University Curriculum Committee

Annual Report

2007-2008

 

  1. Summary of year’s activities

The University Curriculum Committee continued to review, change and approve new undergraduate programs.  
 

    1. Approved the elimination of the two separate General and Environmental Geology tracks for the Geology major, to be replaced with a unified, though more flexible, course of study.
    2. Approved the addition of IDIS 495 (an internship class) as an elective for the minor in Business, Communications, and the Liberal Arts.
    3. Approved the addition of newly created courses on the Tropics as electives for the Environmental Science and Studies major.
    4. Approved course changes for the Geography major, with an emphasis on developing students’ mastery of GIS skills.
    5. Approved a reorganization of the Forensic Chemistry major, including the addition of classes to be taught at TU (eliminating the need for majors to take certain classes at the University of Baltimore), the addition of CRMJ, SOCI, and ANTH courses as requirements, and the creation of three separate tracks, in General Forensic Science, Trace Evidence/Toxicology, and DNA; changes were in response to accreditation review.
    6. Approved the elimination of COSC 111/112 as a requirement for admission to the Business Administration major, the e-Business major, and the combined majors in e-Business & Business Administration and e-Business & Computer Information Systems. (As with all students, BUAD students must complete a I.B. General Education course, but the choice of course will not be specified and it will not play a role as a prerequisite.)
    7. Approved the institution of a Computer Proficiency test as a screening requirement for the Accounting major, the Business Administration major, the e-Business major, and the combined majors in e-Business & Business Administration and e-Business & Computer Information Systems.
    8. Approved the addition of MNGT 494 for the Management and International Business concentrations of the BUAD major, to facilitate study abroad.
    9. Approved granting Accounting majors the option to choose between MNGT 482 and PHIL 371 (which both focus on business ethics).
    10. Approved changes to required courses (including LEGL 226 and either MNGT 482 or PHIL 371) and electives for the Legal Studies track of the BUAD major (with the track now adjusted to 24 units to meet the newly mandated TU minimum).
    11. Approved the addition of BUSX 460 (Professional Experience) to the Accounting major.
    12. Approved the removal of MKTG/MNGT 479 (special topics courses) and the obsolete POSC 341 from the International Business concentration of the Business Administration major.
    13. Approved the elimination of the Irish Studies minor due to low enrollment (constituent courses will continue to be offered).
    14. Approved the transformation of the Painting track into the Painting and Drawing track, enabling interested students to focus on Drawing as a discipline in its own right.
    15. Approved a new HEGIS code, AHLT for courses within the Allied Health major.
    16. Approved the proposed inclusions of more intensive versions of CHEM 210 (now 5 credits), CHEM 372 (now 2 credits), and CHEM 310 (now 5 credits) for the Chemistry major’s General and Professional tracks.
    17. Approved changes in the ensemble performance requirements for the Music Education major’s Vocal and General tracks, as well as for the majors in Guitar Performance and Jazz/Commercial Guitar Performance, in order to enhance students’ experience with their primary instruments.
    18. Approved the elimination of a term of Marching Band as a requirement for Music Education majors concentrating in Stringed Instruments.
    19. Approved the inclusion of PSYC 421 (previously entitled Humanistic Psychology, to be renamed Diverse Perspectives in Psychology) as an option in the Psychology major’s Topical Area of Diversity.
    20. Accepted reorganization of the Cultural Studies major, with the goal of enhancing both sustainability and rigor (including the addition of CLST 300, a Methods class, and CLST 497, a Capstone).
    21. Approved changes to the Advertising track and the Strategic PR & Integrated Communications tracks of the Mass Communication/Communication Studies major, entailing rationalized course groupings, less course overlap, addition of the new COMM 101 as an elective, and deletion of obsolete or less relevant courses.
    22. Approved the revision of the TU/University of Maryland – Baltimore dual degree program in Medicinal Chemistry to accord with new entrance prerequisites for UMB’s School of Pharmacy.
    23. Approved changes to the Human Resource Management track of the Business Administration major, to achieve greater coverage of key HRM material, as well as to better differentiate the track from other offerings.

 

 

  1. Policy Reminders

 

The Committee addressed some misapprehensions concerning the necessity to request approval for new or substantially revised General Education courses. In spite of the continuing work on a new General Education Curriculum, courses desired to fulfill current Gen Ed requirements must continue to be submitted to, and approved by, the General Education Reporting Committee of the University Curriculum Committee, before submission to the Registrar. The Registrar’s Office is the new liaison for the General Education Reporting Committee, which is chaired by Professor Peter Wray. Ms Suzanne Hill serves as the Secretary and convener.

 

Owing to the complex nature of many UCC proposals and a membership widely dispersed across the campus, the Committee requests timely receipt of proposals.  Note that the UCC has a no walk-ons policy. Information on the web site was revised to clarify the deadline for submitting proposals, stating: “Please submit proposals so that they arrive no later than 9am on the Monday one week prior to the scheduled meeting, to ensure timely delivery to UCC members. Proposals arriving after monthly meeting materials have been distributed will be added to the following month’s agenda.” (Meetings are scheduled for the second Monday during Fall and Spring terms.)

 

Departments intending to submit program changes to UCC should remember to include with their proposals documentation of any relevant of correspondence between their own departments and any others that would be impacted by the proposed changes.

 

  1. Pending Work

  

  1. Problems needing the attention of the Committee or the University Senate

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Toni Marzotto, Chair, 2007-2008