English Composition (6 Hours Minimum)

These courses provide an opportunity for you to develop as a writer. Their goal is for you to learn to write clearly, concisely, and creatively in a variety of formats.

Quantitative Reasoning (3 Hours Minimum)

This component of the General Education Program addresses the nature of mathematical thought and its impact on modern life. To fulfill the quantitative reasoning component of the GEP, each course contains active communication about mathematics (which includes reading and/or writing and/or speaking), exercises designed to stimulate critical thinking, the use of mathematical-related technology, and an emphasis on problem-solving. In addition, each course stresses data and data analysis, demonstrates the application of mathematics to a variety of disciplines, and incorporates activity-based learning.

Fine and Performing Arts (3 Hours)

You should leave the GEP with a greater appreciation of how the arts contribute to an enriched quality of life. Courses in this category include either an art history, art appreciation, music, or theatre component.

Social Sciences (3 Hours)

The goal of this GEP category is to expose students to at least one discipline within the social sciences, including methodologies used in the social sciences and application of social sciences concepts to contemporary life.

The objectives of the category are as follows:

1. Students will demonstrate proficiency in use of terminology within a social science discipline as evidenced by performance on exams and/or additional assignments.
2. Students will demonstrate understanding of basic concepts within a social science discipline as evidenced by performance on exams and/or additional assignments.
3. Students will demonstrate an ability to apply basic social science concepts to contemporary life as evidenced by performance on exams and/or additional assignments.
4. Students will be exposed to basic methodologies used in the social sciences as evidenced by course syllabus and/or assigned readings.

Natural Sciences (7 Hours Minimum)

The natural science component of the General Education Program addresses scientific reasoning.

Choose two courses for a minimum of seven semester hours from the following list.  At least one course must have a lab (all courses have a lab component except for NTSC 1110).  (These eight courses are recommended for students who are not science majors and for students who do not have science courses required in support of their majors:  BIOL 1120, CHEM 1121, GEOL 1201, NTSC 1110, NTSC 3850, PHYS 2210, PSCI 2251, PSCI 2252.)

• BIOL 1120 - Concepts in Biology
• BIOL 1130 - Prin of Anatomy/Physiology 1
• BIOL 1131 - Prin of Anatomy/Physiology 2
• BIOL 1151 - General Biology 1
• BIOL 1152 - General Biology 2
• BIOL 2252 - Dendrology
• BIOL 2253 - Practical Horticulture
• BIOL 3355 - Ornithology (Bird Study)
• BIOL 3560 - Principles of Anatomy
• BIOL 3630 - Kinesiology
• BIOL 3750 - Microbiology
• BIOL 3852 - Marine Biology
• CHEM 1121 - Principles of Chemistry
• CHEM 1141 - General Chemistry 1
• CHEM 1142 - General Chemistry 2
• CHEM 2200 - Intro to Organic Chemistry
• GEOL 1201 - Physical Geol/Human Environment
• GEOL 1202 - Historical Geology
• NTSC 1110 - Scientific Reasoning/Methodology
• NTSC 2850 - Intro to Environmental Science
• NTSC 3850 - Ohio’s Natural Heritage
• PHYS 2201 - Physics 1 (Mechanics and Energy)
• PHYS 2202 - Physics 2 (Energy/Elec/Magnet)
• PHYS 2210 - Introductory Astronomy
• PHYS 2211 - Calculus-Based Physics 1
• PHYS 2212 - Calculus-Based Physics 2
• PSCI 2251 - Physical Science by Inquiry 1
• PSCI 2252 - Physical Science by Inquiry 2

Cultural Perspectives (6 Hours Minimum)

The goal of this GEP component is to help you understand aspects of culture from humanistic and social science perspectives and to appreciate the multicultural nature of modern society. Courses may vary as to discipline, content, and approach, but each instills some comprehension of the complex historical, cultural, or sociological contexts which inform contemporary experience.  Students are required to take a course that has the Western flag and a course that has the non-Western flag.

All courses within this category must contain a writing component.  The minimum writing requirement is around 3000 words.  Note that a page of double spaced type has an average of around 250 words.  The writing component must include at least one example of researched writing, as defined below.  Students will be required to complete a minimum of 2 writing assignments or one writing assignment with multiple drafts.

Examples of the types of writing that could be found in courses in this catalog are listed below.

1. Informal Writing:  Informal writing may include responses to prompts, discussion questions, or discussion boards.
2. Formal Writing:  Formal writing requires that the writer will demonstrate control of standard usage, grammar, and mechanics.  Formal writing will be broken into two categories.
   
   • Researched writing.  This may only involve assigned texts, but this writing will include a bibliography, proper citation of sources, and a thesis.
   • Response paper essays.  These may be part of exams as long as students are given the topics in advance, and are asked to write on a topic that requires a thesis statement.  These essays may be evaluative, analytic, or argumentative.

Western Flag

Students will be able to: 

• describe and explain major philosophical, religious, social, or cultural ideas, theories, and movements central to the development of Western civilization;
• explain and analyze how these ideas developed across time, including transitions between at least two of the following periods: the Classical Greco-Roman Period, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance/Reformation, the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution, and the 20th century;
• apply their historical and cultural understanding to contemporary culture, and analyze and evaluate how at least some of these ideas, etc., affect the way we think and live today.

Non-Western Flag

Student will be able to:

• describe and explain major philosophical, religious, social, or cultural ideas, theories, and movements central to the understanding of at least one non-Western civilization;
• apply their historical and cultural understanding to contemporary culture, and analyze and evaluate how at least some of these ideas affect how Western and non-Western cultures understand one another, and the way Western and non-Western cultures interact.

Ethics (3 Hours)

The requirement in ethics serves several purposes within the GEP’s broader goal of enabling students “to function effectively in the multiple roles demanded by contemporary life.” First, students are introduced to the most influential moral theories of western civilization. These theories attempt to answer what constitutes the good life and what makes an action ethical, as well as introduce ways of reasoning about the moral life. Second, students learn how these theories affect how we think about public life, including the relationship of morality to law and public policy. Third, students engage in a thorough and careful analysis of contemporary moral issues in order to arrive at a rationally defensible, well-informed conclusion within a context of open and civil dialogue with others. Evaluation is based, first and foremost, on how well students reason about moral issues, not on the particular conclusions.

Capstone (3 Hours)

Senior Seminar (IDST 4490) comes late in your university experience and gives you the opportunity to write, speak, think, analyze, synthesize, and integrate. A central part of the seminar is the research and writing of a major paper and an oral presentation of your findings.  The prerequisites for Senior Seminar are 75 cumulative hours at time of enrollment, and all prior GEP requirements, including Ethics (31 semester hours).