Overview:
What Topical Clusters encompass:
An ILS Topical Cluster is a set of courses
that investigates a topic from the perspective of multiple disciplines
and divisions. In proposing a Topical Cluster, faculty should make sure
that the topic of the cluster is clearly defined. Each course within a
Topical Cluster must investigate that topic to a degree that enables students
and faculty to make frequent cross-disciplinary connections with other
courses in the Topical Cluster.
Students take at least three courses from
one Topical Cluster, totaling 9 semester hours or more. Within a Topical
Cluster, the courses that a student chooses to apply toward the Topical
Cluster requirement must have different prefixes. Of these three courses,
one must be designated as ILSS (ILS Social Science) and one as ILSN (ILS
Natural Science). In proposing a Topical Cluster, faculty should make
sure that the topic of the cluster is clearly defined. Each course within
a Topical Cluster must investigate that topic to a degree that enables
students and faculty to make frequent cross-disciplinary connections with
other courses in the Topical Cluster.
At a minimum, a Topical Cluster must include
three courses, totaling nine semester hours or more, with at least one
ILSN and one ILSS course without prerequisites; additional courses may
have prerequisites. An ILSA or Arts course may appear in a Topical Cluster,
but this is not required. For courses with multiple sections, it is not
necessary that all sections be included in a Topical Cluster. In such
cases, the faculty member(s) whose section is included in the topical
cluster must be indicated.
If justified, a section of a course may be
included in more than one Topical Cluster, but may not appear in more
than three. Liberal Studies Colloquia may not be included in Topical Clusters.
Courses offered with HUM prefixes may appear in Topical Clusters but do
not count for the three or more required Topical Cluster courses.
Topical Clusters are approved for a three-year
period, at which time participating faculty may apply for renewal. It
is expected that some Topical Clusters will be renewed repeatedly and
be available indefinitely. Within each Topical Cluster, at least one ILSN
course without prerequisites and one ILSS course without prerequisites
must be offered at least once every academic year. In order to cultivate
connections between courses, it is expected that faculty who teach in
a Topical Cluster will meet regularly to discuss the ways in which their
courses address the topic of the Topical Cluster.
ILSS Courses
At least half of an ILSS course must be devoted to either the implications
of social institutions or the methods and worldviews of the social sciences.
Most ILSS courses will be offered in the social sciences, although other
departments may offer courses which receive ILSS designation. ILSS courses
must be at least three credit hours.
ILSN Courses
At least half of an ILSN course must be devoted to either the perspective
of the natural sciences or the investigation of the implications of scientific
knowledge or scientific methodology. ILSN courses will have a natural
science prefix (ASTR, ATMS, BIOL, CHEM, ENVR, PHYS) and must be at least
three credit hours.
ILSA Courses
ILSA courses taken as part of a Topical Cluster must consider not only
the particular subject matter of the Topical Cluster, but also the broader
human context of the arts. ILSA Topical Cluster courses will consider
such issues as communication through the arts, aesthetic values, the political,
cultural, and historical context of the arts, and/or the role of the audience
in the arts. It is not required that each Topical Cluster include an ILSA
course.
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