General Education Rationale and Minimum Requirements

General education requirements provide a broad knowledge base to enhance students’ career and life skills.  Vital to the preparation for lifelong learning skills is the development of competencies in:

Communication

Effective communicators express thoughts, ideas, and feelings in all modes.

Effective communicators

• Engage in the process of collecting, shaping, drafting, and revising information
• Select, organize, and present details to support a main idea
• Participate in groups using a variety of collaborative techniques
• Use knowledge of target audience expectations and values to shape a message
• Use various techniques of expression to convey a point-of-view, style, and voice
• Employ good mechanics and craftsmanship

Critical Thinking and Creativity

Critical thinking is a process that demonstrates logical inquiry, creativity, problem solving and a willingness to consider different points of view and to explore possibilities.

Critical and creative thinkers

• Interpret and evaluate statements, theories, problems, and observations from alternate points of view or perspectives
• Analyze the validity of assumptions, evidence, and data;
• Assess the value or importance of positions, policies, and formulated solutions
• Use imagination, intuition and divergent thinking

Information Literacy

Information literacy is a set of abilities necessary to locate, gather, organize and evaluate information utilizing various technologies.

Information Literate Learners

• Determine the extent of information needed
• Critically evaluate information and its sources;
• Incorporate selected information into a personal knowledge base
• Use information ethically and legally
• Manage, present, and store information digitally or otherwise

Numeracy

Numeracy is the ability to think about, express, and evaluate information in quantitative terms.

Numerically literate individuals

• Interpret, analyze, and solve basic numerical problems
• Estimate the reasonableness of an answer
• Interpret, evaluate, and present graphic/tabular data
• Utilize basic statistical knowledge 

Scientific Inquiry

Scientific inquiry uses an evidence-based process used to evaluate the validity of an hypothesis or theory.

Scientific Inquirers

• Formulate hypotheses based on observations
• Apply the scientific method to evaluate claim;
• Evaluate societal issues from a scientific perspective
• Make informed judgments about science-related topics and/or policies

Social and Cultural Awareness

Social and cultural awareness is an understanding of how each person shapes, and is shaped by, culture and society.

Socially and culturally aware individuals

• Explain the influence of history, geography, the arts, humanities, language, and the environment on individual and cultural development
• Distinguish subjective opinions and ideology from objective findings and data
• Recognize social and individual biases
• Develop personal and social responsibility and participate as an engaged citizen in order to promote a civil society
• Recognize the importance of individual differences and similarities in a global context.

Professionalism and Life Skills

Professionalism and life skills are the essential habits and characteristics commonly cited as necessary for success in life and in the workplace.

Professional and skillful individuals

• Meet personal and professional expectations
• Show cooperation with and courtesy to others
• Apply effective time management and planning techniques
• Follow instructions and ask appropriate questions
• Demonstrate initiative and persistence
• Maintain personal appearance and grooming
• Demonstrate safe and healthy habits