General Education director Kenton Bird said the University of Idaho faces a challenge with their ISEM courses.
The Integrated Seminar courses, intended to serve as capstone courses, are required in UI”s general education. After completing the mandatory ISEM 101 course, students are then required to complete a one-credit ISEM 301 course their sophomore, junior or senior year.
Yet some students are unaware that both ISEM 101 and 301 credits are required to graduate, Bird said. He said five seniors have yet to earn their ISEM 101 credits and 97 seniors haven”t received credit for ISEM 301.
“They”re going to be in for a rude awakening when they apply to graduate and find that area deficient,” Bird said.
Bird also said there is also an issue with the high demand for ISEM 301 courses from students, with nearly 70 students waitlisted for ISEM 301 courses this semester.
Students who have yet to get the required credits in ISEM 101 have options, Bird said. Students can set up meetings with him so he can help get them into an available ISEM 101 class. The student could also petition to get one of the classes they”ve previously taken to substitute for the ISEM 101 requirement.
Faculty Senator Alan Caplan of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences asked Bird if he had any data to show that General Education requirements help students get a job after they graduate UI.
Bird said results from graduating senior surveys showed that students who completed UI”s General Education requirements rather than the State Board core felt they were better-equipped with the university learning outcomes addressed in General Education courses.
Bird said the university”s General Education is impressive and could be used to help recruit potential students who are considering UI for its educational value.
“We know that General Education here is something that is part of our academic strength,” Bird said. “And we need to do a better job of promoting it to our prospective students and their families.”
Erin Bamer can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @ErinBamer