COURSE DESCRIPTIONS


COURSE DESCRIPTIONS, SYMBOLS, AND TERMS

EXPLANATION OF COURSE NOTATIONS

Certain notations are uniformly used in the course descriptions in this Bulletin.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Course descriptions briefly describe the content or subject matter to be covered and provide additional information on units of credit, the level of instruction (see course numbering system), prerequisites and type of course (lecture, laboratory, seminar, and individually supervised work).

Students may not earn credit in a cross-listed course a second time under an alternate prefix.

Information on specific offerings (times, rooms, instructors) will be found in the Class Schedule which is available on the SFSU Web site in advance of fall, spring and summer semesters. Experimental and variable topic courses which are offered each semester can be found in the Class Schedule.

Departments indicate the semester in which they expect to offer the course by the use of F (fall), S (spring), and F,S (each semester). This key is indicated following the course title for many courses in this Bulletin. While the university will make every effort to follow this announced schedule, the semester of offering is subject to change without prior notice when unusual circumstances require it.

COURSE NUMBERING SYSTEM

Because of the differences in the organization and content of the various disciplines and professions, there is no uniform way of numbering courses that would be equally useful in all fields of knowledge.

In general it may be assumed that advances in division level (lower, upper, graduate) correlate with more difficult and challenging academic work. Upper division courses typically include a statement that indicates the prerequisite course work. Sometimes, however, disciplines organize their course numbering partly in terms of criteria other than degree of difficulty. It should be noted, too, that some students find introductory courses to be more demanding than advanced, specialized courses. In such courses, a more comprehensive approach and the first exposure to new ways of thinking may be harder for some individuals than covering a smaller, more familiar, area in much greater detail. Also, please note that the 9000-9999 series is designated for professional level courses which award Continuing Education Units (CEUs). CEUs are nationally recognized units of measurement for participation in education and training programs for which academic credit is not awarded. The following course numbering system is used at this university:

0-99 remedial instruction and non-credit courses (units and grades earned will not count towards graduation requirements)
100-299 lower division
300-699 upper division
700-899 graduate courses
900-999 doctoral courses
9000-9999 professional level courses offered for Continuing Education Units (CEUs); may neither be applied to nor substituted for graduation requirements.

SPECIAL COURSE NUMBERS

For uniformity, certain types of courses have been listed by all departments and colleges with the same numbers: 699 and 899 are used for undergraduate and graduate "special study;" 893 for written creative works; 894 for creative work projects; 895 for field study or research projects; 896 for directed reading; 897 for graduate research; 898 for master's thesis.

EXPERIMENTAL AND TEMPORARY COURSES

All departments are authorized to offer experimental or temporary courses. These are not specifically described in the Bulletin. Descriptions should be obtained from the department when such courses appear in the printed Class Schedule. The numbers 274, 277, 674, 677, 874, and 877 are used by all departments to designate lower division, upper division, and graduate levels, respectively. The standard Bulletin description for these courses is:

274/277  Exploration in (name of discipline): (subtitle specifying content) (1-6)

A course involving exploration of a major problem or theme or an experimental method of instruction, with variable content as specified in the course subtitle in the Class Schedule. May be repeated for credit when different content is involved.

REMEDIAL INSTRUCTION AND NON-CREDIT COURSES

Courses numbered 0-99 are remedial courses. Units and grades earned will not count towards meeting graduation requirements.

INTERNATIONAL STUDY COURSES

San Francisco State University provides the opportunity for students enrolled in the California State University International Programs to receive credit for special study or for subjects taken at universities abroad. For details of the program, consult the Index. The numbers 292, 492, and 792 are used to designate lower division, upper division and graduate levels, respectively. Transcript designation will be IS 292, 492, 792.

292  Projects in Study Abroad (subject to be designated by Overseas Resident Director, International Programs) (1-3)

Prerequisite: consent of major adviser. Open only to students in California State University International Programs. May be repeated for credit when different subjects are involved.

SPECIAL STUDY

Under special study courses, upper division and graduate students can pursue topics or problems of special interest beyond the scope of a regular course under the supervision of a faculty adviser. The work is of a research or creative nature, and normally culminates in a paper, project, comprehensive examination, or performance. Before registering, the student must have the topic approved by the instructor who will be supervising the independent study, as well as by the adviser and the department chair. (Forms are available in department offices.) The course numbers for special study are 699 and 899. In most cases, special study courses may be repeated for credit. Check the description for limitations.

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

The forms and methods of teaching vary widely in specific classes. The more traditional methods of lecturing, discussion, laboratory work, and individually supervised research or projects are being supplemented by such learning resources as group and individual exercises, television, films and records, video­taping, and the use of the computer. Modern specialized facilities and equipment are used in many courses in different fields. These include: laboratories for teaching the sciences, a planetarium, studios for teaching the fine arts; a variety of facilities for teaching communications; a language laboratory for teaching foreign languages and linguistics courses; a speech and hearing clinic; the Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies; the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories; the Sierra Nevada Field Campus.

San Francisco State University encourages experimentation and innovation in teaching and welcomes a diversity of approaches. Increasingly and with growing help from students, efforts are being made on the campus to examine, evaluate, and improve the learning experiences.

CALIFORNIA ARTICULATION NUMBER (CAN) SYSTEM

During this academic year, a transition will occur as CAN becomes a transfer California State University numbering system. The information below is retained for reference until the details are finalized and an update can be published in the on-line SFSU Bulletin.

The California Articulation Number (CAN) identifies some of the transferable, lower division, introductory (preparatory) courses commonly taught within academic disciplines on California college and university campuses.

The system assures students that CAN courses on one participating campus will be accepted "in lieu of" the comparable CAN participating course for the major on another participating campus. For example, a qualified CAN course prefixed as CAN ECON 2 will be accepted for a course prefixed with the same CAN ECON 2 offered on another CAN participating campus.

San Francisco State University participates in the California Articulation Number System. The following SFSU courses have been designated as CAN courses:

CAN Subject Prefix Number SFSU Course Number
CAN ANTH 2 ANTH 100
CAN ANTH 4 ANTH 120
CAN ANTH 6 ANTH 110
CAN ART 2 ART 201
CAN ART 4 ART 202
CAN ART 6 ART 245
CAN ART 12 ART 240
CAN ART 18 ART 260
CAN ART 20 ART 235
CAN ART SEQ A ART 201+ART 202
CAN BIOL SEQ A BIOL 230+BIOL 240
CAN CHEM 2 CHEM 115
CAN CHEM 4 CHEM 215+CHEM 216
CAN CHEM SEQ A CHEM 115+CHEM 215+CHEM 216
CAN DRAM 6 TH A 223
CAN DRAM 8 TH A 130
CAN ECON 2 ECON 100
CAN ECON 4 ECON 101
CAN ENGL 2 ENG 114
CAN ENGL 6 CW 101
CAN ENGR 4 ENGR 200
CAN ENGR 6 ENGR 205+ENGR 206
CAN ENGR 8 ENGR 102
CAN ENGR 12 ENGR 205
CAN FREN 2 FR 101
CAN FREN 4 FR 102
CAN FREN SEQ A FR 101+FR 102
CAN GEOG 2 GEOG 101
CAN GEOG 4 GEOG 102
CAN GEOL 2 GEOL 110
CAN GEOL 4 GEOL 115
CAN GOVT 2 PLSI 200
CAN HIST 2 HIST 110
CAN HIST 4 HIST 111
CAN HIST 8 HIST 120
CAN HIST 10 HIST 121
CAN HIST 14 HIST 114
CAN HIST 16 HIST 115
CAN HIST SEQ A HIST 110+HIST 111
CAN HIST SEQ B HIST 120+HIST 121
CAN HIST SEQ C HIST 114+HIST 115
CAN JAPN 2 JAPN 101
CAN JAPN 4 JAPN 102
CAN JAPN SEQ A JAPN 101+JAPN 102
CAN JOUR 2 JOUR 221
CAN JOUR 4 JOUR 200
CAN MATH 4 MATH 165
CAN MATH 16 MATH 109
CAN MATH 18 MATH 226
CAN MATH 20 MATH 227
CAN MATH 22 MATH 228
CAN MATH SEQ B MATH 226+MATH 227
CAN MATH SEQ C MATH 226+MATH 227+MATH 228
CAN PHIL 2 PHIL 101
CAN PHYS 2 PHYS 111+PHYS 112
CAN PHYS 4 PHYS 121+PHYS 122
CAN PHYS 8 PHYS 220+PHYS 222
CAN PHYS 12 PHYS 230+PHYS 232
CAN PHYS SEQ A PHYS 111+PHYS 112+PHYS 121+PHYS 122
CAN PSY 2 PSY 200
CAN REC 2 REC 200
CAN SOC 2 SOC 105
CAN SPAN 2 SPAN 101
CAN SPAN 4 SPAN 102
CAN SPAN SEQ A SPAN 101+SPAN 102
CAN STAT 2 MATH 124

What is course articulation? Course articulation is the written agreement between San Francisco State University and another institution; e.g., either a California community college, a University of California, a California State University, or an independent college or university, to accept a specific course(s) completed at a transfer institution to meet a specific major course requirement at SFSU. Faculty in each discipline review courses and approve all agreements. The agreements authorize the acceptance of one course or a sequence of courses "in lieu of" another for transferring students. Articulated courses are not to be construed as "equivalent" but rather as comparable courses; i.e., the content is such that similar outcomes are assured and advancement to the next level of instruction is appropriate.

What is the California Articulation Number (CAN) System? The California Articulation Number (CAN) System is a cross-reference course identification system for many lower division, transferable courses commonly taught on college campuses.

What should I do? Transfer students, wishing "in lieu of" transfer credit for a SFSU CAN designated course listed in the preceding section, should first consult both their transfer campus(es) catalog for the qualified CAN course(s) successfully completed and the list of SFSU qualified CAN courses to determine course to course comparability. Students are advised to consult with the major department for course to course comparability credit, course planning, and general major advisement.

For more details and additional information contact the SFSU department represented in CAN or the Articulation Officer, Office of Course Articulation, ADM 224, Advising Center, SFSU.