General Education Proposal/Rationale:
Studies in Human Behavior and Society (HBS)
Description: Students take two courses introducing concepts, theories, and methods for the empirical
understanding of human behavior, social relations, social institutions and social issues. To fulfill the
requirement, the two courses may not be in the same discipline or interdisciplinary program. For more
information, see: http://wp.stolaf.edu/curriculum-committee/files/2013/12/HBS.pdf )
To apply for a HBS GE to be assigned to a course, complete this form by typing in the shaded boxes.
1. Date of application:
2. Instructor completing proposal:
3. Course title and number:
4. Place an “X” to indicate the area(s) of disciplined analysis to which the course will introduce students:
a.
human behavior
b.
social relations
c.
social institutions
5. The approach to the course will be:
a.
b.
% normative analysis
% empirical analysis (courses focusing on both normative and empirical analysis must
give equal or greater attention to empirical analysis)
6. Describe how the following objectives will be met, with specific references to representative examples
of readings, lectures, writing, and speaking assignments and/or instructional features of the course.
The content of the syllabus or course outline should be consistent with the claims made in the
rationale.
a. The course will introduce students to prevailing theories of individual and social behavior.
b. The course will introduce students to methods for analyzing and interpreting empirical
evidence. That evidence may be either quantitative or qualitative.
c. The course will engage students in the systematic examination of social issues (past, present,
or both).
REV 1/2014
The St. Olaf Curriculum Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving proposals to designate
individual courses as meeting the Human Behavior and Society (HBS) requirement. Instructors may seek
HBS credit as part of a proposal for a new course, or may seek to add HBS credit to an existing course.
HBS credit is attached to the course, not to the instructor or to the specific term in which the course is
offered. A proposal for HBS credit must show how the course meets each of the HBS guidelines; the
comments following a guideline provide additional information about how the Curriculum Committee
interprets and applies that guideline in reviewing proposals. Instructors are encouraged to consider the
comments as well as the guidelines themselves in preparing proposals. http://wp.stolaf.edu/curriculumcommittee/files/2013/12/HBS.pdf
REV 1/2014