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General Education Curriculum Process

This document explains the steps between initially developing a proposal and final approval. Generally speaking, final approval in The Human Community is a two-phase process: endorsement and approval by both a cluster committee and then the General Education Council.

I. Endorsement Phase—Part 1

  1. Develop proposal according to cluster objectives, “Guiding Principles” and general education philosophy
    • Courses must have a home department and be approved by the college(s) in which they are offered and may be experimental (Must have Experimental Course Form on file- including signatures from the appropriate Department Head(s) and Dean(s))
    • Ongoing discussion with contributing departments & colleges, schools or departments
  2. Receive endorsement from the Cluster Committee
    • Use Cluster Approval Form (indicate desired action)
    • Use matrix for mapping objectives and courses
  3. Receive endorsement from the General Education Council C&I
    • Endorsement is not a guarantee of approval
  4. Offer for the first time
    • Enrollment for initial offering is determined by the originator, department heads and/or deans involved and the appropriate cluster coordinator

II. Endorsement Phase – Part 2

  1. Seek recommendations and input from Cluster Committee after initial offering
    • This is an informal process of discussion and recommendations will be based on cluster objectives, “Guiding Principles” and general education philosophy, as well as practical issues of implementation, such as enrollment and resource issues
  2. Seek recommendations and input from contributing departments and colleges, Libraries and Educational Technologies
    • This is an informal process of discussion between originator(s), the cluster committee, and other units involved
  3. Offer course or sequence of courses for the second time following recommendations
    • All courses much be offered at least twice before final approval is considered
    • No course or sequence of courses may be offered for more than three years within the endorsement phase