Given that so many college students take Introduction to Sociology or Social Problems or both, we wondered about the amount of content overlap in these courses. We designed a study that used content analysis of syllabi from these courses in order to measure the amount of convergence between the two classes. In our sample, nearly 70 percent of the…

Despite efforts of both administration and faculty, the intent and the execution of new curricular initiatives are not always in alignment. To understand how the declaration of a campus-wide general education initiative was being implemented, this article combines analyses of syllabi and courses from across disciplines. In an initial review, the…

The purpose of this paper is to share how physical education (PE) offers a unique place of interdisciplinary connections, contributing to coherence in the general education (GE) experience, and to demonstrate the overall value of PE, serving as a rationale for its inclusion in a GE program. A definition of GE is provided, followed by an historical…

What does it mean to be a college graduate? One knows about the time and ever-increasing amount of money that a diploma demands. But when it comes down to what matters--the skills and knowledge acquired--what does a college degree mean? That is the question the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) answers in this book. Inside one will…

The crisis in higher education is about more than money. It is about what one has been paying for, paying for dearly. The public, even in these hard times, supports higher education with its tax dollars. And families make huge sacrifices to send their sons and daughters to college. They deserve in return higher education that provides real…

If science can be taught in a way that makes it accessible to the nonmajor, student fear of science would decrease. The topic of memory allows for an interdisciplinary analysis because films can be selected to complement the science. A course at Brooklyn College is described. (MLW)

After much discussion and several false starts, Nassau Community College (New York) has developed a two-course core curriculum designed to cover significant material from the sciences, social sciences, and humanities in practical proportions. The first course in the sequence, "Exploring Nature and Society," deals with Perceptions of the…

A description is provided of Johnson County Community College's (JCCC) efforts to reform its general education curriculum. After noting the objectives of the nationwide reform movement, an introductory section discusses the college's replacement of a free elective system with distribution requirements, the development by the General Education…

Attempts by the faculty at Baker University to introduce American undergraduates to the history of the Western tradition as part of their general education are described. The strengths and weaknesses of the Western civilization course and of the core curriculum formerly offered by the college are analyzed. The rationale for the interdisciplinary…

In 1982, a committee was formed to review, evaluate, and adjust the liberal arts core curriculum of Hilbert College in New York State. After completing its initial review, the committee concluded that, while there was a general appreciation within the college community for the current liberal arts core, a sufficient integration of the various…

"Secondary School Offerings" provides a brief annotated outline of the general education courses offered in two middle units and one senior unit in the Cherry Creek Schools during 1971-72. The purpose of this summary is to supply a guide for new staff members, interested students, and parents. An overall instructional goal is to…

Prepared by the General Education (GE) Review Steering Committee of Massachusetts' Bunker Hill Community College in 1991, this guide provides a model of a Capstone course, a component of the College's newly developed GE Cornerstone Curriculum. Chapter 1 reviews the purpose of Capstone, a mandatory interdisciplinary course designed to integrate the…

A State University of New York/Buffalo course entitled "American Pluralism and the Search for Equality" became the centerpiece of a new general education core curriculum. The origins, design, criticisms, and support for the course, and the role of faculty in the successful, long-term interdisciplinary effort are discussed. (MSE)

Proceedings of the North Country Workshop on Science, Technology, and the Undergraduate Curriculum are presented. The Sloan Foundation's call for reform of the liberal arts and coverage of mathematics, science, and technology is noted in welcoming remarks by State University of New York, Potsdam, President Humphrey Tonkin. Stephen H. Cutcliffe…

This monograph reports on a study which examined how 92 colleges participating in a multiproject initiative, "American Commitments: Diversity, Democracy and Liberal Learning," are addressing issues of diversity in their general education curricula, policies, and practices. Chapter 1 focuses on emerging trends and promising practices, and…