Transcript Task Force on Improving Arts & Humanities at KFUPM

Task Force
On
Improving Arts & Humanities
At KFUPM
AGENDA








Task Force Members
Task Force Charges
GER Components
GER Report Findings
Academic Committee Recommendations
Current GS and IAS Electives
Accomplishments
Task Force Recommendations
2
Task Force Team




Dr. Ibrahim Al-Jabri, Leader
Dr. Eid Al-Shammari, Member
Dr. Khudair Al-Khudair, Member
Dr. Hocine Bahlouli, Member
3
Charges of the Task Force
 Update report on GER submitted to VRAA.
 Identify accomplishments made.
 Recommend options for adding 2 GS
courses in the curricula as recommended by
Academic Committee.
4
GER Components Identified in the
Report

Math and Sciences
–
–
–
–



Mathematical Sciences
Quantitative Reasoning
Natural Sciences
Science, Technology and Society
Critical thinking
Computer Literacy
Communication Skills (Arabic and English)
– Written Communication
– Oral Communication
– Visual & Electronic Communication

Religion and Humanities
– Islamic Studies
– Ethics

Social Sciences
– Human behavior
– Social, cultural, and political processes

Attitudes and skills for healthy life
– Physical Education
5
Report Findings
After updating the GER report, the Task Force found
the following:
 There are variations in the GERs from department to department.
 There is no well defined understanding of GER components in all
departments.
 Almost anything that is not part of the core/concentration requirements
is considered GERs.
 There is inadequate coverage of the human behavior. Arts and
Humanities are almost absent: history of civilizations, economic
developments, industrial revolution, philosophy, linguistics, …
 There is insufficient coverage of the social, cultural, and political
processes. A lack of social sciences ( psychology and sociology) in our
GER curriculum.
6
Academic Committee
Recommendations
The Academic Committee discussed the GER report
and made the following recommendations:
 The report recommendations should be made
available to departments to see what GERs exist
and what need to be implemented.
 Departments should revise their curricula so that
the degree plan has room for more GS courses (2
courses) to satisfy GERs in Social Science and
Human behavior.
 Faculty with special skills for the recommended
courses should be hired.
7
Current GS Electives
 The University offers some of the following
GS courses:
– GS 200: Info Searching Skills
– GS 221: Industrial Sociology & Production
– GS 321: Principles of Human Behavior
– GS 423: International Relations
– GS 424: Planning & Social Development
– GS 427: Man & Environment
8
Current IAS Electives
 The University offers some of the following
IAS courses:
 IAS 411: Contemporary Islamic World
 IAS 416: As-Sirah An-Nabawiyyah
 IAS 418: Contemporary Financial
Transactions in Islam
 IAS 419: Inimitability of Al-Quran
9
KFUPM Accomplishments to
Improve GERs
 Opening a new GS Department
 Appointment of a Chairman for the Department
 Introducing two IAS course:
– IAS 212: Professional Ethics.
– IAS 322: Human Rights in Islam
 Transforming two IAS courses:
– IAS 201: Writing for Professional Needs
– IAS 301: Oral Communication Skills
 Searching for hiring more GS faculty members.
10
Task Force Recommendation
 There must be a common GER courses for all
colleges. (i.e. University Requirements).
 Departments may add relevant GER courses as
seen fit for their students.
 A full revision of the present IAS credit-hour
requirements is very much needed.
 We should speed up building our capacity in the
new GS department to take care of the
shortcoming in the GERs.
11
Task Force Recommendation
(cont’d)
 In order to make up for the addition of 2 GS
courses (6 Credit Hours) recommended by
the Academic Committee, the Task Force
recommends the following options:
12
Task Force Recommendation (cont’d)
 Option #1:
– Reduce the IAS credits from 14 to 8.
 Option #2:
– Reduce the IAS credits from 14 to 10.
– Reduce the COOP credits from 9 to 6.
 Option #3:
– Reduce the IAS credits from 14 to 10.
– Reduce the Major credits by at least 2.
13
TF Recommendation (cont’d)
 The Task Force recommends adopting
option #1 for the following reasons:
– The IAS and GS courses are part of the GERs.
– Some IAS courses have little benefit compared
to potential GS courses. (e.g. IAS 101 and IAS
111 syllabi contain material to which students
have been exposed in the high school).
14
Q&A
15