General Studies

The Associate in Science (AS) in general studies is designed for those students who wish to conclude their college work after two years of general education at the freshman and sophomore levels. The Bachelor of Science (BS) in general studies is a four-year program of broad education in the arts and sciences.

The degree program is not major- or career-specific. Students should consult carefully with academic advisors and with career counselors in the Career Center and the Counseling Center to discover areas of interest, aptitude and possible future employment. Faculty in the Department of History provide academic advising for this program.

Expected Outcomes

Graduates will be able to:

• Communicate effectively by means of listening, speaking, reading and writing in the diverse situations encountered as educated citizens; and be able to effectively communicate using appropriate symbolic technological systems.
• Think with a deliberate awareness of the process of critical thinking, employ the process, and strive to augment its effectiveness.
• Interpret aesthetic significance in an object, work, performance or experience through study or participation.
• Apply appropriate knowledge to the interpretation of current problems and related issues concerning environment, health, society, culture, religion, economics, politics, science, and technology.
• Develop informed judgments about the past by gathering relevant information, by placing it in context, by interpreting it and by using it to draw inferences about contemporary events.
• Use mathematical skills to solve problems and to interpret quantitative information.
• Observe and interpret phenomena in a systematic fashion consistent with recognized principles of scientific inquiry.
• Investigate ethics and personal values and those of others; be able to analyze interactions between value systems and cultural systems; and be able to distinguish prejudices, stereotypes, opinions, facts and cross-cultural contributions.
• Participate in extra-curricular, service, or leadership activity during the course of completing an undergraduate education.

Course Requirements

AS General Studies

Areas A-E and Wellness Courses - Required Hours: 45

Area F - Courses Related to the Major - Required Hours: 18

• Select two courses from each of the following areas:
  
  • Fine Arts/Humanities (Area C)
  • Science/Math/Technology (Area D)
  • Social Sciences (Area E)

Total Hours Required 63

BS General Studies

Areas A-E and Wellness Courses - Required Hours: 45

Area F - Courses Related to Major - Required Hours: 18

• Select two courses from each of the following areas:
  
  • Fine Arts/Humanities (Area C)
  • Science/Math/Technology (Area D)
  • Social Sciences (Area E)

Area G - Program Requirements (3000-5000 level) - Required Hours: 24

• Select an emphasis area from the following (applicable course prefixes in parentheses):
  
  • Communication (ENGL, COMM)
  • Fine Arts (ARTH, ARTS, MUSA, MUSC, MUSP, THEA)
  • Health and Recreation (HESC, PELM)
  • Humanities (ARTH, ENGL, MUSC, PHIL, THEA)
  • Sciences (ASTR, BIOL, CHEM, GEOL)
  • Mathematics and Computer Science (CPSC, MATH)
  • Social Sciences (ANTH, CRJU, ECON, GEOG, HIST, POLS, PSYC, SOCI)

Note: ITDS and IINS courses may be applicable to certain emphasis areas; however, prior approval must be obtained by petition from the Academic Standards Committee. Also, the applicability of all courses accepted in transfer which do not conform to the above-stated emphasis areas must be determined by the Academic Standards Committee.

Area H - Program Electives (3000-5000 level) - Required Hours: 15

• English (ENGL)
• History (HIST)
• Political Science (POLS)
• Psychology (PSYC) or Sociology (SOCI)
• Select three semester hours from the following:
  
  • Anthropology (ANTH)
  • Political Science (POLS)
  • Criminal Justice (CRJU)
  • Geography (GEOG)
  • History (HIST)
  • Psychology (PSYC)
  • Sociology (SOCI)

Area I - General Electives (1000-5000 level) - Required Hours: 21

Total Hours Required: 123