Knowledge of Economics and Business Principles

A recurring theme in the feedback we have received is that our students need some knowledge of economic and business issues. After extensive discussion of this question, the Undergraduate Studies Committee made the following proposal:

1. Require require BS CSE majors to take one of Econ 200 or 201 as part of their GEC. Many of our students already choose to take Econ 200 or 201 as part of their GEC. The proposal is to require them to do so.

2. Currently BS CSE students are allowed to count one of the five courses that constitutes the Business Minor toward the "additional 7 hours of general education". With the proposal to require students to take JCom 321, this will no longer be possible. Therefore, the committee proposed to allow students to count such a course as part of their technical elective hours (except for students in the Information Systems option since these students already are required to take two business courses).

   One concern with this proposal was that it would reduce the number of hours of CSE courses that students choosing this option would take. But given that there are no additional hours in any other part of the program, this seems unavoidable. However, if the proposal for changes in the engineering GEC is approved, some room will be avilable in the 45 hours of general education that BS-CSE majors are required to take. At that point, we will move the business course to the general education portion, so that there is no reduction in the number of CSE hours that students take. Indeed, we will be able to even consider requiring all students to take a business course.

The proposal to require BS-CSE majors to take one of Econ 200 or 201 has been approved and will apply to students who enter OSU in Au '05 or later. The Engineering GEC is still being discussed by the university Council on Academic Affairs.