Definition of Course Levels
100-Level Introductory
These courses are broad surveys or an introduction to a discipline. Sequential courses may have prerequisites.
Assumptions: Students demonstrate appropriate reading, writing, and mathematical skills to comprehend fundamental college-level textbook information.
- Introduce students to terms, concepts, techniques and ways of thinking/learning within the discipline, typically in the context of a relatively broad survey of topics.
- Focus on incorporating, recalling, and understanding basic information and connections among facts and concepts.
- Include assessment/evaluation tools that place emphasis on expected outcomes within the discipline.
- Practice techniques necessary for the specific discipline.
- Recognize and create meaningful categories of terms and concepts from materials presented in the course.
- Focus on writing abilities that include, but are not limited to, composing definitions, paragraphs or essays.
- Practice fundamental reading, comprehension, and writing skills.
- Introduce critical thinking skills.
200-Level Intermediate
These courses have greater emphasis on understanding and making connections to terms and concepts within a discipline. They may have prerequisites.
Assumptions: Students are familiar with expository, narrative, and persuasive writing. Students have an understanding of qualitative and quantitative research information in their area of study.
- Extend understanding of terms and concepts within the discipline, although typically within a more specifically defined topic.
- Include assessment/evaluation tools that place emphasis on expected outcomes within the discipline.
- Develop the ability to integrate terms and concepts throughout the discipline
- Apply analytical and communication skills demonstrated in other courses
- Connect relationships among terms and concepts within the discipline
- Further develop written and oral communication skills
- Apply college-level reading, comprehension, and writing skills
- Employ critical thinking skills.
300-Level Advanced
These are advanced course that provide depth of study in a specialized topic or practicum experiences. They often require prerequisites and demonstrated readiness for an advanced level of study.
Assumptions: Students are able to maintain a rigorous work load that includes, but is not limited to, research, writing essays, projects, and meeting deadlines.
- Utilize the use of specialized terms, concepts, techniques and approaches which pertain to more specifically defined topics within a discipline.
- Examine a wide variety of assessment and/or evaluation tools requiring outside sources of information to create divergent outcomes.
- Construct relationships across multiple concepts for students to develop a deeper understanding of the discipline.
- Identify independent values, biases, viewpoints, and theories within the discipline.
- Assume the responsibility for seeking instructional assistance, and working independently and cooperatively, while practicing time management skills for all course work.
- Take part in self and peer evaluation for factual and/or conceptual knowledge within the discipline.
- Apply critical thinking skills, concepts, theories, and cause and effect relationships for a more integrated knowledge-base specific to the discipline.
- Discern the use of appropriate independent sources of research information.
- Compose written work and oral presentations appropriate to the discipline.
400-Level Advanced
These are highly specialized courses, independent study, capstone seminars, capstone practicum experiences, and/or internships. Requirements for this advanced level of work include completed prerequisites, a demonstrated level of readiness, the ability to work independently, and/or advancement within the major.
Assumptions: Students have acquired a substantial amount of knowledge in their area of study. Students are producing an extensive amount of work that include, but is not limited to, essays, portfolios, and oral presentations.
- Develop and analyze the most current terms, concepts, theories, techniques, and approaches which shape the discipline.
- Formulate diverse responses and/or products that are created with minimal guidance from the instructor.
- Appraise innovative techniques and approaches that respect diverse assignments and/or projects.
- Constructively analyze, synthesize, and critique the use of scholarship in the discipline.
- Create independent writing assignments, oral presentations, and/or performances in the standards of the discipline.
- Work independently towards the solution of problems and creation of new outcomes.
- Construct independent evaluation of problems, solutions, and product creation that is potentially original to the discipline.
- Combine a wide variety of assessment and/or evaluation tools requiring primary and secondary research-based information to create divergent outcomes.