Academic Program Development 2614 University Hall (MC 103) 601 South Morgan Street Chicago, Illinois 60607-7126 March 31, 2015 TO: FROM: Ilene Harris, Chair Senate Committee on Educational Policy Dana Wright, Director of Academic Program Development I am submitting for the review and action of the Senate Committee on Educational Policy the attached Proposal to Revise the Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences. The proposal was approved by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences on November 6, 2014; the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Educational Policy Committee on November 10, 2014; and the college faculty on November 19, 2014. Please note that while the proposal summarizes a number of changes to the degree that required college approval, SCEP action is only required in regards to the replacement of CHEM 112: General College Chemistry I and CHEM 114: General College Chemistry II. ATTACHMENT
Title: Sponsor: Executive Summary: Proposal to Revise the B.S. in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences College of Liberal Arts and Sciences The revision of the Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences is prompted by program revisions proposed by the Departments of Chemistry and Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science and related changes to CHEM 112, General College Chemistry I; CHEM 114, General College Chemistry II; MATH 180, Calculus I; and MATH 181, Calculus II, which are required prerequisite and collateral courses for the Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences. The Department of Chemistry will replace CHEM 112 with CHEM 122, General Chemistry I Lecture, and CHEM 123, General Chemistry I Laboratory. CHEM 114 will be replaced with CHEM 124, General Chemistry II Lecture, and CHEM 125, General Chemistry II Laboratory. The Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science has decreased the number of credit hours awarded by MATH 180 and MATH 181 from 5 to 4. The change in credit hours for MATH 180 and MATH 181 will reduce the number of hours of required prerequisite and collateral courses by two hours. To offset these hours, the number of hours of elective and general education coursework will be increased by two hours. The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences wishes to retain general chemistry and calculus as required prerequisite and collateral courses; therefore, the requirements of the major are being revised to reflect changes in those courses. Description: In a recent program revision, to be effective Fall 2016, the Departments of Chemistry and Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science made changes to courses that are required prerequisite and collateral courses for the Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences. This revision is being proposed to reflect that change. CHEM 112, General College Chemistry I, is being replaced by CHEM 122, General Chemistry I Lecture, and CHEM 123, General Chemistry I Laboratory. CHEM 114, General College Chemistry II, is being replaced by CHEM 124, General Chemistry II Lecture, and CHEM 125, General Chemistry II Laboratory. The number of credit hours for the general chemistry sequence will be unchanged. CHEM 112 and 114 each awarded 5 hours of credit; and each pair of the new courses will award 5 hours of credit, with the lecture course awarding 4 hours and the laboratory course awarding 1 hour. Those EAES courses that have CHEM 112 and/or CHEM 114 as prerequisites will be revised to reflect the new general chemistry courses: MATH 180, Calculus I, and MATH 181, Calculus II, currently award 5 hours of credit each. The mathematics department is decreasing the number of credit hours from 5 to 4 each. To offset the loss of two hours of calculus, students will take two additional hours in general education or elective courses. Revision of the Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences 11.19.14 1
Justification: The department feels that coursework in general chemistry and calculus is essential for students in the major and will therefore retain general chemistry and calculus as required prerequisite and collateral courses for the major. Rather than increase the number of hours of selective coursework, the department decided to allow students to take additional general education or elective courses. The total number of hours required for the major is unchanged, and core courses for the major (six EAES courses) will also be unchanged. Revision of the Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences 11.19.14 2
Catalog Statement: Present BS with a Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences Proposed Degree Requirement To earn a Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students need to complete University, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies. BS with a Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences Degree Requirements Requirements Prerequisite and Collateral Courses 28 30 Core Courses 20 Selective Courses 19 General Education and Electives to reach Minimum Total 51 53 Minimum Total BS with a Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences Earth Sciences Concentration 120 Requirements for the Curriculum The requirements for the curriculum include the courses necessary to complete the General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline requirements described in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section. BS with a Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences Degree Requirements Requirements Prerequisite and Collateral Courses 26 28 Core Courses 20 Selective Courses 19 General Education and Electives to reach Minimum Total 53 55 Minimum Total BS with a Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences Earth Sciences Concentration 120 General Education See General Education and Writing-in-the- Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements. Students should consult the course lists below and their advisors to determine which courses are counted toward the General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline requirements. Revision of the Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences 11.19.14 3
Present Required Prerequisite and Collateral Courses Proposed Required Prerequisite and Collateral Courses Courses One of the following options in general physics: 4 5 PHYS 105 Introductory Physics I Lecture (4) ab PHYS 106 Introductory Physics I Laboratory (1) ab PHYS 141 General Physics I (Mechanics) (4) a CHEM 112 General College Chemistry I (5) a 5 MATH 180 Calculus I ac 5 MATH 181 Calculus II a 5 One of the following courses: 5 CHEM 114 General College Chemistry II (5) a CHEM 130 Survey of Organic and Biochemistry (5) a One of the following options in general physics or biology: 4 5 PHYS 107 Introductory Physics II Lecture (4) ab PHYS 108 Introductory Physics II Laboratory (1) ab PHYS 142 General Physics II (Electricity and Magnetism) (4) a BIOS 100 Biology of Cells and Organisms (5) a BIOS 101 Biology of Populations and Communities (5) a Total Required Prerequisite and Collateral Courses 28-30 a This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category. b Each of the following pairs will be considered one course in meeting the LAS General Education requirements: PHYS 105/PHYS 106 and PHYS 107/PHYS 108. CHEM 122 General Chemistry I Lecture c 4 CHEM 123 General Chemistry I Laboratory ac 1 MATH 180 Calculus I ad 4 MATH 181 Calculus II a 4 One of the following options: 5 CHEM 124 General Chemistry II Lecture (4) c CHEM 125 General Chemistry II Laboratory (1) ac CHEM 130 Survey of Organic and Biochemistry (5) a Total Required Prerequisite and Collateral Courses 26-28 a This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category. b Each of the following pairs will be considered one course in meeting the LAS General Education requirements: PHYS 105/PHYS 106, PHYS 107/PHYS 108. Revision of the Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences 11.19.14 4
Present Proposed c MATH 180 fulfills the LAS Quantitative Reasoning requirement. Core Courses c General Education credit is given for successful completion of both CHEM 122/123 or CHEM 124/125. d MATH 180 fulfills the LAS Quantitative Reasoning requirement. Courses EAES 101 Global Environmental Change a 4 EAES 111 Earth, Energy, and the Environment a 4 EAES 200 Field Work in Missouri a 2 EAES 230 Earth Materials 4 EAES 285 Earth Systems 4 EAES 290 Current Topics in Earth and Environmental Sciences b 2 Total Core Requirements 20 a This course is approved for the Analyzing the Natural World General Education category. b EAES 290 fulfills the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement. Selective Courses Students must select at least nineteen hours with at least one course from each of the following groups. In order to reach the nineteen hours, one course can be chosen, with permission of the director of undergraduate studies, from an approved list of courses in environmental studies offered in other departments; these courses must be at the 200-level or above. Courses Group I: Solid Earth Materials 3 10 EAES 320 Mineralogy (4) EAES 422 Crystal Chemistry (3) EAES 430 Petrology (3) Group II: Surface Environments and Processes 3 10 EAES 350 Sedimentary Environments (3) EAES 470 Environmental Geomorphology (4) EAES 473 Soils and the Environment (4) EAES 475 Hydrology/Hydrogeology (3) Revision of the Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences 11.19.14 5
Present Group III: Geochemistry and Geobiology 3 10 EAES 360 Introduction to Paleontology (4) EAES 415 Environmental Geochemistry (4) EAES 416 Organic Geochemistry (3) EAES 418 Introduction to Biogeochemistry (3) EAES 460 Earth System History (4) EAES 466 Principles of Paleontology (3) Proposed Group IV: Geophysical and Mathematical Methods 3 10 EAES 440 Structural Geology and Tectonics (3) EAES 444 Geophysics (3) EAES 448 Plate Tectonics (3) EAES 480 Statistical Methods in EAES (3) EAES 484 Planetary Science (3) Approved summer course in geological or environmental field methods (4 6) Total Selective Courses 19 Minority Impact Statement: No impact on minority students in anticipated, and department is convinced the changes to the general chemistry and calculus coursework will benefit all students. Budgetary and Staff Implications: No additional budget or staff resources are needed as no new courses in EAES are being requested. Library Resource Implications: Current library resources are sufficient because courses in the major are not impacted by the proposed revision.. Space Implications: Current space allocations are sufficient. Unit (e.g., departmental approval date): November 6, 2014 College (educational policy committee, faculty) approval dates: LAS Educational Policy Committee: November 10, 2014 LAS Faculty: November 19, 2014 Contact Person: Roy Plotnick (plotnick@uic.edu) Proposed Effective Date: Fall 2016 Revision of the Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences 11.19.14 6
Revision of the BS with a Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences Courses Revised Courses EAES 320 Mineralogy 4 hours. Structure, composition, occurrence, and identification of minerals and materials. Introduction to crystallography, optical mineralogy, crystal chemistry and X-ray diffraction. Applications to earth and environmental sciences. Previously listed as EAES 220. Prerequisite(s): EAES 111 and EAES 230 and CHEM 122 and CHEM 123; or consent of the instructor. EAES 410 Geochemistry 4 hours. Origin of elements. Principles of the distribution of elements in the earth's crust. Element partitioning between coexisting minerals. Thermodynamic considerations of mineral equilibria. Geochemistry of continental waters. Ocean geochemistry. Prerequisite(s): CHEM 124 and CHEM 125 or consent of the instructor. EAES 415 Environmental Geochemistry 4 hours. Origin and distribution of elements in the earth. Thermodynamics and kinetics of mineralsolution reactions. Behavior of stable and radioisotopes in geochemical processes. Prerequisite(s): EAES 230 and EAES 285; and CHEM 124 and CHEM 125; or consent of the instructor. EAES 416 Organic Geochemistry 3 hours. Global carbon cycle, chemical composition of biogenic matter, sedimentology and diagenesis of organic matter, molecular fossils, geopolymers, fossil fuels, anthropogenic organic compounds, carbon isotope geochemistry. Prerequisite(s): EAES 230 or EAES 320; and CHEM 124 and CHEM 125 or CHEM 130; or consent of the instructor. EAES 418 Introduction to Biogeochemistry 3 hours. Explores the interaction of the biosphere, geosphere, and atmosphere on Earth, with focus on biogeochemical cycles and the methods used to study them. Examination of conditions on early Earth and the changes brought by the introduction of life. Prerequisite(s): CHEM 122, CHEM 123, CHEM 124, and CHEM 125; and EAES 230 or EAES 285 or EAES 111; or consent of the instructor. Recommended background: BIOS 100 or BIOS 101. EAES 430 Petrology 0 TO 4 hours. Igneous and metamorphic rock composition, classification, rock-forming processes. Description and interpretation of thin-sections. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): EAES 320 and CHEM 124 and CHEM 125; or consent of the instructor. EAES 488 Instrumental Analysis 3 hours. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive system. DC plasma analysis. Prerequisite(s): CHEM 124 and CHEM 125 and EAES 220; or consent of the instructor. Revision of the Major in Earth and Environmental Sciences 11.19.14 7