Endicott College
AC-2: Learning Outcomes

General Education Curriculum

By successfully completing at least one course from each of the following eight categories, students demonstrate that they have learned how to link knowledge and practice from a variety of perspectives both within and across traditional academic disciplines. In addition, four free electives with at least two above the 100 level allow students to explore further and to focus on topics relating to their particular interests. Attention paid to multiple forms of critical inquiry and to diverse modes of human experience empowers students both to understand and to respond to local and global challenges and opportunities in the world today.

Requirements
In order to fulfill Endicott’s General Education requirements, students must complete one course (three credits) from each of the eight thematic categories listed below. In addition, students must complete four general electives outside of their major and concentration requirements. These four electives, two of which must be above the 100 level, may be taken from the thematic categories or from other areas of the College wide curriculum. The general electives, as well as the courses associated with the thematic categories, may be used to fulfill minor requirements.

General Education Course Categories

I. Individual and Society
Courses in this category give students an understanding of how societies form, evolve, and sustain themselves through the continuing interplay between the individual and the group. Students explore issues related to human development, personal identity, group dynamics, social and institutional change, and cultural diversity. Civic engagement and responsibility are emphasized.

II. Global Issues
Courses in this category prompt students to examine topics such as politics, the environment, technology, history, health, and economics from an internationally guided approach. Students study how various social, religious, political, and economic systems and movements influence international relations and the global economy. Contemporary relevant issues will be addressed.

III. Literary Perspectives
Courses in this category provide exposure to a variety of genres and styles of writing, both past and present. Students learn to engage and respond critically to texts by extracting meaning and analyzing themes, concepts, and stylistic elements. In addition, students develop their own academic writing skills, effectively organizing, supporting, and expressing their ideas with an awareness of audience, purpose, and the conventions of the written language.

IV. Values and Ethical Reasoning
Courses in this category address the ways in which values and decisions constantly affect us at individual and collective levels. Students explore the sources of our values in both personal experience and in various forms of tradition such as religion, law, philosophy, art, and professional practice. In addition, students examine the forms of critical evaluation and choice that we employ to decide between better and worse courses of action in our own lives and in our interactions with others.

V. Aesthetic Awareness and Creative Expression
Courses in this category focus on the development of an aesthetic responsiveness to a variety of creative art forms including the visual arts, poetry, drama, music, and dance. Concepts and fundamental issues of aesthetics from historical, theoretical, and creative perspectives are considered. Students gain an understanding of the conventional designations of stylistic periods, explore both personal and cultural concepts of aesthetics, and develop their own creative works and vision. (Students must complete a minimum of three credits by completing either one three-credit course or three one-credit courses.)

VI. Quantitative Reasoning
Courses in this category develop quantitative reasoning, the application of mathematical concepts and skills to formulate, analyze, and solve real-world problems. In order to perform effectively as professionals and citizens, students will become competent in reading and using numerical information, in understanding the implications of quantitative evidence, and in applying mathematical skills and techniques to obtain solutions to unknown problems.

VII. Science and Technology
Courses in this category involve an exploration of living organisms, the physical world, and technology. Students engage in the process of scientific inquiry, experimentation, and discovery. In addition, they discuss and evaluate a range of globally related issues such as climate change, sustainability, world health, and technological advances and challenges.

VIII. World Cultures
Courses in this category focus on past and contemporary cultures through the study of a people’s history, beliefs, values, language, lifestyles, arts, and political and social institutions. Students gain an understanding and appreciation of the cultural perspectives of others in American society and in the world. Study abroad experiences are encouraged as a way for students to experience first-hand the rich cultural diversity of our world.

General Education Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the general education requirements, students will:

Analyze critically the issues and ideas relevant to specific disciplines;
Formulate logical conclusions and hypotheses based on a systematic consideration of evidence, assumptions, and diverse perspectives
Evaluate texts in relation to their scholarly relevance within disciplines
Demonstrate the critical inquiry and analysis skills needed to engage in intellectual discourse across disciplines;
Communicate effectively in written form across disciplines with an awareness of appropriate content, organization, and stylistic choices