Guidelines for Courses in Category D – Understanding and Creating Ideas

Courses in this category capture the process of imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences influencing and affecting one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect. They also apply universal ideas through focusing on meanings of events and their impact on society, and exploring issues, artifacts, and events before accepting or formulating a position or conclusion.

Learning Objectives:

  • SLO 4: Engage critically with creative or artistic work
  • SLO 6: Analyze the role of values, ethics, diversity and multiple perspectives in local and global societies

A significant part of the class should include the following. The list below is not in any particular order or priority.  

  • Analyze ideas or elements of a society involved in the process of imagination leading to the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that are typical of the discipline.
  • Analyze the meaning of events by exploring issues or artifacts associated with them.
  • Engage critically with creative works.
    • examples include literature, religious texts, sacred spaces/architecture, music, objects, artwork, or film/other visual media. The emphasis of the analysis must be on the ways these artifacts are created. For a work of literature, film, music, or art, for example, this may involve the analysis of form. Other types of creative works may be included at the discretion of the General Education Committee.
  • Analyze values and ethics in local or global societies through creative works. Courses should include elements from one or more of the following.
    • Analyze ethical issues related to the class material.
    • Analysis of ethical thought or values
    • Evaluate strategies for resolving conflicts in ethics and in ethical judgments.
  • Consider the impact of ideas on a society and link the ideas to solutions that address local or global issues.
  • Investigate diversity (religious, socioeconomic, cultural, gender, etc.) in a society through creative works.