Find it:

• Index / search
• Contact us
• Calendars
  • Academic calendar
  • Campus events
  • Class schedules
  • Library and
    Media Services
  • Athletics
• Maps and directions
• News
  • Athletics
  • Public Relations
  • Press Releases
• Forms
• Policies
  • WOU policies
    • Table of contents
    • Searchable index
  • OUS policies
• Logins (Email: etc.)
  • Web Email (Sun Convergence)
  • Account lookup & password change
  • Blog server
  • Forums server
  • Wiki server
  • Federal workstudy
       Program Student Lookup
  • Physical Plant
       work request
  • Registration
  • WebCT Classes
  • Web for employees
  • Web for faculty
  • SSN to V-number
• Jobs at WOU

• Undergraduate
• Transfer
• Graduate
• International
• Dual enrollment
• Visiting campus

Paying for college:

• Financial Aid
•   General information
•   Scholarships
•   Grants
•   Loans
•   Work study
• Costs
•   General information
•   Estimated expenses
•   Tuition and fees
•   Housing & Dining
• Veterans benefits

Academics:

• Academic advising
• Academic calendar
• Register online
• Registration info
• Registrars Office
• Request transcripts

Back to Archive List

Nature of course request C02529 :

Description change

Prerequisite change

400/500 course

From:
Course Prefix & Number	Descriptive Title	Credits/Hours
ES 431/531	Paleobiology	4 - 4
To:
Course Prefix & Number	Descriptive Title	Credits/Hours
ES 431/531	Paleobiology	4 - 4

Abbreviation for Class Schedule(20 spaces) Paleobiol

Current Course Description: ES 431/531 Paleobiology (4) The evolution of terrestrial and marine ecosystems interpreted from the fossil record; the application of paleontological data to resolving problems in earth history. Four hours of lecture and active learning. Offered alternate years. Prerequisite: a beginning biology course or consent of instructor; recommended: ES 203

New Course Description: ES 431/531 Paleobiology (4) The evolution of terrestrial and marine ecosystems interpreted from the fossil record; the application of paleontological data to resolving problems in earth history. Four hours of lecture and active learning. Offered alternate years. Prerequisite: ES 203 or consent of instructor.

Justification for changing the course (e.g. alignment with other institutions, program revision, etc.): Both ES 491/591 and ES 431/531 are general interest courses that deal with the interpretation of ancient Earth systems. My ability to teach both of these courses has been hampered because students who have not had a course in historical geology have little perspective of Earth history, the context of geological time, and of the approaches that geologists use to reconstruct ancient Earth systems. Indeed, it is not uncommon for students in these courses to lack the conceptual skills to understand that the geological events we discuss in class happened in the long distant past. It would greatly serve the best interest of our majors if ES 491 and ES 431 included a course in earth history as a prerequisite. My experience from previously teaching the course is that, while students are able to do well without this level of understanding, they would achieve an infinitely richer understanding of the subject if they possessed this pre-knowledge ¿ and that the additional level of understanding is essential for any student intending to continue on in an Earth science/geology career. If there is concern that Earth System Science minors might be negatively impacted by the change it is suggested that ES 431 be removed from the minor, since there are other course options offered in its place. Graduate students rarely take this course, but it has been my experience that these students are willing to dedicate the time to thoroughly understanding the subject, and that enrolling them in the course while lacking the prerequisite will not significantly decrease their ability to adequately master course content.

Students/Program affected: ES majors, Earth System Science minors, and graduate students.

Approval Queue C02529

Attached Files: