General Education Program and Requirements

The General Education Program of the University is administered by the Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs. Appeals for exceptions to the General Education Program and/or requirements should be made to the Associate Provost for Student Development and Public Affairs. Students who are unsatisfied with the Associate Provost's decision may appeal to the Degrees Committee. Students who are unsatisfied with the Degrees Committee decision may appeal to the Deputy Provost.

The Aim and Goals of General Education

The Aim of General Education

The aim of General Education at Missouri State University is to develop people capable of making thoughtful choices that lead to creative and productive lives and to responsible participation in society.

The Goals for Learning in General Education

General Education is that portion of the curriculum in which the University directly addresses the knowledge, skills, habits, and dispositions of educated persons. General Education at Missouri State provides for learning that educated persons will use throughout their lives in their many roles and communities. To prepare students for a lifetime of important choices, General Education has at least the following goals for learning:

Part One: Intellectual Abilities and Dispositions

Improving our ability to make important choices involves attention to the intellectual skills, habits, and dispositions which help to guide such choices. General Education has as a goal of student learning the development of the following:

1. Conceptual and Practical Understanding of Modes of Learning, Problem-Solving, and Creative Inquiry
2. Information-Gathering, Reasoning, and Synthesizing Abilities
   1. Skill in formulating questions and in setting goals for inquiry
   2. Knowing how and when to make generalizations and value judgements
   3. Skill in generating and evaluating observations and evidence
   4. Skill in making deductive inferences
   5. Ability to use relevant quantitative methods
3. Reflective, Creative, and Critical Dispositions
   1. Striving to be well-informed and open-minded
   2. Looking for multiple possibilities and being able to deal with ambiguity
   3. Striving to achieve one’s best with persistence and imagination
   4. Willingness to make choices and to evaluate those choices
   5. Intellectual self-awareness: being conscious of one's own thinking process, including the cultural and social contexts of that thinking
4. Communication Skills
   1. Writing and speaking with clarity and precision for diverse audiences
   2. Making use of computers and other technological tools
   3. Interpreting and communicating visual information

Part Two: Knowledge and Understanding

Developing educated people requires intensive study in many areas of inquiry as well as interdisciplinary explorations. The process involves different modes of scholarly discourse and methods of inquiry that have evolved in various fields of study. General Education provides students with an opportunity to perceive ways of linking the various areas of inquiry; in this way they can make creative and responsible connections not only among all of their general education courses but also among major, minor, and elective courses as well as with co-curricular educational opportunities in the larger university community. The categories listed below should not be regarded as separate from one another but as interdependent areas of knowledge and understanding.

1. Understanding of the Natural World: Study of the natural world provides an understanding of important principles and methodologies for making choices. Such study includes the following:
   1. Knowledge of the physical universe, including its origin and the physical laws governing it
   2. Knowledge of living systems, including their nature, organization, and evolution
   3. Understanding the history and methods of scientific inquiry and alternative explanations of the natural world
   4. Understanding the multiple influences on scientific inquiry and the consequences of science and technology
   5. Understanding the ways human choices affect the earth and living systems and the responsibilities of individual citizens and communities to preserve global resources
2. Understanding of Culture and Society: Informed choices require knowledge of what people have done and imagined, currently as well as historically. Choices are also tempered by knowledge of the social and cultural settings in which they are made or were made in the past. This learning includes the following:
   1. Knowledge of the many expressions of culture, including
      1. understanding of the unique shared ways of thinking, believing, and acting, developed by a people who live together over a long period of time
      2. ability to conceptualize and trace the influences of community, institutions, and other constructions such as class, gender, and race
      3. familiarity with the ways in which culture is expressed artistically, through literature, performance, and artifact
      4. awareness of and appreciation for the ways in which culture and society influence and are influenced by work and leisure
   2. Understanding the sources and expression of diverse values throughout the world, including ethical, religious, aesthetic, political, and economic values as well as social and cultural priorities
   3. Ability to trace the impact of technology on societies and cultures for diverse audiences
   4. Understanding the ways human choices affect communities, from local to global, and responsibilities of individuals to assume the duties of citizenship
   5. Understanding the role of governmental regulation and of legal requirements, political processes, and financial and economic influences on decisions of individuals and society
3. Self-Understanding: To make informed choices, one must understand the natural and the social context in which one lives and must heed the ancient injunction to "know thyself." That self-understanding depends on the following:
   1. Understanding the nature of our humanness and how human beings are like and different from the other beings with whom they share the planet
   2. Knowledge of individual physical, emotional, intellectual, social and creative development as well as ability to use such knowledge to improve personal well-being
   3. Knowledge of individual physical, emotional, intellectual, social, historical, spatial, and cultural matrices into which the individual is born; and the influence of the unique set of experiences which the individual encounters
   4. Ability to perceive one’s own being not only from cognitive perspectives but also from those perspectives which come from exposure to and creative vision of the arts—to imagine the possibilities the future holds and to develop responsible goals for interactions with others, modes of personal expression, and roles in improving the world.

General Education Program Requirements 
(43-52 hours)

Every course in the program will promote a common set of General Education objectives. The major components are Basic Required Courses, Areas of Inquiry, and Public Affairs. All students are required to have a 2.00 cumulative grade point average (transfer and Missouri State combined) in their General Education Program in order to graduate from Missouri State. General Education courses may not be taken on a Pass/Not Pass basis. Note: Most students will complete the General Education Program with 47 credit hours.

Students are strongly encouraged to complete their Basic Required Courses (GEP 101/UHC 110, CIS101/CSC 101 or CSC 111, COM 115, ENG 110, MTH 130 or higher and KIN 100) during their first 30 credit hours and must complete these courses before completing 75 credit hours.

Note: Many majors and degrees require specific General Education courses. Students should review specific major and/or degree requirements before enrolling in General Education courses.

1. Basic Required Courses (14-21 hours)
   1. First-Year Foundations, GEP 101 (required of all entering students with less than 24 credit hours earned subsequent to high school graduation); or Freshman Honors Seminar, UHC 110 (required for Honors College students) (0-2 hours)
   2. Computers for Learning: CIS 101/CSC 101 or CSC 111* (0-3 hours)
   3. Public Speaking: COM 115 (3 hours)
   4. Writing I: ENG 110 ** (3 hours)
   5. Writing II: (3 hours) Select one of the following courses:
      AGR 320(3) Writing II: Writing in the Applied Sciences
      ENG 210(3) Writing II: Academic Writing
      ENG 221(3) Writing II: Writing for the Professions
      ENG 310(3) Writing II: Writing for Graduate and Professional Schools
      ENG 321(3) Writing II: Beginning Technical Writing
      GLG 358(3)Writing II: Reporting Geological Information
      HST 210(3) Writing II: Historical Inquiry
      NUR 472(3) Writing II: Nursing Research and Scholarly Writing
      KIN 310(3) Writing II: Philosophical and Historical Issues in Physical Education, Recreation, and Sport
      THE 210(3) Writing II: Writing for Theatre
   6. Mathematics: A MTH course numbered 130 or higher (3-5 hours)
   7. Health and Well-Being: KIN 100*** (2 hours)

   *Students may take a proficiency examination to determine if they already possess the computer-related knowledge and skills comprising the Computers for Learning requirement. Those who pass this exam will be excused from, but will not receive credit for, the Computers for Learning requirement. Contact the Computers for Learning Office, Kings Street Annex, room 216, (417) 836-6120, for information or visit the web site at: http://learning.missouristate.edu/

   ** An ACT English score of 19 or higher or an SAT English score of 451 or higher will meet the prerequisite for enrolling in ENG 110. Students with an ACT English score of 18 or lower or an SAT English score of 450 or lower must enroll in ENG 100. Students without ACT and SAT test scores can take a placement test that is periodically administered by the English Department. Contact the English Department, Pummill Hall, room 301, (417) 836-5107 for more information.

   *** Students who transfer from accredited colleges with at least two hours of credit in health and well-being coursework may have completed the Health and Well-Being component upon approval from the Department Head of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. Students who successfully complete Basic Training in any of the United States Military branches after December 31, 1997, will be awarded transfer credit for KIN 100. Refer to the Transfer Credit Policy, Credit for Military Education and Experience section of catalog for more detailed information.

2. Areas of Inquiry (23-25 hours)
   1. Natural World (8-10 hours): Select courses from two of the following four areas. At least one of the selected courses must include the equivalent of at least one credit of laboratory work (indicated with *).

      Astronomy or Physics:
      AST 114(4) Survey of Astronomy
      AST 115(4) Basic Astronomy*
      PHY 100(4) Survey of Physics with Laboratory*
      PHY 101(4) Physics by Inquiry for Educators*
      PHY 123(4) Introduction to Physics I*
      PHY 203(5) Foundations of Physics I*

      Biology or Biomedical Sciences:
      BIO 100(4) Biological Science for Educators*
      BIO 102(4) Principles of Biological Science*
      BIO 121(4) General Biology I*
      BMS 100(4) Concepts and Issues in the Life Sciences
      BMS 105(4) Concepts and Laboratory in the Life Sciences*
      BMS 110(4) Introduction to the Biomedical Sciences* 

      Chemistry:
      CHM 105(5) Fundamentals of Chemistry*
      CHM 106(4) Fundamentals of Chemistry
      CHM 107(4) Chemistry for the Citizen*
      CHM 160(4) General Chemistry I
      CHM 160(4) General Chemistry I and CHM 161(1) General Chemistry I Laboratory*

      Geography or Geology:
      GLG 110(4) Principles of Geology*
      GLG 171(4) Environmental Geology
      GRY 135(4) Principles of Weather and Climate*
      GRY 142(4) Introductory Physical Geography*

   2. Culture and Society (6 hours): Note: Under the Culture and Society and Self-Understanding Areas of Inquiry, students must select one course from each of the five perspective areas with at least four different course codes (three-letter course prefixes).  

      Humanities Perspective (3 hours): Select one of the following courses:
      AAS 100(3) Introduction to African American Studies
      ART 271(3) History of Western Art I
      ART 272(3) History of Western Art II
      ART 273(3) Survey of the Art of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
      ART 274(3) Survey of Asian Art
      ENG 200(3) Introduction to Literature
      HST 103(3) World History to circa 1600 C.E.
      HST 104(3) World History since 1600 C.E.
      IDS 397(3) International Culture and Study Abroad
      LLT 121(3) Classical Mythology
      MUS 345(3) Music in Western Culture and Society I
      MUS 346(3) Music in Western Culture and Society II
      PHI 115(3) Ethics and Contemporary Issues
      REL 101(3) The Literature and World of Old Testament
      REL 102(3) The Literature and World of New Testament
      REL 131(3) Religion in America

      Social Sciences Perspective (3 hours): Select one of the following courses:
      AGR 100(3) Technology’s Impact on Society
      ANT 100(3) World Cultures
      ECO 155(3) Principles of Macroeconomics
      GRY 100(3) World Regional Geography
      GRY 108(3) Principles of Sustainability
      MED 120(3) Mass Media and Society
      PLN 100(3) Understanding Cities
      SOC 150(3) Introduction to Society

   3. Self-Understanding (9 hours): Note: Under the Culture and Society and Self-Understanding Areas of Inquiry, students must select one course from each of the five perspective areas with at least four different course codes (three-letter course prefixes).  

      Social/Behavioral Perspective (3 hours): Select one of the following courses:
      ANT 125(3) Exploring Our Human Ancestry
      CFD 155(3) Principles of Human Development
      ENG 296(3) Introduction to Linguistics
      GST 170(3) Sex, Gender and Self
      PSY 101(3) Psychology for Personal Growth
      PSY 121(3) Introductory Psychology

      Humanities Perspective (3 hours): Select one of the following courses:
      ART 200(3) Art in Context
      ENG 287(3) Life Stages in Literature
      ENG 380(3) Introduction to Women’s Literature
      LLT 180(3) Hero and Quest
      MUS 239(3) Introduction to World Music
      PHI 105(3) Critical Thinking
      PHI 110(3) Introduction to Philosophy
      REL 100(3) Introduction to Religion
      REL 210(3) Paths of World Religion

      Creativity and Vision Perspective (3 hours): Select one of the following courses:
      DAN 180(3) Introduction to the Dance
      ENG 203(3) Creative Writing: Poetry
      ENG 205(3) Creative Writing: Nonfiction
      ENG 215(3) Creative Writing: Short Story
      MUS 241(3) The Language of Music
      THE 101(3) Introduction to Theatre and Drama Arts
      THE 109(3) Performance Studies

3. Public Affairs/American Studies (6 hours):
   1. HST 121(3) Survey of the History of the United States to 1877 or HST 122(3) Survey of the History of the United States since 1877
   2. PLS 101(3) American Democracy and Citizenship. 
      Note: Transfer students who have had a course in American government (PLS 101) that did not include a study of the Missouri constitution must complete PLS 103 (1 hour). 

42-hour General Education Transfer Block

In accordance with the transfer policy of the Missouri Coordinating Board of Higher Education, Missouri State has identified the following 42-hour block of general education classes. Upon completion of this block, a student may submit a request through the Office of the Registrar for a 42-hour block notation to be entered on the student's transcript. If the student then transfers to another participating school in the state, the receiving institution should accept the Missouri State 42-hour block as equivalent to their own 42-hour general education block. In a similar manner, if a student transfers to Missouri State with certification of a completed 42-hour general education block from another participating institution, the student will not be required to take any of the following classes at Missouri State unless they are needed to fulfill a requirement of the student’s major, minor or degree.

Basic Required Courses

1. Computers for Learning: CIS/CSC 101 or CSC 111 (2-3 hours)
2. Public Speaking: COM 115 (3 hours)
3. Writing I: ENG 110 (3 hours)
4. Writing II (3 hours)
5. Mathematics: a MTH course numbered 130 or higher (3-5 hours)
6. Health and Well-Being: KIN 100 (2 hours)

Areas of Inquiry

1. Natural World (8-10 hours) 
2. Culture and Society/Humanities Perspective (3 hours) 
3. Culture and Society/Social Sciences Perspective (3 hours)
4. Self-Understanding/Social/Behavioral Perspective (3 hours)
5. Self-Understanding/Humanities Perspective (3 hours)
6. Self-Understanding/Creativity and Vision Perspective (3 hours)

American Studies

1. American Democracy and Citizenship (3 hours)