How Do Proposed General Education Goals Mesh with Current Program and Minnesota Transfer Curriculum?
Current SCSU Gen Ed Program
Minnesota Transfer Curriculum
Proposed Gen Ed Goals
(See Advising Center web site for more
specifics, waivers, policies)
(See web site for related student
competencies/SLOs)
(Each goal will have SLO’s. There is not
necessarily a one-to-one correspondence
between courses and goals.)
WRITTEN and ORAL COMMUNICATION—GOAL ONE
Communicate orally and in writing
To develop, convey, and critique effective
oral and written messages for various
academic, professional and personal
contexts. To evaluate received messages
through active listening and critical skills.
To use oral and written communication
characterized by clarity, critical analysis,
logic, coherence, precision, and rhetorical
awareness.
Students at SCSU must complete 40 credits in
general education (and one in Wellness for a
total of 41 credits) which is about one third of a
student's total program. Wellness is a University
Requirement, not a general education
requirement.
The Core (16 credits)
Core 1 - English 191 - Introduction to
Rhetorical and Analytical Writing (4
credits).
Core 2 - CMST 192 - Introduction to
Communication Studies (3 credits).
Goal: To develop writers and speakers who use the
English language effectively and who read, write,
speak and listen critically. As a base, all students
should complete introductory communication
requirements early in their collegiate studies. Writing
competency is an ongoing process to be reinforced
through writing-intensive courses and writing across
the curriculum. Speaking and listening skills need
reinforcement through multiple opportunities for
interpersonal communication, public speaking, and
discussion.
1
Core 3 - Math/Stat 193 Mathematical/Statistical Thinking (3
credits).
MATHEMATICAL / SYMBOLIC SYSTEMS—GOAL
FOUR
Core 4 - Philosophy 194 - Critical
Reasoning (3 credits).
CRITICAL THINKING—GOAL TWO
Goal: To increase students’ knowledge about
mathematical and logical modes of thinking. This
will enable students to appreciate the breadth of
applications of mathematics, evaluate arguments,
and detect fallacious reasoning. Students will learn
to apply mathematics, logic, and/or statistics to help
them make decisions in their lives and careers.
Minnesota's public higher education systems have
agreed that developmental mathematics includes
the first three years of a high school mathematics
sequence through intermediate algebra.
Goal: To develop thinkers who are able to unify
factual, creative, rational, and value-sensitive
modes of thought. Critical thinking will be taught and
used throughout the general education curriculum in
order to develop students’ awareness of their own
thinking and problem-solving procedures. To
integrate new skills into their customary ways of
thinking, students must be actively engaged in
practicing thinking skills and applying them to openended problems.
Understand mathematical techniques
and reason quantitatively
To develop an understanding of
mathematical techniques and to reason
quantitatively. The discipline of
mathematics focuses on the study of
number and numerical relationships, and
analyzes the underlying quantitative order
and patterns of the natural and cultural
worlds.
Identify, analyze and critically evaluate
reasoning
To improve the ability of students to
reason well. Critical reasoning includes
identifying reasoning, analyzing reasoning
and learning how it works, and
distinguishing good reasoning from bad. It
is thus essentially evaluative.
2
Core 5 - Democratic Citizenship (3
credits).
ETHICAL AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY—GOAL
NINE
Goal: To develop students' capacity to identify,
discuss, and reflect upon the ethical dimensions of
political, social, and personal life and to understand
the ways in which they can exercise responsible
and productive citizenship. While there are diverse
views of social justice or the common good in a
pluralistic society, students should learn that
responsible citizenship requires them to develop
skills to understand their own and other's positions,
be part of the free exchange of ideas, and function
as public-minded citizens.
Civic Engagement
To provide the knowledge and skills
required to understand the multiple facets
of effective citizenship. And, to provide
opportunities to practice skills of active
citizenship that foster competence and
efficacy as students learn to monitor and
influence public policy decisions.
Distribution (24 Credits)
Area A: Humanities and Fine Arts
The Humanities--the Arts, Literature, and
Philosophy—GOAL SIX
Goal: To expand students’ knowledge of the human
condition and human cultures. especially in relation
to behavior, ideas, and values expressed in works
of human imagination and thought. Through study in
disciplines such as literature, philosophy, and the
fine arts, students will engage in critical analysis,
form aesthetic judgments, and develop an
appreciation of the arts and humanities as
fundamental to the health and survival of any
society. Students should have experiences in both
the arts and humanities.
Understand and appreciate modes of
human expression, systems of thought,
and production and performance of
meaning (Humanities)
To expand students’ understanding and
appreciation of modes of human
expression and systems of thought, and to
foster their abilities in the production and
performance of meaning. Study of the
humanities includes developing creativity
and symbolic understanding, and
contributing to the construction of the
cultural life of our communities.
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Area B: Natural Sciences
NATURAL SCIENCES—GOAL THREE
Goals: To improve students’ understanding of
natural science principles and of the methods of
scientific inquiry, i.e., the ways in which scientists
investigate natural science phenomena. As a basis
for lifelong learning, students need to know the
vocabulary of science and to realize that while a set
of principles has been developed through the work
of previous scientists, ongoing scientific inquiry and
new knowledge will bring changes in some of the
ways scientists view the world. By studying the
problems that engage today’s scientists, students
learn to appreciate the importance of science in
their lives and to understand the value of a scientific
perspective. Students should be encouraged to
study both the biological and physical sciences.
Area C: Social and Behavioral Sciences
HISTORY AND THE SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL
SCIENCES—GOAL FIVE
Goal: To increase students’ knowledge of how
historians and social and behavioral scientists
discover, describe, and explain the behaviors and
interactions among individuals, groups, institutions.
events, and ideas. Such knowledge will better equip
students to understand themselves and the roles
they play in addressing the issues facing humanity.
Reason scientifically & understand the
natural world
To foster an understanding of physical
and/or life sciences. To explore scientific
principles, processes, limitations, and
methods of inquiry. To discover
knowledge by formulating hypotheses and
testing them with observations and
experimentation.
Discover and understand social and
historical structures of human societies
To examine theoretical frameworks,
analytical tools, and factual resources for
understanding the social and historical
structures of human societies.
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Diversity (MGM)
Students are required to take three
Diversity (MGM) courses from three
different departments. Courses that fulfill
this requirement are marked in bold face
and underlined on the General Education
Check List. They are also listed at the end
of that document by course, in alphabetical
order. This is a university requirement, not
a general education requirement. Students
can take the Diversity (MGM) courses in
general education, or in a major, minor, or
as university elective. However, the
Diversity (MGM) courses are all included
in the general education program, and
many students fulfill this requirement
partly or completely through general
education. One of the Diversity (MGM)
courses must satisfy the Racial Issues
requirement.
HUMAN DIVERSITY—GOAL SEVEN
Goal: To increase students' understanding of
individual and group differences (e.g. race, gender,
class) and their knowledge of the traditions and
values of various groups in the United States.
Students should be able to evaluate the United
States' historical and contemporary responses to
group differences.
Note: Based on committee discussion on
5/5/06, this goal still needs some thought
and refinement. The original goal is listed
with the proposal to change following. We
will address these at our first meeting in
the Fall of 2006.
Understand and respect values of a
diverse society and a multicultural
world
Understand and respect values of a
diverse society (alternative title?)
Understanding the patterns of racial and
ethnic inequality in the United States and
fostering awareness about the heritage,
culture, and contributions of racially
subordinated groups, while engaging in selfreflection about how race and ethnic relations
are embedded in the institutions that
structure our lives.
(Proposed wording is below. It was
suggested that we might want to identify
specifically racial and ethnic diversity. We
will look at this goal vis-à-vis the goal of
Demonstrate concern for individual
worth and human rights below.)
Understand and respect values of our
diverse U.S. society
To examine patterns of racial and ethnic
inequality in the United States and foster
awareness about the heritage, culture, and
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contributions of racially subordinated
groups, while engaging in self-reflection
about how race and ethnic relations are
embedded in the institutions that structure
our lives.
6
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE—GOAL EIGHT
Goal: To increase students’ understanding of
the growing interdependence of nations and
peoples and develop their ability to apply a
comparative perspective to cross-cultural
social, economic and political experiences.
Note: Based on committee discussion on
5/5/06, this goal still needs some thought
and refinement. The original goal is listed
with the proposal to change following. We
will address these at our first meeting in
the Fall of 2006.
Approach issues from a global
perspective
Employing comparative knowledge to
understand globalization, local and global
connections, and to promote cultural
exchanges, as well as to address global
problems in such arenas as environmental
change, economic development, world
health, democracy, peace and security.
Incorporating an examination of non-Western
cultures of the world into global studies, such
as Asia, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East,
Latin America and the Caribbean.
(Proposed wording is below. We did not
get a chance to discuss this change.)
Approach issues from a global
perspective
To employ comparative and
interdisciplinary knowledge to gain an
understanding about globalization, as well
as local and global connections. To
promote cultural exchanges, as well as to
address global problems in such arenas as
environmental change, economic
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development, world health, democracy,
peace and security. Global perspectives
would include the study of non-Western
cultures of the world, such as Asia, Africa,
Oceania, the Middle East, Latin America
and the Caribbean.
8
PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT—GOAL TEN
Goal: To improve students' understanding of
today's complex environmental challenges.
Students will examine the inter-relatedness of
human society and the natural environment.
Knowledge of both bio-physical principles and
socio-cultural systems is the foundation for
integrative and critical thinking about environmental
issues.
Understand the inter-relatedness of
humans and the natural environment
To foster critical thinking about this
relationship integrating bio-physical and
socio-cultural perspectives.
Integrative learning
To connect skills and knowledge from
multiple sources and experiences; to apply
theory to practice in various settings; to
utilize diverse and even contradictory
points of view; and, to understand issues
and positions contextually. [American
Association of Colleges and Universities
Statement on Integrative Learning]
Collaborate with others
To interdependently bring together diverse
skills, knowledge and appreciative inquiry
in order to achieve collective results and
shared visions in complex environments
and systems.
9
Use information literacy to gain
understanding
To develop student’s abilities to recognize
when information is needed and have the
ability to locate, evaluate, and use
effectively the needed information.
Information literacy includes determining
the extent of information needed, accessing
the needed information effectively and
efficiently, evaluating information and its
sources critically, incorporating selected
information into one’s knowledge base ,
using information effectively to
accomplish a specific purpose and
understanding the economic, legal, and
social issues surrounding the use of
information, and accessing and using
information ethically and legally
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Note: Based on committee discussion on
5/5/06, this goal still needs some thought
and refinement. The original goal is listed
with the proposal to change following. We
will address these at our first meeting in
the Fall of 2006.
Demonstrate concern for individual
worth and human rights
Promoting respect for human dignity and
differences on local, national and global
levels, through strengthening the cognitive,
affective, and critical abilities of students by
way of study, dialogue, and critical
examinations of facts and beliefs. Fostering
a sense of social responsibility and respect
for persons across differences of nationality,
religion, physical abilities, gender, sexual
orientation, race and ethnicity.
(Proposed wording is below. We
discussed the possibility of either including
a goal of ethics here or formulating a
separate ethics goal.)
Demonstrate concern for individual
worth and human rights
To promote respect for human dignity and
differences on local, national and global
levels, through strengthening the cognitive,
affective, and critical abilities of students
by way of study, dialogue, and critical
examinations of facts and beliefs. To
foster a sense of social responsibility and
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respect for persons across differences of
nationality, religion, physical abilities,
gender, sexual orientation, race and
ethnicity.
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