Section 6E: General Education Curriculum Review

Section 6E: General Education Curriculum Review

General Education Committee

The General Education Committee (GEC) supervises Boise State’s University Foundations courses.

The University Foundations curriculum helps all students meet Boise State’s common University Learning Outcomes and provides a coherent framework on which departments can establish the educational opportunities specific to the needs of individual disciplines.

Regular Proposal Deadlines

October 1: Deadline for submitting unsolicited new courses for the next catalog. See our description of the GEC Proposal Process for more information

January 25: Deadline for submitting unsolicited changes to be included for summer/fall continuing student registration.

GEC Proposal Process

Are you creating or changing a Foundations course? Please read below to determine whether you should submit information to the General Education Committee (GEC) before beginning the usual University Curriculum Committee (UCC) review process.

Option A: Submit Directly to University Curriculum Committee (UCC)

Some changes to existing Foundations courses may be submitted directly to the UCC as a Curriculum Change Request, without any additional submission to the General Education Committee. The UCC will consult General Education Committee representatives within their regular review process. Submit the following types of changes directly to the UCC:

  • Subject prefix
  • Course description and/or title
  • Semester offered
  • Course deletion
  • Prerequisites or corequisites
  • Grading basis
  • Course credit

See the University Curriculum Committee website for the correct Curriculum Change Form.

Option B: Submit to The GEC Prior To UCC Review

In the following circumstances, a GEC Proposal Questionnaire Form should be submitted directly to the GEC prior to UCC review.

  • Course Creation: All new University Foundations 100, Foundations of the Discipline, Foundations of Oral Communication, and Finishing Foundations courses must be reviewed by the GEC.
  • Course Review: Upon request, all such courses must submit updated course design information to the GEC during periodic review.
  • Course Redesign: The following changes to existing courses must be reviewed by the GEC:
    • Substantial content changes that redefine the course’s main subject of inquiry
    • Significant changes to the time spent on or emphasis placed on University Learning Outcomes
    • The addition or deletion of course-defining high impact practices (such as service learning) that account for over 30% of course time
    • Changes to the basic teaching or staffing structure (for example, the addition or removal of associated lab sections)

General Education Committee Submission Steps

Follow the three-step process below when submitting Course Creation, Course Review or Course Redesign changes:

STEP 1: New or redesigned Foundations courses should route through department and college curriculum committees first.

STEP 2: After gaining approval from your college curriculum committee, read our proposal guidelines and fill out a questionnaire form. (Please call out changed elements if you are redesigning a previously approved course.)

end the completed questionnaire to the GEC at universityfoundations@boisestate.edu. Review of new or updated courses will be assigned to the appropriate GEC subcommittee.

Fall Deadline: October 1

Spring Deadline: January 25

STEP 3: If your submission to the GEC is approved, the GEC will notify you and ask you to submit separate form(s) to the University Curriculum Committee following the standard UCC guidelines. (If you are proposing an entirely new Foundations course, you can find helpful information for completing the University Foundations portion of the full UCC proposal document here.) Submission Deadline: November 1.

If you have any questions about the process outline above, please contact universityfoundations@boisestate.edu or call the University Foundations office at 208-426-4057.