UCSB GE Workgroup (homepage)
Suggested modifications for the BS, BM and BFA degrees

At its Oct. 31, 2003 meeting, the UCSB GE workgroup briefly discussed what modifications of its preliminary recommendations for the GE program for the BA degree would be appropriate for the other bachelor's degrees.

BS. Currently ca. 17% of UCSB students graduate with the BS degree. In the MLPS division, about 70% of students choose to complete their studies with the BS. In the current GE program, while BA students must complete 13 core courses with 4 subject area requirements, BS students complete only 9+4. This reduction is achieved in that BS students are required to take one fewer course in each of the core areas D (Social Sciences), E (Civiliation and Thought), F (Arts) and G (Literature). In areas D and E they take 2 courses each (3 each for BA students), and in areas F and G 1 each (2 each for BA students).
In the workgroup's current proposal, areas D and E would each be reduced by one course, and the combined areas F+G by one. Thus our current proposal would require only one more course in either Area F or G. We suggest adding another core area, "I," for multi- and interdisciplinary studies, and another special subject requirement, QGE.
For the BS students we could require, as does the present system, one course in each of F and G. That would leave the one course in the proposed new area "I" as an additional requirement for BS students.
The end effect would be to raise the GE requirements for BS students by one core course, and one special subject requirement. (Actually, since BS students do not currently have to take a course in area E-1, the proposed new special subject requirement in "European traditions" would limit the range of choices somewhat.) We note that special subject requirements can and often are fulfilled by the core courses, so that these requirements DO NOT mean students have to take more GE courses, only that their choices among the courses in the core areas is more limited.

BFA and BM. Similar to the BS degree, these degrees now require only 9 core courses in Areas C-G. They achieve the reduction by having one course less in areas C,D,E and G. One could apply the same principle to these degrees as to the BS, substituting a reduction in area C or the reduction the BS gets for area F. Thus the existing core area requirements would remain the same, and our proposal would add the new core area "I," raising the number of required core course from 9 to 10 (in areas C-I). The new special subject requirements would also be required of BFA and BM students.
Note: the number of these degree candidates is much smaller than the BS. Six students graduated with the BM in 2002-3.