General Education Requirements:
Updating of General Subject Area Definitions and Terminology

(suggested GE legislation by the Undergraduate Council on 5/10/04;
postponed on 5/13/04 because the L&S Faculty Executive Committee wanted to hear more campus comment;
only a minimalist version of motions 2 and 7 was put forward instead
final proposal )

The GE General Subject Areas shall be revised as follows (see the 9+2 separate motions, below):

GE
AREA

Current objective

Proposed definition of objective

(for informational purposes only)
currently includes courses from:

Area A

English Reading and Composition

no change

 

Area B

Foreign Language

no change

 

Area C

Science, Mathematics, and Technology
Objective: To provide an understanding of the methods and applications of science and mathematics, and the fundamental laws that govern the biological and physical worlds.

Science, Mathematics, and Technology
Objective: To provide students with an understanding of disciplines whose knowledge claims are based on observation, experimentation, deductive or mathematical reasoning, with the aim of understanding and characterizing the origin, content, and evolution of the universe, or the forces that shape it.

Anthropology, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Communication, Computer Science, Environmental Studies, Geology, Geography, Linguistics, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology, Statistics

Area D

Social Science

Objective: To provide an understanding of what determines or influences the behavior and beliefs of individuals and groups.

Social Sciences
Objective: To provide students with an understanding of disciplines whose knowledge claims are based upon the systematic study of human behavior, including analysis of how people interact in various contexts, or the examination of the organizational, institutional, or cultural conventions produced by groups and/or societies.

Anthropology, Asian-American Studies, Black Studies, Chicano Studies, Classics, Comparative Literature, Economics, Environmental Studies, French, Geography, German, Global Studies, History, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Law and Society, Linguistics, Music, Political Science, Psychology, Religious Studies, Slavic, Sociology, Spanish, Women's Studies

Area E

Civilization and Thought

Objective: To provide a perspective on civilization through the study of human history and thought.
(Two subcategories E-1 and E-2: "The first is concerned specifically with Western civilization, presented in a historical framework, whereas the second includes both Western and non-Western cultures, together with studies of major categories of human thought approached analytically rather than historically."--online catalog text)

Historical Studies
Objective: To provide students with an understanding of disciplines whose knowledge claims rely on the analysis of a broad range of sources about past cultures, with the aim of understanding those cultures in themselves, as they have changed over time, and in their relationships to other cultures.
(separate motion: no subcategories; Western Civilization becomes a special subject requirement parallel to "non-Western cultures")

Anthropology, Art History, Black Studies, Chinese, Classics, Comparative Literature, East Asian Cultural Studies, Economics, English, Environmental Studies, French, German, History, Middle Eastern Studies, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Linguistics, Mathematics, Philosophy, Political Science, Portuguese, Religious Studies, Slavic, Spanish, Women's Studies

Area F

Arts

Objective: To develop an appreciation of the arts through historical study, analysis of master works, and aesthetically creative activity.

Art Studies
Objective: To provide students with an understanding of disciplines that engage with the practice, history, criticism, theory or cultural significance of the fine and performing arts, popular arts or visual culture.

Art History, Art Studio, Asian American Studies, Black Studies, Chicano Studies, Chinese, Classics, Dance, Dramatic Art, Film Studies, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Music, Philosophy, Portuguese, Slavic, Spanish, Women's Studies

Area G

Literature

Objective: To develop an appreciation of literature through historical study, analysis of master works, and aesthetically creative activity.

Literary and Textual Studies
Objective: To provide students with an understanding of disciplines whose knowledge claims are based on the analysis of writings and whose methods include careful consideration of ways of reading and writing texts.

Asian American Studies, Black Studies, Chicano Studies, Chinese, Classics, Comparative Literature, English, Environmental Studies, French, German, Global Studies, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Religious Studies, Slavic, Spanish, Women's Studies

General Justification

Why is the Undergraduate Council proposing new wording for the definitions of the general subject area objectives?

  1. Motion 1: Modify the description of the objective and title for Area D as indicated in the table above.
  2. Motion 2: Modify the description of Area E's objective as indicated in the table above.
  3. Motion 3: Modify the title of Area E to "Historical Studies."
  4. Motion 4: Modify the title and description of Area F's objective as indicated in the table above.
  5. Motion 5: Modify the title and description of Area G's objective as indicated in the table above.
  6. Motion 6: Modify the description of Area C's objective as indicated in the table above.
  7. Motion 7: Replace the subdivision Area E-1 with a Special Subject Area requirement worded as follows:
    "European Traditions. At least one course that focuses on a European culture or on a culture in the European tradition."
  8. Motion 8: Remove the separate description of subarea E-2.
  9. Motion 9: Rename the current Special Subject Area requirement from "Non-Western Culture. At least one course that focuses on a non-Western culture" to "World Cultures. At least one course that focuses on a culture outside of the European tradition."
  10. Two final motions may not need legislative approval, but in any case we would like to take this opportunity to introduce clearer and more accurate terminology that will facilitate future discussions of UCSB's General Education program.

  11. Motion 10: Designate the current "General Subject Area Requirements" as "Core Area Requirements."
  12. Motion 11: Designate the current "Special Subject Area Requirements" as "Special Subject Requirements."

document by H. Marcuse, 5/10/04; page created by H. Marcuse, May 17, 2004
back to top,GE workgroup homepage