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New General Education

A page within Records & Registration

New General Education Requirements Coming Soon
 Effective for Students Starting Summer and Fall 2025 or Later

*Current students will continue to complete General Education requirements following the categories listed in the  catalog year of their start.

 

First College Courses (12-13 credits)

These foundational courses introduce early in a student’s college career skills that are central to learning, analyzing, evaluating, integrating, and communicating information and knowledge. These skills are essential in all fields of study and their development should be enhanced and refined throughout the college years. Therefore, it is recommended that these courses are taken during the student’s first year at UWL.

GEN ED 1001 First Year Seminar (3 cr)

This topics seminar focuses on developing the knowledge, experiences, and skills helpful for success at UWL, including learning strategies, community building, and academic inquiry. By exploring enduring questions students will learn the purposes and value of a liberal arts education.

  • Outcome: Reflect on and apply learning and skills that contribute to success in the first year of college and beyond (Foundations and Skills for Lifelong Learning VALUE Rubric)
Course Title
FYS 100  First Year Seminar
GEN ED 1002 Written Literacy (3 cr)

Reading and writing are used to effectively communicate ideas and to become educated citizens. These skills courses improve students’ abilities to read and write with clarity, precision, and depth of understanding.

  • Outcome: Develop ideas effectively in writing by integrating evidence with clarity and precision (Written Communication VALUE Rubric)
Course Title
ENG 110  College Writing
ENG 112  College Writing AP
GEN ED 1003 Spoken Literacy (3 cr)

Speaking and listening are used to effectively communicate ideas and to become educated citizens. This skills course improves students’ abilities to speak and listen with clarity, precision, and depth of understanding.

  • Outcome: Speaking and listening are used to effectively communicate ideas and to become educated citizens. This skills course improves students’ abilities to speak and listen with clarity, precision, and depth of understanding.
Course Title
CST 100 Communicating Effectively
GEN ED 1004 Quantitative Reasoning (3-4 cr)

Quantitative reasoning skills are vital for understanding and predicting many personal and societal conditions. Students will develop a habit of mind that includes analyzing, evaluating, and communicating situations logically and precisely. Courses focus on topics necessary to make informed decisions in today’s world such as logic, numeracy, and statistics.

  • Outcome: Analyze quantitative data to reason and communicate arguments across varied contexts (Quantitative Literacy VALUE Rubric)
Course Title
CS 101 Introduction to Computing
CS 115 Introduction to Python Programming
CS 120 Software Design I
CT 100 Introduction to Computational Thinking
FIN 207 Personal Finance
MTH 115 Mathematics for Early Childhood and Elementary Teachers I
MTH 116 Mathematics for Early Childhood and Elementary Teachers II
MTH 123 Mathematics for Decision Making
MTH 150 College Algebra
MTH 151 Precalculus
MTH 160 Mathematics for Business
MTH 175 Applied Calculus
MTH 207 Calculus I
MTH 208 Calculus II
MTH 215 Mathematics for Middle School Teachers I
MTH 216 Mathematics for Middle School Teachers II
MTH 265 Mathematical Models in Biology
MUS 115 Musical Elements: Conventions and Systems
PHL 101 Introduction to Logic
STAT 145 Elementary Statistics

University Core (17 credits)

Students will take courses that expand their knowledge of disciplines and learn skills that will enhance their intellectual development. Collectively, these courses will place foundational knowledge in larger contexts and demonstrate the importance of a liberal arts education for the development of the whole person and their relationship to society.

GEN ED 1005 Ethnic Diversity (3 cr)

An essential goal of general education is to improve students’ understanding of and sensitivity to cultural, gender, and intersectional diversity and inequality in the United States. All students take at least one course that focuses on systems of oppression that impact communities of color in the United States or specifically attend to gender within communities of color.

  • Outcome: Interpret cultural contexts to interact with diverse and intersectional U.S. communities (Intercultural Knowledge VALUE Rubric)
Course Title
ANT 362 Hmong Americans
ANT 375 Language, Power, and Inequality
ECO 336 Women in the U.S. Economy
EDS 206 Multicultural Education
EFN 205 Understanding Human Differences
ENG 207 Multicultural Literature of the United States
ENG 210 Literature of Black America
ENG 215 African American Authors
HIS 306 Ethnic America
HIS 336 Latinos in the United States: 1450-2000
PHL 335 Multicultural Philosophy in the United States
POL 205 Women and Politics
PSY 283 Psychology of Culture and Race
PSY 285 Culture and Mental Health
PSY 318 Psychology of Women
RGS 100 Race, Gender, Sexuality, and Class
RGS 207 Multicultural Literature of the United States
RGS 210 Literature of Black America
RGS 215 African American Authors
RGS 362 Hmong Americans
SOC 225 Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
THA 130 Multicultural U.S. Drama and Theory
GEN ED 1006 Mind & Body (3 cr)

Mens Corpusque (mind and body) underscores the importance of the interaction between physical and mental well-being. Students will gain the knowledge and skills to improve their own well-being through the application of the dimensions of wellness (such as physical, emotional, intellectual, environmental, social, spiritual, occupational) and will recognize that individual decisions and actions impact the wellness of others.

  • Outcome: Apply multidimensional wellness strategies to enhance individual and collective well-being in a collaborative setting (Teamwork VALUE Rubric)
Course Title
HED 207 Youth Health Issues
HP 105 Analysis of Health, Wellness and Disease for the Health Care Consumer
HPR 105 Creating A Healthy, Active Lifestyle
MIND 110 Introduction to Mindfulness
REC 150 Leisure, Quality of Life, and Well Being
GEN ED 1007 Arts and Aesthetics (4 cr)

The arts represent a fusion of the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual realities of the human condition. Study of the arts leads to heightened aesthetic experiences and deepens cultural understanding. This includes courses that focus on understanding, appreciating, and experiencing the fine and performing arts.

  • Outcome: Analyze artistic elements to foster creative thinking and deepen cultural appreciation (Creative Thinking VALUE Rubric)
Course Title
ART 102 Art Appreciation
ART 160 General Art Foundations
ART 172 Photography Survey
ART 272 Photography and Imaging I
ART 302 Visual Language in the Global Classroom
ART 332 Themes of Contemporary Art
ESS 104  Dance Appreciation
MUS 100 Screaming Eagles Marching Band I
MUS 103 Concert Band I
MUS 105  Music Appreciation
MUS 106 Concert Choir I
MUS 123 Treble Chorus I
MUS 134 Jazz Ensemble I
MUS 140 Wind Ensemble I
MUS 144 Symphonic Band I
MUS 156 Orchestra I
MUS 158 Choral Union I
PHL 332 Philosophy of the Arts
THA 110 Theatre Appreciation
THA 120 Acting for Non-Majors
THA 201 Dramatic Literature and Theatre Arts
GEN ED 1008 Experiential Science (4 cr)

As the health and prosperity of our society becomes more dependent on science and technology, individuals must be sufficiently knowledgeable about scientific facts and applications to make skilled decisions concerning their use. In these courses, students will learn content and principles within the natural sciences, how scientists use the scientific method as a way of understanding the world, and how to critically evaluate claims from a scientific perspective. Students will also experience the “doing” of science first-hand in a laboratory setting.

  • Outcome: Analyze scientific facts and applications to draw informed conclusions through systematic inquiry in a laboratory environment (Inquiry and Analysis VALUE Rubric)
Course Title
ANT 102 Introduction to Biological Anthropology
BIO 100 Biology for the Informed Citizen
BIO 105 General Biology
CHM 100 Contemporary Chemistry
CHM 103  General Chemistry I
GEO 101  Earth Environments
MIC 100 Microbes and Society
PHY 103  Fundamental Physics I
PHY 106  Physical Science for Educators
PHY 155 Solar System Astronomy
PHY 160 Stars, Galaxies and the Universe
PHY 203 General Physics I
GEN ED 1009 Social & Behavioral Studies (3 cr)

It is important to gain a sound understanding of oneself in relation to others and an understanding of the social institutions that people create and which serve to influence our lives. In these courses, students will use critical analysis to investigate the influence of social institutions on personal attitudes, values, and behavior in order to gain an understanding of oneself in relation to others.

  • Outcome: Apply strategies to analyze the influence of social and behavioral systems on personal attitudes and interpersonal relations (Problem Solving VALUE Rubric)
Course Title
ANT 101 Human Nature/Human Culture
ART 215 Introduction to Museum Studies
CST 271 Media and Society
ECO 110 Microeconomics and Public Policy
ECO 120 Global Macroeconomics
ECO 376 Economics of Art and Entertainment
EDS 203 School, Society, and Teachers
ENG 220 Women and Popular Culture
GEO 102 Maps and Society
GER 398 German Thinkers and Popular Culture
PH 200 Introduction to Public Health
PHL 120 Introduction to Ethics and Society: The Person and the Community
POL 101  American National Government
POL 102 State and Local Government
PSY 100  General Psychology
RGS 150 Introduction to Social Justice
RGS 307 Ethnic, Racial, and Gender Stereotypes in the Media
SOC 110 Introduction to Sociology
SOC 120 Social Problems
SOC 150  Introduction to Social Justice
THA 376 Economics of Art and Entertainment

Integrative Perspectives (12 credits)

Students will use tools of inquiry from multiple perspectives to develop and address questions that encourage intellectual curiosity and seek to improve the human condition. The Perspectives courses will encourage students to connect campus and academic life to local, regional, national, and/or international communities. Courses will explore the interconnectedness of global systems to help students understand their sense of place in the world. One course must be taken from each category. At least three of the courses must have different prefixes. According to the AAC&U: through global learning, students should 1) become informed, open-minded, and responsible people who are attentive to diversity across the spectrum of differences, 2) seek to understand how their actions affect both local and global communities, and 3) address the world’s most pressing and enduring issues collaboratively and equitably.

GEN ED 1010 The Stories We Tell (3 cr)

Literary texts (oral, written, cinematic, multimedia) imagine what it means to be human. Students will critically read a diverse range of texts to both extract and construct meaning. Literary analysis asks students to recognize and use a text’s literary elements, to articulate the contexts that contribute to the text’s meaning, and to consider how meaning differs depending on point of view

  • Outcome: Analyze texts to find and construct meanings utilizing literary elements and contexts (Reading VALUE Rubric)
Course Title
CHI 305 Introduction to Modern Chinese Literature
ENG 200 Literature and Human Experience
ENG 201 American Literature before 1865
ENG 202  American Literature after 1865
ENG 203 British Literature before 1800
ENG 204 British Literature after 1800
ENG 205  Western Literature before 1700
ENG 206 Western Literature after 1700
FRE 395  French Literary Voices in English
GCL 299 Global Literature in Translation
GER 399 German Literature in Translation
HIS 205 Ethics and Religion
PHL 100 Introduction to Philosophy
PHL 200  Introduction to the Literature of Philosophy
POL 251 Political Theory
RUS 305 Golden Age Russian Literature and Culture
GEN ED 1011 The Pasts that Define Us (3 cr)

The study of the global, interconnected past provides context for understanding the present: what is past is prologue. Students will utilize modes of inquiry to examine historical events and phenomena that have occurred across time and place. Students will construct an understanding of the past by developing historical questions answered through arguments supported by various forms of historical evidence and scholarly research.

  • Outcome: Examine historical events from multiple perspectives, formulating a conclusion based on evidence and scholarly research (Critical Thinking VALUE Rubric)
Course Title
ARC 200 World Archaeology: Origins and Development of Human Culture and Society
HIS 110  World History
POL 244 International Relations
GEN ED 1012 The Planet that Sustains Us (3 cr)

Understanding the interaction between humans and their environment is crucial to maintaining a sustainable use of natural resources for a healthy world. Students will learn about environmental issues that exist or are likely to arise in the future. Students will understand, and articulate perspectives on, the complex interactions between society and the natural world by synthesizing the scientific, ethical, and cross-cultural context of environmental matters.

  • Outcome: Analyze environmental issues to investigate their global impacts and implications for the future (Civic Engagement VALUE Rubric)
Course Title
ANT 202  Contemporary Global Issues
ARC 100 Archaeology: Discovering Our Past
BIO 102 Contemporary Issues in Biological Sciences
ENV 101  Introduction to Sustainability and Environmental Studies
GEO 200  Conservation of Global Environments
GEO 211 Global Climate Change
GEO 340  Polar Environments
MIC 130  Global Impact of Infectious Disease
PHY 142 Navigating Global Nuclear Issues
POL 202  Contemporary Global Issues
PUB 210 Contemporary Issues in Government
GEN ED 1013 The Cultures of Our World (3 cr)

We live in an interconnected world in which understanding of cultures and societies is essential. Students will explore cultural and ethical perspectives different from their own; reflect on how their own cultural rules influence their behavior and how others view them.

  • Outcome: Apply knowledge of global communities through critical engagement with diverse cultural practices and/or languages (Global Learning VALUE Rubric)
Course Title
ARA 102 Elementary Arabic II
ARA 201 Intermediate Arabic I
ARA 202  Intermediate Arabic II
ART 251 Survey of Art History
ART 301 World Art
CHI 102 Chinese in a Global Society II
CHI 201  Chinese Language and Culture in Action I
CHI 202  Chinese Language and Culture in Action II
CHI 320  Introduction to Chinese Civilization
ECO 212 Search for Economic Justice
ENG 208 International Studies in Literature
ENG 212 Search for Economic Justice
FRE 102  French in a Global Society II
FRE 201  French Language and Cultures in Action I
FRE 202  French Language and Cultures in Action II
GCL 102  Elementary Languages II
GCL 201  Intermediate Languages I
GCL 202  Intermediate Languages II
GEO 110  World Cultural Regions
GEO 202 Contemporary Global Issues
GER 102  German in a Global Society II
GER 201  German Language and Cultures in Action I
GER 202  German Language and Cultures in Action II
HIS 202  Contemporary Global Issues
HIS 360  Women, Gender, and Sexuality in Latin America
HMG 204  Hmong Heritage Language: Intermediate
HMG 304  Hmong Heritage Language: Advanced
JPN 102  Elementary Japanese II
JPN 201  Intermediate Japanese I
JPN 202  Intermediate Japanese II
MUS 205  Global Cultures in Music
PHL 212  Search for Economic Justice
PHL 336  International Multicultural Philosophy
PHL 349  Asian Philosophy
POL 212 Search for Economic Justice
POL 234 Comparative Politics
PSY 282 Cross-Cultural Psychology
RUS 102 Russian in a Global Society II
RUS 201 Russian Language and Cultures in Action I
RUS 202  Russian Language and Cultures in Action II
SOC 202 Contemporary Global Issues
SPA 103 Spanish in a Global Society I & II
SPA 201  Spanish Language and Cultures in Action I
SPA 202  Spanish Language and Cultures in Action II
SPA 221 Introduction to Spanish for the Health Professions
THA 351 World Theatre