Each new course/subtopic submitted for GE must follow the Educational Objectives and Criteria that have been agreed on for General Education, which has been designed as a coherent program emphasizing certain learning outcomes. In addition, new subtopic proposals are necessary so that the GE office can maintain an up-to-date data base of all GE courses in Blackboard for faculty reference.

Use these instructions

1. Faculty should refer to the existing GE- approved MAIN RUBRIC on Blackboard. This can be accessed through the Cal Poly Portal under GE Course Proposals. GE Courses are listed by Department.

2. After the new subtopic is reviewed and approved, the GE office will send an e-memo (and a copy of the course proposal) to the course pro poser, the department chair, dean, and Mary Whiteford in Academic Programs.

3. Mary Whiteford will notify scheduling with the new course information.

• FILL out the Rubric Course Form WORD document (Click here)
• Fill out information on your course which includes A) Learning Outcomes, B) Expanded Course Content and C) Assessment Methodology
• Send an electronic copy to the GE office (mtool@calpoly.edu).
• If you have questions, please email mtool@calpoly.edu or call 756-2228.

This information is on the WORD form.

The Learning Outcomes/Educational Objectives and Criteria for a new subtopic MAY BE COPIED AND PASTED FROM THE MAIN RUBRIC (on Blackboard) if appropriate. If these do not work for your course, may want to change them to fit the needs of the new subtopic.

Provide a week-by-week outline--readings, discussion topics, lab experiments, activities, assignments, etc.

1. At appropriate places in your week-by-week outline, refer to the GE Educational Objectives and Criteria by letter and number (e.g., EO3 or CR6), and write some explanations to show where and how the course meets the specific Objectives and Criteria you listed in Section A above. (In writing-intensive courses, for example, you should explain when and what kinds of writing assignments you will give, and when and what kinds of feedback on student writing you will provide throughout the quarter so that students can improve their writing skills.)

2. Remember that GE courses must meet all of the Criteria in the specific GE Area.

Assessment methodologies MAY BE COPIED AND PASTED FROM THE MAIN RUBRIC (on Blackboard) if appropriate. If these methods do not work for your course, you may want to change them
to fit the needs of the new subtopic.

For each of the specific GE Educational Objectives and Criteria you listed in Section A above (e.g., EO3 or CR6), explain what assessment method you will use to measure your students’ success in achieving those Objectives and Criteria (“Learning Outcomes”). (For example, an essay exam might be appropriate for assessing higher-order thinking skills, whereas an objective Scant ron test could assess memorization and basic understanding of key terms or fundamental concepts.)

At least 10% of the grade in all GE courses must be based on appropriate written work. In writing-intensive courses (all courses in Areas A1, A3, C1, C2, C4, and D5), at least 50% of the grade must be based on written work, and students must be required to write a minimum of 3000 words. (“3000 words” is the equivalent of about 12 double-spaced, typed pages of writing.) Writing assignments should be spread across the quarter so that students receive feedback on their writing throughout the course.