UHD 2000/2001 Catalog UHD Catalog Home | Academic Programs | General Education Table of Contents | Previous Section | Next Section | Index | How to Use the Online Catalog 22 General Education and the College Curriculum The granting of a college degree signifies that an individual has reached a level of intellectual development of sufficient merit to justify formal recognition. Intellectual development can be measured in terms of breadth and depth of knowledge, and a college degree is meant to signify growth in both dimensions. In most college programs students demonstrate their depth of knowledge through successful completion of courses required for a disciplinary major and their breadth of knowledge through successful completion of general education courses, which are required of students in all majors. The general education program attempts to provide those experiences which define what it means to be a college-educated person, while the discipline major attempts to provide those experiences which define what it means to be a part of that discipline. The assumption behind a general education program is that the phrase “college-educated” has its own meaning, that it signifies a type of intellectual breadth and perspective which all students should exhibit regardless of their major. General education requirements are referred to as the core curriculum because they define what is central to the college experience and the common standards used to measure the intellectual development of all students. The basic goals of the general education program at UH-Downtown are that students, by the time of their graduation, should demonstrate: An ability to view events from a variety of perspectives including perspectives from different points of time, different cultures, different people and from that of the physical world; An awareness of the ways people pursue knowledge including knowledge of scientific standards, ethical standards, standards used in the Arts and Humanities and knowledge of new technologies; and An ability to communicate clearly and effectively and make use of different media for the transmission and processing of information. The following section outlines the requirements set to accomplish these goals. Common Core Requirements Beginning fall 1999, a 42-semester credit hour common core is required of all students. The core curriculum is presented below along with course options available at UHD. Core Curriculum Component Area SCHs UHD Core Course Options Communication English rhetoric/ composition 6 ENG 1301, 1302 Speech 3 Any speech course Mathematics   3   MATH 1301, 1310, or any other college-level mathematics course Natural Sciences 6 Two lecture/laboratory courses from BIOL, CHEM, GEOL, or PHYS Humanities and Visual and Performing Arts   Fine Arts   3   One course from ART, DRA, MUS   English Literature   3   Any sophomore literature course Social and Behavioral Sciences U.S. History 6 Two courses selected from HIST 1305, 1306, 2303, and 2309 Political Science 6 POLS 2303, 2304 Social/Behavioral Science 3 One course selected from ANTH 2301, 2302; CJ 1301; ECO 1301; GEOG 1301, 1302; PSY 1303; or SOC 1303 Computer Literacy   3   One course selected from CIS 1301; CS 1305, 1408, 1410; ENGR 1400; HUM 2305 Total Hours 42 Students transferring to UHD who have completed the core curriculum at another Texas institution of higher education will receive academic credit for each of the courses transferred and will not be required to take additional core curriculum courses at UHD. A student who transfers from one institution of higher education to UHD without completing the core curriculum of the other institution will receive academic credit within UHD’s core curriculum. The student must also satisfy any remaining UHD core course requirements. 23 Students concurrently enrolled at more than one institution of higher education will follow the core curriculum requirements in effect for the institution at which they are classified as degree-seeking students. Application Course Requirements To ensure that the communication and analytical skills learned in the common core are applied and further developed, the general education program also establishes a set of “application” course requirements. Application courses are required in the following areas: Writing Skills In addition to the common core requirements in English composition and literature, students must take additional upper-division courses having substantial written assignments. These courses, designated as “W” courses in the degree program, assure students of the opportunity to make use of and further refine writing skills within the context of the academic major. All students are required to take two of these courses. Nonverbal Analytical Skills To aid in the development of nonverbal analytical skills, the common core requires that all students take one college-level mathematics course and one computer science course. In addition to the core requirements, students must take at least one additional course, designated as an “S” course in the degree program, which makes use of these skills in solving problems related to their major field of study. Enhancement Course Requirements Another effort to pursue general education objectives beyond the courses of the common core is through enhancement course work. Enhancement courses are courses that examine selected general education concerns with special relevance to students’ major fields of study. These courses are designed to provide further understanding of those fields of knowledge that will enhance the students’ capacities for effective and responsible action as they pursue academic and professional goals. Enhancement course requirements address the topics of ethics and morality and the world community. Each degree plan has been designed to incorporate these topics into its curriculum. Writing Proficiency Examination All students must take and pass a writing proficiency exam during their junior year. The exam must be taken after the completion of 60 hours and before completion of 75 or more semester hours. Transfer students with 75 or more hours must attempt the examination during their first semester at the university. The purpose of this examination is to determine if students have retained the language skills learned in their lower-level composition courses and to ensure that all students proceeding to upper-division work possess college-level writing skills. Procedures for registering for the writing exam and examination dates are given in the Class Schedule. Time Frame for Completing General Education Requirements The common core of the general education program is designed to provide students with the academic skills and knowledge that constitute the foundation of baccalaureate education. The more specialized course work taken in the major field of study builds upon this foundation, so it is necessary for students to complete core requirements early in their course of study. Because skills in writing and computation are especially critical to future academic success, all students must enroll in ENG 1301, ENG 1302 and MATH 1301 (or any math course having it as a prerequisite) or MATH 1310 the first semester they are eligible to do so and must continue to enroll in those courses until they have been successfully completed. Students are encouraged to complete all other core requirements before enrolling in any upper-division (3000 and 4000 level courses) course work. Students may not take the writing skills courses within their major until they have successfully completed the Writing Proficiency Examination.