May 30, 2014

To: DEOs, Directors of Undergraduate Studies, Instructors, Academic Advisors, Departmental Administrators, and Staff

From: Helena Dettmer, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Curriculum

RE: Summary of CLAS Undergraduate Curricular and Policy Changes Effective Fall 2014

A summary of significant curricular additions or revisions to CLAS undergraduate programs and policies made during the 2013-2014 academic year is below, with details available in the University 2014-2015 General Catalog, available on June 1 and published again in August with summer updates and corrections. Most of these changes are effective beginning with the Fall 2014 semester unless otherwise noted.

Less significant revisions made to the requirements of an undergraduate major, minor, are not included in this memo but may be found in the 2014-2015 General Catalog.

Reminder of Procedures for Making Undergraduate Curricular Changes

Significant Changes

All significant undergraduate curricular changes and additions need my approval and often the approval of the Educational Policy Committee, the Dean, the Provost, and the Regents.

Significant changes include new majors, minors, and certificates as well as the request for selective admission to a program of study; the addition of new tracks; the addition of credit hours to a program of study; and similar items. Additionally, every new course that is added, revised, or dropped through MAUI is approved by myself or by my office since changes to a course or the addition of a course are considered significant. The addition of General Education status to a course also requires approval.

Additionally, we must inform the Regents in advance about majors that will be proposed by CLAS during the upcoming academic year. If you are planning significant changes or additions to academic programs during 2014-2015 for Fall 2015, please let me know as soon as possible so we may discuss details and procedures.

Smaller Changes

Less significant changes to a major, minor, or certificate do not need my direct approval but instead may be entered into the Catalog when revised for Fall 2015 (in early December through early February). All changes in the Catalog are noted by my office and approved if appropriate or returned for revisions.

Finally, please keep in mind that students generally graduate under the requirements in place at the time the student declared the major. These requirements are reflected on the student’s degree audit. Students may also move to the new requirements by requesting this change in 120 Schaeffer Hall.

Departmental Name Change

Last summer, the department of Cinema and Comparative Literature was reconfigured, with the Comparative Literature academic programs of study (minor, BA, PhD) moved to the Division of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. As of Spring 2014, courses associated with the Comparative Literature programs of study were changed from CCL (048) to CL (218).

This spring, the Board of Regents approved a new name for the Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature, now called the Department of Cinematic Arts, reflecting the department’s focus. Related courses were moved from CCL (048) to CINE (048) for the Spring 2014 semester. Slight adjustments have been made to the Cinema major, effective with Fall 2014, as seen in the updated Catalog.

New Majors

A new major in Sport and Recreation Management (BS) has been approved by the Regents. The major focuses on managerial skills and strategic planning related to sport and recreation. The major is offered by the Department of Health and Human Physiology.

Two additional majors in other areas of study have been proposed and are awaiting review and possible approval by the Board of Regents.

Other Significant Changes to Majors

During their March 2014 meeting, the Regents approved a new name for the Leisure Studies major (BS), offered by the Department of Health and Human Physiology. Effective with fall 2014 semester, the major will be known as the Therapeutic Recreation major (BS). The Therapeutic Recreation major will be administered by the Department of Health and Human Physiology and the Leisure Studies organizational unit will no longer be used to house this program. The Leisure Studies minor also will be closed. (Students who have declared the minor before the start of the Fall 2014 semester may complete the program of study.) There will now be two tracks within the Therapeutic Recreation major: Inclusive Recreation (formerly known as Therapeutic Recreation) and Child Life. The MADD legacy code of 169 is currently associated with courses for this major and will continue to be used. The course acronym of LEIS will be replaced by TRCL. (Note: These courses will appear under their current acronym of LEIS for Summer and Fall 2014 until this change can be implemented.) The major and both tracks remain selective, with an application required, and students may not declare the major until admitted by the program. Interest codes for both tracks are available for students to declare until admitted. The Therapeutic Recreation Interest (169) preparatory code has been renamed as the Inclusive Recreation Interest (169) preparatory code. The Child Life Interest (270) code remains unchanged.

During the spring 2014 semester, the selective admission criteria for the Human Physiology major was dropped, with students no longer needing to apply for the major. The major is offered by the Department of Health and Human Physiology.

A new track has been added to the Anthropology major (BS), Anthropology for Health Professions. The track requires 15 s.h. of course work selected from a specific pool of courses. The track is designed to help students understand “the interplay of sociocultural and biological factors of health and healing.” Completion of the Anthropology BS also allows students to finish various prerequisite courses required for professional or graduate study related to health care.

A new track in the Interdepartmental Studies major called Engaged Social Innovation has been approved. The track is a joint venture with CLAS and the UI Honors Program and is selective, with an application required, and with around 10 students accepted each year. The track will be available only as a “second” major; an additional declared major is also required. The track encourages implementation of community social engagement projects using entrepreneurial strategies.

CLAS has approved the addition of a new emphasis area called Writing for the Sciences within the Health Science track of the Interdepartmental Studies major (BA), administered by CLAS. The emphasis area encourages students interested in science to apply that interest professionally to scientific writing and publication.

Revisions to the Chemistry BA have been approved that will “(1) modify the mathematics requirements, (2) restructure the physical chemistry lecture courses to enable a one-semester course, (3) reduce the analytical chemistry requirement to one course, and (4) replace the laboratory choice with a single integrated capstone laboratory incorporating analytical, inorganic, and physical chemistries.” The changes help to give students completing prerequisite courses for professional health care programs more flexibility. Continuing students may complete the requirements as listed on their degree audit or may drop the current major and declare the revised major in 120 Schaeffer Hall.

Revisions have been made to the Art History major. The 12 s.h. requirement of courses chosen from at least three disciplines outside of art and art history has been deleted. Continuing students may complete the requirements as listed on their degree audit or may drop the current major and declare the revised one.

A revision to a subprogram title in the statistics major (BS) has been requested and approved by the College. The Statistical Computing track has been renamed as the Statistical Computing and Data Science track.

The closure of the Sustainability track in the Geography major has been approved. Students may declare the track through Summer 2014; the track will no longer be available starting with Fall 2014.

New Minors

A minor in Rhetoric and Persuasion, offered by the Department of Rhetoric, focuses on the mastery of speaking, persuasion, and related communication skills needed for academic success and career opportunities.

The minor in Health and the Human Condition, administered by the Department of Classics, deepens the liberal arts perspective for students interested in the many vocations related to health care.

A minor in Latina/Latino Studies “critically examines the history, culture, politics, issues, and experiences” of Latinos in the United States while helping to build community among students. The minor is housed in the Department of History.

Students may declare minors through their ISIS account or may come to 120 Schaeffer Hall to request this addition.

Significant Changes to Certificates

CLAS and the Tippie College of Business have approved a significant revision to the Certificate in International Business. Certificate students may substitute a study abroad experience for the world language sequence requirement specified in the certificate. The study abroad experience must be for a minimum of 3 s.h. and must be graded; students are expected to coordinate this study abroad experience with their course work chosen to fulfill the Area Studies requirement.

New Combined Degree Program
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has entered into a 3+3 Program agreement with the UI College of Law. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences will accept the student’s first thirty hours earned in the College of Law as undergraduate elective credit. This credit will be counted by CLAS toward the completion of the undergraduate degree. Students applying to the College of Law before the completion of the baccalaureate must meet all other requirements and standards of the College of Law. The agreement does not guarantee admission to Law.

Policy Revisions
The GPA in courses required for a CLAS minor will be a cumulative GPA of 2.00 and a UI GPA of 2.00 (unless the minor has been approved for a higher GPA). This change is effective for students declaring a minor as of Fall 2014. Continuing students with an already declared minor will be held to the former standard of the cumulative GPA of 2.00 in courses taken for the minor. The revision allows the GPA for the minor to be the same as the GPA required for the major.


CLAS has approved the removal of the high school course requirements for transfer students with 24 s.h. or more but without the AA degree in order to create a smoother transition for transfer students into the University. The ruling will be applied retroactively for continuing students who transferred into the University with at least 24 s.h. but without the AA degree.


The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has modified its limit of 50 s.h. earned in one area of study to 56 s.h. The College will not make routine exceptions for students wanting additional hours over the new 56 s.h. limit. The new standard is effective for Fall 2014 for both continuing and new students unless those students are in a program of study previously granted an exception or requiring a more strident standard. Those exceptions will remain in place and will not be affected by this modification. For example, both the BM and BFA degrees allow students additional hours in the major. Students earning a major in Journalism and Mass Communication, on the other hand, may count a maximum of 48 s.h. in Journalism and Mass Communication courses (JMC/019) toward the required 120 semester hours. Polices such as these are not affected by the limit of 56 semester hours.

General Education Program Revision: Course Numbers

GE status will no longer be allowed for courses numbered 3000 and over (100 and over) since these courses may be taken by graduate students. GE courses instead are designed to help students during their first and second year at Iowa to make the transition to university-level learning and to acquire the transferable skills needed for “life-time learning” and for success in the major.

Because of the move to the new numbering system, the renumbering of GE courses has been delayed, with the new deadline now Summer 2015. Departments wanting to continue the GE status on their courses numbered 3000/100 and over must request renumbering of these courses by November 7, 2014. After the November deadline, GE status for any course numbered 3000/100 and over will be dropped by the College. Please contact my office with questions.

Other Changes Related to Curriculum and Policy

The Educational Policy Committee has been renamed the Undergraduate Educational Policy and Curriculum Committee (UEPCC), a change approved by CLAS faculty during a spring referendum. At the same time, the creation of a graduate policy and curriculum committee has been approved. The committee is called the Graduate Educational Policy Committee (GEPC).

Thank you for forwarding this memo to those in your area who might need it, and do let me know what questions you might have.

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