Academic Program Development 61 University Hall (MC 10) 601 South Morgan Street Chicago, Illinois 60607-716 January 18, 015 TO: FROM: Ilene Harris, Chair Senate Committee on Educational Policy Dana Wright, Director of Academic Program Development I am submitting for the review and action of the Senate Committee on Educational Policy the attached Proposal to Revise the Bachelor of Arts in. The proposal was approved by the School of s Committee on Educational Programs (December 18, 01) and Undergraduate Oversight Committee (December 6, 01), and reported as an informational item to the School s Executive Committee (January 5, 015). ATTACHMENT
Title: Sponsor: Executive Summary: Proposal to Revise the Bachelor of Arts in School of The BA in is a transfer program. Students complete two years (60 hours) of pre-public health coursework at UIC or another institution, and then complete their final two years in the UIC curriculum (60 hours). The curriculum is comprised of 11 courses ( hours) of required coursework, and 7 hours of selectives, preapproved electives and free electives. The School of proposes to add an additional required course PUBH 01: Critical Thinking in II ( hours) which would be taken in the spring semester of the junior year to extend the content introduced in the fall semester via PUBH 00: Critical Thinking in I. In order to maintain the curriculum at 60 hours, the increase in required hours (from to 5) will be offset by a reduction in hours of preapproved electives (from 6 to ). Description: The BA in is a transfer program. Students complete two years (60 hours) of pre-public health coursework at UIC or another institution, and then complete their final two years in the UIC curriculum (60 hours). The curriculum is comprised of 11 courses ( hours) of required coursework, and 7 hours of selectives, preapproved electives and free electives. The School of proposes to add an additional required course PUBH 01: Critical Thinking in II ( hours) which would be taken in the spring semester of the junior year to extend the content introduced in the fall semester via PUBH 00: Critical Thinking in I. In order to maintain the curriculum at 60 hours, the increase in required hours (from to 5) will be offset by a reduction in hours of preapproved electives (from 6 to ). Justification: Critical thinking is a centerpiece of the Bachelor of Arts in curriculum. We wish to require a second Critical Thinking course in the spring that extends the content introduced in the fall course, PUBH 00, Critical Thinking in. A second course in the spring enables a year-long focus on developing critical thinking skills. Faculty felt strongly that learning to think critically is a process that cannot be accomplished in a single course. The rationale for adding PUBH 01 is that students need additional support and opportunities to apply the critical thinking skills from PUBH00 to their efforts to communicate public health information in response to the needs of various audiences and purposes as they progress through the public health curriculum. The to the curriculum is minimal as students still will be permitted to select credit hours of advisor-approved coursework. Catalog Statement: PRESENT BA in Degree Requirements Pre- (includes 9 semester hours of PUBH prerequisites: 60 PROPOSED BA in Degree Requirements
PUBH 100 Health and the Public, PUBH 110 and Global Societies, and PUBH 10 and the Study of Disease and Epidemics Course Requirements in Course Requirements in 5 Fieldwork a a Students in the professional track are required to take Public Health Fieldwork. Students in the academic track may choose to take the fieldwork course or replace it with another -hour selective. Selectives from a list of courses representing an array of disciplines 1-15 Electives: Preapproved by advisor as relevant to plan of study 6 Electives: Preapproved by advisor as relevant to plan of study Free Electives 6 Total Course Requirements: School of 60 Required Courses PUBH 00 Critical Thinking in Required Courses PUBH 00 Critical Thinking in I
PUBH 10 and Global Citizenship PUBH 0 Ecologies of Health and Modern Life PUBH 0 Health Equity, Health Disparities PUBH 0 Health Literacy PUBH 50 Health Systems, Health Policy PUBH 60 Local Citizenship and Community Health Initiatives PUBH 70 Using the Toolbox PUBH 10 Historical Health Challenges I PUBH 11 Historical Health Challenges II PUBH 97 Baccalaureate Project in Total Required Courses in the School of PUBH 01 Critical Thinking in II PUBH 10 and Global Citizenship PUBH 0 Ecologies of Health and Modern Life PUBH 0 Health Equity, Health Disparities PUBH 0 Health Literacy PUBH 50 Health Systems, Health Policy PUBH 60 Local Citizenship and Community Health Initiatives PUBH 70 Using the Toolbox PUBH 10 Historical Health Challenges I PUBH 11 Historical Health Challenges II PUBH 97 Baccalaureate Project in Total Course Requirements in the School of 5 PUBH 9 Fieldwork (required for those in the professional track, optional for students in the academic track for whom the course is replaced with a selective) PUBH 9 Fieldwork (required for those in the professional track, optional for students in the academic track for whom the course is replaced with a selective ) Minority Impact Statement: impact is anticipated because the proposed affects only the distribution of credit hours, and the additional coursework in critical thinking will benefit all students equally.
Budgetary and Staff Implications: Library Resource Implications: Space Implications: Unit (e.g. department) approval date: College (educational policy committee, faculty) approval dates: impact is anticipated because the proposed affects only the distribution of credit hours, and the additional course will be taught be existing faculty. impact is anticipated because the fall PUBH 00 course already has incorporated a unit on evaluating information and involves a guest lecture by a librarian. Part II of the course will not revisit this content. impact is anticipated because the proposed affects only the distribution of credit hours. The addition of a new course and the resulting need for classroom space - will be coordinated through the Office of Classroom Scheduling using existing university classroom space. Approved by the SPH Committee on Educational Programs on Dec. 18, 01 Approved by the SPH Undergraduate Oversight Committee on Dec. 6, 01 Received by the SPH Executive Committee as an informational item on Jan. 5, 015 Contact Person: Proposed Effective Date/Term: Karin J. Opacich, PhD, MHPE, OTR/L, FAOTA Director of Undergraduate Clinical Associate Professor, Health Policy & Administration University of Illinois at Chicago 160 W. Taylor-Suite 118 Chicago, IL 6061-9 1-996-6081 kopacich@uic.edu Fall 015 with new course to be first offered in Spring 016