General Education Course Proposals

College Approval Deadline: October 1 (fall) or March 15 (Spring). Effective term is for the subsequent academic term. For example, if you submit a proposal and receive college approval by October 1, 2021, your proposal will be effective Fall 2022.  

Proposal Process

Submit a proposal for a New Course or to Modify an Existing Course in Curriculog (instructions linked). GE courses must directly and substantively demonstrate how the course addresses GE Area outcomes and additional requirements detailed in the GE Guidelines [pdf] (2014). 

• Curriculog "Certify as GE Course" Section Requirements

  • Complete the section "Certify as GE Course" where you will identify the following: 
    

    1. 1. Instruction. Describe how the course will be taught (included on Curriculog form):
          1. Methods of instruction (e.g., lectures, discussions, small groups, simulation), pointing out opportunities for active student learning; explicitly address the ways in which online and hybrid delivery of content will be used if the course will not be taught exclusively in person.
          2. General qualifications of all those who might teach the course, with areas of expertise, experience, and training.
          3. Description of how the course will be coordinated to ensure consistent implementation and assessment across all sections of the course.
             
             
       2. Assessment Schedule. Include an Assessment Schedule for the remainder of the departmental Program Planning cycle. For an Assessment Schedule sample, refer to page 14 of the General Education Guidelines (2014) [pdf]. 
• GE Course Syllabus Requirements

  • The Center for Faculty Development (CFD) maintains a accessible syllabus template (per University Policy S16-9 [pdf]). The syllabus must demonstrate how the course addresses GE Area outcomes directly and substantively by:

    1. 1. Providing excellent examples of course activities/experiences/assignments that are clearly linked to each of the GE Area outcomes and providing ample opportunity for meaningful assessment.
       2. Illustrating how the course meets the content requirements of the GE Area(s) across a significant portion of the course; the description must be applicable to all sections of the course, regardless of instructor or department for cross-listed courses.
       3. Explicit connections or linkages between the GE Area outcomes and the course activities, experiences, and assignments that are designed to meet these outcomes.
       4. Topics or subjects covered in the course should be included, generally in the form of a week by week course schedule.
       5. Include specifics relating to how assignments meet writing requirements.
• GE Course Minimum Prerequisite Requirements
  • 1. For Basic Skills courses (A1, A2, A3, B4), the course syllabi must state, “This course must be passed with a C- or better as a CSU graduation requirement.”
    2. For SJSU Studies (R, S, V) course syllabi must state, “Students are strongly encouraged to satisfy GE Areas R, S, and V with courses from departments other than the major department. Completion of, or co-registration in, a 100W course is strongly recommended. A minimum aggregate GPA of 2.0 in GE Areas R, S, & V shall be required of all students.”
    3. For 100W courses (Z), the course syllabi must state, “This course must be passed with a C or better as a CSU graduation requirement.”
• Approval Process

  • The New Program Curriculog Form will be routed for recommendation of approval as follows: 

    1. Department Curriculum Committee (optional in Curriculog)
    2. Department Chair
    3. College Curriculum Committee/Associate Dean
    4. General Education Advisory Committee (GEAC)
    5. Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education
       
       

    Department Curriculum Committee review and recommendation of approval in Curriculog is an optional. If departments wish to have their department curriculum committees added to Curriculog, please contact the Curriculum Analyst.

• Role of General Education Advisory Committee (GEAC)

  • The General Education Advisory Committee (GEAC), formerly Board of General Studies (BOGS) per University Policy F15-13 [pdf], reviews and acts on all new GE courses submissions.

    1. 1. Departmental representatives (normally the faculty who developed/teach the course and chairs/directors) shall be invited in a timely manner by the GEAC to attend meetings at which their course(s) will be discussed.
       2. If the GEAC plans to reject a proposal, it shall provide the department chair with written feedback, explaining the reasons for a recommendation to reject the proposal and an opportunity for department representatives to meet with the GEAC to discuss the recommendation and provide additional documentation as needed. The GEAC may not raise, in subsequent proceedings on the same course, additional objections, except those that apply to new materials submitted.
       3. At the committee’s discretion, discipline-specific faculty will be invited to participate in discussions concerning new curricular proposals when the GEAC determines additional expertise is needed.
       4. All final recommendations from the GEAC pertaining to new curricular proposals shall be forwarded to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education to receive recommendations regarding new GE curricular proposals.