
Meeting the Quantitative Reasoning Requirement
The Faculty Senate, on March 27, 2017, approved the proposal for this university-wide graduation requirement. It was passed by the University of Vermont Board of Trustees on May 19, 2017. This requirement states that all UVM undergraduate students must satisfy the following requirement prior to graduation:
Beginning with the entering first-year class in fall 2017, all undergraduates must meet the Quantitative Reasoning General Education requirement for the University of Vermont. To meet this requirement, students must complete a course, curriculum, or co-curriculum prior to graduation that has been approved by the Faculty Senate's Quantitative Reasoning Curriculum Review Committee.
Approved courses are listed in the University of Vermont Catalogue with the letters QR in the title.
There is absolutely no waiver of the Quantitative Reasoning requirement. There exist three distinct paths to meeting this requirement: 1) approved courses, 2) reviewed and approved transfer courses, and 3) proposal of a non-course alternative experience.
Transfer of Course Credit from Another Institution
Students seeking to transfer academic credit may do so only for courses that are taken at a regionally accredited degree granting institution and are comparable in content, nature, and intensity to courses taught in the corresponding discipline at The University of Vermont. Credit is not given for transfer courses with grades lower than C. Questions regarding credit transfer should be directed to the Office of Transfer Affairs, 339 Waterman Building.
After the Office of Transfer Affairs has approved the transfer of credit for a course and specified the number of credit hours that transfer to the University of Vermont transcript, the student must petition the Quantitative Reasoning Curriculum Requirement Committee for approval of the course content to meet the Quantitative Reasoning Requirement. If the course transfers in with the number of a currently approved Quantitative Reasoning course, the approval by the Quantitative Reasoning Curriculum Requirement Committee is automatic because the unit will have already certified equivalency. If the course transfers in as credit only, the petition must include a copy of the complete syllabus for the course including the name of the instructor and the departmental affiliation at the institution at which the course was taken. The Quantitative Reasoning Curriculum Requirement Committee will use the same criteria it uses to approve University of Vermont courses to determine whether the course fulfills the requirement.
To request approval, a student must submit a detailed syllabus of the transferred course in question using the General Education Requirement Course Fulfillment Form.
Approval by the Quantitative Reasoning Curriculum Requirement Committee indicates only that the transferred credit meets the University Quantitative Reasoning Curriculum Requirement.
Student Non-Course Credit: "The Quantitative Reasoning Experience"
Introduction
There are three types of alternatives to meeting the UVM Quantitative Reasoning criteria requirements other than approved Quantitative Reasoning courses:
- transfer credit from other institutions;
- UVM non-course activities; and
- individual student Quantitative Reasoning experiences.
The second and third alternatives are addressed in this document. For the second alternative, the leader, faculty member, or coordinator of UVM non-course activities may use the same procedures on behalf of a group of students.
Policy Goal
To have mechanisms in place so all or part of the Quantitative Reasoning proficiencies can be met through an individual student “Quantitative Reasoning Experience,” or non-course “experience”. It is recognized that the Quantitative Reasoning proficiencies can also be acquired through non-course experiences. Consequently, students may petition the Quantitative Reasoning Curriculum Review Committee (QRCRC) to have the Quantitative Reasoning course requirement waived if they can demonstrate they have acquired substantial Quantitative Reasoning proficiency through other, non-credit, Quantitative Reasoning experiences.
To petition for an alternative to a Quantitative Reasoning course requirement, the student must first submit an application form and proposal to the QRCRC containing:
- a description of the proposed non-credit Quantitative Reasoning experience explicitly stating how the experience meets at least four of the six Quantitative Reasoning proficiencies of a Quantitative Reasoning course (regardless of whether or not the Quantitative Reasoning experience has already been completed), and
- a plan demonstrating how the student will or did attain the Quantitative Reasoning proficiencies after completion of the Quantitative Reasoning experience (e.g., through a significant paper, presentation, or other relevant tangible product)
Students should be aware that petitions for alternatives to the Quantitative Reasoning requirement will not be granted lightly, and the burden is on the student to sufficiently demonstrate such an alternative is warranted.
There is no appeal process. Decisions regarding petitions for alternatives to Quantitative Reasoning course requirements are final, and students denied the alternative will not be given the opportunity to revise their demonstrations of progress for reconsideration.
Notes
- This policy does not apply to courses studied at other institutions. Possible fulfillment of the UVM Quantitative Reasoning requirement using courses from other institutions is covered elsewhere (see QRCRC Transfer Course Policy).
- This policy can apply to group activities organized by UVM or UVM faculty such as international experiences. If the leader or coordinator of such a program wishes to apply using these procedures on behalf of all participating students this is allowable.
- Being granted acceptance of Quantitative Reasoning experience waives the requirement to take a Quantitative Reasoning course to meet this graduation requirement but does not grant course credit to the student.
Process (for proposed future activities)
- Student or activity coordinator completes the application form
- Student or activity coordinator submits to the appropriate College Dean (or Dean’s designate).
- If the College Dean deems the experience meets the criteria and the confirmation letter is valid (College Dean may confirm by e-mail or letter), the application is forwarded to the QRCRC.
- A decision is made by the committee within 60 days using the criteria below.
- After the activity has been completed and the reflective product produced the application is re-submitted with both a letter of confirmation and the product.
Process (for activities that have already been completed)
- Student or coordinator completes the application form.
- Student or activity coordinator submits to the appropriate College Dean (or Dean’s designate).
- If the College Dean deems the experience meets the criteria and the confirmation letter is valid (College Dean may confirm by e-mail or letter), the application is forwarded to the QRCRC.
- A decision is made by the QRCRC wiithin 60 days using the criteria below.
Evaluation Criteria
- The student involvement in the experience must consist of a time equivalent to a course (at least 100 hours)