Department of Philosophy

Transcription

1 Department of Philosophy TO: FROM: SUBJECT: DATE: David Reingold, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts Matthias Steup, Head Integrated Program in the Liberal Arts September 28, 2015 In response to the charge to develop an integrated program in the Liberal Arts, the task force consisting of Rayvon Fouché, Director of American Studies and Asian American Studies Ellen Gruenbaum, Head of the Department of Anthropology Douglas Hurt, Head of the Department of History Krista Ratcliffe, Head of the Department of English Matthias Steup, Chair, Head of the Department of Philosophy unanimously supports and recommends FOCI: Foundations of Creativity and Imagination for consideration and discussion. A description of the program is attached. College of Liberal Arts, Beering Hall of Liberal Arts and Education, Room N. University Street West Lafayette, IN (765) Fax (765) purduephilosophy@purdue.edu

2 Department of Philosophy TO: David Reingold, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts FROM: Matthias Steup, Head SUBJECT: Integrated Program in the Liberal Arts DATE: November 4, 2015 The task force for developing an integrated program in the Liberal Arts, consisting of Rayvon Fouché, Director of American Studies and Asian American Studies Ellen Gruenbaum, Head of the Department of Anthropology Douglas Hurt, Head of the Department of History Krista Ratcliffe, Head of the Department of English Matthias Steup, Chair, Head of the Department of Philosophy has carefully considered questions and concerns by other Department Heads about its September 28 proposal FOCI: Foundations of Creativity and Imagination. In response to these questions and concerns, the task force has made several revisions to its proposal and amended it with an FAQ section. The amended proposal is attached. College of Liberal Arts, Beering Hall of Liberal Arts and Education, Room N. University Street West Lafayette, IN (765) Fax (765)

3 Integrated Program in the Liberal Arts Task Force Committee chair: Matthias Steup Committee members: Ray Fouche, Ellen Gruenbaum, Doug Hurt, Krista Ratcliffe Mission and Goals The integrated liberal arts task force is charged with drafting a plan to develop an Integrated Program in Liberal Arts. The goal of the IPLA program is to provide CLA students and non CLA students a coherent introduction to many of the great intellectual traditions in the liberal arts. Ideally, the IPLA program would be designed so that students completing the required courses would simultaneously be completing university and CLA core requirements. In general, the goal of IPLA is to provide students with an introduction to a general education which will prepare them to address complex problems through systematic problem solving. Examples of IPLA like programs can be found at the University of Wisconsin Madison (Integrated Liberal Studies Program) and Yale University (Grand Strategies Program). Additional goals of the program should include: 1) To provide depth and breadth to a student s education, thereby enhancing his or her ability to find employment after graduation; 2) To deepen a student s education through a coherent and integrated sequence of liberal arts courses; and 3) To broaden a student s education by ensuring that the courses within each sequence are relevant to and connect with areas that traditionally fall outside the scope of the liberal arts. To this end, the task force will address the following questions: 1) What should be included in the IPLA core curriculum? Should the core of the IPLA include the course Logic and Methods of Inquiry where students would learn the basic elements of deductive and inductive logic, and of critical and scientific reasoning? 2) How many courses/credits should constitute the IPLA core curriculum? 3) Should students receive an IPLA certificate for completing the program? 4) Should the IPLA program be linked to minors and majors (existing or new)? 5) Should the IPLA program offer courses in the humanities, social sciences, behavioral sciences, management sciences, natural and physical sciences, and engineering sciences? If so, should there be tracks to the program that organize elective courses in the following categories: a. Liberal Arts and Management b. Liberal Arts and Technology c. Liberal Arts and Engineering d. Liberal Arts and the Environment e. Liberal Arts and Governance f. Liberal Arts and Science 6) For CLA students, should all tracks include at least two courses that relate classic liberal disciplines to the theme of the track, and at least one course directly within the area of the track? 7) For students in other Colleges, should all tracks include at least three courses that relate classic liberal disciplines to the theme of the track?

4 Process 8) After IPLA is up and running as a Certificate Program, should steps be undertaken to develop IPLA into a Minor/Major? The task force will gather and analyze relevant information from peer institutions, while also collecting data from Purdue and input from CLA faculty and undergraduate students. A draft report will be submitted in writing by October 15, 2015 for discussion among all CLA department and school heads. Feedback from this discussion will be used to revise the report and a final draft will be presented to the Dean by November 15, 2015.

5 A Proposal for an Integrated Liberal Arts Program at Purdue University FOCI: Foundations of Creativity and Imagination November 4, 2015 Purpose Offering students an innovative introduction to the liberal arts, FOCI aspires to making a complete and well-rounded education a hallmark of the Purdue degree. The program s thematic focus creativity and imagination arises from the spirit of Purdue University. A global leader in training engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs, Purdue teaches students how to create new technologies, devices, products, and companies. Purdue must also prepare students for effective leadership and responsible citizenship in a world facing serious social, political, and moral challenges. The program s mission is to aid students in becoming imaginative and creative thinkers while also developing a strong sense of moral responsibility. In FOCI courses, students read exciting works of western and non-western literature and study issues that raise the deepest questions we can ask about what it means to be a human being. Nothing unleashes creativity and imagination better than a deep and sustained critical engagement with such questions. The point of this endeavor is, not to prepare students for particular professions, but rather to make students independent critical thinkers capable of rising to the challenges of any profession. The Structure of FOCI The program comprises three levels: Level I Students take a two-semester liberal arts foundations course: Creativity and Imagination I and II (FOCI 101 and FOCI 102). Level II Students take a 200-level core course of increased rigor and depth in one of the program s five focus areas (FOCI ). Level III Students can choose further courses at the level from short menus of selected departmental and interdepartmental courses in the five focus areas. FOCUS Areas 1. Engineering, Technology, and Society 2. Science, Environment, and Sustainability 3. Health, Medicine, and Society 4. Management and Organizations 5. Governance, Conflict Resolution, and Justice FOCI Degrees FOCI offers two academic options: 1. A concentration: students take the Level I two-semester core course (FOCI ), a Level II core course in one of the five focus areas (FOCI ), and one Level III course in the same area (12 credits). 2. A minor: Students satisfy the requirements for a concentration and take in addition two more courses at Level III (18 credits).

6 FOCI : The Two-Semester Core Course Creativity and Imagination I & II This two-semester sequence is the program s signature educational experience. Taught by CLA s best teachers, it provides FOCI students with a shared foundation. All students who study towards a FOCI concentration or minor are required to take it. FOCI fuses together central areas in the liberal arts, social sciences, and visual and performing arts. Its topics and assigned texts explore creativity and imagination by addressing fundamental questions about the human experience: o How do we know what we know? o How can we justify our beliefs? o What is expertise? o What is beauty? o What does it mean to be human? o What is our responsibility to each other? o How can conflict be resolved? o What is freedom? o Why do we exist? o How do the past and future, and our understanding of both, shape the present? Question-driven and interdisciplinary, FOCI is team-taught by three instructors whose joint expertise spans the core areas of the liberal arts. Topics will reflect multiple perspectives, and assigned readings will include male and female authors from both western and non-western traditions. FOCI will be taught as a recitation course, combining the large lecture format with small discussion sections. To foster a stimulating learning environment, FOCI will have student research presentations, guest speakers, colloquia, and movie nights. Level II Courses: FOCI These courses constitute, at increased depth and rigor, the core of each of the five focus areas. While they differ in content by being area-specific, they share a common emphasis on developing students understanding of critical thinking, scientific method, diversity of perspectives, and the political, social, and ethical aspects of each area. A Core Within a Core As a core within a core, the program serves all Purdue students by offering guided and coherent course sequences for satisfying core requirements. The Level I core sequence FOCI gives students a high-quality introduction to the liberal arts. The Level II core courses FOCI are designed to cross traditional boundaries between liberal and professional education and connect the humanities with the world of science, engineering, technology, business, management and politics. Implementation As a way to move forward towards implementing the program, the Task Force proposes that David Reingold, Dean of CLA, appoint a Program Director who will chair a steering committee of qualified faculty members. This committee will work out further details and guide the program through the curriculum process. Its tasks would include: 2

7 To develop jointly a syllabus for the team-taught Level I two-semester foundations sequence FOCI To assign individual committee members the task of developing one of the five syllabi needed for the core courses at Level II. To develop short menus for level courses in each focus area. These lists might include existing and new courses, offered by CLA as well as other Colleges. To consult with Department Heads in recruiting qualified faculty members for the FOCI program. To assess whether any strategic hiring might be needed for the program s full implementation. To articulate the FOCI learning outcomes. FAQ Q: Why is the Level I core course team-taught? A: The course will introduce students to important works of literature and connect themes in history, philosophy, the social sciences, art and music. Students will be served best if this course is taught by two or three faculty members whose specializations cover several of these areas. Q: How will the team teaching work? A: There are a number of different approaches to team teaching that need to be explored. Ideally, instructors would work collaboratively so that students get a chance to see the instructors interact on substantive material showcasing different points-of-view from their different intellectual domains. Q: Why is this course a two semester sequence? A: Given its broad and comprehensive nature, teaching it within one semester only would make it too shallow. Q: How large would the Level I and Level II core courses be, and would they include recitation sessions? A: The lecture-based courses would be students per class and recitation sessions would be students per session. Q: Would this program add new students to CLA? A: That is one of the goals of the program. FOCI will give students an opportunity to experience intellectual traditions in the liberal arts from our best instructors. Probably, some students will decide to minor or double-major in a CLA field/discipline. Q: Which students is the program designed to serve? A: The program is designed to serve all undergraduate students at Purdue University. As mentioned in the program description, it is a core within the core. FOCI courses will satisfy both University and CLA core requirements. Q: Why would students from other colleges be interested in taking FOCI courses? 3

8 A: There is a recognized need to ensure that Purdue graduates in the sciences, engineering, technology, business, and management have a good grounding in core areas of the liberal arts. Q: Does this program require new faculty hiring? A: The goal is to utilize, to the extent possible, existing faculty resources to deliver this program. Depending on student demand for FOCI courses, hiring new faculty might be considered. Q: Will the FOCI program replace existing CLA core requirements? A: No. All FOCI courses are intended to satisfy both CLA and UCC categories. Q: Will FOCI be housed in SIS? A: FOCI will be an independent, stand-alone program with its own director. Q: Does CLA have the resources to pay for the courses in the FOCI program? A: FOCI courses will be taught by current CLA faculty members. In cases where departmental teaching needs remain uncovered because a particular faculty member teaches a FOCI course, the Dean will consider appropriate remedies such as post-docs and/or new hires. Q: Who decides what will not be taught so the courses in the FOCI program can be taught? A: Department Heads will help identify faculty members who are qualified and motivated to teach FOCI courses and, together with the Dean, explore solutions for filling any gaps that these reassignment might cause. Q: Why does the FOCI program include so many new courses? Why isn t FOCI based on already existing courses? A: The Level I two semester core course is intended to weave together themes in literature, history, philosophy, the social sciences, music and art. The Level II core courses follow the same approach but connect these themes to the five difference focus areas from which students can choose at the second level. Courses that accomplish these goals do not yet exist. 4