2008 Woodie Awards
Changes expected for core
Kelly McGee
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: News
Discussions are currently under way and a meeting was held on Monday, April 7 to review two new core requirement models that would replace our current model as early as fall 2009.
The size of the core requirements are expected to stay the same, but administration wants to have more integration between the courses and ensure that they are meeting the basic curricular goals.
David Demoss, Professor of Philosophy, said, "What we are doing is reviewing: how do our current core courses fulfill those curricular goals, or not. And in ways that they don't we want to think about reconfiguring the core in ways that will meet those curricular goals."
One model that is being considered is called the "categories of competence model," that is similar to the model that Harvard recently adopted.
This system would be more of an attempt to meet the curricular goals and would consist of a list of "competencies" of different focuses, such as literature, science, etc.
These lists are then, "pegged to curricular goals, and then you have courses designed to fulfill those competencies," said DeMoss.
Students would not be required to take the competencies covered by their major as they would already understand the subject, but would have to fulfill their core in those outside their major.
The second model would be closer to the system Pacific follows now, but would include focal studies.
The current model has a list of requirements that are the same for all students, such as FYS, language and math, and then seven distribution requirements that include a wide selection for students to choose from.
This new model would replace those distribution requirements with two focal studies.
"Each focal study would be a set of three courses that were interrelated in some way, so instead of having the seven course distribution requirement that we have now, you would have two focal studies," said Demoss.
Pacific students that began taking courses prior to the introduction of the new core requirement model will not be required to adapt to the new model.
"We would have to design things so that the transition goes smoothly so that the courses are available for students that have core to fulfill with the new system and the old system," said Demoss.
The size of the core requirements are expected to stay the same, but administration wants to have more integration between the courses and ensure that they are meeting the basic curricular goals.
David Demoss, Professor of Philosophy, said, "What we are doing is reviewing: how do our current core courses fulfill those curricular goals, or not. And in ways that they don't we want to think about reconfiguring the core in ways that will meet those curricular goals."
One model that is being considered is called the "categories of competence model," that is similar to the model that Harvard recently adopted.
This system would be more of an attempt to meet the curricular goals and would consist of a list of "competencies" of different focuses, such as literature, science, etc.
These lists are then, "pegged to curricular goals, and then you have courses designed to fulfill those competencies," said DeMoss.
Students would not be required to take the competencies covered by their major as they would already understand the subject, but would have to fulfill their core in those outside their major.
The second model would be closer to the system Pacific follows now, but would include focal studies.
The current model has a list of requirements that are the same for all students, such as FYS, language and math, and then seven distribution requirements that include a wide selection for students to choose from.
This new model would replace those distribution requirements with two focal studies.
"Each focal study would be a set of three courses that were interrelated in some way, so instead of having the seven course distribution requirement that we have now, you would have two focal studies," said Demoss.
Pacific students that began taking courses prior to the introduction of the new core requirement model will not be required to adapt to the new model.
"We would have to design things so that the transition goes smoothly so that the courses are available for students that have core to fulfill with the new system and the old system," said Demoss.
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