University General Education Requirements (Policy 51)

Purpose 

The purpose of this policy is to provide information and guidance regarding General Education requirements for undergraduate degree programs at Governors State University (GovState). 

1. Scope 
   1. This policy applies to students pursuing an undergraduate degree at GovState. 
2. Introduction and General Education Outcomes 
   1. General Education at GovState prepares students to participate in a dynamic and diverse world. It provides students with a broad foundation of knowledge, facilitates social responsibility, and provides the practical and intellectual skills needed by capable citizens. This General Education foundation will integrate indepth study in a specific area of interest and application to the wider world. The GovState General Education Student Learning Outcomes are organized into four areas suggested by the American Association of Colleges and Universities: foundational knowledge, practical skills, personal and social responsibility, and integrative and applied learning. Each of these areas of development is explained in the learning outcomes outlined below: 
      1. Foundational Knowledge outcomes are supported by the content of core general education courses and provide a basis for understanding more specific information in each student's major area of study. The core courses include study of culture and politics; humanities; the arts; and social, physical, and natural sciences. 
      2. Practical Skills are intellectual abilities that help students learn and demonstrate the knowledge that they have gained. These skills are developed and used throughout the general education curriculum. They include the ability to think critically, to think creatively, and to solve problems. In addition, written and oral communication skills, information literacy, quantitative literacy, and collaborative skills are included in this set of student learning outcomes. 
      3. Personal and Social Responsibility is the development of an awareness of personal and social obligations needed to address real-world challenges in a diverse and global society. Learning outcomes in this area include those related to civic engagement, intercultural knowledge, ethical reasoning, and appreciation for lifelong learning. 
      4. Integrative and Applied Learning outcomes require the combining of knowledge gained early in the general education courses with the more specific knowledge gained in one’s major. This category entails the synthesis of knowledge; the application of knowledge, skills, and responsibilities to complex problems; and advanced intellectual accomplishment.

   2. When students graduate from GovState with a bachelor’s degree, they are expected to meet the following baccalaureate learning outcomes. These outcomes describe the knowledge, values, and abilities students develop during their studies, including general education courses and courses in their major. 

      Graduating students will be able to: 

      1. Integrate knowledge from multiple academic disciplines to address complex local and global problems. 
      2. Exhibit intercultural competencies with people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives. 
      3. Analyze issues that interconnect human life and the natural world. 
      4. Demonstrate inquiry-based critical, creative, and independent thought. 
      5. Communicate clearly and effectively. 
      6. Collaborate with others to achieve specific goals. 
      7. Use and combine appropriate quantitative and qualitative reasoning skills to address questions and solve problems. 
      8. Synthesize knowledge and skills relevant to one’s major or particular fields of study and apply them creatively to develop innovative outcomes.
   3. Requirements for All Undergraduate Degree-Seeking Students
      1. All undergraduate degree-seeking students are required to: 
         1. meet one of the course distributions described in Sections III.D, E and F; 
         2. complete a junior seminar and a senior seminar/capstone in their major; and 
         3. fulfill the writing intensive course requirement as specified in Policy 48, Writing Across the Curriculum. 
      2. Majors may have additional general education requirements as approved through curriculum approval, and which are listed in the current Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog (Course Catalog).
   4. Students Admitted as Freshmen 
      1. Students admitted as freshmen to GovState must meet the following course distribution requirements with a grade of “C” or better in each course and complete a total of 37-38 semester hours: 
         1. Communication: three courses including two courses in written communications (6 semester hours) and one course in oral communications (3 semester hours); 
         2. Mathematics: one course (3 semester hours); 
         3. Physical and Life Science: three to four courses (7 to 8 semester hours) with one course selected from the life sciences, one course from the physical sciences, and at least one laboratory course; 
         4. Humanities and Fine Arts: First Year Seminar (3 semester hours), one additional course in the humanities (3 semester hours), and one course in the fine arts (3 semester hours); 
         5. Social and Behavioral Sciences: Three courses (9 semester hours) from at least two disciplines; and 
         6. One of the required Humanities and Fine Arts or Social and Behavioral Sciences courses must include a course on improving human relations. This course is to examine race, ethnicity, gender, and other issues related to improving human relations to address racism and sexual harassment. A complete list of courses that meet this requirement are listed in the Course Catalog.

   5. Transfer Students

      Transfer students may fulfill undergraduate degree requirements in any one of three ways. They may:

      1. Complete the course distribution requirements, with a grade of "C" or better in each course and a total of 37-38 semester hours*. Requirements may be met by completing courses approved to meet the general education requirements at Governors State University and/or presenting acceptable transfer courses as evaluated by the Degree Audit Team. These are: 
         1. Communication: three courses (9 semester hours), including a two-course sequence in writing (6 semester hours) and one course (3 semester hours) in oral communication; 
         2. Mathematics: one course (3 semester hours); 
         3. Physical and Life Sciences: two to four courses (7 to 8 semester hours) with one course selected from the life sciences and one course from the physical sciences, including at least one laboratory course; 
         4. Humanities and Fine Arts: three courses (9 semester hours) with at least one course selected from humanities and at least one course from the fine arts; 
         5. Social and Behavioral Sciences: three courses (9 semester hours) with courses selected from at least two disciplines; and 

         6. One of the Humanities and Fine Arts or Social and Behavioral Sciences courses must include a course in improving human relations to include race, ethnicity, gender and other issues related to improving human relations to address racism and sexual harassment. A complete list of courses that meet this requirement are listed in the Course Catalog. 

            * For colleges and universities on the quarter calendar system, three (3) quarter credits equal two (2) semester hours. 

      2. Transfer to Governors State University having earned an Associate of Arts (A.A.), or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree prior to Fall 2017, from a regionally accredited Illinois public community college. The Associate of Fine Arts (A.F.A.), Associate of Engineering Sciences (A.E.S.), the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.), and the Associate of Science (A.S.) earned after Fall 2017 do not meet this requirement. Students who have completed an A.A. degree will not be required to complete any additional general education courses. Students will have to complete all major requirements. 
      3. Complete the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) at another institution and have it noted on their transcript. Students who have completed their IAI GECC will not have to complete any additional general education courses. Students will have to complete all major requirements.

   6. Students Seeking a Second Bachelor’s Degree 

      Students seeking a second bachelor’s degree may fulfill degree requirements in one of two ways. They may: 

      1. Provide documentation of having earned a bachelor’s degree from any one of the state universities in Illinois, or 
      2. Complete the distribution requirements with a grade of “C” or better in each course and a total of 37-38 semester hours*. Requirements may be met by completing courses that were specifically approved because they meet the relevant general education requirement at Governors State University and/or presenting acceptable transfer courses as evaluated by the Degree Audit Team. These are: 
         1. Communication: three courses (9 semester hours), including a twocourse sequence in writing (6 semester hours) and one course (3 semester hours) in oral communication; 
         2. Mathematics: one course (3 semester hours); 
         3. Physical and Life Sciences: two to four courses (7 to 8 semester hours) with one course selected from the life sciences and one course from the physical sciences, including at least one laboratory course; 
         4. Humanities and Fine Arts: three courses (9 semester hours) with at least one course selected from humanities and at least one course from the fine arts; 
         5. Social and Behavioral Sciences: three courses (9 semester hours) with courses selected from at least two disciplines; and 

         6. One of the Humanities and Fine Arts or Social and Behavioral Sciences courses must include a course in improving human relations to include race, ethnicity, gender and other issues related to improving human relations to address racism and sexual harassment. A complete list of courses that meet this requirement are listed in the Course Catalog. 

            *For colleges and universities on the quarter calendar system, three (3) quarter credits are equal to two (2) semester hours.

Acknowledgements 

The University acknowledges and credits documents from the following in the writing of this document: American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) and Northern Illinois University