The new university core curriculum, which will go into effect in Fall 2010, presents new standards as it strives to promote better critical thinking.
These new standards include a three-tier system and WISER+ designations. The first two tiers- which include social science, physical science, humanities and fine arts classes- will promote knowledge in four basic subject areas. The third tier is focused on classes within a student's major. WISER+ is an acronym for the elements that must be incorporated in classes to help promote cognitive development, as the UCC-21 subcommittee calls it.
Many of the tier one classes are ready to be put in place next fall, but the full scope of UCC-21 is still a work in progress, Marilyn Buck, associate provost and dean of university college, said.
"The goal behind the new core curriculum is to learn how to think in regards to natural and social sciences," Buck said. "It will give students skills to interact better and enhance thinking patterns."
Components of the new core curriculum are heavily focused on promoting cognitive development, but at a price. Each department must incorporate tier and WISER+ standards into their courses, and students enrolled after 2010 will have to consider these requirements when building their schedules, Buck said.
Student must take tier one level classes before tier two. Students may take both in the same semester as they satisfy the tier one and tier two requirements before graduation, Buck said.
Thirty-nine credit hours will satisfy the tier one and tier two requirements. After that comes the capstone, internship and immersive learning courses of tier three, Buck said.
James Eflin, chairman of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management, said there are even more requirements to muddy the situation.
"Students are required to complete four classes in tier one and tier two, and they have to take classes which satisfy every element of the WISER+ designations," Eflin said. "Some classes can satisfy both, and each course may include anywhere from one to three WISER+ designations."
It is up to each department to determine which WISER+ standards to incorporate in its courses.
Eflin said two courses have been approved for the NREM department, which incorporates the environment and sustainability component. At the tier two level, proposals have been made to incorporate elements of International Awareness and Respect for Student Liberties.
"Each tier two level class must satisfy one of the WISER+ designations," Buck said. "How they cover it are up to the faculty members."
Each department will focus on the WISER+ goals that are the most adaptable to its subject matter, Buck said. The WISER+ designation can either be presented as a separate unit of the course, worth 20 percent of the points for that class, or it can be used as a theme throughout the course.
Michael O'Hara, associate dean of the college of fine arts, said it is too early to say what each department is doing to satisfy the tier and WISER+ designations.
"It's possible to satisfy three WISER+ goals outside of your major," O'Hara said. "I don't know which ones students will choose and for which majors."
WISER+ acronym
W- Writing competencyI- International awarenessS- Service learning and community engagementE- Environmental awareness and sustainabilityR- Respet for diversity and human libertyA- American institutions and traditionsT- Technological literacy
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