Directions for Preparing Form and Syllabus
General Education Course Proposal Form
This form is the principal tool used by the General Education Committee in reviewing a course proposal for appropriateness for the General Education Program at WSU. It is imperative that all requested information be provided, particularly the General Education category of the proposed course. Please include contact information of the contact person, should the General Education Committee require more information.
Prerequisites should be specified for all courses proposed for Further Studies. The prerequisite should be a General Education Introductory course in the same field of study, or, if appropriate, the prerequisite may be any introductory General Education course from the same type of course (e.g. any Introductory Social Science course as a prerequisite for a Further Studies course within the Social Sciences).
If a specific text has not been selected, it would be helpful to provide a list of texts under consideration. Similarly, if additional readings are under consideration, provide some detail of potential library resources for the course.
Method of Evaluation and Assessment refers to the means to determine grades, and should include the various factors influencing grades. It is very helpful to briefly describe examinations and writing assignments, as well as other grade components, and detail just how much weight each component is given.
The description of the four across-the-curriculum skill components (writing, speaking, numerical, and library skills) is vital to General Education Committee review, and must be complete. If one component is not present in the course, some discussion of reasons for omission would assist the committee in the review process, and must be included.
The purpose/goals section is an opportunity to describe expected impact of the course, and a chance to identify which General Education goals the proposed course could be expected to advance.
Syllabus
The syllabus should include all the basic information generally found on a syllabus, including title of class, name of person offering class, list of texts and other readings, office hours, and other important information. A list of detailed weekly readings, assignments, and subjects is regarded as imperative in providing a clear picture of course content and activities.
Ideally, the syllabus would refer to the course and its role in WSU’s General Education program. It would mention the four across-the-curriculum skill components, clearly identifying related activities, and the syllabus would clearly state the grade impact of these four skill components.
Revised 3/12/12