Philosophy of General Education

The university’s general education curriculum provides a broad-based, integrative, and practical learning experience meant to prepare students for responsible civic and cultural engagement in a global context. By completing general education coursework, you will have gained skills and knowledge in arts, humanities, literature, communication, civics, political science, social science, mathematics and applied reasoning, and natural sciences. This level of knowledge and skill helps our students to become effective leaders, creative thinkers, responsible citizens, and ethical decision makers.

The general education categories span six broad areas of study that encompass existing disciplines frequently found in liberal education, while providing the flexibility to explore topics of interest relevant to your degree program. Completion of the courses listed below fulfills the university’s general education requirements within all associate and bachelor's degree programs, but your program may have unique requirements. We encourage you to carefully review the course requirements in your academic plan.

Arts & Humanities (6 semester hours)

Courses in the arts, humanities, and literature provide students with the opportunity to analyze and interpret artifacts within the appropriate historical, cultural, economic, social, or religious contexts. Students gain an appreciation for the myriad ways art, music, literature, cinema, theater, media, sports, and other artistic and creative forms of community and self-expression contribute to the production and reception of ideas, and how these shape all aspects of society both within and across cultural boundaries.

Competency: Explain the value and contribution of the humanities in contemporary society.

ARAB100Arabic I3
ARAB101Arabic II3
ARTH200Art Appreciation3
ARTH240Survey of Photography3
ARTH241Film and Literature3
DSIN141Image Enhancement using Adobe Photoshop®3
FREN100French I3
FREN101French II3
GERM100German I3
GERM101German II3
JAPN100Introduction to Japanese3
LITR215Literature of American Encounters, Revolution, and Rebellion3
LITR218From Abolition to #MeToo: Literature of the American Civil Rights Movement3
LITR222Pivotal Figures in Early British Literature3
LITR225British Literature from Wordsworth through the Wasteland3
LITR231Leadership in World Literature: Antiquity to the Early Modern Period3
LITR233Literature of the Newly Globalized World: The Individual’s Struggle to Adapt3
MUSI200Music Appreciation3
MUSI212Jazz and Rock3
MUSI250World Music and Cultures3
PHIL101Introduction to Philosophy3
PHIL110Critical Thinking3
PHIL200Introduction to Ethics3
PHIL202Philosophy of Science3
PORT100Introduction to Brazilian Portuguese3
RELS101Introduction to the Study of Religion3
RELS201Introduction to World Religions3
RUSS100Russian I3
SPAN100Spanish I3
SPAN101Spanish II3
STEM270Thinking and Acting Ethically3

Civics, Political & Social Sciences (6 semester hours)

Explore cultural, economic, historical, political, psychological, social, or technological systems and issues that have shaped and continue to shape societies around the world. Courses explore trends and issues in globalization, emerging technologies, theoretical and practical models used for understanding local, transnational and transglobal problems, and differences in the ways individuals and societies experience and perceive the world.

Competency:  Explain the inter-dependence of cultural, economic, historical, political, psychological, social, or technological systems within and across cultures.

ANTH100Introduction to Anthropology3
ANTH202Introduction to Cultural Anthropology3
CHFD220Human Sexuality3
COMM211Social Media and Society3
COMM240Intercultural Communication3
ECON101Microeconomics3
ECON102Macroeconomics3
ECON201Microeconomics for Business (Business Majors)3
ECON202Macroeconomics for Business (Business Majors)3
EDUC200Humane Education: A Global Interdisciplinary Perspective3
GEOG101Introduction to Geography3
HOSP110Practical Food Safety and Awareness3
IRLS210International Relations I3
LITR212Forgotten America--Under Represented Cultures in American Literature3
POLS101Introduction to Political Science3
POLS210American Government I3
PSYC101Introduction to Psychology3
RELS250Death and Dying3
RELS260Race & Religion3
RELS270Hope and Resilience3
SOCI111Introduction to Sociology3
SOCI212Social Problems3
SOCI220American Popular Culture3
STEM280Exploring Society and Cultures via Science Fiction3

Communication: Written, Oral, and Multimedia (9 semester hours)

Communication includes interpersonal, intercultural, and professional exchanges of information, including interactive, social, public and mass exchanges. Categories of communication include digital, oral, and written, as well as engaging in multi-modal forms of communication mediated by technology (new media), popular social media, and traditional and non-traditional public relations.

Competency: Be conversant in one or more forms of communication (digital, written, and oral).

COMM120Information and Digital Literacy3
COMM200Public Speaking3
COMM285Interpersonal Communications (Public Health Majors)3
ENGL101Proficiency in Writing3
ENGL110Making Writing Relevant3
ENGL115Argumentation and Rhetoric3
ENGL210Introduction to Literature3
ENGL220Technical Writing3
ENGL221Scientific Writing3
ENGL226Effective Business Communication3
HRMT101Human Relations Communication3
IRLS200Information Literacy and Global Citizenship3
ITCC231Introduction to Information Technology Writing3
MGMT100Human Relations3

History (3 semester hours)

Courses explore cultural heritage around the world in both ancient and modern civilizations. Students will recognize the importance of various historical events in analyzing contemporary, social, political, technological, and economic issues.

Competency: Contemplate and interpret the impact and relevance of various historical events on contemporary issues.

HIST101American History to 18773
HIST102American History since 18773
HIST111World Civilization before 16503
HIST112World Civilization since 16503
HIST121Western Civilization before The Thirty Years War3
HIST122Western Civilization since The Thirty Years War3
HIST221African-American History before 18773
HIST222African-American History since 18773
HIST223History of the American Indian3
HIST270History of Science3
STEM185The History and Context of STEM3

Mathematics and Applied Reasoning (3 semester hours)

Focuses on the development of quantitative and qualitative logical literacy. Students will prepare for advanced study by practicing analytical concepts and problem solving techniques. This category focuses on the conceptual and theoretical tools students need to make decisions based on the evaluation of data, and to gather, organize, analyze, and draw inferences from information.

Competency: Utilize qualitative and quantitative analysis in addition to scientific reasoning to problem-solve effectively.

ACCT100Accounting I3
ACCT105Accounting for Non Accounting Majors3
ENTD200Fundamentals of Programming3
MATH110College Algebra3
MATH111College Trigonometry3
MATH112Pre-Calculus3
MATH120Introduction to Statistics3
MATH125Math for Liberal Arts Majors3
MATH225Calculus3

Natural Sciences (3 - 4 semester hours)

Provides students with the ability to use the inquiry-based process of science to describe, evaluate, and consider alternative explanations for scientific findings. Students will apply key concepts, facts, and theories about living systems and the physical universe, and use describe the scientific method and the quantitative tools of science. Students will relate that information to problems of wide global and societal concern.

Competency: Describe the inquiry-based scientific process to formulate hypotheses, make observations, design experiments, collect and analyze data, and reach conclusions.

BIOL180Introduction to Biology 23
BIOL181Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology 23
CHEM180Introduction to Chemistry 23
ERSC180Introduction to Meteorology 23
ERSC181Introduction to Geology 23
EVSP180Introduction to Environmental Science 23
PHYS180Introduction to Physics 23
SPST180Introduction to Astronomy 23
STEM100Introduction to STEM Disciplines (Computer Technology and Electrical Engineering Majors) 23
BIOL133General Biology I with Lab (Health Sciences and Sports and Health Sciences Majors) 24