QU’s Core Curriculum Program

About Qatar University’s Core Curriculum Program What is QU’s Core Curriculum Program? What are Its Main Features?  What is QU’s Core Curriculum Program? What are Its Main Features?  Why the Core Curriculum Program?  Where are We in the Process of Revising the Core Curriculum Program?  What are the Responsibilities of New Faculty Toward the Core Curriculum? 2

What is QU’s Core Curriculum Program?

The QU’s Core Curriculum Program (CCP) is is a General Education Program (Gen Ed P). It includes courses drawn from humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural science/math. 4 CCP = Gen ED P

What is QU’s Core Curriculum Program? 5 It is asubstantial component in all undergraduate programs It is a substantial component in all undergraduate programs It is auilding block of any bachelor's degree programs It is a building block of any bachelor's degree programs

Placement of Core Curriculum Within a Typical Study Pl Placement of Core Curriculum Within a Typical Study Plan Study Plan (120 Credits) Study Plan (120 Credits) University Core Requirements (34 Credits ) Free Electives (11 Credits) Free Electives (11 Credits) Minor (24 Credits) Minor (24 Credits) Major (51 Credits) Major (51 Credits) Common Package Common Package (15 Credits) (15 Credits) Common Package Common Package (15 Credits) (15 Credits) Research Skills Package Research Skills Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) Research Skills Package Research Skills Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) Critical Thinking Package Critical Thinking Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) Critical Thinking Package Critical Thinking Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) Communication Skills Package Communication Skills Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) Communication Skills Package Communication Skills Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) Humanities & Social Sciences for Science Track Humanities & Social Sciences for Science Track (4-5 Credits) (4-5 Credits) Humanities & Social Sciences for Science Track Humanities & Social Sciences for Science Track (4-5 Credits) (4-5 Credits) Science & Math for Humanities Science & Math for Humanities Track (4-5 Credits) (4-5 Credits) Science & Math for Humanities Science & Math for Humanities Track (4-5 Credits) (4-5 Credits) General Knowledge Package General Knowledge Package (2-3 Credits) (2-3 Credits) General Knowledge Package General Knowledge Package (2-3 Credits) (2-3 Credits) History Package History Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) History Package History Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) OR Current Structure

What is QU’s Core Curriculum Program?  Generally, undergraduate students must take a minimum of 34 credits in 7 different areas/packages in order to graduate.  Some study plans might have Core requirements which require different numbers of credit hours.  The Core Curriculum component should constitute a minimum of 30 credit hours. 7

What is QU’s Core Curriculum Program? The CCP is much more than just a set of requirements and courses; it has:  A mission;  A set of objectives & specific learning outcomes to be attained;  A student-centered learning environment to be implemented;  An assessment plan for continuous development;  Clear cut policy & procedures to guide the its administration;  A strategic plan to ensure high quality Core education. 8

What are the Main Features of QU’s CCP?

Main Features of QU’s CCP QU’ CCP:  Has a coherent conceptual framework that rests on the University's mission;  Is broad enough to provide undergraduate students with a diverse foundation of knowledge, skills, and dispositions;  Is flexible enough to allow QU students to choose courses that expose them to different disciplines other than their major;  Is spread out across students' full tenure at the University. The Core requirements must be completed only prior to graduation. 10

Main Features of QU’s CCP  All courses in the Core Curriculum are college-level courses not entry-level courses; they have University credits to be counted for graduation.  Core Curriculum courses are included in current and approved study plans.  Core Curriculum Courses don’t have prerequisites except for the Arabiclanguage- courses & English language-courses of the Common Package;  Core Curriculum Courses don’t have prerequisites except for the Arabic language- courses & English language-courses of the Common Package;  Courses offered in a student’s major or minor program cannot be counted for credit in the Core Curriculum. 11

Main Features of QU’s CCP  Grading and workload in Core Curriculum courses are as rigorous as courses offered to majors. However, course work and teaching methods should be designed to open the discipline to non-specialists.  In line with its overarching mission, the Core Curriculum fosters active learning, student participation, and hands-on approaches in the classroom. These approaches are central components of the Core Curriculum’s pedagogic philosophy. 12

Why the Core Curriculum Program?

 The inclusion of the Core Curriculum in all academic programs has been based on the assumption that it wouldn't be enough for QU’s students to take courses only in their major. 14

Mission Statement The mission of the CCP is to prepare competent undergraduate students who are: The mission of the CCP is to prepare competent undergraduate students who are: -Broadly Knowledgeable, -Well-rounded; - Multi-skillful; and - Effective global citizens. Through an interactive- motivating and research- oriented learning environment, the program seeks to prepare highly distinguished learners capable of succeeding in different disciplines and who can contribute positively to the society. Through an interactive- motivating and research- oriented learning environment, the program seeks to prepare highly distinguished learners capable of succeeding in different disciplines and who can contribute positively to the society. 15

Learning Outcomes At the completion of the Core Curriculum Program, a student will be able to:  Demonstrate proficiency in written and oral Arabic.  Communicate competently with others using oral and written English skills.  Think critically and creatively in a variety of methods in order to make decisions and solve problems.  Demonstrate competency in the use of research skills and various information sources.  Identify the general concepts of humanities and natural sciences in a manner that reveals their value in life.  Appreciate the Islamic values and morals in a way that prepares him/her to accept others.  Recognize the nature of Qatari society historically, geographically and socially to reinforce allegiance to the country. 16

Why the Core Curriculum Program? QU’s CCP is designed to enable students to:  Acquire & integrate knowledge from a variety of sources and fields, independently and in collaboration with others;  Analyze and evaluate, where appropriate in a quantitative manner, the acquired knowledge;  Make critical judgments in a logical and rational manner;  Communicate effectively, both in writing and orally, and using the accepted methods for presentation, organization, and debate; and  Gain understanding of cultural diversity and develop consideration for values, lifestyles, and traditions. 17

Overall Benefits of the CCP To sum up, QU Core Curriculum provides some commonality across majors; it provides the common core of: To sum up, QU Core Curriculum provides some commonality across majors; it provides the common core of:  knowledge,  skill,  Dispositions; and  academic experience required for all QU undergraduates regardless of their majors. 18

what Makes a Course a Core Curriculum Course? what Makes a Course a Core Curriculum Course?  Courses in the Core Curriculum must directly reflect the objectives and learning outcomes of the Core Curriculum. All Core courses should provide students with widely and universally applicable knowledge, skills, and dispositions as opposed to courses designed to prepare students for a specific profession or narrow academic major.  Courses to be added on the CCP list have to be recommended by College Curriculum Committee, Core Coordination Council, Academic Program and Curriculum Enhancement Committee and approved by the Vice President and Chief Academic Officer as having met the Core requirements. 19

Where are We in the Process of Revising the Core Curriculum Program?

Where are We in the Process of Revising the QU’s CCP? The strategic objective for the AY are:  To benchmark the Core Curriculum Program against accreditation or international standards. The focus is: to ensure that CCP in compliance with SACS Accreditation Standards for General Education. 21

New CCP Structure Typical Study Plan (120 Credits) Typical Study Plan (120 Credits) Core Curriculum (33 Credits ) Core Curriculum (33 Credits ) Free Electives (12 Credits) Free Electives (12 Credits)Minor (24 Credits) Minor Major (51 Credits (51 Credits)Major Common Package Common Package “Mandatory Courses” “Mandatory Courses” (18 Credits) (18 Credits) Common Package Common Package “Mandatory Courses” “Mandatory Courses” (18 Credits) (18 Credits) Social/Behavioral Sciences Package Social/Behavioral Sciences Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) Social/Behavioral Sciences Package Social/Behavioral Sciences Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) Humanities & Fine Arts Package Humanities & Fine Arts Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) Humanities & Fine Arts Package Humanities & Fine Arts Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) Natural Sciences & Math Package Natural Sciences & Math Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) Natural Sciences & Math Package Natural Sciences & Math Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) General Skills Package General Skills Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) General Skills Package General Skills Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) General Knowledge Package General Knowledge Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits) General Knowledge Package General Knowledge Package (3 Credits) (3 Credits)

Where are We in the Process of Revising the QU’s CCP? To increase the capacity of faculty teaching Core Curriculum courses for high quality teaching and learning.  To increase the capacity of faculty teaching Core Curriculum courses for high quality teaching and learning.  To conduct quality research that enhances the performance of the Core Curriculum Program and its faculty.  To raise the profile of the Core Curriculum Program among faculty members.  To increase students’ awareness of the role and value of the Core Curriculum Program in their education. 23

What are the Responsibilities of New Faculty Toward the Core Curriculum?

 Get involved in the professional development activities (organized by OFID) that are related to the CCP.  Exchange their previous experiences related to Core courses with faculty in their Dept., other programs, and the Core Council.  New Faculty teaching Core courses should integrate as many of the core proficiency skills within the course as applicable and possible. 25

What are the Responsibilities of New Faculty Toward the Core Curriculum?  Identifying the Core Curriculum objectives & learning outcomes promoted by the courses that they teach on their syllabi;  Explaining the role and the value of the Core Curriculum and how these courses relate to their students’ academic majors and to their personal and professional lives after graduation;  Collaborating with other faculty teaching Core courses and with the CCP Assessment Committee in identifying and applying effective methods of assessment; and  Reporting assessment results and sharing use of results with faculty in their discipline, department heads, and assessment coordinators, and with the CCP Assessment Committee. 26

Let’s Work Together to Ensure High Quality Core Education