9.3 GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS [CR]

The institution requires the successful completion of a general education component at the undergraduate level that:

a. is based on a coherent rationale.

b. is a substantial component of each undergraduate degree program. For degree completion in associate programs, the component constitutes a minimum of 15 semester hours or the equivalent; for baccalaureate programs, a minimum of 30 semester hours or the equivalent.

c. ensures breadth of knowledge. These credit hours include at least one course from each of the following areas: humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural science/mathematics. These courses do not narrowly focus on those skills, techniques, and procedures specific to a particular occupation or profession.

JUDGEMENT

Compliance Non-Compliance Partial Compliance

NARRATIVE

(a) A Coherent Rationale for General Education

The purpose of the general education curriculum at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is to provide a framework for critical inquiry that serves as a foundation for continuing academic development and life-long learning. The general education program supports the university's mission to prepare students who are able to offer innovative solutions that address the challenges and economic needs of North Carolina, the nation and the world. Together, the group of general education competencies form the foundation on which to build learning in the disciplines and give students an introduction to the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge. Students who develop a strong foundation in mathematics and critical thinking, global understanding and effective communication, and appreciate of how the humanities enrichen everyone, will be more prepared to lead and to solve the problems in our communities and our world.

The general curriculum extends into the major, with an emphasis on the continued development of effective critical thinking and communication skills and culminating with senior-level capstone experiences that highlight and reflect students' intellectual development within and across disciplines. While the general education curriculum promotes foundation-level knowledge in a broad array of disciplines, it is important to note that it does not provide all the preparation needed for any major. The general education curriculum assumes that all majors will require additional course work, field experiences and collaborative learning skills to meet discipline-specific needs.

In September of 2010, the General Education Review Task Force was created “to review the academic content and structure of the institution’s general education program, then called University Studies, and make recommendations for general education curricular revision based on the findings of the University Studies external review team. The team reviewed peer institutions’ general education programs, national best practices, and recommendations/ feedback from university stake holders” and it presented its report in August 2012.

Based on the report, the task force developed six broad general education categories of student learning: written communication; mathematical, logical, and analytical reasoning; scientific reasoning; social/behavioral sciences; humanities/fine arts; and student success. Additionally, the task force included an African-American Studies (AA) marker and a Global Studies (GS) marker to be required as part of either social/behavioral sciences courses or humanities/fine arts courses.

Effective Fall 2016, general education requirements were revised to include eight student learning categories distributed across thirty-two (32) credit hours:

Student Learning Outcome	Credit Hours
Written Communication (WC)	6
Mathematical, Logical, and Analytical Reasoning (MLAR): (at least one course with MATH prefix)	6
Scientific Reasoning (SR): (at least one lab-based course)	7
Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS)	3
Humanities and Fine Arts (HFA)	3
Knowledge of African-American Culture and History (AA)	3
Global Awareness (GL)	3
Student Success (SS): (to be met through a course offered by a department, school/college, the Center for Academic Excellence, or any combination of the above)	1

Each general education student learning category is defined by a corresponding general education student learning outcome, including an intent or rationale for each learning outcome (Guide to General Education Student Learning Outcomes).

Written Communication

1. Apply writing practices appropriate to specific tasks and audiences.

2. Integrate the use of appropriate information technology tools throughout the writing process.

This outcome incorporates both writing and critical thinking, as the two complement each other. Freshman-level composition-based courses should provide students with a solid foundation in college-level writing and thinking skills, including research-writing skills. In addition, courses in this category should enable students to apply college-level writing skills to particular topics, issues, problems, processes and procedures generally encountered in the major.

Mathematical, Logical, and Analytical Reasoning

1. For courses emphasizing mathematical/quantitative reasoning: Apply quantitative and mathematical reasoning to solve problems in diverse contexts, using a variety of methods, and communicated accurately.

2. For courses emphasizing logical/analytical reasoning: Apply logical reasoning to solve problems or evaluate claims in diverse contexts, using a variety of methods, communicated in multiple formats.

Students completing courses in this category should be able to employ mathematical, statistical or logical reasoning skills to reason critically and solve problems in a variety of contexts. These higher-order skills imply an understanding of lower-order skills, including the ability to carry out basic mathematical operations and calculations, and understand basic mathematical, statistical, and logical terms and symbols. Students completing courses in this category should also be able to use mathematical, statistical, or logical reasoning skills to create, defend, and refute arguments and communicate those arguments clearly. Freshman-sophomore level courses in this category generally lead to further development of quantitative and analytical reasoning skills within the individual major.

Scientific Reasoning

1. Analyze real-world phenomena, issues and problems using principles and processes of scientific inquiry.

Scientific reasoning is a mode of inquiry that relies on empirical evidence to understand natural phenomena. Scientific reasoning is based on the process of observation, hypothesis formulation, data collection and analysis, and confirmation, rejection or refinement of hypotheses in an iterative process that sometimes leads to new explanations as new evidence emerges. This process is commonly referred to as the “scientific method.” Courses in this category should develop students’ skills in these areas in a variety of contexts and at increasingly higher levels.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

1. Apply methods of analysis used in the social and behavioral sciences in the examination of individual and group behavior.

Courses in this category are intended to provide an introduction to the content, practices, and methods of analysis in social and behavioral science disciplines. These disciplines focus on the behavior of individuals, groups, and societies in various contexts. The social and behavioral sciences typical include the following disciplines: anthropology, criminal justice, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology and sociology.

College Level

All general education courses at N.C. A&T are college level. This is assured through several processes: (1) All general education courses are created by departments with faculty who have disciplinary expertise. (2) All general education courses must be approved by the General Education Council. (3) All general education courses must be approved through regular curricula approval processes comprised of department, college, and university level curriculum committees. At each stage of the approval process, faculty and administrators with disciplinary expertise assure courses are appropriate for college level credit.

(b) Substantial Component of each Undergraduate Degree Program

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is compliant with Section 9.3: Educational Program Structure and Content. The general education component of undergraduate degree programs was implemented to ensure breadth of knowledge. The general education component includes eight student learning categories: (i) written communication; (ii) mathematical, logical, and analytical reasoning; (iii) scientific reasoning; (iv) social and behavioral sciences; (v) fine arts and humanities; (vi) knowledge of African-American culture and history; (vii) global awareness; and (viii) student success. General education comprises a substantial component of each undergraduate degree program, making up 32 credit hours of all undergraduate baccalaureate degree programs, approximately 27 percent of the 120 credit hours required to earn the degree. All courses included in general education are approved for inclusion by the General Education Council, which ensures that courses meet the appropriate student learning outcome for each learning category, and are not specific to a particular occupation or profession. An undergraduate degree transcript, with general education courses highlighted, is provided.

(c) Breadth of Knowledge

The General Education Review Task Force recommended six broad categories of student learning outcomes, required by all undergraduate degree programs. The 32-credit hours are distributed over eight categories, mentioned earlier in this section.

Sections	Categories
1	Written Communication (WC)
2	Mathematical, Logical, and Analytical Reasoning (MLAR): (at least one course with MATH prefix)
3	Scientific Reasoning (SR): (at least one lab-based course)
4	Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS)
5	Humanities and Fine Arts (HFA)
6	Knowledge of African-American Culture and History (AA)
7	Global Awareness (GL)
8	Student Success (SS): (to be met through course offered by a department, school/college, the Center for Academic Excellence, or any combination of the above)

Inclusion of African-American Culture and History, Global Awareness and general tenets of student success in the institution’s general education program broadens knowledge further by providing preparation for life after graduation.

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

1. General Education Task Force Report

2. Guide to General Education Student Learning Outcomes

3. Undergraduate Degree Transcript, with Gen Ed Courses Highlighted