Information for Administrators on Core Curriculum

What are the major differences between the previous General Education program and the Core Curriculum?

• The Breadth of Knowledge requirement is more flexible and inclusive, and it includes a STEM course in addition to two science courses with labs.
• There are additional, explicit, Essential Learning Outcomes (7 as opposed to 2) that may be addressed in or out of the major.

What if a department wants to reserve upper level courses for their majors?

• That is possible through the use of the “majors only” course attribute.
• This can be expanded to the college – so, for example, an advanced chemistry course might be open to all majors within the Colleges of Science and Engineering.

Can courses making up the Breadth-of-Knowledge and the ELO requirements have pre-requisites?

• Yes.

How will departments keep track of these outcomes?

• Degree Pathways will be revised with any changes; ELO designations will be captured in SiS and programmed into advising reports.

Can collateral requirements to the major (required courses offered by departments or units outside the home department) be used to fulfill Breadth of Knowledge requirements?

• Current practice is to allow those courses to count for BOK – but this could vary with the department.

Can there be a disciplinary difference in the attainment of ELOs?

• Yes. The level of competency required for each ELO may differ by discipline; thus, a science major might be required to show a higher level of quantitative literacy than the baseline approved by the Core Curriculum Committee. This would be reflected in the course designated in the major for meeting the ELO.

If students change major, must their ELO competency follow the ELO plan for the new major?

• In most cases, the required courses or sequence within the new major will fulfill the ELO requirements. Where a particular ELO is met outside the major, ELOs previously met by non-major courses will be valid.