On October 13, 2022, the Faculty Senate voted to approve the new General Education Curriculum proposed by the Baccalaureate Core Reform Committee. Among other things, this action updates a 30-year-old curriculum, reducing its size and improving its legibility for all students, introducing a new course category to support students’ transition to OSU, adding a sequence of touchpoints to incorporate career-readiness, and expanding instruction fostering understanding of diversity, equity and inclusion. This curriculum both recognizes the value of aligning with the state’s Core Transfer Map—which facilitates seamless transfer among Oregon higher education institutions—and creating a distinctive and high-quality foundation for OSU’s degree offerings.

    Provost Feser has appointed an Implementation Steering Committee, led by Alix Gitelman, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Senior Vice Provost, to guide the important work of implementing the new curriculum. Implementation will be an act of shared governance between faculty and administrative support units. Faculty will use their unique expertise to shape learning outcomes, develop robust course offerings, and create policy and process. The administration will build structures that support Faculty and Students as they experience this new program. The anticipated launch date for our new curriculum is Summer 2025.

     

      NEW Oregon State University General Education Curriculum - Coming in Summer 2025!  

    Learn more about each category on our Curricular Overview page or in our Report.

    FOUNDATIONAL CORE​

    Writing Foundations (WR 121) (x)

    4 credits​

    Quantitative Literacy and Analysis (x)

    4 credits​

    Art and Humanities - 2 courses (one global focus) (x)

    6-8 credits​

    Communication, Media, and Society (Social Science) (x)​

    3 credits​

    Social Science (x)

    3-4 credits​

    Scientific Inquiry and Analysis  with lab) - 2 courses (x)​

    8 credits​

    Difference, Power, and Oppression: Foundations *​

    3-4 credits​

    OSU SIGNATURE CORE​

    Transitions​

    2 credits​

    Beyond OSU Career Integration​

    0 credits​

    Writing Elevation (WR II) (*)

    3 credits​

    Advanced Difference, Power, and Oppression​

    3-4 credits​

    Seeking Solutions​

    3-4 credits​

    Writing Intensive Curriculum​

    In major​

    Total credits​

    42–48​

    (x) Core Transfer Map (CTM) curriculum, * Satisfied by AAOT in addition to CTM

     

    *Courses in the Writing Elevation category are at the upper division (300/400) level, with the exception for WR 227Z.  Students who transfer WR 227Z will satisfy the Writing Elevation category.  Students who complete their AAOT writing requirement with a different writing course will be required to take a Writing Elevation post-transfer.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why did you reform the Baccalaureate Core?

    Oregon State University’s current Bacc Core was established in the 20th century, approximately 30 years ago. At the time, the curriculum was considered visionary. While there are still positive elements of our general education, it has limitations that are increasingly becoming barriers. As the profile of our student body has evolved and the university has expanded to offer full undergraduate degrees in Bend and through Ecampus, so has the demand to deliver a general education curriculum that meets the needs of our diverse learners. Reform of general education to engage the 21st-century learner will lead to recruitment and retention of first-year and transfer students.

    Through Shared Governance, our faculty and administration have engaged in an ongoing effort to review our curriculum, research general education models across the country, and develop curricular templates that meet the needs of our 21st-century learners. A critical aspect of our reform is considering the greater needs of the State of Oregon and our transfer partners. Each step of the way, we have kept transfer students and the Oregon Transfer Compass in mind as we pave the way to a better transfer experience.

      What was the process of reform?

      Our work occurs in multiple phases. We have completed Phase I - revision and Phase II - reform. The final phase is Phase III - Implementation. 

      • Phase I - Revision - Charge: Develop three templates of Bacc Core/General Education
      • Phase II - Reform 
        • Establish goals and values of Bacc Core at OSU
        • Revise templates based on established values and goals
        • Share templates on roadshows with all stakeholders, communicate broadly and collect feedback
        • Revise to a single model based on feedback
        • Presented to Faculty Senate on May 12th and 20th, and presented a motion to the Senate for approval vote on June 9th. The vote was postponed until October 13th. 
        • The Faculty Senate enthusiastically approved the proposed General Education model on October 13, 2022. We will now begin the work of implementing this curriculum while engaging faculty in all aspects of the process. 
      • Phase III - Implementation 

        • The result of this project will be a fully implemented OSU general education curriculum addressing best practices in higher education, equity and inclusion, and transfer student needs.​ The new general education will meet OSU curricular standards, be operational in all relevant OSU systems, and the campus community will have the necessary knowledge to navigate the new curriculum to best serve stakeholders. ​

      Components of Implementation

      • Development of Learning Outcomes, Criteria and Rationale (LOCR) for each category of the new general education curriculum​

      • Course development/revisions to meet the new LOCRs and faculty support/resources​

      • Establish policy and process standards for the governance of the new general education curriculum​

      • Operational implementation in university systems​

      • Development of a phased training, communication and marketing roll out of the new general education curriculum to relevant stakeholders​

      • Transition plan from old curriculum to new curriculum - work with students to ensure minimal impact for those completing old curriculum and those completing the new curriculum​

      What is the timeline and anticipated launch date?

      January 2023 - February 17, 2023 - Develop and revise LOCRs

      March 9, 2023 - Present LOCRs to Faculty Senate

      March 17, 2023 - Faculty Senate LOCR Special Session

      April 13, 2023 - Vote on LOCRs at Faculty Senate 

      June 2023 - winter term 2025 - Pedagogical Support and Development can begin to occur as early as summer 2023 and continue through implementation (more information coming). Baccalaureate Core Committee will simultaneously review course submissions. 

      January 31, 2025 - Initial set of courses approved through the curriculum process (CIM)

      June 2025 - General Education goes live!

      Implementation Project Workflow

      The LOCR Committee and workgroups have completed their work and have been retired from the implementation plan. 

       

      Steering Committee Membership

      Steering Committee

      Alix Gitelman, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs & Senior Vice Provost, Steering Committee Chair

      Sherman Bloomer, Chancellor and Dean for OSU-Cascades Campus

      Jon Boeckenstedt, Vice Provost for Enrollment Management 

      Vrushali Bokil, Interim Dean College of Science

      McKenzie Huber, Director of the Baccalaureate Core, Advisor to Committee

      Kate MacTavish, Faculty Senate President 

      Rebecca Mathern, Associate Vice Provost & University Registrar 

      Brian Primack, Dean, College of Public Health and Human Sciences

      Larry Rodgers, Dean, College of Liberal Arts

      Core Team Membership

      Core Team

      McKenzie Huber – Baccalaureate Core Director, Core Team Chair

      *Patrick Ball – Cascades - Biology

      Kristin Benson – Deputy Registrar/Associate Registrar – Compliance, Operations Committee Chair

      Erin Bird – Transfer Transitions Coordinator

      Kristin Nagy Catz – Director of Assessment

      Mary Chuinard – Director of Undergraduate Student Services, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences

      *Dan Faltesek – College of Liberal Arts, Policy and Process Baccalaureate Core Committee Co-Chair

      *Regan Gurung – Associate Vice Provost & Executive Director Center for Teaching and Learning, College of Liberal Arts, Training and Course Design Committee Chair

      *Yvette Spitz – President-Elect Faculty Senate, College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences

      Mike Jefferis – Associate Registrar – Catalog, Curriculum, and Scheduling

      *Lori Kayes – Former Baccalaureate Core Reform Committee Co-chair

      Kerry Kincannon – Head Advisor, University Exploratory Studies

      *Rene Reitsma – College of Business, Policy and Process Baccalaureate Core Committee Co-Chair 

      *Steve Wuhs  – Associate Vice Provost Academic Affairs, College of Liberal Arts

      *Faculty – Professor through Instructor ranks