Curriculum Glossary

Lecture-Discussion

A Lecture-discussion is a criteria for graduate courses and consist of the following:

1. Is an organized course with regularized content.
2. Is a combination of lectures and group discussion, based on specialized studies and research.
3. Involves a consideration of a series of vital problems, reviews trends, examines different points of views, and interprets issues.
4. Involves problem analysis, research, and high level participation in discussion.
5. Involves the use of a wide variety of material and resources which provide a range and depth beyond that obtainable through single textbook, although the use of a basic textbook may be appropriate in some lecture-discussion courses.
6. Provides an opportunity for synthesis and analysis through scholarly writing and through course examinations that go beyond simple recall of fact.

Non-Academic Courses/CEUs

Non-academic courses or workshops that are typically professional development advancement courses that are Continuing Education Unit (CEU) worthy, but not applicable to a degree or part of the standard SSU curriculum.  These courses are developed to meet the special needs of particular groups or communities, and may include international programs. CEUs appear on the student’s transcript; one CEU is equivalent to ten hours of participation and denotes an investment of time and accomplishment comparable to that required in established University courses.

Online vs. Hybrid vs. Web-Facilitated Courses

Online Course: A course where most or all of the content is delivered online. These types of courses typically have  no face-to-face meetings.

Hybrid Course (Blended): A course that blends online and face-to-face delivery. With these types of courses, a substantial proportion of the content is delivered online. These types of courses typically have online discussions and require a reduced number of face-to-face meetings.

Web-Facilitated Course: A course that uses web-based technology to facilitate what is essentially a face-to-face course. This type of course can use a course management system or web pages to post the syllabus and assignments. This is not considered an online or hybrid format.

Post Bachelor and Graduate Degrees

In 1982, the CSU, after action by the statewide Academic Senate, disseminated definitions of graduate-level instruction for the system. The following are excerpts from EP&R 82-39 (the full document is available in the Office of Graduate Studies). The graduate course requires:

1. The identification and investigation of theory or principle.
2. The application of theory to new ideas, problems, and materials.
3. Extensive use of bibliographic and other resource materials with emphasis on primary sources of data.
4. Demonstration of competence in the scholarly presentation of the results of independent study.

Seminar

Seminars are a criteria for graduate courses and consist of the following:

1. Are organized around a series of related problems significant to the discipline.
2. May have a focus which varies from semester to semester within the framework of the general objectives.
3. Limits the lecture, when it does occur, to setting the stage and clarifying issues.
4. Requires that students assume primary responsibility for an investigation that will contribute to the objectives of the seminar and that they report, interpret, and defend their findings orally as well as in writing.
5. Within the framework of general goals, may allow student participation in course planning and in course evaluation.
6. Has class meetings primarily to develop, share, and critically examine independent investigations by members of the group. Time devoted to individual or small-group conferences under the direction of the professor may on occasion replace general class meetings.