Potential Topics for New Course Development

To facilitate the development of new common core courses, a list of potential topics is suggested to serve as a guide. They are not meant to define the boundary of subjects and contents, nor merely here for dissemination of knowledge and facts. They suggest important, but often controversial issues, the study of which through well-designed course and pedagogy would provide opportunities for students to research and learn, to reflect on themselves, to recognize their own identity and their position, and to gradually formulate their own view, i.e., developing their value as individuals. Collectively, it may help define the core values of this university, which may take shape in 5, 10 or 15 years.

Faculty and teaching units may draw on these topics as reference for developing new courses. It is important to note that these topics are not meant to be, nor can they be, exhaustive or exclusive. While each of them can be a potential topic itself, a combination of the ideas can be re-formulated into a new interdisciplinary topic. There is no pre-defined common core area for these topics. Depending on the area learning outcomes to be achieved, it is possible to list a course under more than one common core area.