Guidelines for the Approval of State University General Education Requirement Courses
Knowledge and Skill Areas
Mathematics
Students will show competence in the following quantitative reasoning skills:
- Arithmetic
- Algebra
- Geometry
- Data analysis
- Quantitative reasoning
Natural Sciences
Students will demonstrate:
- Understanding of the methods scientists use to explore natural phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical analysis
- Application of scientific data, concepts, and models in one of the natural sciences
Social Sciences
Students will demonstrate:
- Understanding of the methods social scientists use to explore social phenomena, including observation, hypothesis development, measurement and data collection, experimentation, evaluation of evidence, and employment of mathematical and interpretive analysis
- Knowledge of major concepts, models, and issues of at least one discipline in the social sciences
American History
Students will demonstrate:
- Knowledge of a basic narrative of American history-political, economic, social, and cultural, including knowledge of unity and diversity in American society
- Knowledge of common institutions in American society and how they have affected different groups
- Understanding of America's evolving relationship with the rest of the world
Western Civilization
Students will:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the development of the distinctive features of the history, institutions, economy, society, culture, etc., of Western civilization
- Relate the development of Western civilization to that of other regions of the world
Other World Civilizations
Students will demonstrate:
- Knowledge of a broad outline of world history, or
- The distinctive features of the history, institutions, economy, society, culture, etc., of one non-Western civilization
Humanities
Students will demonstrate:
- Knowledge of the conventions and methods of at least one of the humanities in addition to those encompassed by other knowledge areas required by the General Education Program
The Arts
Students will demonstrate:
- Understanding of at least one principal form of artistic expression and the creative process inherent therein
Foreign Language
Students will demonstrate:
- Basic proficiency in the understanding and use of a foreign language
- Knowledge of the distinctive features of culture(s) associated with the language they are studying
Basic Communication
Students will:
- Produce coherent texts within common college-level written forms
- Demonstrate the ability to revise and improve such texts
- Research a topic, develop an argument, and organize supporting details
- Develop proficiency in oral discourse
- Evaluate an oral presentation according to established criteria
Competencies
The following two competencies should be infused throughout the General Education program:
Critical Thinking (Reasoning)
Students will:
- Identify, analyze, and evaluate arguments as they occur in their own or others' work
- Develop well-reasoned arguments
Information Management
Students will:
- Perform the basic operations of personal computer use
- Understand and use basic research techniques
- Locate, evaluate, and synthesize information from a variety of sources