What is the Common Undergraduate Experience (or CUE)?

The proposed CUE would replace the University Curriculum Requirements. Unlike the UCR, the CUE is not discipline-oriented. Students are not required to take a certain number of hours in any specific discipline, such as religion or math. Instead, courses are meant to satisfy certain outcomes outlined in the CUE.

How does this directly affect current students?

The plan is to implement the CUE in the 2003-2004 school year for incoming freshman, meaning current students will not take any CUE courses.

What’s the fuss all about?

Many professors are worried the humanities will not have much of a place in the CUE. They fear the CUE will lead TCU away from being a liberal arts school. Crafters of the CUE say it does not reduce the role of the humanities, and could actually expand it. Others want to see more writing courses in the CUE, which currently requires three hours. The UCR required 12 (six writing workshop and six writing emphasis). Supporters say writing will be an emphasis in the post-CUE requirements at the college or departmental level. They also say writing will be a core component of most CUE classes. Other professors feel some of the outcomes are vaguely worded or are hard to measure.

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