QU’s Core Curriculum Program

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About Qatar University’s Core Curriculum Program

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?

What is QU’s Core Curriculum Program?

What is QU’s Core Curriculum Program?

The QU’s Core Curriculum Program (CCP) is

a General Education Program (Gen Ed P). It includes courses drawn from

humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural science/math.

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CCP = Gen ED P

What is QU’s Core Curriculum Program?

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It is a substantial component in all undergraduate programs

It is a building block of any bachelor's degree programs

Placement of Core Curriculum

Within a Typical Study Plan

Study Plan

(120 Credits)

University Core Requirements

(34 Credits)

Free Electives

(11 Credits)

Minor

(24 Credits)

Major

(51 Credits)

Common Package(15 Credits)

Research Skills Package

(3 Credits)

Critical Thinking Package

(3 Credits)

Communication Skills Package

(3 Credits)

Humanities & Social Sciences for

Science Track(4-5 Credits)

Science & Math for Humanities

Track(4-5 Credits)

General Knowledge Package

(2-3 Credits)

History Package

(3 Credits)

ORCurrent 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.

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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 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

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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.

Why the Core Curriculum Program?

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.

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Core Curriculum + Major = Competent QU Graduates

Mission Statement• 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.

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Learning OutcomesAt 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:

knowledge, skill, Dispositions; and academic experience

required for all QU undergraduates regardless of their majors.

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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 2010-2011 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.

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New CCP Structure

Typical Study Plan(120 Credits)

Core Curriculum(33 Credits)

Free Electives(12 Credits)

Minor(24 Credits)

Major(51 Credits)

Common Package“Mandatory

Courses”(18 Credits)

Social/Behavioral Sciences Package

(3 Credits)

Humanities & Fine Arts Package

(3 Credits)

Natural Sciences & Math Package

(3 Credits)

General Skills Package

(3 Credits)

General Knowledge Package

(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 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?

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.

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Let’s Work Together to EnsureHigh Quality Core Education