St. Cloud State University
General Education Goal Area 9
Civic Engagement and Ethics
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
1.
Prepared by: Paula Tompkins
Phone: 8-4982
Proposal Number:
Email: pstompkins@stcloudstate.edu
2.
Requesting Unit: CMST
3.
Department, Course Number, Title: CMST 301: Ethics in Human Communication
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.
Existing Course
No
Diversity Proposal Accompanying This Form
No
Yes
7.
Course bulletin description, including credits and semesters to be offered:
CMST 301. Ethics in Human Communication
Ethical issues in public and private human communication. Prereq.: 100; 220 or 340; and 210 or 211. 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.
Required for CMST B.A. majors, elective course CMST minors.
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.
Philosophy
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.
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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.
Questions of right and wrong arise whenever people communcate. This course explores how ethical
communication is fundamental to responsible thinking, decison-making and the development of relationships
and communities within and across communication contexts, cultures, communication channels and media.
By exploring ethical issues of communication, students identify how ethical communication enhances human
worth and dignity by fostering truthfulness, fairness, responsbility, personal integrity and respect for self and
others.
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.)
14-2 Explain major ethical or political theories-. Students identify and explain key concepts in major ethical theories, such as virtue theory, utilitarianism, moral
rights, care ethics and dialogical ethics.
14-3 Describe how interpretations of ethics or citizenship may vary by nationality, ethnicity, race, color,
religion, gender, ability and disability, or sexual orientation.-Using concepts from theories such as moral development or ethical relativism, students compare how their
personal ethical commitments and their understanding of ethical issues of communication may vary from others
who experience is different from their own.
14-4 Apply concepts such as democracy, rights, morality, justice, virtue, libery and obligation in person,
professional and public issues.-Students use ethical theories and concepts to analyze ethical issues of communication (e,g, truthfulness and
deception, fairness & justice, care, or freedom and responsibility) in a variety of communication contexts, e.g.
friendship, family, business and professional organizations, public communication in communities, and
intercultural communication contexts.
14-5 Analyze and evaluate alternative theoretical approaches or formulate solutions to ethical or civic
issues.
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Students compare and contrast how different ethical theories or priniciples address specific cases of
communication ethics in a variety of communication contexts in order to identify an ethical solution to a
communication problem.
14-6 Develop and exercise personal agency or ethical judgment in the public domain.-Students practice their skills of identifying ethical issues of communication, evaluating alternative solutions
through case analysis, and identifying methods for ethically implementing their preferred solution.
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.
Theoretical Foundations of Communication Ethics
A. Communication and Rhetorical Theory--10%SLO 3 & 6
B. Ethical Theories, e.g. virtue ethics, utilitarianism, moral rights, theories of justice, care ethics, and
dialogical ethics--20% SLO 2
Ethical Issues in Communication, e.g. truthfulness and deception, justice and fairness, care, freedom and
responsibility 20% SLOs 3,4,5,6
Analysis of Ethical Issues in Human Communication Contexts
A. Interpersonal 5% SLOs 3,5,6
B. Group and Organizational 5% SLOs 3,5,6
C. Public/Community 10% SLOs 3,5,6
D. Intercultural 10% SLOs 3,5,6
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St. Cloud State University
General Education Transmittal Form
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
Proposal Number
Department: CMST
Course or Course(s): CMST 301: Ethics in Human Communication
Roseanna Gaye Ross
Department or Unit Chair Signature
2/05/10
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