General Education Proposal Form, 1 of 5
Proposal to Add a Course to the General Education Core
East Tennessee State University
1. Course Number
Course Title
2. Credit Hours
3. Department
College
4. Date of review
5. Contact Person
Phone
Email
6. Catalog description, as it does/will appear in catalog
7. Status of course:
Existing course
Revised course (requiring approval of university curriculum process)
New course (requiring approval of university curriculum process)
8. Submit a standard departmental syllabus for the course. The syllabus must include the
following information:
 Purpose/Goals
 Major Topics
 Learning Outcomes
 Major Assignments
 Method of Assigning Grades
 Grading Scale
 Attendance Policy
 Required Readings
 Recommended Readings/Supplemental Materials
9. In 250 words or less, please explain why is it appropriate and desirable to include this
course in ETSU’s general education core. In writing your response, refer to ETSU’s
statement on the purpose of general education and to the Tennessee Board of Regents’
definition of general education courses, which appear below the text field.
Statement of Purpose. East Tennessee State University's faculty and staff believe every student should
experience certain benefits of an undergraduate education, regardless of his or her chosen field of study. The
purpose of general education is to help students gain these benefits. Collectively the general education
program aims to increase students' ability and willingness to:
 apply the standards of reasoned argument to what they read and hear, write and say;
 engage in life long learning and personal growth;
 gain greater insight into their lives and the world in which they live;
 resolve conflicts nonviolently and solve problems creatively, often in collaboration with others;
 appreciate cultural diversity and respect people with viewpoints different from their own;
 be responsible, enlightened, active citizens in their communities and the world beyond their
communities;
 find joy, meaning and fulfillment in their lives and help others do the same.
TBR Definition of General Education Courses. General education course work is designed to provide a
foundation and a context in which upper division learning and work in the major take place. The SACS Criteria
for 2004 (Principles of Accreditation) stipulate that courses in a general education program “do not narrowly
focus on those skills, techniques, and procedures specific to a particular occupation or profession.”
Consequently, general education courses are not deliberately designed to meet pre-major requirements or to
support solely the needs of a specific major or program.
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10. Is this course currently designated as proficiency-intensive? Check all that apply:
Oral communication-intensive
Using information technology-intensive
Writing-intensive
11. ETSU seeks courses in all areas of the core that enhance students’ appreciation of
human diversity. If this course supports this goal, describe how it does so:
12. Describe any new demands on resources that would result from the inclusion of this
course in the general education core.
13. Does this course duplicate any other course currently in the general education core? If
so, describe the nature of the duplication.
14. How would adding this course to the core affect enrollment in other courses in the core?
15. Tennessee general education requirement course is proposed to meet (CHECK ONE):
Communication (complete item 16, then go to item 20)
Humanities/Fine Arts (complete item 17, then go to item 20)
Natural Sciences (complete item 18, then go to item 20)
Social/Behavioral Sciences (complete item 19, then go to item 20)
16. Communication Learning Outcomes. Communication courses will come from such
areas as English composition, oral presentational communication, and other areas
emphasizing communicating to an audience. This requirement does not include course
work in areas such as writing intensive courses in disciplines like literature, history, or
philosophy. Describe how this course addresses each of the following learning
outcomes.
Students successfully completing this requirement will demonstrate the ability to:
a. Analyze and evaluate oral and/or written expression by listening and reading
critically for elements that reflect an awareness of situation, audience, purpose,
and diverse points of view.
b. Distill a primary purpose into a single, compelling statement and order and
develop major points in a reasonable and convincing manner based on that
purpose.
c. Develop appropriate rhetorical patterns (e.g., narration, example, process,
comparison/contrast, classification, cause/effect, definition, argumentation) and
other special functions (i.e., analysis or research), while demonstrating writing
and/or speaking skills from process to product.
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d. Understand that the writing and/or speaking processes include procedures such
as planning, organizing, composing, revising, and editing.
e. Make written and/or oral presentations employing correct diction, syntax, usage,
grammar, and mechanics.
f.
Manage and coordinate basic information gathered from multiple sources for the
purposes of problem solving and decision-making.
g. Recognize the use of evidence, analysis and persuasive strategies, including basic
distinctions among opinions, facts and inferences.
17. Humanities/Fine Arts Learning Outcomes. Humanities/Fine Arts courses will come
from the areas of art, dance, literature, philosophy, music, theatre, and other disciplines
that include analytical study of primary texts and/or works of art as forms of cultural
and creative expression. This requirement does not include work in areas such as studio
and performance courses or courses that are primarily skills oriented. Describe how this
course addresses four or more of the following learning outcomes.
Students successfully completing this requirement will demonstrate the ability to:
a. Analyze significant primary texts and works of art, ancient, pre-modern, and
modern, as forms of cultural and creative expression.
b. Explain the ways in which humanistic and/or artistic expression throughout the
ages expresses the culture and values of its time and place.
c. Explore global/cultural diversity.
d. Frame a comparative context through which they can critically assess the ideas,
forces, and values that have created the modern world.
e. Recognize the ways in which both change and continuity have affected human
history.
f.
Practice the critical and analytical methodologies of the Humanities and/or Fine
Arts.
18. Natural Sciences Learning Outcomes. Natural Science courses will come from areas
such as astronomy, biology, chemistry, physics, geology, and interdisciplinary studies in
science. A significant laboratory experience is required. Courses that are narrowly
focused and introductory or foundational science courses designed primarily as
prerequisites or foundational experiences leading to a major in professional science
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areas are not eligible for inclusion. Describe how this course addresses each of the
following learning outcomes.
Students successfully completing this requirement will demonstrate the ability to:
a. Conduct an experiment, collect and analyze data, and interpret results in a
laboratory setting.
b. Analyze, evaluate and test a scientific hypothesis.
c. Use basic scientific language and processes and be able to distinguish between
scientific and non-scientific explanations.
d. Understand that the writing and/or speaking processes include procedures such
as planning, organizing, composing, revising, and editing.
e. Identify unifying principles and repeatable patterns in nature, the values of
natural diversity, and apply them to problems or issues of a scientific nature.
f.
Analyze and discuss the impact of scientific discovery on human thought and
behavior.
19. Social/Behavioral Sciences Learning Outcomes. Social/Behavioral Sciences
courses will be expected from areas such as anthropology, economics, geography,
psychology, political science, and sociology. One course in health/wellness may be
included in this category. Describe how this course addresses four or more of the
following learning outcomes.
Students successfully completing this requirement will demonstrate the ability to:
a. Recognize, describe and explain social institutions, structures and processes and
the complexities of a global culture and diverse society.
b. Think critically about how individuals are influenced by political, geographic,
economic, cultural, and family institutions in their own and other diverse cultures
and explain how one’s own belief system may differ from others’.
c. Explore the relationship between the individual and society as it affects the
personal behavior, social development and quality of life of the individual, the
family and the community.
d. Examine the impact of behavioral and social scientific research on major
contemporary issues and these disciplines’ effects on individuals and society.
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e. Using the most appropriate principles, methods and technologies, perceptively
and objectively gather, analyze and present social and behavioral science
research data, draw logical conclusions, and apply those conclusions to one’s life
and society.
f.
Take ethical stands based on appropriate research in the social and behavioral
sciences.
g. Analyze and communicate the values and processes that are used to formulate
theories regarding the social context of individual human behavior in the social
and behavioral sciences.
20. Assessment and Improvement Process. ETSU will assess student attainment of the
learning outcomes listed in items 16-19. Plans to do so include conducting two
conferences annually for general education faculty. At the first conference, faculty will
discuss their perceptions of student attainment of these outcomes, note areas of
strength and those in which improvement is needed, and begin to identify ways to
improve student learning. Following the conference, departments will submit plans
outlining actions their faculty will take to improve student learning in specified general
education courses. At the second conference, faculty will discuss how they acted on
these plans or took other actions to improve student learning. Following this
conference, departments will submit reports of such efforts. In submitting this course
for inclusion in ETSU’s general education core, the department agrees to participate fully
in this and other assessment and improvement processes.
Department Chair
Date
Dean
Date
2/5/2016