CTW Course Description
Students entering Georgia State University in the fall of 2009 will be required to take two Critical Thinking through Writing courses in their major.
A CTW course meets the following requirements:
1. It has at least three credit hours.
2. It contains assignments that focus on critical thinking as demonstrated through writing.* These assignments together should constitute a substantial percentage of the course grade.
3. It has a maximum of a 25/1 student/instructor ratio.
Should a CTW class have more than 25 students,
the instructor will receive assistance. If a CTW
class enrolls 51-75 students, the assistance of two
people would be needed, and so forth.**
4. It is taught by a CTW-trained instructor.***
*For purposes of this motion, “assignments that focus
on critical thinking as demonstrated through writing”
are assignments that use writing to help students
develop the “wide range of cognitive skills and
intellectual dispositions needed to effectively
identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments and truth
claims; to discover and overcome personal
prejudices; to formulate and present convincing
reasons in support of conclusions; and to make
reasonable, intelligent decisions about what to
believe and what to do.” (Bassham, Irwin, Nardone
& Wallace, Critical Thinking: A Student's Introduction
(McGraw-Hill, 2005) page 1.) Typically, students will
have the opportunity to revise at least one assignment
during the semester.
**This ratio may be accomplished by various means.
Variations include but are not limited to: capping
CTW sections at 25 (the ideal), assigning trained CTW
graduate student(s) to sections with more than 25
students, and having department or college CTW
staff consultant(s) work with sections over 25 students.
In some cases, it may be appropriate for the instructors
of CTW courses capped at 25 to have assistance.
In these cases, Departments and colleges may petition
the Gen Ed Subcommittee and the Provost for additional
funding.
***CTW training will be available to faculty, graduate
students, and staff who are working in CTW courses.
Departments must use university-wide CTW training or
alternative training approved by the Gen Ed Subcommittee.
The following is a list of approved CTW courses as of spring 008. We will be updating this list as more couses are approved.
Arts and Sciences
ANTH 3033. The Anthropology of Violence (3) Anth 2010, Anth 2020, or Anth 2030 with grade of C or higher, or consent of instructor. Drawing on three subfields of anthropology (biological anthropology, archaeology, and sociocultural anthropology), this course takes a holistic approach to the study of violence. The course fosters critical thinking through writing, and it promotes the understanding of how scholarly-scientific and popular interpretations of violence are rooted in the ideological paradigms of their time. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all anthropology majors.
AL 3031. Language in Society (3) AL 3021 or ForL 3021 with grade of C or higher, or equivalent.
Introduction to sociolinguistics, focusing on the ways in which language serves the needs of the individual and society. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all applied linguistics majors.
AL 4161. EFL Practicum (3) AL 3021 or ForL 3021 and AL 3051 with grades of C or higher, or equivalent.
Supervised teaching experience with adult learners and discussion of EFL pedagogical issues. Includes materials design and adaptation, classroom management, and evaluation. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all applied linguistics majors.
AL 4241. Senior Seminar in Applied Linguistics (3) 12 hours of upper-division applied linguistics courses completed before registering. Overview of current issues and research methods in applied linguistics. Each student will complete an independent research project. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all applied linguistics majors.
AE 4200. Education for Pre-School through Fifth Grade (3) Art 1020, 1030, 1040, and two 1000-level art history courses with grades of C or higher, 2.5 institutional GPA and 3.0 GPA in art and art history courses. Curriculum materials and practicum. Lecture and laboratory. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all art education majors.
AE 4900. Art Theory and Criticism in Art Education (3) AE 4200 with grade of B or higher and admission to the art education major (2.5 institutional GPA, 3.0 GPA in art and art history courses, passing scores on the GACE Basic Skills test, and successful portfolio review). Topics include art criticism, aesthetics, and multiculturalism and how issues from these areas may impact curriculum in art classrooms. Methods and practicum. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all art education majors.
AH 3000. Introduction to Art History Methodology (3) AH 1700, AH 1750, and AH 1850 with grades of C or higher, or consent of instructor. Introduction to art historical methodology and historiography. Examination of the primary contributors, concerns, controversies and assumptions of the discipline (AH majors are encouraged to take AH 3000 as the first course among their upper-division selections.). Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all art history majors.
AH 4990. Art History Capstone (3) Must be a graduating senior majoring in art history.
Development of analytical, research, writing, and speaking skills as appropriate to the field of art history. Guest lecturers will discuss art historical issues and professions. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all art history majors.
BIOL 3810. Molecular Cell Biology Laboratory (3) Biol 3800 with grade of C or higher, or concurrently. Experiments demonstrating techniques and concepts in molecular cell biology with an emphasis on learning critical thinking through writing. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all biology majors.
BIOL 4980. Senior Seminar (3) Biol 3810, 3880 and 3900 with grades of C or higher. Critical analysis of research in biology using primary literature and seminars in biology. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all biology majors.
CHEM 4000. Fundamentals of Chemical Analysis (3) Chem 3410 with grade of C or higher and Math 2212 with grade of D or higher. Two lecture and four laboratory hours a week. Chemical equilibria of acid-base systems, metal ion complexes and solubility, and their relationship to chemical analysis; use of manual and semi-automatic methods of data collection. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all chemistry majors.
CHEM 4160. Chemistry Laboratory IVA (3) Chem 4000 and Chem 4110 with grades of C or higher, or equivalent, and prior selection of special problems. Concurrent enrollment in Chem 4160 and 4170 is not allowed. Laboratory to be arranged. Advanced laboratory problems; independent research. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all chemistry majors.
CSC 3410. Data Structures (3) CSc 2310, Math 2211 and CSc 2510 with grades of C or higher.
Basic concepts and analysis of data representation and associated algorithms, including linearly-linked lists, multi-linked structures, trees, searching, and sorting. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all computer science majors.
CSC 4350. Software Engineering (4) CSc 3410 with grade of C or higher. Techniques used in large scale scientific or technical software development, including requirements analysis, specification, systems design, implementation, testing, validation, verification, and maintenance. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all computer science majors.
ENGL 3040. Intro to Literary Studies (3) Engl 1102 with grade of C or higher, or equivalent.
Materials, methods, and terminology used in the discipline of literary studies. Practice in effective critical writing and examination of the various critical theories available for interpretation and analysis. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all English majors.
ENGL 3050. Introduction to Rhetoric and Advanced Composition (3) Engl 1102 with grade of C or higher, or equivalent. Materials, methods, and terminology used in the discipline of rhetoric and composition. Practice in effective critical writing and examination of various forms of writing instruction across many cultures: ancient China, pre-classical Greece, the Hellenic period, the Roman Empire, the early Christian era, Medieval Europe, Modern Europe, and contemporary America. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all English majors.
FILM 4910. Senior Seminar in Film (3) Senior class standing, Film 1010 and 2700 with grade of C or higher. Only students with an institutional GPA of 2.5 or higher are eligible to enroll. An in-depth examination of the relationship between media authors and audiences, resulting in a significant research/creative project. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all film majors.
GEOG 4764. Urban Geography (4) None. Comparative study of the location, function, and internal spatial structure of urban areas. Special attention given to the impact of transportation, residential, commercial, and industrial activity on the changing form of cities and suburbs. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all geography majors.
GEOG 4784. Climatic Change (4) Geog 1112 with grade of C or higher. An assessment of the understanding of many aspects of recent climatic change. The focus is on how human activities can cause climatic change as well as how humans and ecosystems can be affected by those changes. Specific topics will include technical aspects of climatic observations and modeling, actual and potential impacts of climatic change on human and natural systems, and climatic-change influences on public policy. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all geography majors.
GEOG 4830. Senior Seminar (4) Geog 2204, 4518, 4520, and 4522 with grades of C or higher.
Philosophical foundations of geography, and traditional and contemporary research skills. Data acquisition and processing, analysis, writing, and presentation of research findings. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all geography majors.
GEOL 4006. Sedimentary Environments and Stratigraphy (4) Geol 3002 with grade of C or higher.
Three lecture and three laboratory hours a week, plus field trips. Properties of sediments; origin, classification, and description of sedimentary rocks; principles of stratigraphy; analysis of sedimentary facies and environments of deposition. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all geology majors.
GEOL 4830. Senior Seminar (4) At least 17 hours of geology at the 4000 level, including Geol 4006, 4013, 4095, or consent of instructor. Philosophical foundations of geology, contemporary problems and issues, and synthesis of geological concepts. Intended to serve as a capstone to the undergraduate geology curriculum. Emphasis on reading of original literature and classic texts, and on written arguments. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all geology majors.
JOUR 4040. History of News Media (3) Jour 3060 or Jour 3070 with grade of C or higher. Only students with an institutional GPA of 2.5 or higher are eligible to enroll in the course. Comparative study of the origins and development of news systems in relation to their historical, social, political, ethical and economic environments. This is one of the capstone courses for the Journalism major. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all journalism majors.
JOUR 4800. Mass Media and Society (3) Jour 3060 and Jour 3070 with a grade of C or higher. Only students with an institutional GPA of 2.5 or higher are eligible to enroll in this course. Historical, critical, ethical, and theoretical approaches to understanding mass media in contemporary society. This is one of the capstone courses for the Journalism major. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all journalism majors.
MATH 3000. Bridge to Higher Mathematics (3) Math 2212 and Math 2420 with grades of C or higher. Topics from set theory, real numbers, analysis, and algebra, which illustrate a formal approach to the presentation and development of mathematical concepts and proofs. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all mathematics majors.
MATH 4991. Senior Seminar (3) Math 4661 with grade of C or higher. This course introduces students to independent research in mathematics and related areas. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all mathematics majors.
PHIL 3000. Introductory Seminar in Philosophy (3) Phil 2010 with grade of C or higher.
This course offers an in-depth treatment of a philosophical issue (for example, free will, justice, Kantian ethics) in a seminar setting, where students have an opportunity to engage in systematic discussions of primary texts and the philosophical issues they raise. This investigation of a topic from a variety of vantage points allows students to develop an informed position and the argumentative skills necessary to defend it successfully, both orally and in writing. This course is designed to introduce students to the major in philosophy. There is no requirement that one be a philosophy major to take this course. Students considering a philosophy major or minor are encouraged to take this course. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all philosophy majors.
PHIL 4990. Senior Seminar (3) Senior class standing, major in Philosophy, Phil 2010, Phil 2050 or Phil 3000, Phil 3010, and Phil 3020 with grades of C or higher. This course offers an in-depth treatment of a specific philosophical issue (for example, the role of paternalism in a liberal society, reliabilist theories of knowledge, the nature of moral emotions) in a seminar setting, where students have an opportunity to engage in systematic discussions of primary texts and the philosophical issues they raise. This investigation of a topic from a variety of vantage points allows students to develop an informed position and the argumentative skills necessary to defend it successfully, both orally and in writing. This course is the capstone to the major in philosophy. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all philosophy majors.
PHYS 3300. Advanced Physics Laboratory (3) Phys 2212 and Math 2215 with grades of D or higher. Corequisite: Phys 3401. Advanced laboratory experiments in modern physics, optics, and astronomy with emphasis on scientific report writing. Required for all physics majors. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all physics majors.
PHYS 4900. Research Project (3) Phys 3300 and Phys 3401 with grades of C or higher and permission of the instructor. Research Project in physics, astronomy, or a related field including preparation of a written and an oral report. Projects are performed under mentoring of a faculty member. Written reports are developed under the guidance of course coordinator. Required for all physics majors. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all physics majors.
PSYC 3530. Advanced Research Design & Analysis (4) Psyc 3510 with grade of C or higher, and be a Psychology major. Course provides psychology majors with experience in research design, data analysis, and scientific communication needed for higher-level understanding in 4000-level courses, the development and writing of senior-year theses, and graduate study. Topics include preparation of a formal research proposal, application for IRB approval, experimental design, statistical techniques, independent data collection and analysis, and the presentation of a research results in APA style. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all psychology majors.
PSYC 4000. Lab Experience in Psychology (3) Psyc 3530 with grade of C or higher, and be a Psychology major. Structured training in psychological research. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all psychology majors.
PSYC 4800. Seminar (3) Psyc 3530 with grade of C or higher, be officially enrolled as a Psychology major, and be in good academic standing. Preparation and presentation of survey reports and summaries of recent advances and trends in major areas of psychology (preference to seniors). Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all psychology majors.
RELS 3750. Theories and Methods in Religious Studies (3) None. A writing-intensive introduction to methodological and theoretical issues in the academic study of religion. Psychological, anthropological, sociological, phenomenological, theological, dialogical, and feminist approaches may be covered. Required for all Religious Studies majors. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all religious studies majors.
RELS 4750. Seminar in Religious Studies (3) None. A writing-intensive seminar focusing on a specific topic or sub-field. Required for all Religious Studies majors. May be repeated if topic varies. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all religious studies majors.
SOCI 3020. Social Research Methods (3) Soci 3010 with grade of C or higher. Advanced studies in techniques of quantitative and qualitative research design, data collection, management, analysis, and presentation. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all sociology majors.
SOCI 4800. Critical Thinking through Writing in General Sociology (3) Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all sociology majors. If you have taken this course without a CTW designation, you may not take it or receive credit for it as a CTW course.
SOCI 4801. Critical Thinking through Writing in Families, Health, and the Life Course (3) Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all sociology majors. If you have taken this course without a CTW designation, you may not take it or receive credit for it as a CTW course.
SOCI 4802. Critical Thinking through Writing in Gender and Sexuality (3) Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all sociology majors. If you have taken this course without a CTW designation, you may not take it or receive credit for it as a CTW course.
SOCI 4803. Critical Thinking Through Writing in Race and Urban Studies (3) Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all sociology majors. If you have taken this course without a CTW designation, you may not take it or receive credit for it as a CTW course.
SPCH 4250. Persuasion (3) none. Examine humanistic and/or social scientific perspectives about persuasion. Critical thinking is emphasized through the exploration of topics that include the psychology of persuasion, propaganda, and the formulation of public opinion. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all speech majors.
SPCH 4800. Communication and Diversity (3) Spch 3250 with grade of C or higher. This senior capstone course explores the complex relationship between communication and diversity. Critical thinking is emphasized through an examination of potential topics that include ethics, conflict, identity, and community. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all speech majors.
THEA 3100. Play Analysis (3) none. A variety of tools for the analysis of play texts from a number of historical periods for use in the theatre by actors, directors, designers, and playwrights, with special emphasis on written analysis as an exercise in critical thinking. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all theatre majors.
THEA 4070. Western Theatre History (3) For B.I.S. theatre majors: Thea 3100 with grade of C or higher.
Western theatre history from the Greeks to the present, including theatre design, performance and production techniques, and representative play, with special emphasis on writing as a vehicle for critical thinking about research and analysis. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all theatre majors.
WST 3010. Feminist Theories (3) WSt 2010. Introduction to critical questions and contemporary debates in U.S. feminist theories, including the interrelations between increasing globalization and theorizing gender/sexuality. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all women’s studies majors.
WST 4920. Senior Research (3) WSt 2010 and WSt 3010. Opportunity to do advanced work on a chosen topic, to be chosen by the student and her/his advisor. The major components of the course include developing in-depth researching and writing skills through focusing on the process involved in writing and revising a major paper. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all women’s studies majors. May be repeated to a maximum of six hours.
WST 4950. Internship (3) WSt 2010 and 3010. Opportunity to combine academic study with practical experience in an organizational setting specializing in attention to women's or gender related issues. A revised paper and internship journal are required. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking Through Writing (CTW) courses required of all women’s studies majors.
Health and Human Sciences
CRJU 3020 RESEARCH METHODS IN CJ 3.0
Research Methods in Criminal Justice. Requires a 2.0 GSU GPA. A survey of different research efforts and results in the field of criminal justice. Serves
as one of the two Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) courses required of all criminal justice majors.
CRJU 4930 INTERNSHIP SEMINAR IN CJ 3.0
Internship Seminar in Criminal Justice. Corequisite: CRJU 4940. Requires a 2.0 GSU GPA. This course focuses on the integration and application of knowledge from the criminal justice core and related courses to the student’s internship or work experience. Students who are registering for CrJu 4930 must simultaneously register for CrJu 4940. Students must successfully pass both courses in the same academic semester in order to graduate. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) courses required of all criminal justice majors.
NURS 2080 BASIC CONCEPTS OF NURSING CARE 3.0
Basic Concepts of Nursing Care. Prerequisite: acceptance into the nursing program. Corequisite: NURS 2040, 2060, 2061 and 2160. This course is designed to explore the basic concepts of nursing care across the life span in various settings. This course will explore the nurse’s role in promotion of wellness, prevention of diseases and restoration of health. Students will utilize the nursing process to plan care for common clinical phenomena. An additional component of the course is mastery of medical terminology. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) courses required of all nursing majors.
NURS 4600 LEADERSHIP & MGT IN NURSING 3.0
Leadership and Management in Nursing Prerequisites: Nurs 3500, 3510, 3610, 3710 and 3810. For RNBS students: NURS 3980, 4490 and 3500. The course focuses on the application of principles of leadership and management of health care delivery systems. Emphasis is placed upon assuming responsibility for nursing practice including decision making and nursing actions. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) courses required of all nursing majors.
NUTR 3010 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH 3.0
Introduction to Research. Prerequisite: Junior standing or consent of instructor. The course is designed to introduce students to the elements of research design and evidence based practice and to gain competence in the evaluation of research as well as the application of some of the conceptual elements of research problem development and the design of reasonable research approaches. Main outcome is to enable students to become critical consumers of the professional literature. Class discussions, student assignments, guest lectures, and library visits are used throughout the course to enrich the learning experience of students. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) courses required of all nutrition majors.
NUTR 4950 SENIOR SEMINAR 3.0
Senior Seminar. Prerequisite: Nutr 4200. Students select a nutrition and dietetics related research question and utilize research, critical thinking, and written and oral communication skills to develop a written individual topic summary and group position paper on the question. The course focuses on the scientific basis of the dietetics profession and includes research methodology, interpretation of research literature, and the integration of research principles into evidence based practice. This course serves as the capstone course in the curriculum and as one of the two Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) courses required of all nutrition majors.
RT 3027 PULMONARY DISEASES 3.0
Pulmonary Diseases. A study of the pathophysiology, clinical signs and symptoms, diagnosis, management and prognosis of acute and chronic pulmonary diseases, with an emphasis on respiratory care. This course is also RT 6027. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) courses required of all respiratory therapy majors.
RT 4085 CURRENT TRENDS TO EXTEND CARE 3.0
Professional Practice: From Current Trends to Long-Term, Extended Care An analysis of the current professional environment and the role of the respiratory therapist in that atmosphere are discussed. An overview of concepts, procedures, and long term care and how the respiratory therapist’s role is impacted interacting between the acute care facility and self-administered care in the patient’s home is emphasized. Topics and emphasis may vary. This is a writing intensive course. This is also RT 7085. Serves as one of the two Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) Courses required of all respiratory therapy majors.
SW 3330 HUM BHVR & THE SOC ENV I 3.0
Human Behavior and the Social Environment I. A study of human behavior as individuals develop over the life span. Knowledge from the biological, social, and behavioral sciences is integrated to provide a comprehensive view of people in their social environment to gain an understanding of their needs. Serves as one of the three Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) courses required of all social work majors.
SW 3340 HUM BHVR & THE SOC ENV II 3.0
Human Behavior and the Social Environment II. Prerequisite: SW 3330. Human behavior is studied in the context of families, groups, communities, and organizations. Knowledge of cultural and human diversity is integrated for decision making in social work practice. Serves as one of the three Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) courses required of all social work majors.
SW 3930 SOCIAL WELFARE POLICY 3.0
Social Welfare Policy. Prerequisites: Econ 2105, SW 3320. Application of knowledge, skills, and research to analysis and development of social welfare policy, services, and programs. Serves as one of the three Critical Thinking through Writing (CTW) courses required of all social work majors.