Proposing New Subtitles for Existing GE Subtitle Courses

What is the Main Subtitle Course?

• The Main Subtitle course provides an umbrella for topics of closely related course content, learning outcomes and assessment methodologies.
  
  
• An example of a Main Subtitle would be ENGL 371* Film Styles and Genres

What is a Subtopic?

• A subtopic is a course that is listed under the Main Subtitle . It may address a timely issue, or it might be a course that a department wants to offer occasionally. The subtopic is valid for the life of the main subtitle course.
  
  
• An example of a Subtopic would be ENGL 371: Subtopic - Classic Film Noir

Cal Poly faculty submitting Subtopics under existing main subtitles 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.

All Main Subtitles must be submitted electronically ( mtool@calpoly.edu) The GE offices maintains an active data base of all courses. See procedures and deadlines below:

GE Deadlines - New Subtopic courses proposed for Existing Main Subtitles

Procedures:

1. If this course is a new subtopic for an existing course (view list of approved subtitles), faculty should review the main subtitle course proposal on Blackboard for reference. Go to the Cal Poly Portal and sign in. Look at Blackboard Access. Click the link that is listed as General Education. All GE courses are listed by department.

• Fill out the short form (download Word document )
• Send an electronic copy to the GE office (mtool@calpoly.edu).
• If you have questions, please contact mtool@calpoly.edu or call 756-2228

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

3. Mary Whiteford (Academic Programs) will notify scheduling with the new course information. Academic Programs needs a final signed copy for their office.

Instructions on Completing Subtitle Short Form - GE Syllabus, Section III

A. Learning Outcomes

What should students know or be able to do after taking this course?

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

B. Expanded Course Content

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.

C. Assessment Methodology

Assessment methodologies MAY BE COPIED AND PASTED FROM THE MAIN SUBTITLE (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 Subtitle.

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 Scantron 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.