3_4_10

Section 3: Comprehensive Standards

3.4.10 The institution defines and publishes general education requirements for its undergraduate programs and major program requirements for all its programs. These requirements conform to commonly accepted standards and practices for degree programs.

Judgement of Compliance:
Compliance

Narrative/Justification for Judgment of Compliance:
Christopher Newport University is in compliance with this comprehensive standard. The institution defines and publishes general education and major program requirements for all its programs in The Undergraduate Catalog and on the website. The Director of Reports is responsible to review, edit and publish both resources annually. To ensure the accuracy of the curricular requirements as well as changes to them, the director serves as an ex-officio member of the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. The general education/liberal learning curriculum requirements appear early in the catalog, followed by sections dedicated to each academic area, including course descriptions and complete lists of degree requirements. The University Graduate Catalog is reviewed, edited and published annually by the Office of the Associate Provost for Research and Graduate Studies. Each program reviews the sections dedicated to its degree and the Graduate Faculty Council reviews the general academic policies.

Each department also provides program planning sheets to monitor academic progress. Program planning sheets are kept in the student advising files in the major departments. The Academic Advising Center reviews these sheets for accuracy on a regular basis.

The new liberal learning core was developed over the last three years with full faculty participation and approval. This process conforms to commonly accepted standards and practices for undergraduate programs as well as graduate and post-baccalaureate professional degree development. All changes for undergraduate course work to stated degree requirements are approved through appropriate governance: the department, the department chairs, the academic dean, the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, the faculty senate (when appropriate) and finally the provost. Graduate degree requirements are approved through appropriate governance: the department, the department chair, the program coordinator, the Associate Provost for Research and Graduate Studies, the Graduate Curriculum Committee, the Graduate Faculty Council, and the Provost.

Liberal Learning Core Curriculum
Starting in Fall 2006, students must complete a newly designed general education package, which adheres to the following “Principles of Liberal Learning”:

The program of study at Christopher Newport University invites students to participate in a rich, multifaceted tradition of intellectual exploration grounded in the common principles of liberal learning. The ultimate aim is to produce empowered, informed, and responsible learners, whose key intellectual and personal attributes are enumerated below. All coursework at CNU – whether in the Liberal Learning Core, in the major, or in the advanced program of integrated study – seeks to develop, reinforce, and advance student aptitude in these primary domains.

To be empowered intellectually and practically, CNU students should be able to:

effectively communicate orally, visually, in writing
demonstrate communicative competency in second language
solve problems using quantitative and qualitative tools
interpret and evaluate information from a variety of sources
understand and work with diverse groups
transform knowledge and beliefs into action
engage in the creative process and cultivate one's imaginative powers
develop the habits of mind that are part of a lifelong pursuit of knowledge

To be aware of the world in which they exist, CNU students should seek to understand:

the historical and philosophical traditions that have shaped the world
the interrelations within and among global and cross-cultural communities
the means of modeling the natural, social, and technical worlds
the principles and histories of liberal democracies
the depth of knowledge that allows one to make a significant contribution to society
[the variety of] ways of using appropriate media to present knowledge gained from the synthesis of critical research and critical thinking.

To be responsible for the world in which they exist, CNU students should value:

intellectual honesty, social justice, and the discernment of the ethical consequences of actions
active participation as an ethical and engaged citizen of a diverse society
an understanding of one's self [and] recognition of the complex identities of others, their histories, and their cultures
their own physical and emotional well being

The Liberal Learning Core Curriculum (46-48 semester hours) is divided into the following:

Foundations (18 – 20 semester hours): First-year Seminar (3 hours), Written Communication Literacy (6 hours), Second Language Literacy (3 hours), and Mathematical Literacy (6 – 8 hours).
Areas of Inquiry (22 hours): Western Traditions (3 hours), Global and Multicultural Perspectives (3 hours), Creative Expressions (3 hours), Investigating the Natural World (7 hours), Identity, Institutions, and Societies (3 hours), and Formal and Informal Reasoning (3 hours).
Liberal Learning Emphasis (6 hours): at least six additional hours in one of the Areas of Inquiry, at least three at the 300-level or higher.

Undergraduate Majors
Designed by departmental faculties and approved by the appropriate college curriculum committee, the appropriate Dean, the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, the Provost, and finally the Faculty Senate, academic majors require between 36 and 42 credit hours of course work. Most majors constitute appropriately a third of degree requirements, although programs accredited by national agencies may require more. Four programs at CNU have national accreditation. The music major is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music. The social work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The Joseph W. Luter, III School of Business is fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Many majors consist of a core and several optional concentrations. These requirements, including appropriate requisites, appear in the catalog, on the web site, and on degree progress sheets.

The mission statement of each academic department is included in the Undergraduate Catalog. The departments include information in the catalog that describes the major and the minor (if one is available) and discuss the benefits of a degree in that particular field. The requirements for a major and a minor are clearly explained by each department. Departments have a core set of requirements unique to the majors in their disciplines.

Graduate Programs
The graduate faculty of a department designs the program and the course curricula. The program requirements and curriculum are reviewed by the Graduate Curriculum and Planning Committee. The Graduate Curriculum and Planning Committee passes its recommendation to the Graduate Faculty Council. If approved by the Graduate Faculty Council, the Provost then acts upon the recommendation.

The information about each program is published in the Graduate Catalog . This includes the goals of the program and curriculum information. Each program has a set of courses students are required to take. Depending upon the program, students may write a thesis or do a final project.

Assessment of the Programs
Each department develops two or three student learning outcomes or goals to assess over the coming academic year. The University Assessment and Evaluation Committee reviews the results of those assessments and provides feedback to the department or program. Undergraduate programs also undergo a program review every six years. The curriculum, student enrollment, and faculty usage, among other items is reviewed by the Undergraduate Program Review Committee. The three graduate programs undergo a similar review by the Graduate Assessment and Program Review Committee every three years.

The University's catalogs are the official documents that present complete and consistent information about each major program. These are available in print and on the CNU website. The Office of Graduate Studies provides links to department sponsored websites and reviews these sites for accuracy. Graduate Program Coordinators are charged with keeping the sites up-to-date and accurate. Academic departments may also have information about their undergraduate majors posted on their websites. Department chairs are responsible for accuracy.

Support Documentation:
Undergraduate Catalog 06-07
Graduate Catalog 06-07
Graduate Faculty Membership and Governance Document
Assessment and Program Review Committee Statement of Criteria and Policy
Admissions, Graduate Assistantships, and Degrees Committee
Copy of Provost Website : Program Review Committee
Liberal Learning Core
Information on First-year Seminars
Undergraduate Curriculum Committee Minutes:

8-17-04	1-26-05	4-25-05	11-14-05	2-28-06
9-15-04	2-23-05	8-16-05	11-28-05	3-02-06
10-20-04	3-30-05	9-26-05	12-05-05	3-28-06
11-17-04	4-06-05	10-24-05	1-24-06	4-04-06
12-01-04	4-20-05	10-31-05	2-21-06	4-25-06

Additional Live Web Resources:
Liberal Learning Core http://liberallearning.cnu.edu/core.html
Information on First-year Seminars http://liberallearning.cnu.edu/seminar.html
Undergraduate Curriculum Committee http://provost.cnu.edu/ucc/
Program Review Committee http://provost.cnu.edu/PRC.htm