After years of preparation, Eastern Michigan University's
new General Education program launches this fall.
The new program, dubbed "Education for Participation in
the Global Community," is designed to prepare students
to function effectively in a global world and economy.
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GENERALLY SPEAKING: Chris Foreman, director
of
Eastern Michigan University's General Education
program, leads a recent workshop for faculty who
have created a new Gen Ed course or altered an
existing course to meet the new Gen Ed outcomes.
The new General Education program launches this
fall.
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This summer, EMU faculty participated in a number of General
Education program workshops, designed to help them prepare
to teach General Education courses they either created
or modified.
"All (general education) courses have had to be reworked
or new courses that meet the outcomes," said Chris Foreman,
director of EMU's General Education Program. "About 10
percent are brand new courses. But, all are new in a way
because they've had to be reworked to demonstrate the outcomes."
The new curriculum is outcome-based and focuses on five
areas. Under the new program, the largest number of credits
— 25 — must
cover knowledge of the following disciplines: natural sciences,
social sciences, arts and humanities. Other credits are
required to demonstrate effective communication (6), perspectives
on a diverse world (6) and quantitative reasoning (3).
The new program requires students to take 40 hours of credits
rather than the previous 50 credits required.
Some of the new courses for this fall include: "Perspectives
on a Diverse World," created by Barry Pyle, an associate
professor of political science;" Harry Potter: Literary
Allusion, Children's Theater and Popular Culture," created
by Annette Wannamaker, assistant professor, English language
and literature; and coordinator of the Children's Literature
Program; and "Around the World in 80 Years," created by
Kristine Ajrouch, associate professor of sociology and
director of the gerontology program; and Anita Clos, adjunct
lecturer in the School of Social Work.
Students will be required to take foundation courses in
writing, speech and quantitative reasoning within their
first 45 hours. Having those basic skills early should
translate to upper-level courses, where such skills become
more prevalent.
In addition, students will, through two required courses,
become better aware of global perspectives and issues relating
to U.S. diversity. These courses must be competed within
a student's first 60 credit hours.
An upper-level writing requirement in one's major, as
well as options emphasizing "Learning Beyond the Classroom," provides
general education throughout the college years.
"This gives us our first opportunity to assess our General
Education program. Before, we had no way to measure outcomes," Foreman
said. "General Education is no longer just a set of requirements.
It's its own program."
The following is a Q & A presented to faculty at a
recent General Education program workshop.
Q: What's the first question you should ask if a student
asks you a question about their general education requirements?
A: Are you following the old (before fall 2007) or new
(fall 2007 or later) General Education Program?
Q: A student takes Anthropology 135: Introduction to Cultural
Anthropology. Have they satisfied both the Global Awareness
and Social Sciences requirements?
A: No, courses may be cross-listed, but students may not
use the same course to meet both requirements.
Q: True or false. A student has an ACT score of
22. You can advise them to take Math 118 since they will
need that to complete their major.
A: False. Students with an ACT of 22 must take either
Math 110 or Math 110E, or elect to take the QR Choice exam.
Q: A student transfers in with MACRAO (Michigan Agreement
Between College Registrars and Admissions Officers). This
means they have completed their General Education requirements.
A: False. They also must meet three additional
requirements: Quantitative Reasoning, Perspectives on
a Diverse World and Learning Beyond the Classroom.
Q: True or false. Students transfer in an equivalent to
Literature 100. They really want to take Literature 137,
the Harry Potter course. Since they need two humanities
courses, the Literature 137 course would count toward their
General Education requirements.
A: False. Two courses in Humanities with different prefixes
are needed to meet the requirements.
Q: True or false. Writing Intensive courses are
only required for those programs where the emphasis is
on writing.
A: False. All students are required to complete
a Writing Intensive course.
Q: An EMU student wants to take a course elsewhere after
their initial enrollment at EMU. What should you advise?
A: Courses must be direct course-to-course equivalencies,
so check the Online Equivalency Guide and/or contact the
General Education Office.
Q: For purposes of General Education advising,
what's the difference between "Univ 101L" and "Univ 101"?
A: Only those sections of courses with "L" designations
can count toward the Learning Beyond the Classroom (LBC)
requirement. The same goes for "W" designations
for Writing Intensive courses.
Q: How do you respond to a student when they ask
you, "Why
do I have to take this (general education) course?"
A: General Education is the core of an undergraduate education.
It is general in that it provides students with a comprehensive
educational experience and prepares them for study within
their majors. General Education teaches students to think
critically and to communicate effectively; it provides
an introduction to the methodologies and practices of the
foundational academic disciplines; and it promotes intellectual
curiosity and love of learning.
