Course Validation
Validation is UND's procedure for
first-time approval
of an Essential Studies course.
Proposals to add a course to the ES program are initiated by individual faculty members at the department level. Consultation on ES course development is available through the ES Office. When it’s finalized at the department, the formal request for validation is brought to the ES Committee for review and approval. If approved, the course becomes part of Essential Studies at the start of the next academic year.
1. To be part of the ES program, a course will:
- Aim for and assess student learning in one of the four ES goals: Communication, Diversity, Information Literacy, or Thinking & Reasoning
- Fit within one of the Breadth of Knowledge categories
2. An ES course may also be validated to meet one of the Special Emphasis requirements. This requires a more in-depth focus on the particular kind of learning that is targeted when a course is approved for a Special Emphasis.
UND’s Special Emphasis learning outcomes through Essential Studies are:
3. To be approved as an ES Capstone course (C), which is a specially designed and designated culminating learning experience taken at the end of the undergraduate program of study.
To be part of the ES program, you can nominate a course using the appropriate ES Course Validation Form below. Your choice of form is dictated by the Breadth of Knowledge area in which the course will appear. Please read the definitions in the ES Breadth of Knowledge Area Criteria document in order to choose the appropriate form for your course.
4. ES Course Validations
Please submit one copy of the validation form with original signatures and attachments to: Essential Studies Secretary c/o Registrar's Office, Stop 8382 (Questions about procedure? Contact either ESC Secretary: sharon.bruggeman@und.edu or the Essential Studies Office: essential.studies@und.edu).
