Teaching in the USP

The University Studies Program (USP) is intended to evolve, change and continue to improve. It was developed collaboratively by faculty from a variety of different disciplines. When you teach in the USP you are becoming part of this community. Instructors wishing to develop a course for the USP should email the USP Director to be added to our Canvas course for instructors.

Some of the USP priorities for teaching include:

Supporting quality instruction
Providing access to the full support of the USP staff
Regularly offering events and professional development opportunities
Promoting interaction between faculty and staff to support general education
Increasing consistency in course offerings (which is reflected in syllabi with similar elements)
Expanding connection to the community, particularly in Quest III
Helping students make connections, especially through the signature questions as well as in Quest III and Connect

USP Course Instructors

Quest III course on Farming History

Courses that meet requirements in the USP include:

Explore courses make up the majority of a student’s coursework in the USP. Some sections of Explore courses are also included in the Quest sequence. Look under Attributes in the Detail description of your course in Titan Web to find out if your course is an Explore, Quest I, Quest II, or Quest III course. Explore courses are designated XC (explore culture), XL (explore lab science), XM (explore mathematics), or XS (explore society). There may also be designations for ES (Ethnic Studies) or GC (Global Citizenship), which are university requirements.

Fundamentals for all UW Oshkosh Teachers

Ethnic Studies Checklist

Bias Incident Report

Bias Incident Report: Examples of bias incidents include but are not limited to the use of degrading language or slurs, spoken or written directed at women, men, gays, lesbians, racist, anti-semitic, etc. The purpose of this report form is to track the nature of bias motivated incidents on and off the UW Oshkosh campus in an effort to prevent future behaviors and to help maintain a positive learning, living and working environment within our community. Incidents that rise to the level of a crime should also be reported to University Police. This form does not take the place of reporting a crime to law enforcement.

Victim/Survivor Advocacy

Victim/Survivor Advocacy: Experiencing any form of violence can have a serious impact on your ability to cope with school and day-to-day activities. UW Oshkosh has advocates available to provide information, support and resources if you have experienced sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, and/or harassment. These services are free to students, faculty and staff of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh community.

Course Approval

Course Approval: Please contact the USP office (usp@uwosh.edu) if you would like to offer a course in the USP that is not already offered. It is good to have a discussion with the USP Director and/or USP Associate Director in planning this course. Once your course is ready for approval, use the forms you would ordinarily use for a new or modified course, plus a USP course approval form. All of these forms, and a flowchart showing the approval process for USP courses, can be found on the Provost’s website.

Current Student Resources

Current Student Resources: UW Oshkosh is dedicated to providing students with the support they need to succeed. Resources range from helping students with their math classes to finding their way in the library and even to receiving advice about career planning.

Essential Learning Outcomes

Essential Learning Outcomes: Broadly speaking, liberal education can be defined as an approach to learning that inspires intellectual curiosity, encourages the understanding of responsibilities, and lays the foundation for the skills and knowledge to enable you to succeed both as a student and as a citizen. These outcomes are essential learning for all liberally educated students.

Global Citizenship

Global Citizenship: The Global Citizenship requirement is designed to provide students with opportunities to gain deep knowledge about the world and its peoples, build capacity for civic engagement at local and global levels, acquire understanding to create a more sustainable world, and prepare students for the responsibilities of informed citizenship in a complex, interdependent and changing world.

Introduction to Public Speaking (Comm 111)

Introduction to Public Speaking: “Introduction to theory and practice of communicating in public speaking settings.” (copied from the course description)

Quest Sequence

Quest Sequence: Quest courses are designated as Quest I, Quest II and Quest III. Students who start their college career at UW Oshkosh take Quest I and II in their first year. In addition to covering disciplinary content, these courses are designed to help students transition to college life. Students take Quest III in either semester of their second year. Learning in this course is enhanced by a community engagement experience.

Signature Questions

Signature Questions: The role of signature questions in the University Studies Program is to support liberal education and to provide connections between courses.

Syllabus Checklists

Syllabus Checklists: Instructors can use these checklists to help design their USP courses and syllabi.

WRT and Connect

WRT and Connect: WRT (First-Year College Writing). Students develop their writing, critical reading and critical thinking skills in this course. Connect is the advanced writing course.

Contact Us

University Studies Program
Pollock House
usp@uwosh.edu
(920) 424-1402

University Studies Program