Cognate Foundations

Intellectual Foundations

Cognate Foundations

Overview
Learning Outcomes
Guidelines
Implementation
Arts
Humanities
Natural Sciences
Social Sciences

Report to the College Senate

of the

Select Committee

on General Education

8 November 2002

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Cognate Foundations

1. Overview

All students, except those exempted from general education by a current articulation agreement, shall be required to complete six credits in each of four cognate areas, Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences.

a.

Students must take courses from two distinct disciplines (prefixes) within each cognate area. Two interdisciplinary courses with the same prefix (e.g., HUM) may fulfil this requirement within a single disciplinary area, providing they have been approved for this purpose by the Intellectual Foundations Oversight Committee (IFOC).

b.

"Double Dipping:" Each student may select one course from the Cognate Foundational, Foundations of American History or Foundations of Civilizations areas, taken together, (up to 4 credits) in her or his major to fulfill both a major requirement and an Intellectual Foundations requirement

2. Proposed Learning Outcomes/Objectives

A limited number (one or two) learning outcomes should be added to the current learning outcomes for each of the four Cognate Areas that explicitly build on and advance those for the Foundations for Inquiry (BSC 100), and meet SUNY Turstees' Critical Thinking learning outcomes. A restatement of existing learning outcomes may also suffice providing the restatement makes critical thinking explicit

3. Course Guidelines

a.

Courses shall be considered for inclusion in each cognate area based upon course content rather than home department. Therefore courses offered by any department may be approved in any category for which they meet the learning outcomes.

b.

Clear, content-based criteria for inclusion (and exclusion) of courses shall be developed for each disciplinary area.

c.

In no case shall a course whose main purpose is professional training be included in any IF category. This shall not be construed to exclude courses simply because they originate from departments whose programs may be characterized as professional training.

d.

All courses in each Cognate area must include all learning outcomes, and meet all criteria for inclusion in that area. There will be a unified list for each Cognate area rather than the List A and List B for each area under Buffalo State's GE2K.

e.

Lower-level courses only will be allowed in this part of the I.F. program. Students will be encouraged to complete all of their cognate foundational requirements before their junior year.

f..

Courses may be included in only one IF category (e.g., a course cannot be both a Foundational course in Social Sciences and American History). It is anticipated that a limited number of courses will be approved in each IF category

4. Implementation.

a.

The IFOC shall form an ad hoc committees in Spring, 2003, include faculty expertise from all concerned disciplinary areas. They shall have the following charge:

i.

Each committee shall review and if necessary revise the existing Buffalo State College Learning Outcomes/Objectives for its respective cognate area.

ii.

Ensure that critical thinking learning outcomes are clearly and explicitly included among the learning outcomes. Critical thinking is understood to encompass creative thinking.

iii.

Establish content-based criteria for inclusion (and exclusion) of courses in its respective cognate area, that make no reference to the administrative structure (e.g., Department or Faculty) at Buffalo State College or elsewhere.

iv.

Complete work by October, 2003.

v.

All committee recommendations are subject to ratification by the IFOC and the College Senate Curriculum Committee and may be appealed via established procedures to the College Senate Curriculum Committee.

b.

No courses will be "grandfathered" into Cognate Foundations. The IFOC shall commence approving courses for inclusion in IF categories during Fall, 2003.

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Arts Cognates

Students shall successfully complete at least six credits in two distinct disciplines (prefixes) in the Arts cognate area. Two interdisciplinary courses with the same prefix may fulfil this requirement providing they have been approved for this purpose by the Intellectual Foundations Oversight Committee (IFOC).

a. GE Y2k Arts Learning Outcomes/Objectives

Informational Memo: The following has already been approved by the College Senate as part of the GE2K Assessment Plan.

Students will demonstrate understanding of at least one principal form of artistic expression and the creative process inherent therein.

i.

Students will develop a repertoire of ideas about basic practices of one art form and how choosing materials, techniques and styles communicate meaning

ii.

Students will demonstrate an aesthetic understanding of one or more of the artistic disciplines and the creative process therein

iii.

Students will develop or recognize basic technique and an aesthetic understanding of the basic form of a particular discipline

iv.

Students will make concrete their artistic ideas, thoughts and feelings, in recognition of the subjective as well as objective impulse that artistic endeavor embodies; be able to identify the difference and articulate an informed response about values of the work.

b. Arts Review Committee

The IFOC shall form an ad hoc committee in Spring, 2003, with the following charge:

i.

The committee shall review and revise the existing Buffalo State College Learning Outcomes/Objectives for the Arts

ii.

Ensure that critical thinking learning outcomes are clearly and explicitly included among the learning outcomes. Critical thinking is understood to encompass creative thinking (e.g., analogic thinking).

iii.

Establish content-based criteria for inclusion (and exclusion) of courses as an Arts cognate courses, that make no reference to the administrative structure (e.g., Department or Faculty) at Buffalo State College or elsewhere.

iv.

Complete work by October, 2003.

v.

All committee recommendations are subject to ratification by the IFOC and the College Senate Curriculum Committee and may be appealed via established procedures to the College Senate Curriculum Committee

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Humanities Cognates

Students shall complete at least six credits in two distinct disciplines (prefixes) in the Humanities cognate area. Two interdisciplinary courses with the same prefix may fulfil this requirement providing they have been approved for this purpose by the Intellectual Foundations Oversight Committee (IFOC).

a. GE Y2k Humanities Learning Outcomes/Objectives

Informational Memo: The following has already been approved by the College Senate as part of the GE2K Assessment Plan.

Students will demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods of at least one of the humanities (in addition to those encompassed by other knowledge areas required by the General Education program)

i.

Conventions

(a)

Students will demonstrate knowledge of the humanistic tradition of question and determining the meaning(s) of human experience.

(b)

Students will demonstrate recognition of the central role values play in the process of questioning and determining the meaning(s) of human experience.

ii.

Method: Students will demonstrate the ability to engage in close reading of texts (broadly defined).

b. The Humanities Review Committee

The IFOC shall form an ad hoc committee in Spring, 2003, with the following charge:

i.

The committee shall review and revise the existing Buffalo State College Learning Outcomes/Objectives for the Humanities cognate area.

ii.

Ensure that critical thinking learning outcomes are clearly and explicitly included among the learning outcomes. Critical thinking is understood to encompass creative thinking (e.g., analogic thinking).

iii.

Establish content-based criteria for inclusion (and exclusion) of courses as Humanities cognate courses, that make no reference to the administrative structure (e.g., Department or Faculty) at Buffalo State College or elsewhere.

iv.

Complete work by October, 2003.

v.

All committee recommendations are subject to ratification by the IFOC and the College Senate Curriculum Committee and may be appealed via established procedures to the College Senate Curriculum Committee.

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Natural Science Cognates

Students shall successfully complete at least six credits in two distinct disciplines (prefixes) in the Natural Sciences cognate area. Two interdisciplinary courses with the same prefix may fulfil this requirement providing they have been approved for this purpose by the Intellectual Foundations Oversight Committee (IFOC).

a. GE Y2k Natural Science Learning Outcomes/Objectives

Informational Memo: The following has already been approved by the College Senate as part of the GE2K Assessment Plan.

Category 1:

i.

Students will demonstrate the ability to use observational techniques as a method for exploring one of the disciplines in the natural sciences.

ii.

Students will demonstrate the ability to develop hypothesis related to phenomena in one of the disciplines in the natural sciences.

iii.

Students will demonstrate the ability to measure and collect data related to the exploration of one of the disciplines in the natural sciences

iv.

Students will demonstrate an understanding of experimental design and the ability to evaluate evidence as it applies to the natural sciences

v.

Students will demonstrate the ability to apply the necessary mathematical analysis to describe and interpret outcomes related to natural science research

Category 2:

i.

Students will demonstrate the ability to apply scientific data in one of the natural sciences

ii.

Students will demonstrate the ability to apply concepts in one of the natural sciences

iii.

Students will demonstrate the ability to apply models in one of the natural sciences

b. The Natural Science Review Committee

The IFOC shall form an ad hoc committee in Spring, 2003, with the following charge:

i.

The committee shall review and revise the existing Buffalo State College Learning Outcomes/Objectives for the Natural Sciences cognate area.

ii.

Ensure that critical thinking learning outcomes are clearly and explicitly included among the learning outcomes. Critical thinking is understood to encompass creative thinking.

iii.

Establish content-based criteria for inclusion (and exclusion) of courses as a Natural Science cognate courses, that make no reference to the administrative structure (e.g., Department or Faculty) at Buffalo State College or elsewhere.

iv.

Complete work by October, 2003.

v.

All committee recommendations are subject to ratification by the IFOC and the College Senate Curriculum Committee and may be appealed via established procedures to the College Senate Curriculum Committee.

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Social Science Cognates

Students shall complete at least six credits in two distinct disciplines (prefixes) in the Social Sciences cognate area. Two interdisciplinary courses with the same prefix may fulfil this requirement providing they have been approved for this purpose by the Intellectual Foundations Oversight Committee (IFOC).

a. Social Science Learning Outcomes/Objectives

Informational Memo: The following has already been approved by the College Senate as part of the GE2K Assessment Plan.

i

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the methods of the methods social scientists use to explore social phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence and employment of mathematical and interpretive analysis*.

(a)

Students will demonstrate understanding of observational techniques as a method for exploring social phenomena through at least one of the disciplines in the social sciences.

(b)

Students will demonstrate understanding of hypothesis development as a method for exploring social phenomena through at least one of the disciplines in the social sciences.

(c)

Students will demonstrate understanding of measurement and data collection related to the exploration of social phenomena through at least one of the disciplines in the social sciences

(d)

Students will demonstrate understanding of research design and evaluation of evidence as it applies to the exploration social phenomena through at least one of the disciplines in the social sciences

(e)

Students will demonstrate understanding of the necessary mathematical and interpretive analysis needed in the exploration of social phenomena through at least one of the disciplines in the social sciences

ii.

Students will demonstrate knowledge of major concepts, models and issues of at least one discipline in the social sciences.*

(a)

Students will demonstrate knowledge of major concepts in at least one discipline in the social sciences.

(b)

Students will demonstrate knowledge of models in at least one discipline in the social sciences

(c)

Students will demonstrate knowledge of the issues in at least one discipline in the social sciences

*Denotes SUNY Trustee wording.

b. The Social Science Review Committee

The IFOC shall form an ad hoc committee in Spring, 2003, with the following charge:

i.

The committee shall review and revise the existing Buffalo State College Learning Outcomes/Objectives for the Social Sciences cognate area

ii

Ensure that critical thinking learning outcomes are clearly and explicitly included among the learning outcomes. Critical thinking is understood to encompass creative thinking.

.iii.

Establish content-based criteria for inclusion (and exclusion) of courses as a Natural Science cognate courses, that make no reference to the administrative structure (e.g., Department or Faculty) at Buffalo State College or elsewhere.

iv.

Complete work by October, 2003.

v.

All committee recommendations are subject to ratification by the IFOC and the College Senate Curriculum Committee and may be appealed via established procedures to the College Senate Curriculum Committee.

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1. Overview
All students, except those exempted from general education by a current articulation agreement, shall be required to complete six credits in each of four cognate areas, Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences.
a.	Students must take courses from two distinct disciplines (prefixes) within each cognate area. Two interdisciplinary courses with the same prefix (e.g., HUM) may fulfil this requirement within a single disciplinary area, providing they have been approved for this purpose by the Intellectual Foundations Oversight Committee (IFOC).
b.	"Double Dipping:" Each student may select one course from the Cognate Foundational, Foundations of American History or Foundations of Civilizations areas, taken together, (up to 4 credits) in her or his major to fulfill both a major requirement and an Intellectual Foundations requirement
2. Proposed Learning Outcomes/Objectives
A limited number (one or two) learning outcomes should be added to the current learning outcomes for each of the four Cognate Areas that explicitly build on and advance those for the Foundations for Inquiry (BSC 100), and meet SUNY Turstees' Critical Thinking learning outcomes. A restatement of existing learning outcomes may also suffice providing the restatement makes critical thinking explicit
3. Course Guidelines
a.	Courses shall be considered for inclusion in each cognate area based upon course content rather than home department. Therefore courses offered by any department may be approved in any category for which they meet the learning outcomes.
b.	Clear, content-based criteria for inclusion (and exclusion) of courses shall be developed for each disciplinary area.
c.	In no case shall a course whose main purpose is professional training be included in any IF category. This shall not be construed to exclude courses simply because they originate from departments whose programs may be characterized as professional training.
d.	All courses in each Cognate area must include all learning outcomes, and meet all criteria for inclusion in that area. There will be a unified list for each Cognate area rather than the List A and List B for each area under Buffalo State's GE2K.
e.	Lower-level courses only will be allowed in this part of the I.F. program. Students will be encouraged to complete all of their cognate foundational requirements before their junior year.
f..	Courses may be included in only one IF category (e.g., a course cannot be both a Foundational course in Social Sciences and American History). It is anticipated that a limited number of courses will be approved in each IF category
4. Implementation.
a.	The IFOC shall form an ad hoc committees in Spring, 2003, include faculty expertise from all concerned disciplinary areas. They shall have the following charge:
	i.	Each committee shall review and if necessary revise the existing Buffalo State College Learning Outcomes/Objectives for its respective cognate area.
	ii.	Ensure that critical thinking learning outcomes are clearly and explicitly included among the learning outcomes. Critical thinking is understood to encompass creative thinking.
	iii.	Establish content-based criteria for inclusion (and exclusion) of courses in its respective cognate area, that make no reference to the administrative structure (e.g., Department or Faculty) at Buffalo State College or elsewhere.
	iv.	Complete work by October, 2003.
	v.	All committee recommendations are subject to ratification by the IFOC and the College Senate Curriculum Committee and may be appealed via established procedures to the College Senate Curriculum Committee.
b.	No courses will be "grandfathered" into Cognate Foundations. The IFOC shall commence approving courses for inclusion in IF categories during Fall, 2003.

Students shall successfully complete at least six credits in two distinct disciplines (prefixes) in the Arts cognate area. Two interdisciplinary courses with the same prefix may fulfil this requirement providing they have been approved for this purpose by the Intellectual Foundations Oversight Committee (IFOC).
a. GE Y2k Arts Learning Outcomes/Objectives
Informational Memo: The following has already been approved by the College Senate as part of the GE2K Assessment Plan.
Students will demonstrate understanding of at least one principal form of artistic expression and the creative process inherent therein.
i.	Students will develop a repertoire of ideas about basic practices of one art form and how choosing materials, techniques and styles communicate meaning
ii.	Students will demonstrate an aesthetic understanding of one or more of the artistic disciplines and the creative process therein
iii.	Students will develop or recognize basic technique and an aesthetic understanding of the basic form of a particular discipline
iv.	Students will make concrete their artistic ideas, thoughts and feelings, in recognition of the subjective as well as objective impulse that artistic endeavor embodies; be able to identify the difference and articulate an informed response about values of the work.
b. Arts Review Committee
The IFOC shall form an ad hoc committee in Spring, 2003, with the following charge:
i.	The committee shall review and revise the existing Buffalo State College Learning Outcomes/Objectives for the Arts
ii.	Ensure that critical thinking learning outcomes are clearly and explicitly included among the learning outcomes. Critical thinking is understood to encompass creative thinking (e.g., analogic thinking).
iii.	Establish content-based criteria for inclusion (and exclusion) of courses as an Arts cognate courses, that make no reference to the administrative structure (e.g., Department or Faculty) at Buffalo State College or elsewhere.
iv.	Complete work by October, 2003.
v.	All committee recommendations are subject to ratification by the IFOC and the College Senate Curriculum Committee and may be appealed via established procedures to the College Senate Curriculum Committee

Students shall complete at least six credits in two distinct disciplines (prefixes) in the Humanities cognate area. Two interdisciplinary courses with the same prefix may fulfil this requirement providing they have been approved for this purpose by the Intellectual Foundations Oversight Committee (IFOC).
a. GE Y2k Humanities Learning Outcomes/Objectives
Informational Memo: The following has already been approved by the College Senate as part of the GE2K Assessment Plan.
Students will demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods of at least one of the humanities (in addition to those encompassed by other knowledge areas required by the General Education program)
i.	Conventions
	(a)	Students will demonstrate knowledge of the humanistic tradition of question and determining the meaning(s) of human experience.
	(b)	Students will demonstrate recognition of the central role values play in the process of questioning and determining the meaning(s) of human experience.
ii.	Method: Students will demonstrate the ability to engage in close reading of texts (broadly defined).
b. The Humanities Review Committee
The IFOC shall form an ad hoc committee in Spring, 2003, with the following charge:
i.	The committee shall review and revise the existing Buffalo State College Learning Outcomes/Objectives for the Humanities cognate area.
ii.	Ensure that critical thinking learning outcomes are clearly and explicitly included among the learning outcomes. Critical thinking is understood to encompass creative thinking (e.g., analogic thinking).
iii.	Establish content-based criteria for inclusion (and exclusion) of courses as Humanities cognate courses, that make no reference to the administrative structure (e.g., Department or Faculty) at Buffalo State College or elsewhere.
iv.	Complete work by October, 2003.
v.	All committee recommendations are subject to ratification by the IFOC and the College Senate Curriculum Committee and may be appealed via established procedures to the College Senate Curriculum Committee.

Students shall successfully complete at least six credits in two distinct disciplines (prefixes) in the Natural Sciences cognate area. Two interdisciplinary courses with the same prefix may fulfil this requirement providing they have been approved for this purpose by the Intellectual Foundations Oversight Committee (IFOC).
a. GE Y2k Natural Science Learning Outcomes/Objectives
Informational Memo: The following has already been approved by the College Senate as part of the GE2K Assessment Plan.
Category 1:
i.	Students will demonstrate the ability to use observational techniques as a method for exploring one of the disciplines in the natural sciences.
ii.	Students will demonstrate the ability to develop hypothesis related to phenomena in one of the disciplines in the natural sciences.
iii.	Students will demonstrate the ability to measure and collect data related to the exploration of one of the disciplines in the natural sciences
iv.	Students will demonstrate an understanding of experimental design and the ability to evaluate evidence as it applies to the natural sciences
v.	Students will demonstrate the ability to apply the necessary mathematical analysis to describe and interpret outcomes related to natural science research
Category 2:
i.	Students will demonstrate the ability to apply scientific data in one of the natural sciences
ii.	Students will demonstrate the ability to apply concepts in one of the natural sciences
iii.	Students will demonstrate the ability to apply models in one of the natural sciences
b. The Natural Science Review Committee
The IFOC shall form an ad hoc committee in Spring, 2003, with the following charge:
i.	The committee shall review and revise the existing Buffalo State College Learning Outcomes/Objectives for the Natural Sciences cognate area.
ii.	Ensure that critical thinking learning outcomes are clearly and explicitly included among the learning outcomes. Critical thinking is understood to encompass creative thinking.
iii.	Establish content-based criteria for inclusion (and exclusion) of courses as a Natural Science cognate courses, that make no reference to the administrative structure (e.g., Department or Faculty) at Buffalo State College or elsewhere.
iv.	Complete work by October, 2003.
v.	All committee recommendations are subject to ratification by the IFOC and the College Senate Curriculum Committee and may be appealed via established procedures to the College Senate Curriculum Committee.

Students shall complete at least six credits in two distinct disciplines (prefixes) in the Social Sciences cognate area. Two interdisciplinary courses with the same prefix may fulfil this requirement providing they have been approved for this purpose by the Intellectual Foundations Oversight Committee (IFOC).
a. Social Science Learning Outcomes/Objectives
Informational Memo: The following has already been approved by the College Senate as part of the GE2K Assessment Plan.
i	Students will demonstrate an understanding of the methods of the methods social scientists use to explore social phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence and employment of mathematical and interpretive analysis*.
	(a)	Students will demonstrate understanding of observational techniques as a method for exploring social phenomena through at least one of the disciplines in the social sciences.
	(b)	Students will demonstrate understanding of hypothesis development as a method for exploring social phenomena through at least one of the disciplines in the social sciences.
	(c)	Students will demonstrate understanding of measurement and data collection related to the exploration of social phenomena through at least one of the disciplines in the social sciences
	(d)	Students will demonstrate understanding of research design and evaluation of evidence as it applies to the exploration social phenomena through at least one of the disciplines in the social sciences
	(e)	Students will demonstrate understanding of the necessary mathematical and interpretive analysis needed in the exploration of social phenomena through at least one of the disciplines in the social sciences
ii.	Students will demonstrate knowledge of major concepts, models and issues of at least one discipline in the social sciences.*
	(a)	Students will demonstrate knowledge of major concepts in at least one discipline in the social sciences.
	(b)	Students will demonstrate knowledge of models in at least one discipline in the social sciences
	(c)	Students will demonstrate knowledge of the issues in at least one discipline in the social sciences
		*Denotes SUNY Trustee wording.
b. The Social Science Review Committee
The IFOC shall form an ad hoc committee in Spring, 2003, with the following charge:
i.	The committee shall review and revise the existing Buffalo State College Learning Outcomes/Objectives for the Social Sciences cognate area
ii	Ensure that critical thinking learning outcomes are clearly and explicitly included among the learning outcomes. Critical thinking is understood to encompass creative thinking.
.iii.	Establish content-based criteria for inclusion (and exclusion) of courses as a Natural Science cognate courses, that make no reference to the administrative structure (e.g., Department or Faculty) at Buffalo State College or elsewhere.
iv.	Complete work by October, 2003.
v.	All committee recommendations are subject to ratification by the IFOC and the College Senate Curriculum Committee and may be appealed via established procedures to the College Senate Curriculum Committee.