General Education: Category Criteria

Successful completion of Composition I (English 111) or its equivalent (obtained through testing, transfer, etc.) will be prerequisite for enrollment in all communication-intensive courses. 

Communication-intensive (CI) courses will, at minimum: 

• refine students’ abilities to construct a range of coherent, effective, well-documented written and oral presentations within the discipline that - are appropriate for audience and purpose 

          - consider a range of perspectives and experiences 

          - effectively employ appropriate rhetorical strategies, such as logical, emotional and ethical appeals 

• require critical use of outside resources appropriate to the course content, to - enhance students’ ability to identify and evaluate sources appropriately - refine students’ abilities to synthesize and cite materials responsibly and appropriately 

• include critical reading, viewing. and/or listening to multiple modes of communication, developing skills to identify premises and assumptions of complex arguments 

• require that each student complete a minimum of 10 double-spaced pages of formal writing and the equivalent of 10 double-spaced pages of informal writing (such as posts to email dialogue groups, responses, journals, etc.),  divided into multiple assignments that 

          - attend to both process and product in instruction and evaluation 

          - include appropriate instructor feedback 

          - require that students apply feedback to revise their work 

          - extend and refine students’ editing skills

• require that each student engage in at least one significant formal as well as informal speaking activities that include appropriate instructor feedback

Main Student Objective 

• To read major literary works critically with appreciation and understanding.

Course Requirements

• ENGL 111 is a prerequisite to all courses in Category 1.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:  

1. interpret literary texts, employing recognized methods and terminology from relevant disciplines.
2. understand how literary texts communicate meaning in relation to wider contexts--for example, the literary, historical, socio-cultural, or philosophical.
3. engage texts through persuasive critical writing and speaking, meeting or exceeding CI designated requirements.

Category Tripartite Goal

• Students will have developed skills in Critical Thinking.

Courses

• ENGL 202 - Literary Genre (3 cr) 
• ENGL 203 - Historical Approaches to Literature (3 cr) 
• ENGL 204 - Thematic Approaches to Literature (3 cr) 
• ENGL 205 - Studies in World Literature (3 cr) 
• MFL 205 - Studies in World Literature (3 cr) 
• PHIL 220 - Philosophical Themes in Literature (3 cr) 

Main Student Objective

• To appreciate the arts; to understand the arts as vehicles for human expression.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:  

1. demonstrate an understanding of foundational vocabulary relevant to the area of study.  
2. articulate the elements present in a work of art.
3. position art forms within their historical or cultural context.

Category Tripartite Goal

• Students will have developed skills in Critical Thinking.

Courses

• ART 100 - Art Appreciation (3 cr) 
• ART 130! - Art and Understanding (3 cr) 
• MUS 117A - Musical Experience: Classical Music (3 cr) 
• MUS 117B! - Musical Exp: Non-Western Music (3 cr) 
• MUS 117C - Music Exp: Music in the United States (3 cr) 
• MUS 117D - Musical Experience: The Piano (3 cr) 
• MUS 117E - Mus Exp: Listening for the Elements (3 cr) 
• MUS 117F - The Musical Experience: Jazz History (3 cr) 
• MUS 117G – Musical Experience: A History of Rock Music (3 cr) 
• THEA 128A - Introduction to Theatre (3 cr) 
• THEA 128B! - Theatre in Performance (3 cr) 
• THEA 137! - Acting and Analysis (3 cr)

Main Student Objective 

• To understand and manipulate numerical data; to respond to arguments and positions based on numbers and/or statistics.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:  

1. demonstrate problem solving skills and quantitative reasoning appropriate to the discipline.
2. respond to arguments based on numbers and/or statistics.

Category Tripartite Goal

• Students will have developed skills in Critical Thinking.

Courses

• ECON 235 - Introductory Statistics (4 cr) 
• MATH 120A - Algebraic Methods: College Algebra (4 cr) 
• MATH 120B - Algebraic Methods: Finite Math (4 cr) 
• MATH 125 - Contemporary Mathematics (4 cr) 
• MATH 132A - Statistical Methods: General Statistics (4 cr) 
• MATH 132B - Statistical Methods: Biostatistics (4 cr) 
• MATH 140 - Introductory Mathematical Analysis (4 cr) 
• MATH 161 - Calculus I (4 cr) 
• PS 225! - Statistics (4 cr) 
• PSYC 299 - Statistics (4 cr) 
• SOC 225 - Statistics (4 cr) 

Main Student Objective

• To understand basic scientific concepts; to appreciate how these concepts are verified through experimentation and observation; and to become knowledgeable and responsible citizens in dealing with the challenges of a sophisticated technological society.

Course Requirements

• Students must take courses from two different departments to fulfill Category 4 requirements; at least one of these courses must be a laboratory course.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:  

1. demonstrate how the scientific method is used to obtain new data and advance knowledge.
2. apply scientific information (data, concepts, and models) to the understanding of broader societal issues.
3. acquire and interpret scientific knowledge through experimentation. [for laboratory courses] 

Category Tripartite Goal

• Students will have developed skills in Critical Thinking.  

Courses (laboratory courses in italics) 

• BIOL 104A - Plants and Civilization (3 cr)
• BIOL 104B - Human Biology (3 cr)
• BIOL 105A - Science of Life (4 cr)
• BIOL 105B - Environmental Dynamics (4 cr)
• BIOL 105C - Human Heredity (4 cr)
• BIOL 111A - Principles of Experimental Biol: Biology (4 cr)
• BIOL 111B - Principles of Experimental Biol: Zoology (3 cr)
• BIOL 111C - Principles of Experimental Biol: Botany (3 cr)
• CHEM 102A - Principles of Chemistry (3 cr)
• CHEM 102B - Concepts of Matter (4 cr)
• CHEM 111 - General Chemistry I Lecture (4 cr)
• CHEM 111L - General Chemistry I Lab (1 cr)
• GEOG 101! - Introduction to Physical Geography (3 cr)
• PHYS 106A - Earth & Space Science: Physical Geology (4 cr)
• PHYS 106B - Earth & Space Science: Meteorology (4 cr)
• PHYS 106C - Earth & Space Science: Astronomy (4 cr)
• PHYS 107 - Our Physical World (4 cr)
• PHYS 111 - General Physics I (4 cr)
• PHYS 111L - General Physics I Lab (1 cr)
• PHYS 211 - Analytical Physics I (4 cr)
• PHYS 211L - Introductory Physics I Lab (1 cr)

Main Student Objective

• To identify and subject to analysis the significant ideas and events of human history by
  understanding cause and effect relationships through historical and logical investigation, narration
  and synthesis.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:

1. apply philosophical theories to particular cases or identify how ideas and action are related by considering cause and effect relationships in history.
2. evaluate conflicting knowledge claims through a historical or logical narrative or synthesis.

Category Tripartite Goal

Students will have developed skills in Critical Thinking.

Courses

• HIST 100B - Hist Surv: U.S. to 1877 (3 cr)
• HIST 100C - Hist Surv: U.S. Since 1877 (3 cr)
• HIST 100D - Hist Surv: World to 1500 (3 cr)
• HIST 100E - Hist Surv: World Since 1500 (3 cr)
• HIST 110! - Problems in Modern History (3 cr)
• PHIL 123 - Introduction to Western Philosophy (3 cr)
• PHIL 205A! - Professional Ethics: Business (3 cr)
• PHIL 205B! - Professional Ethics: Health Care (3 cr)
• PHIL 205C! - Professional Ethics: Legal System (3 cr)
• PHIL 210A - Applied Ethics in Law & Society (3 cr)
• PHIL 210B - Appl Ethics-Engineering & Computer Tech (3 cr)
• PHIL 280 - Introduction to Philosophy of Science (3 cr)
• RS 100 - Introduction to the Study of Religion (3 cr)  

Main Student Objective

• To analyze and interpret social phenomena and human thought processes using the techniques and procedures of the social sciences.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:

1. demonstrate knowledge of descriptive, analytical, and empirical research methods as used by social scientists.
2. demonstrate knowledge of a range of human thought processes (including physical and social factors that shape such processes).
3. demonstrate the effects of culture and cross-cultural interaction on ideas and events.

Category Tripartite Goal

• Students will have developed skills in Critical Thinking.

Courses

• ECON 125 - Introduction to Economics (3 cr)
• GEOG 202! - North Amer Regional Geography (3 cr)
• PS 118! - Introduction to Political Science (3 cr)
• PSYC 100 - General Psychology (4 cr)
• SOC 112 - Introduction to Anthropology (3 cr)  

Main Student Objective

• To identify, describe and understand the workings of important social, economic and political institutions and the relationship of the individual to these institutions.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:

1. understand historical contexts of institutions.
2. understand the effects of culture and cross-cultural interaction on institutions, ideas, and events.
3. understand the ways individuals’ values and individuals’ ethics shape and are shaped by institutions.

Category Tripartite Goal

• Students will have developed skills in Logical Reasoning.

Courses

• BLS 100 - Introduction to Black Studies (3 cr)
• CJ 201! - Intro to Criminal Justice (3 cr)
• ECON 221 - Principles of Macroeconomics (4 cr)
• PS 123 - The American Political System (3 cr)
• SOC 111 - Introduction to Sociology (3 cr)

Main Student Objective

• To understand the nature of significant international systems and to step outside of the constraints of one’s own society.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:

1. articulate the nature of and relationships between complex, overlapping world-wide systems of human creation (any combination of cultural, economic, political, ideational, and built systems).
2. locate the origins of and influences upon individual values or ethics within international systems.

Category Tripartite Goal

• Students will have developed skills in Critical Thinking.

Courses

• GEOG 201 - World Cultural/Regional Geography (3 cr)
• HIST 213 - Survey of South Asian History (3 cr)
• HIST 215 - Survey of East Asian History (3 cr)
• HIST 220 - Survey of European History (3 cr)
• PHIL 213 - South Asian Civilizations (3 cr)
• PHIL 215 - East Asian Civilizations (3 cr)
• PS 130! - World Politics (3 cr)
• SOC 280! - Global Cultures (3 cr)  

Main Student Objective

• To develop greater proficiency in English or a foreign language in general and discipline-specific settings.

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:

1. communicate effectively and appropriately in interpersonal contexts.
2. formulate and present effective messages when speaking in specific contexts.
3. interpret verbal and nonverbal messages in culturally appropriate ways.

Category Tripartite Goal

• Students will have developed skills in Effective Communication.

Courses

• COMM 105A - Fundamentals of Communication (3 cr)
• COMM 105B - Public Speaking (3 cr)
• COMM 105C - Intro to Communication: Argumentation (3 cr)
• FREN 111 - Elementary French I (4 cr)
• FREN 112 - Elementary French II (4 cr)
• FREN 211 - Intermediate French I (4 cr)
• GER 111 - Elementary German I (4 cr)
• GER 112 - Elementary German II (4 cr)
• JAPN 111 - Elementary Japanese I (4 cr)
• JAPN 112 - Elementary Japanese II (4 cr)
• JAPN 211 - Intermediate Japanese I (4 cr)
• SPAN 111 - Elementary Spanish I (4 cr)
• SPAN 112 - Elementary Spanish II (4 cr)
• SPAN 211 - Intermediate Spanish I (4 cr)

Main Student Objective

• To write effective, researched academic texts in English.

Course Requirements

1. ENGL 111 is a prerequisite to all courses in Category 10.
2. Each course will require the completion of a minimum of 20 double-spaced pages of formal writing and the equivalent of 20 double-spaced pages of drafts and informal writing, divided into multiple assignments which include appropriate feedback.
3. Each course will require responsible and effective incorporation of appropriate source materials, using appropriate documentation format(s).

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will:

1. Write in a manner responsive to the context, the audience, and the purpose of the assigned task(s).
2. Use conventions particular to a specific genre or discipline, including organization, content, presentation, formatting, and/or stylistic choices.
3. Employ high quality, credible, relevant sources to develop ideas that are appropriate for the discipline or genre of the writing.

Category Tripartite Goal

• Students will have developed skills in Effective Communication.

Courses

• ENGL 212 - Topics in Critical Writing (3 cr)
• GS 100 - Introduction to Gender Studies (3 cr)
• HIST 111 - Introduction to Historical Study (3 cr)
• PHIL 114 - Introduction to Logic (3 cr)
• PS 112 - Writing and Politics (3 cr)
• RPW 210 - Rhetoric, Culture, & Power (3 cr)