Excerpt of the GE Policy relevant to US History (D1)

2.3          Although the primary purpose of Explorations is the development of breadth of knowledge, it is expected that all courses will offer opportunities for continued development of foundational skills.

2.3          All courses in Explorations must have at least one pre- or co-requisite from the Foundation.

2.3          In addition, as students progress through their Explorations, they will be expected to develop additional skills and attributes, including ethical reasoning, analytical reading, creativity, respect for difference, awareness of other cultures, questioning of stereotypes, the values of citizenship, negotiating skills, and other attributes of use in a diverse society. Courses at this level will be evaluated for their attention to one or more of these areas and to Foundation skills, as well as content.

3.1         When requesting GE certification for a certain Area or Subarea a course may be the only exposure a student gets to that Area or Subarea. The course as a whole—and not the general topic or discipline—must be appropriate to that Area or Subarea and taught at the university level. Rather than GE being an afterthought to make a course fit into that Area or Subarea, with just perfunctory treatment or minimal coverage of the Area or Subarea, a course must be created around the concept of covering GE explicitly, directly, thoroughly, and significantly, integrating the Area or Subarea throughout the course. The course may simultaneously cover discipline-specific material; however, that material must be integrated with the GE content.

3.1          Courses beyond the Foundation stage must continue to enhance the Foundation skills, as well as build additional skills as indicated in the descriptions of the specific levels.

3.1          Wherever appropriate, instruction approved to fulfill the GE requirements should recognize the contributions to knowledge and civilization that have been made by members of various cultural groups and genders. Wherever appropriate, the content of courses should include examples of the relationship of human and cultural diversity to the subject matter.

3.1         In order to be approved for a specific GE Area or Subarea, the course must include:

• for all GE courses: textbooks/readings and bibliography items that clearly address the Area or Subarea being requested;
• for all GE courses: Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) dedicated to the Area or Subarea being requested and taken or adapted from the implementation document defining GE SLOs approved by the Academic Senate and maintained by the GEGC;
• for all GE courses: scheduled class topics that directly address the GE SLOs dedicated to the Area or Subarea being requested;
• for Exploration courses: at least one third of the SLOs, assignments, assessments, evaluative criteria, and final course grade dedicated to the Area or Subarea being requested.

3.2.4.2.1              Across the disciplines in Area D, students will learn how human social, political and economic institutions and behavior are inextricably interwoven. Through fulfillment of the Area D requirement, students will develop an understanding of problems and issues from the respective disciplinary perspectives and will examine issues in their contemporary as well as historical settings and in a variety of cultural contexts. Students will explore the principles, methodologies, value systems, and ethics employed in social scientific inquiry. Area D excludes courses that emphasize skills development and professional preparation.

3.2.4.2.1.1           Courses in fulfillment of Area D1 will foster in students an awareness of United States history, as provided for in Title 5, Article 40404 of the California Code of Regulations. This requirement is intended to enable students to function as responsible and constructive citizens through exposure to the respective and collective experiences of the United States’ diverse population, the development and functioning of its institutions, and the events and circumstances that have shaped United States history. These larger themes will be explored by interrogating multiple perspectives, assessing causes and consequences, understanding patterns of change and continuity, and evaluating historical and contemporary significance. Courses in fulfillment of Subarea D1 will, at a minimum, include the following:

• an analysis of the significant events occurring within the entire territory of the US, including the relationships among regions within that area and relationships with external regions and powers, as appropriate;
• a chronological span of not less than one hundred (100) years;
• an examination of the nature and extent of the continuity of the US experience within itself and with the diverse ethnic, racial, national, and religious cultures from which it is derived;
• consideration of the relationship of such factors as geography, religion, natural resources, economics, cultural diversity, and politics to the development of the nation during the time period covered;
• coverage of the role of ethnic, racial, national, religious, gender, and socioeconomic groups in the events described;
• introduction to diverse groups and individual leaders who have been instrumental in the development of the US;
  • attention to the phenomenon of conflict (or change) as a variable in the US national experience.