A module is a group of 9-12 credits of carefully selected, related coursework that receives specific transcript recognition.  The basic purpose of modules is to allow students greater flexibility in designing their educational programs to meet their career and personal goals.  Modules can be designed on a variety of principles for a variety of purposes, primarily to complement the major or to allow students to explore areas of interest in a coherent and structured fashion.

Modules must be carefully constructed through collaboration among disciplines in selecting courses that most clearly develop a set of skills or thematic objectives underlying the module.  A clear rationale and goals statement must be provided for each module before approval through the curricular process.  A  module is intended not as a  small scale version of a single discipline's program but rather as a means of relating skills and basic knowledge across disciplinary boundaries.  Students might choose a particular module in order to receive an official "credential" for work in a skill area that complements the major and minor combination, or perhaps combine two related modules in place of a minor, thus providing additional flexibility in preparing for careers or life-long learning.  (Departments offering a major will need to decide if that major may be paired with two modules instead of one minor.)

1  .  A module should enrich, enhance, complement, provide exploration, or be a supplement to a
       student's major area of study.

2.    A module is either skill based or knowledge based.

3  .  A module must be developed by more than one discipline and include courses from more
        than one discipline.

4.    Courses in the module cannot be counted in the major.

5.    A module can be a required list of 3-4 courses or a list of a few required courses and then a
       few chosen from a carefully prepared list of related courses.  A particular sequence for
       enrolling in the course may be suggested or required.

6  .  Two modules could be taken in place of a minor, pending approval of the department of the
       major.

7.    Students should not have to increase their credits to degree if they participate in a module;
       general education breadth electives and college degree requirements, for instance, can play a
       role when appropriate for inclusion in the module package.

8.    The name of a module should not be the name of a department, a major, or a minor.  A
       theme, skill area, or knowledge base outside of those terms is recommended.

9.    A module is not a collection of courses that a student would accumulate at random while
       satisfying any curricular requirements.  It is a carefully planned package of related and
       approved courses in a set, a "module".

10.  The chair of the UCC would be the designated person to receive the "Intent to Propose" for
       a module; s/he will be the keeper of record about these joint activities.  After departments
       have completed their consultation, a curricular proposal can be written and sent through the
       normal curricular process.

11.  There can be skill or knowledge pre-requisites for the module rather than course
       prerequisites.

12.  The appropriate rigor of a module depends upon the theme and its rationale, together with
       student outcomes.

13.  The "Intent to Propose" is designed to put out a call across all departments at the earliest
       stage of forming a module.  The initial sponsoring departments provide such important
       information as the theme, rationale, and student outcomes.  Interested departments may then
       respond and get involved in the development process before any grouping of departments
       moves too far along in the process to impede the inclusion of other potential participating
       departments.