Core Curriculum Updates and Submission
MSU Core Renewals and Updates
Submission of new Core courses: Applications for new Core courses are open and the Core Curriculum Committee will review new submissions at the beginning of each term. The submission deadline for new courses for Fall term is September 1. For Summer and Spring courses the deadline is January 15. Keep in mind that if the course is new and core designation is being sought, the course will need approvals from CPC and Faculty Senate before being reviewed by the Core Curriculum Committee.
Submission of Core course renewals: Existing Core courses are now being evaluated for renewal. The renewal process mainly involves updating syllabus language to incorporate the current Core Qualities and Core Perspectives. The renewal application also includes the identification of the types of student work that can be used to assess the attainment of the Core Qualities and Core Perspectives addressed in the course.
Core course renewal timeline: All existing Core courses are required to be renewed. The renewal process is intended to document the alignment of the course with the current Core Qualities and Core Perspective standards.
Core courses to be offered in Spring 2025 will need to be submitted for renewal by September 10, 2024.
Core courses to be offered in Summer 2025 or Fall 2025 will need to be submitted for renewal by January 15, 2025.
What you need to have prepared in order to complete the data entry in CiM for either a new Core course or renewal:
- Know the Core Quality/Qualities the course must meet and incorporate this information into the syllabus. Have this information ready to enter into CiM.
- Know the Core Perspective the course must meet and incorporate this information into the syllabus. Have this information ready to enter into CiM.
- Have syllabus containing Core Quality and Core Perspective information ready to upload to CiM. Syllabus guide.
- Update instructor information (letters of support are not required for renewals).
- Description of how assessment of the Core Qualities and Core Perspectives are built into the course. Examples of specific assignments and how each connects to the Core Qualities and Perspectives addressed in the course will need to be entered into CiM. The assignments are potential artifacts that could be requested by the Core committee for Core and institutional assessment and accreditation purposes.
To access the CIM system, please go to https://nextcatalog.montana.edu/courseadmin/ and sign in with your Net ID and Net ID password. If you are unable to sign in, please contact Keely Holmes for access at 406-994-7136 or keely.holmes@montana.edu.
You can find help with accessing CIM and editing an existing course on the Provost's Curriculum Development page.
After you have completed edits to a Core course, please email both Keely Holmes and Deb Blanchard to let them know Core review is required.
Course Description section
The first box in the Course Description section of CiM will need to be updated to include a description of the course as a Core course. This is the most important part of the renewal or new core application and should offer a good sense of what students will experience by taking this class and how MSU Core Qualities are taught in the course. How the Core Qualities are assessed in the course will be entered in another section of CiM. Depending on the core designation, a specific Core quality/qualities will need to be addressed in the course (see chart below):
Which Core Qualities should be taught in each course? (see MSU Core Qualities for details)
Contemporary Issues in Science (CS): “Thinker and Problem Solver” and “Local and Global
Citizen”
Diversity (D): “Local and Global Citizen” and “Effective Communicator”.
Inquiry (IA, IH, IN, IS): “Thinking and Problem Solver” and choice of either “Effective Communicator” or “Local and Global Citizen”
Quantitative Reasoning (Q): “Thinker and Problem Solver”
Research & Creative Experience (R): Choice of two of the three Core Qualities.
University Seminar (US): All three Core Qualities.
Written Communication (W): “Effective Communicator”
The entry also needs to include how the course meets the requirements of the corresponding Core Perspectives (MSU Core Perspectives) in addition to the Core Qualities.
Attach File button: submission of a syllabus for the course is required. Syllabus must clearly outline for students the MSU Core Qualities and Core Perspective taught in the course, preferably on the front page.
Please do not delete the catalog description (the second box in the Course Description area).
Student Learning
The Student Learning section in CiM only appears for Core courses. Completion of this section affirms:
- The department’s support for offering the course.
- An agreement to include content in the course that enables students to meet the MSU Core Qualities and Perspectives appropriate to the course.
- Develop and save direct evidence (artifacts) that the MSU Core Qualities and Perspectives are being taught in the course.
- Provide the artifacts to the Core Committee, when requested, for assessment purposes.
- Participate in the assessment of Core course artifacts through the review process established by the Core Committee.
Artifacts
Description of how assessment of Core Qualities and Perspectives is built into the course. Proposer will need to describe example assignments and how each connects to the Core Qualities and Perspectives addressed in the course and enter into CiM. Example of artifact description from an approved course.
Approval notification: Once approved, an approval or renewal confirmation letter will be sent to the department and attached to the course in CiM in the Other Supporting Material section.
Core designation change or removal: If you decide to remove or request a different MSU Core Designation, that will also be submitted to CIM. Please contact Keely Holmes for assistance.