General Education Goals, Criteria and Outcomes

Category One: Communication and Literacy (CL)

Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to read, write, speak, and listen effectively.

To fulfill the CL category, students are required to earn 9 credits, with one 3-credit course in each of the following subcategories: CL-CW: Communication and Writing, CL-CS: Communication Speaking and Listening, and CL-CA: Communication Advanced

Subcategory 1.1: Communication Writing (CL-CW)

Students will be able to:

• Conceive ideas about a topic through interpretation of written and/or multimodal materials. 
• Synthesize ideas about a topic through critical analysis. 
• Arrange ideas logically and express them in standard written English.

Subcategory 1.2: Communication Speaking and Listening (CL-CS)

Students will be able to: 

• craft messages that purposefully respond to a variety of speaking contexts.
• employ principles of effective verbal and nonverbal communication delivery.
• engage in active listening to decipher and critique the messages of others.
• apply knowledge of the communication process through appropriate message delivery. 

Subcategory 1.3: Communication Advanced (CL-CA)

Students will be able to:

• Conceive ideas about a subject through interpretation of complex written and/or multimodal materials at an advanced language level.
• Locate and critically evaluate scholarly and analytical sources.
• Use critical thinking to formulate complex written responses while taking a position supported through scholarly and analytical research. 

Category 2: Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS)

Students will be able to describe the diverse ways of thinking that support the search for knowledge in the social sciences. 

Students must choose 6 credits from two different disciplinary prefixes.

Students will be able to:

• Identify basic methods of the social and behavioral sciences.
• Describe theoretical perspectives in the social and behavioral sciences.
• Correctly apply terms and concepts that explain human/social behavior.

Category 3: Humanities and Arts (HA)

 Students will be able to describe the diverse ways of thinking that support the search for knowledge in the humanities and/or arts and diversity studies.

To fulfill the HA category, students are required to earn 6 credits from two different subcategories: HA-HA: Humanities and Arts and HA-ACD: American Cultural Diversity. Students must choose courses from two different disciplinary prefixes.

Subcategory 3.1: Humanities and Arts (HA)

Students will be able to:

• Analyze human experience AND/OR human expression in terms of personal, intellectual, artistic, aesthetic, linguistic, philosophical, religious, or social contexts.

Subcategory 3.2: American Cultural Diversity (ACD)

Students will be able to:

• Examine the ways in which issues of racism shape social identities within American society.
• Examine the ways in which racism influences behaviors within American society.
• Analyze how racism’s influence on American society affects their own lives.

Category 4: Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (MQR)

Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the principles and methods of mathematics and quantitative reasoning. All students are required to take 3 credits to fulfill this requirement. 

Students will be able to:

• Convert relevant information into appropriate mathematical forms (e.g., equations, graphs, diagrams, tables, words).
• Make judgements and draw appropriate conclusions based on the quantitative analysis of data.

Category 5: Natural Sciences and Wellness (NSW)

Students will be able to demonstrate knowledge of the principles and methods of quantitative and qualitative scientific and wellness reasoning, including in a laboratory experience.

To fulfill the NSW category, students are required to earn 6 credits from two different subcategories: NSW: National Science and Wellness and NSWL: Natural Science and Wellness Laboratory. Students must choose courses from two different disciplinary prefixes.

Subcategory 5.1: Natural Sciences and Wellness (NSW)

Students will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to apply scientific reasoning to construct and justify scientific claims about naturally occurring phenomena.
• Evaluate and make informed, responsible decisions regarding science-related claims and information from popular and/or peer-reviewed sources.

Subcategory 5.2: Natural Sciences and Wellness Laboratory (NSWL)

Students will be able to:

• Apply scientific reasoning to construct and justify scientific claims about naturally occurring phenomena.
• Use scientific methodology and principles to investigate and understand the natural world.

Category 6: Civics and Perspectives (CP)

Students will be able to make and defend judgments with respect to individual conduct, citizenship, stewardship of the environment, and global perspectives.

To fulfill the Civics and Perspectives category, students are required to take 6 credits from two subcategories: EC: Ethical Citizenship and GP: Global Perspectives.  Students must choose classes from different disciplinary prefixes. 

Subcategory 6.1: Ethical Citizenship (CP-EC)

Students will be able to:

• Identify environmental factors that influence ethical decision making.
• Apply a framework for making ethical decisions.

 Subcategory 6.2: Global Perspectives (CP-GP)

Students will be able to:

• Analyze global or international issues.
• Compare various aspects of an international culture to their own.

Goal One: Communicate effectively.

Students will demonstrate the ability to read, write, speak, and listen effectively.

Students will be able to:

1. express ideas and facts in a variety of formats
2. comprehend, interpret, and analyze oral, written, and visual communication
3. effectively communicate ideas related to a broad range of subjects and to a specific area of study
4. select, evaluate, and organize visual and print material and information in a logical and clear manner.

To fulfill this goal, students are required to earn 9 credits, with one 3 credit course in each of the CW (Communication – Reading and Writing), CS (Communication – Speaking and Listening), and CA (Advanced Communication) designations.

Communication (C)

Criteria:

• Courses designated C enable students to express ideas in a variety of formats.
• Courses designated C enable students to comprehend, interpret, and analyze oral, written, and visual communication.
• Courses designated C enable students to effectively communicate ideas related to a broad range of subjects and to a specific area of study.
• Courses designated as CA must be at the 200 level or higher.

Outcomes:

Communication-Reading and Writing (CW)

Students will be able to:

1. read print and visual material analytically and critically.
2. conceive ideas about a topic, synthesize and arrange them logically, and express them clearly and proficiently in standard English.

Communication-Speaking and Listening (CS)

Students will be able to:

1. deliver oral presentations clearly and effectively.
2. effectively construct and incorporate visual aids (e.g., handouts, charts, technologies, etc.) to support ideas in presentations.
3. listen critically to communications of others, and summarize and evaluate their ideas.

Advanced Communication (CA)

Students will be able to:

1. read and interpret print, electronic, and visual text at an advanced level.
2. perform critical and analytical research through scholarly methods.
3. use written communication advanced in form and style, idea development, and analysis to formulate complex responses that explore and defend their own ideas.

Approved March 2, 2004
Revised April 28, 2005
Revised March 21, 2007

Goal Two: Demonstrate knowledge of past and present human endeavor. Describe the diverse ways of thinking that underlie the search for knowledge in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Students will be able to:

1. demonstrate an understanding of human behavior in context
2. develop generalizations about societal changes over time and explain theoretical structures to account for those changes
3. describe the nature and development of ideas, beliefs, literature, language and the arts in historical and contemporary culture.

To fulfill this goal, students are required to earn 6 credits under each designation for a total of 12 credits. All courses must be taken from different disciplinary prefixes (e.g. ART, MUS, COMS).

Social and Behavioral Sciences (SB)

Criteria:

Courses designated SB:

• are based on empirical research and human experience.
• explore behavioral, civic, economic, or social relationships.
• examine factors that explain human/social behavior.

Outcomes:

Students will be able to:

1. identify basic methods of the social and behavioral sciences.
2. recognize and explain theoretical perspectives in the social and behavioral sciences.
3. identify and correctly use terms and concepts that explain human/social behavior.

Humanities and Fine Arts (HF)

Criteria:

1. Courses designated HF emphasize philosophical, moral, and aesthetic principles that are part of the human experience.
2. Courses designated HF concentrate on the relationships between a culture and its creative expression.

Outcomes:

1. Students will recognize, analyze, and interpret human experience in terms of personal, intellectual, and social contexts.
2. Students will recognize, analyze, and interpret human expression in terms of personal, intellectual, and social contexts.

Approved March 2, 2004
Revised April 28, 2005
Revised May 2, 2007

Goal Three: Apply scientific principles to the natural world. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the principles and methods of quantitative and qualitative scientific reasoning.  

Students will be able to:

1. apply mathematical skills in quantitative, qualitative, and analytical problem solving
2. demonstrate a knowledge of natural science,
3. analyze and interpret scientific data through inquiry-based activities.

To fulfill this goal, students are required to earn a minimum of 9 credits, with at least 3 credits under the M designation, and at least 6 credits under the SI designation in two courses. The courses taken under the SI designation must be from different disciplinary prefixes (e.g. BIOL, CHEM, GEOL).

Mathematics (M)

Criterion:

Courses designated M:

• emphasize mathematical skills in quantitative, qualitative, and analytical problem solving.

Outcome:

Students will be able to:

1. demonstrate and apply mathematical skills to quantitative, qualitative, and analytical problem solving.

Sciences (S)

Criterion:

Courses designated S:

• emphasize a knowledge of the natural sciences.

Outcome:

Students will be able to:

     1. demonstrate and apply mathematical skills to quantitative, qualitative, and analytical problem solving.

Scientific Investigation (SL)

Scientific inquiry is a powerful approach to developing human understanding of the natural world. This requirement aims at strengthening students' knowledge of the scientific method — the use of systematic observation, computational methods, simulation and/or experimentation to develop theories and/or test hypotheses. While rigorous scientific inquiry occurs in a wide variety of disciplines, courses which satisfy this requirement are limited to subjects which investigate natural or computational phenomena. Courses approved for this category must incorporate significant inquiry-based learning activities into course content and must include one or more investigative projects in which students are required to analyze and interpret scientific data

Criteria:

Courses designated SL:

• develop students' understanding of the natural or computational sciences.
• strengthen students' knowledge of the scientific method — the use of systematic observation, computational methods, simulation and/or experimentation to develop theories and/or test hypotheses.
• emphasize and provide experience with analysis of scientific data through the collection of empirical data and/or use of simulated or existing data resources through inquiry-based learning activities.

Outcomes:

Students will be able to:

1. demonstrate knowledge of theoretical principles and scientific methodology for explaining and predicting phenomena in the natural or computational world.
2. demonstrate the ability to develop and test hypotheses by collecting and/or accessing, analyzing, interpreting and communicating scientific data demonstrated through significant inquiry-based activities.

Approved March 2, 2004
Revised April 18, 2007
Revised March 14, 2015

Goal Four: Engage in multidisciplinary inquiry. 

Students will analyze questions and issues from a multidisciplinary perspective. 

Goal Five: Evaluate individual responsibility to self, society, and the world. Students will make and defend judgments with respect to individual conduct and well being, citizenship, and stewardship of the environment. 

The student will be able to:

1. analyze choices regarding conflicting situations in their personal and professional lives and consider the consequences of their decisions
2. evaluate personal health status in order to modify/maintain healthy lifestyle patterns to enhance quality of life
3. identify individual and collective responsibilities to the physical and social environment, community, nation, and world

To fulfill this goal, students are required to earn 5 credits under this General Education goal: 2 credits under the HW designation and 3 credits under the EC designation.

Personal Health and Wellness (HW)

Criteria:

Courses designated HW require students to:

• analyze choices regarding conflicting situations in their personal lives and consider the consequences of these choices.
• evaluate personal health status in order to modify/maintain healthy lifestyle patterns to enhance their quality of life.

Outcome:

Students will be able to:

1. research, analyze, and justify choices that enhance (personal, physical, social, environmental, and economic) well being for themselves and others.

Ethical Citizenship (EC)

Criteria:

Courses designated EC:

• will identify individual and collective responsibilities to the social and natural environment of one’s community, nation and the world.
• focus on the process of decision-making regarding values and ethics in personal, professional, and civic life.

Outcomes:

Students will be able to:

1. identify factors of the social and natural environment that  influence ethical decision-making.
2. evaluate ethical conflict and ways to address it to serve the world.

Approved March 2, 2004
Revised April 28, 2005