Mar 19, 2024  
2018-2019 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2018-2019 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Baccalaureate General Education Requirements


The General Education Component of all baccalaureate programs shall consist of the System General Education Requirements. Students may only select general education courses from a limited approved list to meet the System General Education Requirements. These requirements are effective for students entering Fall 2017.

System General Education Requirements Course/Credit Distribution

System General Education Requirements shall include 30 credits of course work. At least 3 credit hours shall be earned from each of 6 goals (total of 18 credits) set out below. Each institution shall identify 12 credit hours of additional course work from the six goals. The distribution of courses/credits will be maintained as guidelines managed by the Academic Affairs Council and approved by the Committee on Academic and Student Affairs.

Approved Courses to meet System General Education Requirements

The limited list of courses approved to meet each of the established system goals will be maintained as guidelines managed by the Academic Affairs Council and approved by the Committee on Academic and Student Affairs. Proposed changes to the courses permitted to meet System General Education Requirements are approved by the Board of Regents each year during the December meeting. The list of courses approved to meet each of the established system goals will be closely monitored by the System General Education Committee and Academic Affairs Council to ensure course relevance, program coherence, and breadth of student choice.

System General Education Goals and Requirements

The General Education Committee will specify student learning outcomes for each of the general education goals listed in this section using appropriate faculty input. The specific student learning outcomes will be maintained as guidelines and managed by the Academic Affairs Council in consultation with the System General Education Committee and approved by the Committee on Academic and Student Affairs. The six System General Education Goals are:

GOAL #1: English: 
Students will write effectively and responsibly and will understand and interpret the written expression of others

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Write using standard American English, including correct punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure;
  2. Write logically;
  3. Write persuasively, with a variety of rhetorical strategies (e.g., expository, argumentative, descriptive);
  4. Incorporate formal research and documentation into their writing, including research obtained through modern, technology-based research tools.

Each course meeting this goal includes the above student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2, #3, and #4 - Credit Hours: 6 hours

NOTE: Student enrollment in the initial English course is determined by the Board of Regents placement policy (2:7.6).

GOAL #2: Speech: 
Students will communicate effectively and responsibly through listening and speaking.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Prepare and deliver speeches for a variety of audiences and settings;
  2. Demonstrate speaking competencies including choice and use of topic, supporting materials, organizational pattern, language usage, presentational aids, and delivery;
  3. Demonstrate listening competencies by summarizing, analyzing, and paraphrasing ideas, perspectives and emotional content.

Each course meeting this goal includes the above student learning outcomes
Required: #1, #2, and #3 - Credit Hours: 3 hours

GOAL #3: Social Science: 
Students will understand the organization, potential, and diversity of the human community through study of the social sciences.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Identify and explain basic concepts, terminology and theories of the selected social science disciplines from different spatial, temporal, cultural and/or institutional contexts;
  2. Apply selected social science concepts and theories to contemporary issues;
  3. Identify and explain the social or aesthetic values of different cultures.

    In addition, as a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of at least one of the following:
     
  4. The origin and evolution of human institutions;
  5. The allocation of human or natural resources within societies;
  6. The impact of diverse philosophical, ethical or religious views;

Each course meeting this goal includes the above student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2 and #3 - At least one of the following: #4, #5, or #6 - Credit Hours: 6 hours (in 2 different disciplines)

GOAL #4: Arts & Humanities: 
Students will understand the diversity and complexity of the human experience through study of the arts and humanities

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the diversity of values, beliefs, and ideas embodied in the human experience;
  2. Identify and explain basic concepts of the selected disciplines within the arts and humanities.

    In addition, as a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will be able to do at least one of the following:
     
  3. Identify and explain the contributions of other cultures from the perspective of the selected disciplines within the arts and humanities;
  4. Demonstrate creative and aesthetic understanding;
  5. Explain and interpret formal and stylistic elements of the literary or fine arts;
  6. Demonstrate foundational competency in reading, writing, and speaking a non-English language.

Each course meeting this goal includes the above student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2 - At least one of the following: #3, #4, #5, or #6 - Credit Hours: 6 hours (in 2 disciplines or a sequence of foreign language courses)

GOAL #5: Mathematics: 
Students will understand and apply fundamental mathematical processes and reasoning.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Use mathematical symbols and mathematical structure to model and solve real world problems;
  2. Demonstrate appropriate communication skills related to mathematical terms and concepts;
  3. Demonstrate the correct use of quantifiable measurements of real world situations.

Each course meeting this goal includes the above student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2 and #3 - Credit Hours: 3 hours

NOTE: Student enrollment in the initial Mathematics course is determined by the Board of Regents placement policy (2:7.6).

GOAL #6: Natural Science: 
Students will understand the fundamental principles of the natural sciences and apply scientific methods of inquiry to investigate the natural world.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Demonstrate the scientific method in a laboratory experience;
  2. Gather and critically evaluate data using the scientific method;
  3. Identify and explain the basic concepts, terminology and theories of the selected natural sciences;
  4. Apply selected natural science concepts and theories to contemporary issues.

Each course meeting this goal includes the above student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2, #3 and #4 - Credit Hours: 6-8 hours (2 courses with corresponding labs)

 

 

Associate Degree General Education Requirements

System General Education Requirements Curse/Credit Distribution

System General Education Requirements shall include 24 credits of course work. At least 3 credit hours shall be earned from each of 6 goals (total of 18 credits) set out below. Each institution shall identify 6 credit hours of additional course work from the six goals. The distribution of courses/credits will be maintained as guidelines managed by the Academic Affairs Council and approved by the Committee on Academic and Student Affairs.

Approved Courses to Meet System General Education Requirements

The limited list of courses approved to meet each of the established system goals will be maintained as guidelines managed by the Academic Affairs Council and approved by the Committee on Academic and Student Affairs. Proposed changes to the courses permitted to meet System General Education Requirements are approved by the Board of Regents each year during the December meeting. The list of courses approved to meet each of the established system goals will be closely monitored by the System General Education Committee and Academic Affairs Council to ensure course relevance, program coherence, and breadth of student choice.

System General Education Goals and Requirements

The General Education Committee will specify student learning outcomes for each of the general education goals listed in this section using appropriate faculty input. The specific student learning outcomes will be maintained as guidelines and managed by the Academic Affairs Council in consultation with the System General Education Committee and approved by the Committee on Academic and Student Affairs. The six System General Education Goals are:

 

GOAL #1: Students will write effectively and responsibly and will understand and interpret the written expression of others. Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Write using standard American English, including correct punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure;
  2. Write logically;
  3. Write persuasively, with a variety of rhetorical strategies (e.g., expository, argumentative, descriptive);
  4. Incorporate formal research and documentation into their writing, including research obtained through modern, technology-based research tools.

NOTE: Student enrollment in the initial English course is determined by the Board of Regents placement policy (2:7.6).

GOAL #2: Students will communicate effectively and responsibly through listening and speaking. Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Prepare and deliver speeches for a variety of audiences and settings;
  2. Demonstrate speaking competencies including choice and use of topic, supporting materials, organizational pattern, language usage, presentational aids, and delivery;
  3. Demonstrate listening competencies by summarizing, analyzing, and paraphrasing ideas, perspectives and emotional content.

GOAL #3: Students will understand the organization, potential, and diversity of the human community through study of the social sciences.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Identify and explain basic concepts, terminology and theories of the selected social science disciplines from different spatial, temporal, cultural and/or institutional contexts.
  2. Apply selected social science concepts and theories to contemporary issues;
  3. Identify and explain the social or aesthetic values of different cultures.

    In addition, as a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of at least one of the following:
     
  4. The origin and evolution of human institutions;
  5. The allocation of human or natural resources within societies;
  6. The impact of diverse philosophical, ethical or religious views;

GOAL #4: Students will understand the diversity and complexity of the human experience through study of the arts and humanities.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the diversity of values, beliefs, and ideas embodied in the human experience;
  2. Identify and explain basic concepts of the selected disciplines within the arts and humanities.

    In addition, as a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will be able to do at least one of the following:
     
  3. Identify and explain the contributions of other cultures from the perspective of the selected disciplines within the arts and humanities;
  4. Demonstrate creative and aesthetic understanding;
  5. Explain and interpret formal and stylistic elements of the literary or fine arts;
  6. Demonstrate foundational competency in reading, writing, and speaking a non-English language.

GOAL #5: Students will understand and apply fundamental mathematical processes and reasoning.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Use mathematical symbols and mathematical structure to model and solve real world problems;
  2. Demonstrate appropriate communication skills related to mathematical terms and concepts;
  3. Demonstrate the correct use of quantifiable measurements of real world situations.

NOTE: Student enrollment in the initial Mathematics course is determined by the Board of Regents placement policy (2:7.6).

GOAL #6: Students will understand the fundamental principles of the natural sciences and apply scientific methods of inquiry to investigate the natural world.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Demonstrate the scientific method in a laboratory experience;
  2. Gather and critically evaluate data using the scientific method;
  3. Identify and explain the basic concepts, terminology and theories of the selected natural sciences;
  4. Apply selected natural science concepts and theories to contemporary issues.