General Studies Historical Category

History Department General Studies Information effective Fall 2012

General Information

MSU Denver’s new General Studies program goes into effect in Fall 2012.  It applies to all students admitted under the 2012-2013 Catalog.

The new General Studies Program differs from the previous program in various ways.

  1. General Studies Courses:  Some courses have been added to the list of approved General Studies courses. Some courses have been deleted from the approved list. To find a list of approved general studies courses see the 2012-2013 MSU Denver Catalog available online. If a student entered MSU Denver under a previous catalog the student may use a course that was a General Studies course at the time of that catalog to fulfill her/his General Studies requirement as long as the student is still under the catalog in effect when she/he entered MSU Denver.  Students who entered MSU Denver under a previous catalog and then left for two consecutive semesters or more will likely be under the catalog in effect at the time of their reentry. Students may determine their catalog year by running a CAPP Report which they can do online.
  2. Social Science Categories: In the 2012-2013 Catalog there are Social and Behavioral Science I and Social and Behavioral Science II categories. Previously there was a single Social Science category. Students must take one three-hour approved social science course in each category.  The new social science categories do not apply to students admitted under pre 2012-2013 catalogs. However, those students still need to take six hours in General Studies Social Science courses.
  3. Global Diversity Course Requirement: The 2012-2013 Catalog requires that students take one three-hour course designated as a Global Diversity course. A student may count a single course to fulfill both the Global Diversity requirement and one of the other General Studies requirements. For example, if a student took MTR 1600 Global Climate Change that course would fulfill three hours of the six-hour Natural and Physical Science General Studies requirement as well as fulfilling the entire Global Diversity requirement.  The Global Diversity requirement does not apply to students admitted under pre 2012-2013 catalogs.
  4. Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):  Student Learning Outcomes have been established for all General Studies courses taught in Fall 2012 and later. Students (regardless of when they entered MSU Denver) will be assessed to determine the degree to which they have met the SLOs.  Starting in Fall 2012 all General Studies courses will incorporate General Studies SLOs as part of the official course syllabus.
  5. Course Completion Requirements: MSU Denver is unceasingly enforcing requirements that General Studies courses be completed early in a student’s college career. See the 2012-2013 catalog for these and other important rules governing General Studies.
  6. History 3660 Recent U.S. was a General Studies course in the Social Science category (not the Historical category) before Fall 2012, but as of Fall 2012 is no longer a General Studies course in any category. That means that students who enter MSU Denver under the Fall 2012 and later catalogs cannot use HIS 3660 as a General Studies course.

The above is only a brief summary of some of the General Studies changes. For a complete list of 2012-2013 General Studies courses, a description of the General Studies Program and the rules governing it consult the Catalog online.

Information for Students in History General Studies Courses:

Student Learning Outcomes:

In addition to the instructor’s normal assessment of student performance, randomly selected History General Studies courses will be assessed to determine the degree to which their students have met the following Historical SLOs:

SLO 2.   Demonstrate the ability to locate sources when information is needed, and to evaluate the authenticity, validity, and reliability of resources applied to a specific purpose.

SLO 5.   Communicate in writing with an awareness of audience, by using language conventions appropriate to the occasion and task.

SLO 14. Demonstrate knowledge of one or more of the following areas: U.S. History, World History, Western Civilization, Regional History, State and Local History, History of a Culture,      People or Group.

SLO 15. Illustrate the historical continuum either graphically or in narrative form through, for example, the use of time lines.

SLO 16. Differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations, and explain that historical interpretations may vary.

History General Studies Courses (beginning Fall 2012):

*HIS 1060, 1100, 3570 and 3580 were not designated as General Studies courses before Fall 2012. All of the other courses in the list above were Historical General Studies before Fall 2012 so students under pre-2012 catalogs may count them as Historical General Studies.

Prior to Fall 2012, HIS 3660 Recent U.S. counted in the Social Science category.  Effective Fall 2012, 3660 is no longer a General Studies course in any category.

HIS 3090 Native Americans and HIS 3590-American Immigration History fulfill both the Historical General Studies requirement and the Multicultural requirement.

All of the courses marked as Global fulfill both the Historical General Studies requirement and the Global Diversity requirement.

Students taking upper division General Studies courses (3000 level and above) should be aware that such classes are more difficult than lower division classes. They should be prepared for heavier workloads and more stringent grading than in lower division classes.

Information for History Majors and Minors in History General Studies Courses

Students may NOT use courses having the same prefix as their major discipline or cross listed with their major discipline to satisfy General Studies Arts & Humanities, Historical, Natural & Physical Sciences, Social & Behavioral Sciences I, Social & Behavioral Sciences II, or Global Diversity requirements.

This means that a History major cannot use any HIS course to fulfill her/his Historical General Studies requirement.  In this case, students should take an additional three hour General Studies course in Arts and Humanities, or Natural and Physical Sciences, or Social and Behavioral Sciences I, or Social and Behavioral Sciences II.  However, if a person is a History minor and has 21 hours in the History minor, the History Department will upon student request make a CAPP Adjustment allowing one three hour history course to count in Historical General Studies.

Students may use the Multicultural course to satisfy various requirements:  (1) Multicultural and (2) General Studies or major or minor requirements.

This means that a student could take HIS 3090 Native Americans or HIS 3590 American Immigration History and use the courses to count toward the History major (as an elective) or minor and also to fulfill the three hour Multicultural requirement.