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Course Approval Guidelines

The following guidelines have been established by the AGSC to provide institutions with the necessary information needed to submit courses for AGSC approval. Course should be submitted as outlined in the AGSC course proposal procedure. Courses submitted for AGSC approval must first be approved by the submitting institution for use in their own general studies program. Courses submitted that do not meet these requirements will be returned the the submitting institution and will not be reviewed by the Academic Committee or the AGSC.

  1. Course Syllabus Requirements

    Course proposals must have a syllabus that includes, at a minimum, the following elements:

    • Course Alpha Listing, Number, and Title (e.g., HIS - World History);
      Accurate Course Description;
    • Course Textbooks, Manuals, or Required Materials;
    • Course Objectives;
    • Course Outline of Topics.

  2. General Studies Course Requirements

    Is the course being submitted currently being used by the institution to fulfill core or general studies requirements for their own native students?

    Courses in the General Studies Curriculum are elements of an integrated system. Some courses provide essential skills in the communication of thought or in the manipulation of quantitative data while others develop aesthetic appreciation. Still others impart knowledge of history, language, literature, and the natural and social worlds. The General Studies Curriculum is designed to provide a foundation both for further study and for personal enrichment.

    General guidelines and criteria for courses in the General Studies Curriculum are:

    1. Courses must be collegiate-credit courses at the freshman or sophomore level (i.e., 100 or 200 level);
    2. Courses must be broad in scope, present major intellectual or aesthetic ideas, and not be specialized or vocational in purpose;
    3. Courses must present the essential characteristics and basic processes of inquiry and analysis in the discipline;
    4. Courses must encourage the development of critical thinking skills and require students to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate knowledge;
    5. Courses must consider the subject in its relation to other disciplines and its application to human concerns.

  3. Discipline Guidelines and Requirements

    Each of the Area Academic Committees (AACs) has established broad guidelines and requirements for courses that appear in the general studies.

    Does the course being submitted meet the specific discipline guidelines and requirements?

    Click the committee names below to view discipline specific guidelines.

    If course does not fit into one of the specific discipline areas listed above, please contact us for assistance.