NOT concentrations), and if there are similarities between these
degrees. The list below details those departments with more than one degree with similar names:
Department
Biology
Degree
BA, Biological Science
Chemistry
BS, Chemistry
Child & Adolescent
Development
Creative Arts
BA, Child & Adolescent
Development
BA, Creative Arts
Degree
BA, Biological Science,
Prep for Teaching
BA, Chemistry
Degree
BA, Chemistry, Prep
for Teaching
BA, CHAD, Prep for
Teaching
BA, CA, Prep for
Teaching
Communication
BA, Comm Studies
BA, Comm Studies, Prep
Studies
for Teaching
English
BA, English
BA, English, Prep for
Teaching
Environmental
BA, Environmental Studies
BA, Environmental
Studies
Studies, Prep for
Teaching
Geology
BS, Geology
BA, Earth Science
Interdisciplinary
BA, Social Science Prep
BA, Social Science
Social Science
for Teaching (Single
Prep for Teaching
Subject)
(Multiple Subject)
Kinesiology
BS, Kinesiology
BS, Athletic Training
Mathematics
BA, Mathematics
BA, Mathematics, Prep
for Teaching
Physics
BA, Physics
BA, Physics, Prep for
BS, Physics
Teaching
Psychology
BA, Psychology
BS, Psychology
*Note, this list does not contain departments such as Biomedical, Chemical & Materials Engineering;
Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, RTVF, Journalism & Mass Communications, HRTM that contain
degrees in different disciplines (i.e., Advertising, Public Relations and Journalism).
In reviewing these degrees, a number of questions about how to interpret the degree template
were raised. These included:
1. How should electives be viewed? For example, in Psychology, the BS contains all of
the required courses for the BA. However, the BS requires additional coursework while
the BA has 27-28 electives. It is conceivable, although not probable, that a student could
take all of the additional coursework required in the BS through their electives in the BA.
This formatting of the degrees was intentional. It allows a student who is in the BS and
may find the coursework too rigorous to use all of their classes to receive the BA degree.
2. How should the Preparation for Teaching degrees be evaluated? In Biology, the BA
and the BA Prep for Teaching are very similar, but the Prep for Teaching requires some
additional coursework (in this case this totals a significant number of units, 23). It is
unclear how much overlap there is in the CHAD BA and BA Prep for Teaching as the
degree template does not detail the required courses.
3. How should we look at emphases? Often the courses for an emphasis are not
specified—for example, look at the BS, Kinesiology and the BS, Athletic Training.
Athletic Training used to be an emphasis in Kinesiology and the emphases (36 units) are
not specified in the catalog.
Since it appears that there are few problems with degrees not being unique, the Committee will
concentrate on developing guidelines for concentrations. Before further consideration, the UGS
department will assemble a chart of all of the departmental concentrations detailing the courses in
common and those that are unique. Although a degree or a concentration should be unique, a
concentration should also have a number of ‘core’ courses that familiarize the student with the
discipline. In addition to the common courses, a concentration should also be unique and vary by
some number of units. It is the number of ‘unique’ units that are of interest.
SJSU has a larger number of degrees and concentrations than any other CSU. Historically, SJSU
has allowed departments to define concentrations, but now with the current financial limitations,
approval of a concentration is contingent on evaluating its viability—student interest; potential
enrollment totals after 2, 3 and 5 years; analyzing whether it will cannibalize any other degrees;
etc. before approval. Having a degree or a concentration is a commitment of resources. There
must be enough faculty to sustain the program; if the program does not garner enough students, it
still must be ‘taught out’ (the program offered to the students in the program).
One consideration is that a concentration must have at least 12 unique units (this is the minimum
number of units for a minor). However, the Committee feels strongly that departments will
continue to need flexibility in developing their curriculum while still requiring a unique
curriculum for each concentration.
Dennis Jaehne would like to see the UGS Committee recommend a policy to C&R detailing the
minimum requirements for a concentration. This policy would then be approved by the Senate.
Action Item: UGS will provide the Committee with a comparison of the major requirements for
all SJSU concentrations in the fall.
III.
Sociology concentration and minor in Women, Gender and Sexuality.
Action Item: The committee will review this concentration (along with the Minor) at the next
meeting
IV.
Pending
 Guidelines for culminating experience and/or capstones memo to associate deans (Dennis
Jaehne).
 Review of Capstones
 Departmental Honors. Survey department chairs in the fall.
 Election of new Chair for UGS.
 UGS orientation guide
Action Item: Committee members should think about what they wish they knew
about UGS committee (and information regarding what is done within the
committee) and develop a list of items that they think should be included in
Orientation guide. Bring these lists to the next meeting.
 Members discussion with College Curriculum Committees
A discussion of the committee member’s interface with their college curriculum
committee is delayed until the next meeting.
Meeting adjourned: 1:00 pm
Gloria Edwards