April 5, 2000

To: University Senate

From: General Education Subcommittee

Jerome Hahn, Chair

Re: General Education Categories of Non-Western Civilization and Speech

The Curriculum and Regulations Committee has approved revisions to both the Non-Western Civilization and Speech categories of the General Education Program. The revised description, list of approved courses and effective date are as follows:

• Non-Western Civilization, 3 semester hours

Upon completing this category, students should

• understand the civilization(s) within a significant historical context, but also with an understanding of its(their) impact on the contemporary world;

• be familiar with multiple dimensions(*) of the civilization(s) under study;

• become familiar with significant modes of thought and values unique to the civilization(s) under study;

• develop skills to distinguish the Non-Western civilization(s) from Western civilization;

• learn skills of analyzing and interpreting historical significance and change;

• be introduced to methods of integrating various dimensions of civilization;

• learn a shared, non-technical vocabulary that enables educated people to communicate with one another.

A course satisfying this category must have the following characteristic:

• SCOPE and BREADTH: Courses in this category must emphasize a civilization (or civilizations) that has been significantly influenced by historical and/or cultural forces outside those generated by Western Europe. Acceptable courses must present a coherent analysis of at least three of the major dimensions (*) of the civilizations(s) under study: arts, economics, intellectual activities, politics, religion, social organization, and technology. In some cases, a course may emphasize or foreground one of these dimensions through which to examine the whole.

Courses:

ENG 381 Literatures of Asia

FLS 342 Survey of Hispanic-American Literature I

FLS 343 Survey of Hispanic-American Literature II

HIS 103 Non-Western Civilization: Russian History

HIS 104 Non-Western Civilization: The Middle East since Muhammad

HIS 105 Non-Western Civilization: Latin America

HIS 107 Non-Western Civilization: Modern Japan 1860-Present

HIS 335 Modern Mexico

HIS 336 Early Non-Western History

HIS 337 Modern Non-Western History

HIS 338 Russia since 1917

RLS 120 Religion and Culture in the Middle East

RLS 331 Religions of the Eastern World

RLS 338 China: Religion and Culture

RLS 340 Japan: Religion and Culture

I S 182 Fundamentals of Contemporary Asian Civilization

I S 240 African Civilizations: Africa and the African Diaspora

I S 285 East Asia in the Modern World

I S 340 Africa in the International System

I S 355 Imperial Russia

I S 420 The Caribbean States in the International System

SOC 311 Comparative Family Systems (Non-Western Cultures)

SOC 314 Native Americans

Effective Date:

Fall 2001

(suggestive, not inclusive):

Art: creative activities, including "high" culture (e.g., architecture, literature, music,

painting, sculpture, theater) and "mass" or popular culture (e.g., legends,

mythology, folklore).

Economics: trade, commerce, business, money, work

Intellectual activities: philosophy, political theory, social criticism, science, ideology.

Politics: power, government, war, law

Religion: doctrine, beliefs, hierarchy, ritual

Social organization: class system, family, gender roles, minorities

Technology: tools, machines, irrigation, power, weapons

• Speech, 3 semester hours

The speech communication component of general education focuses on the processes of developing a communicatively competent college graduate. The need for this category is based on the premise that an educated person must have a high level of knowledge and skill in verbal communication. To attain this objective, systematic study and practice of verbal communication is an essential part of general education. A communicatively competent college graduate should:

• have a basic understanding of the nature and function of the human communication process;

• be able to conceptualize, organize, develop, dramatize and deliver an effective public presentation or speech;

• have an understanding of the relationship between communication and culture in order to more effectively adapt messages to the demands of diverse audiences and speaking situations.

The knowledge component of a course in this category should focus particular attention on providing students with an understanding of the nature and function of human communication and the relationship between communication and culture. Communication competence increasingly depends on knowledge of cultural and co-cultural differences along with the ability to adapt messages to the demands of diverse audiences.

To engage in competent communication a student must also learn the skills necessary to execute effective public presentations. A course in this category places emphasis not only on the knowledge of basic communication concepts and principles, but also on skills – how knowledge is translated into action.

A course should focus special attention on the ability to conceptualize, organize, develop, dramatize, and deliver public presentations.

Each student is required to give multiple public presentations. Presentations on topics that explore and illuminate the relationship between communication and culture are encouraged but not required.

Courses:

COM 103 The Oral Communication Process

Note: Originally, a special two-hour speech course for engineering majors was an option. Current engineering curricula now require COM 103.

Effective Date:

Immediately upon approval.