General Education

Beyond OSU is a sequence of career-related activities and/or events. Student surveys suggest that nearly all students list career-related purposes as a primary reason they come to college. This requirement is intended to incorporate career development into the curriculum, thereby ensuring that every student has the skills and knowledge needed to find meaningful work in their field after completing their academic journey at OSU. There will be three required "touchpoints" for students. One of these will be in the Transitions course mentioned above. The other two touchpoints will be flexible. These might be online modules, career services events, or other career-relevant activities. We anticipate that these activities will leverage existing programs (e.g., online resources, current career programming).

We recognize the various populations of students we have and their unique goals. For instance, some students, especially on Ecampus, are already situated in a job and are looking for career advancement or a career shift. Some students may be relatively clear about what they want to do whereas others are not. The flexibility of this requirement helps students pursue their own pathway. In addition, it is important to note that we define “career” broadly, to include, for instance, students who wish to pursue work in nonprofits or in social activism (see, e.g., the Social Action Works program).

Quantitative Literacy and Analysis is an expansion of OSU’s current Math Category to include mathematical statistics. Math is part of the CTM. The expansion of this category adds new domains of mathematical analysis to the category. However, it is not intended to include other domains that may be mathematics adjacent (e.g., discipline-based statistics classes). Quantitative literacy and analysis skills are vital in our information-rich world.  This new version of the core requirement gives students options among algebra, calculus, and mathematical statistics courses allowing them to develop critical thinking skills with essential mathematical concepts and models.

Question: Will this category include mathematics and statistics classes taught outside of those departments?

Answer: As envisioned by the Bacc Core Reform Committee, no. However, the broader question of restrictions on whether or not categories will be restricted to only courses being taught in certain units is a question for implementation.

Students will take two Arts and Humanities courses. Two such courses are required by the CTM. These courses will follow the CTM learning outcomes.  If taken at OSU, one course must have a global focus.

• Arts and Humanities: General Focus (3-4 cr) will promote critical inquiry and the development of intellectual abilities through the study of the arts and humanities. Creative expression is a fundamental human activity that results in the production of objects, environments, and experiences that engage the senses, emotions, and/or intellect. The humanities grapple with the human condition in all of its complexity through time and across cultures. The humanities include knowledge of history, philosophical traditions, major religions, diverse cultural legacies, literature, film, and music.
• Arts and Humanities: Global Perspectives (3-4 cr) is an arts and humanities course, as described above, that encourages critical engagement with social, political, and cultural issues in a global context.

Scientific Inquiry and Analysis (8 cr) includes two natural science courses, each with a lab. These courses will engage students in the high-impact practice of scientific inquiry and explore generation and uses for scientific evidence. These courses involve developing knowledge of basic scientific concepts, how science works, and collaborative group problem solving. Labs accompanying these courses will engage students in the process of science from observation and hypothesis testing through data collection and analysis culminating in science communication to a general audience. If possible, courses should address how scientific issues impact social and environmental justice.

This category includes both Biological and Physical Science courses and counts as Natural Sciences with a lab in CTM. Consistent with the CTM, students will no longer be required to take both a Biological and a Physical Science course; they can take both Natural Science courses in one area if they prefer. Each course is worth 4 credits but if majors or programs have 5 credit lab science courses already embedded in their curriculum, they may use those 5 credit courses to fulfill the lab science requirement in the GE.

Seeking Solutions (3-4 cr) is a collaborative course focused on having students work in teams to solve complex, multifaceted problems. The problems that are the focus of this category are those that are sometimes termed “Wicked Problems”. Such problems are extremely difficult to solve because they can be framed in multiple ways, have multiple complex causes, are often symptomatic of other problems, and do not have an exhaustive set of potential solutions. Such problems tend to require transdisciplinary thinking and involve a wide range of stakeholders. They typically have a social component. Such problems typically have both a local and global dimension. Solutions to these sorts of problems have multiple consequences, not all of which are desirable. Examples of relevant problems could include climate change, environmental degradation, emerging pandemics, health inequality, racial inequality, poverty, and others. One of Oregon State’s strengths is that it focuses on such problems and works to identify solutions. This category is designed to highlight this signature element of OSU.

A central goal of this course is to have students wrestle with these sorts of complex, multifaceted problems and work to solve them. Students tell us that they want to do this. They come to OSU wanting to make an impact on the world and solve real problems. In fact, the notion that OSU students will be equipped to tackle the world’s pressing problems is a central focus of OSU’s messaging to prospective students. There have been successful versions of similar courses both here (e.g., FES 485) and elsewhere (e.g., North Carolina State’s “Wicked Problems, Wolfpack Solutions” courses). Overall, this is a course that is designed to deepen how students think about problem-solving.

The courses will include interdisciplinary student teamwork as a core component.  This is in response to longstanding campus interest in implementing a teamwork component into the Bacc Core. Teamwork is a prominent component of best practices in general education. In addition, stakeholder groups, notably our industry partners, consistently emphasize that working in groups with disparate others (people with different backgrounds, goals, and priorities) is an area in which students need experience and practice.

Implementation of the courses should adhere to certain parameters. Incorporating teamwork into the courses will require them to be designed in such a way as to make this manageable. The issues and problems that are the focus of this category should consider the global dimension of the problem, in accord with our goals for the Bacc Core. Courses are to be upper division and limited to students with at least junior standing. One of the goals of this category is for students to engage in team problem solving with people whose experiences and point of view differ from their own. Therefore, these courses are intended to be taken outside of a student’s major.