Areas of Inquiry courses are those that are approved to meet requirements in one of the following areas: Arts and Letters, Natural Science, Social Sciences.
Arts & Letters
Courses in Arts & Letters should:
- Introduce the fundamental ideas and practices of the discipline and allow students to apply them.
- Elicit analytical and critical responses to historical and/or cultural works, such as literature, music, language, philosophy, religion, and the visual and performing arts.
- Explore the conventions and techniques of significant forms of human expression.
- Place the discipline in a historical and cultural context and demonstrate its relationship with other disciplines.
- Each course should also do at least one of the following:
- Foster creative individual expression via analysis, synthesis, and critical evaluation;
- Compare/contrast attitudes and values of specific historical periods or world cultures; and
- Examine the origins and influences of ethical or aesthetic traditions.
Natural Science
Courses in Natural Science should:
- Analyze the development, scope, and limitations of fundamental scientific concepts, models, theories, and methods.
- Engage students in problem-solving and investigation, through the application of scientific and mathematical methods and concepts, and by using evidence to create and test models and draw conclusions. The goal should be to develop analytical thinking that includes evaluation, synthesis, and creative insight.
- Examine relationships with other subject areas, including the ethical application of science in human society and the relevance of science to everyday life.
Social Sciences
Courses in Social Science should be broad in scope. Courses may focus on specialized or interdisciplinary subjects, but there must be substantial course content locating the subject in the broader context of the discipline(s). Approved courses will help students to:
- Understand the role of individuals and institutions within the context of society.
- Assess different theories and concepts and understand the distinctions between empirical and other methods of inquiry.
- Utilize appropriate information literacy skills in written and oral communication.
- Understand the diversity of human experience and thought, individually and collectively.
- Apply knowledge and skills to contemporary problems and issues.
Courses approved for an Area of Inquiry must also meet the Senate-approved requirements for the Methods of Inquiry (Critical Thinking, Creative Thinking, Written Communication, Ethical Reasoning). Courses must intentionally address at least two Methods of Inquiry and at least half of the criteria for each method addressed (see https://provost.uoregon.edu/core-education-methods-inquiry-criteria).
Area of Inquiry courses:
- Must be at least 4 credits
- Must be offered at least every other year
- Must be grade optional for non-majors
- Must include an expanded course description
- Must have a permanent number
- Cannot have restricted enrollment (e.g. majors only, etc.). Must be available to all students.
- Rarely have prerequisites. Existing courses that are part of a sequence may have prerequisites (e.g. math, chemistry)
- Are typically offered at the 1xx or 2xx levels only (3x courses will be rarely allowed)
- Can be topics courses with a clearly defined topic that meets the area criteria above and with at least 3 examples of subtopics that could be taught that also meet the criteria above
Temporary area of inquiry courses will be numbered “100 or 298” for lower division credit. A course may be taught for area of inquiry credit once using a 100 or 298.number if (a) a course proposal to obtain a permanent course number has been submitted for review, and (b) an initial review of this proposal by the UOCC determines its suitability for area of inquiry status.
Approved By: University Senate Date:
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