General Education is the foundation of a university education. The courses in the General Education program are designed to provide students with opportunities to develop core knowledge and dispositions across many disciplines and academic areas of study. By helping to foster lifelong learning and curiosity, General Education enriches students’ education at UBalt and their personal, professional, and civic lives.
General education courses embody the mission of the program and meet the student learning outcomes in their designated area.
Course Certification
A faculty member who is interested in having a course become part of the General Education (GE) or Graduation Requirements (GR) should submit the GE form or GR form directly to the General Education Council after the course has been approved by their department and undergraduate curriculum committees or other appropriate bodies within the school or college. The deadlines for submitting forms to GEC are announced by GEC each semester and generally occur around Week 8 of the semester. The general procedure for the certification of courses is outlined below:
- A faculty member completes the approval form for the domain under which they wish the course to be considered and assembles appropriate documentation. The proposal goes to the department and curriculum committe or other appropriate offices and the dean.
- The paperwork is submitted to the GEC at least one week prior to the next regular meeting.
- The GEC Chair reviews the paperwork and if it is complete, forwards the paperwork to the Council members.
- The Council reviews and if sufficient information is present, votes on the certification request as part of the next regular meeting.
- The Chair notifies appropriate parties of the results and forwards to campus Curriculum Review Committee for recommendation to Provost and for Provost final approval and updates to relevant documents/web pages.
Course Recertification
The GE/GR Assessment Plan designates responsibility for assessment of each GE and GR area and also articulates a substantial, faculty-led periodic course review for all GE and GR courses. The general procedure is as follows:
- The Council Chair or support staff contacts Program Directors of current GE and GR Periodic Course Review and provides forms in early October.
- Program Directors submit required documentation to the GEC by November 1.
- The Council competes the review process by the beginning of the spring semester and notifies Program Directors of the results.
- Review of Courses includes syllabi review and Area Learning Outcomes Compliance review (approval for up to 5 years).
- Following each GE and GR area review, the Council Chair solicits GE and GR Course Proposals to address gaps or overlaps in mapping; provides forms; and conducts review of materials with GEC following protocol above (approval until next Periodic Course Review for that area).