Course Information

Click on a link to be taken to the entry below.

• Course Descriptions
• Course Numbering
• Course Types/Instructional Methods
• Other Important Definitions
• x9x Common Course Descriptions

Course Descriptions

ENGL¹ 283² Introduction to Creative Writing³ (COM)⁴ [SGR #1]⁵ Credits: 3⁶
This course introduces students to the craft of writing, with readings and practice in at least two genres (including fiction, poetry, and drama). Prerequisites: ENGL 101.⁷

1. Course subject.
2. Course number.
3. Course title.
4. Common course within the South Dakota Board of Regents System.
5. Course meets System General Education Requirement.
6. Number of credits assigned to the course. One credit is usually interpreted as one hour of class work per week or as two to four hours of lab work per week.
7. A brief description of the course. This section includes other information affecting your enrollment in the course. A course description might include prerequisites, co-requisites, and registration restrictions. Other information included in various course descriptions would be: “Alternate years,” “Not open to majors,” “May be repeated for a total of six credits,” etc.

Course Numbering

(SDBOR Policy 2:8, section 1)

Pre-College Courses

Undergraduate Courses

Graduate Courses

Course Types/Instructional Methods

(SDBOR Academic Affairs Guidelines 5.4)

Clinical Experience

• This course entails provision of direct patient care in a clinic-based setting.
• Through observation and treatment of patients, students focus on developing specific skill sets designed to improve health (physical and/or mental).
• Oversight and instruction are provided by a faculty member and/or approved site supervisor.
• Enrollments are small (1 to 9) due to the inherent nature of this experience.

Clinical Laboratory

• Learning takes place in a clinical laboratory, an operation which conducts diagnostic tests performed on samples taken on/from the human body.
• These clinical laboratories may be free-standing or situated within hospitals or medical clinics.
• Faculty members are heavily involved; they maintain direct and close supervision of students.
• Enrollment is limited; it varies from 1 to 9 students.

Competency-Based/Self-Paced Study

• Each enrolled student advances at his/her preferred rate.
• Successful mastery of content is based on achievement of competencies as opposed to completion of assignments.
• Student progression through course content is often assisted by technology.
• Individual or group tutorials may be provided to supplement individual learning.

Design/Research

• This course focuses on designing and conducting research; a viable and appropriate plan is developed as a collaborative effort between faculty member and student.
• Interaction between faculty member and student researcher is both extensive and intensive.
• This instructional method is not intended for either research methods courses (which are grounded in theory) or graduate thesis/dissertation courses.

Discussion/Recitation

• Communication between the faculty member and students is two-way; all are participants who actively share experiences, ideas, viewpoints, and feedback.
• Student involvement is strong; it entails conversation, dialogue, and/or debate.
• Enrollment maximum is typically 35 students.

Experiential Learning

• This course entails discovery learning in a specified area or discipline; through dedicated participation, students derive personal understanding and attach particular meaning to acquired experiences.
• Focus is placed on the learning process itself, not preconceived learning outcomes; the contrast to traditional instruction presents a defining element of this method.
• Learning is inductive, student-centric, and activity-oriented. Throughout, participants critically assess the experience, draw useful conclusions, and anticipate application of such knowledge to future situations. The assigned faculty member assumes a role of mentor/coach.
• Geared toward participation-based experiences such as service learning and job shadowing.

Independent Study

• The format is individualized; content is tailored to the student(s) and particular situation.
• Enrollment varies; typically, however, section size is small (1 to 5 students).
• For each section, a suitable plan of study and meeting schedule are negotiated and established.

Internship/Practicum

• This field-based learning experience is monitored and supervised; examples include discipline-specific field work, student teaching, and cooperative education.
• Students acquire relevant, real-world experience; each follows a prearranged plan of study.
• Such experience may or may not be associated with payment of wages.
• Enrollment is variable; it depends on factors such as availability of placements, requisite level of supervision, etc.

Laboratory

• Course instruction takes place in a specialized physical setting – that is, the laboratory.
• The laboratory component complements the lecture; instruction promotes hands-on application of concepts presented during lectures.
• Enrollment maximum varies, but typically does not exceed 25.

Lecture

• Content is largely rooted in facts, principles, ideas, and theory.
• Communication is primarily one-way; the faculty member formally relays information, while students listen.
• Classes can be sizable; enrollment maximums – which widely vary – depend on course level, discipline, and university preference.

Music Ensemble, Large

• Intended for large groups, either instrumental or vocal in nature; examples include band, orchestra, and choir.
• Enrollments vary (10 or greater students) with regularly scheduled instructional meetings and/or faculty-led practices.
• Performers can register for a credit bearing or non-credit bearing experience; however, those who are enrolled for 0 credits must also register for other courses which are credit bearing.

Music Ensemble, Small

• Intended for small groups, either instrumental or vocal in nature.
• The course involves regularly scheduled instructional meetings and/or faculty-led practices.
• Enrollments vary between 3 and 9 students (trio, quartet, quintet, etc).

Physical Education Activity

• This course is devoted to participation in/performance of a physical activity; faculty instruction includes proper form and technique.
• The enrollment maximum varies, depending on factors such as nature of the particular sport, availability of venue and equipment, and safety considerations.

Private Instruction

• This course centers on personalized training; two common examples include music performance and flight instruction.
• Course content is consistent with prescribed learning outcomes; it is not negotiable.

Seminar

• A highly focused and topical course with strong, direct faculty-student interaction.
• The course features significant emphasis on student exploration of scholarly literature; research; and professional challenges, problems, and practices.
• This instructional method is exclusive to graduate and upper level undergraduate (300, 400) course work.
• The enrollment maximum is typically 20 students.

Small Group

• Because of known and ongoing constraints, section size is extremely limited; such constraints are physical in nature; they tie to limited numbers of work stations, specimens, crucial pieces of equipment, etc.
• Section size is restricted to 9 or fewer students; because of inflexible physical constraints, teaching 10 or more is impossible.

Studio

• Course content compels significant one-to-one student/instructor interaction; the course is very hands-on with extensive student engagement.
• This instructional method is intended for fine arts courses that fit with criteria specified in bullet #1; possible content areas include ceramics, painting, dancing, etc.

Thesis

• A formal treatise presenting the results of study, which is submitted in partial fulfillment of the student’s degree requirements.
• The faculty thesis director is a strong presence; he/she provides considerable mentoring, guiding, and directing. Members of the thesis committee engage in more limited – but still important - interaction with the student.
• Should the student not complete all thesis requirements in the current term, a transitional grade (see BOR 2:10) must be assigned.

Thesis/Research Sustaining

• This 0-credit course is used to track students who are actively conducting graduate research, but not registered for credit-bearing course work during the current term.
• Enrollment allows graduate programs to retain active status.
• Caution is strongly advised; administrative oversight is imperative.

Travel Study

• Intended for a travel experience that is structured, academic, and university-sponsored with clearly established, onsite faculty leadership.
• Faculty member guides students through a progression of cohesive, theme-based learning environments; shares contextual information, motivates guided inquiry, and facilitates debriefing.
• Interactive instruction heavily relies on engagement of students with comparison of information and observations as well as sharing of insights and reactions.

Workshop

• A very intense, rigorous academic experience, focusing on a specific, narrowly tailored topic of current interest and professional relevance.
• Each credit hour requires approximately 45 hours of student work.
• Workshops may vary in time range but typically use a compressed time-period for delivery. They may include lectures, conferences, committee work, and group activity.
• The workshop is typically used in graduate level instruction; use of the workshop at the undergraduate level is approved on rare, limited basis with appropriate justification.
• No more than 3 graduate credit hours in any graduate program can be a workshop (see SDBOR Policy 2:8).

Other Important Definitions

Common Course Numbering

The South Dakota Regental institutions utilize common course numbering. A common course (COM) is a course offered by one Regental institution that has essentially the same content (subjects/breadth) and level of instruction (depth) as a course offered by at least one other Regental university. Any courses on the following pages without the COM designation are considered to be unique to SDSU.

Cross-listed Courses

A cross-listed course is a course which carries more than one course prefix (i.e., HIST, POLS, GEOG) with credit being offered under any one of the listed prefixes at the same time. Students choose to take the course under the prefix that is more beneficial to their course of study. All students typically meet at the same time in the same place, with the same instructor(s). A cross-listed course may also be multi-numbered.

Dual Numbered Courses

A multiple-numbered course is a single course specifically designed for simultaneous delivery at two or more levels with the two or more numbers taught simultaneously. The course is offered for credit at different levels (i.e., courses may be offered for upper/lower division credit or for undergraduate/graduate credit). Different levels of expectations are stated for the students via the syllabi. The dual-numbered course may also be cross-listed.

x9x Common Course Descriptions

(SDBOR Academic Affairs Guidelines 1.11, section 4)

The following middle digit 9 course numbering scheme is used in the South Dakota public university system. These courses may have multiple sections. A section’s title may or may not reflect the material covered in that section. See the academic department for section information, e.g., description, prerequisites such as instructor or department consent, GPA required, junior or senior standing, etc.

x90 Seminar

A highly focused and topical course. The format includes student presentations and discussions of reports based on literature, practices, problems, and research. A seminar may occur over electronic media such as the Internet and are at the upper division or graduate levels. Enrollment is generally limited to fewer than 20 students.

x91 Independent Study

Includes Directed Study, Problems, Readings, Directed Readings, Special Problems, and Special Projects. Students complete individualized plans of study including significant one-on-one student/teacher involvement. The faculty member and students negotiate the details of the study plans. Enrollments are usually three or fewer students. Meetings depend upon the requirements of the topic.

x92 Topics

Includes Current Topics, Advanced Topics, and Special Topics. A course devoted to a particular issue in a specified field. Course content is not wholly included in the regular curriculum. Guest artists experts may serve as instructors. Enrollments are usually 10 or fewer students with significant one-on-one student/teacher involvement.

x93 Workshop

A very intense, rigorous academic experience, focusing on a specific, narrowly tailored topic of current interest and professional relevance. Each credit hour requires approximately 45 hours of student work. Workshops may vary in time range but typically use a compressed time-period for delivery. They may include lectures, conferences, committee work, and group activity. The workshop is typically used in graduate level instruction; use of the workshop at the undergraduate level is approved on rare, limited basis with appropriate justification. No more than 3 graduate credit hours in any graduate program can be a workshop (see Board Policy 2:8).

x94 Internship

Applied, monitored, and supervised, field-based learning experience for which the student may (or may not) receive payment. Students gain practical experience; they follow a negotiated and or directed plan of study. Instructors provide a higher level of supervision than provided by instructors in Field Experience courses.

x95 Practicum

Applied, monitored, and supervised, field-based learning experience for which the student may (or may not) receive payment. Students gain practical experience; they follow a negotiated and or directed plan of study. Instructors provide a higher level of supervision than provided by instructors in Field Experience courses.

x96 Field Experience

Applied, monitored, and supervised, field-based learning experience for which the student may (or may not) receive payment. Students gain practical experience; they follow a negotiated and or directed plan of study established between the student, instructor and field experience supervisor. Due to the presence of a field experience supervisor, the instructor provides a lower level of supervision in these courses than is the case with an Internship or Practicum course.

x97 Cooperative Education

Applied, monitored, and supervised, field-based learning experience for which the student may (or may not) receive payment. Students gain practical experience; they follow a negotiated and or directed plan of study established between the student, instructor and field experience supervisor. Due to the presence of a field experience supervisor, the instructor provides a lower level of supervision in these courses than is the case with an Internship or Practicum course.

498 Undergraduate Research/Scholarship

(Includes Senior Project and Capstone Experience): Independent research problems/projects or scholarship activities. The faculty member and student negotiate the plan of study. Contact between the faculty and student may be extensive and intensive. Does not include theoretical research courses.

788 Master’s Research Problems/Projects

Independent research problems/projects that lead to a research or design paper but not to a thesis. The faculty member and candidate negotiate the plan of study. Contact between the faculty member and candidate may be extensive and intensive. Does not include theoretical research courses.

789 Master’s Research Problems/Projects Sustaining

A zero credit hour instructional method type used to track students who are not currently working with faculty on thesis or doctoral activities. Universities may require students to register under this instructional method type to remain active degree candidates.

798/898S/898D Thesis/Dissertation

A formal treatise presenting the results of study submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the applicable degree. The process requires extensive and intensive one-on-one interaction between the candidate and a faculty member with more limited interaction between and among the candidate and other members of the committee.

799/899S/899D Thesis Sustaining/Dissertation Sustaining

A zero credit hour instructional method type used to track students who are not currently working with faculty on thesis or research activities. Universities may require students to register under this instructional method type to remain active degree candidates.