The goals of a liberal education include both breadth of knowledge (general education) and competency in a specialized discipline or field of knowledge (the major). The general education component seeks to expose students to various modes of thought and to the variety of ideas and values in today's world. Students need to demonstrate particular proficiencies to assure their general education and have a reasonable degree of choice in making course selections to meet these requirements. In every case the requirement can be satisfied by students' placement examinations or by taking a course or courses. No single course may satisfy more than one general education requirement. Students can track their completion of general education requirements on one of the following forms.

Please note: The faculty recently approved a change to the core requirements that affects only students who matriculate in Fall 2007 or after. All students entering in Fall 2007 and later must complete Foundation and Distribution Requirements, usually met during the freshmen and sophomore years. Students who entered prior to Fall 2007 are held to the General Education (GE) requirements.

General Education Check List, 2007-08 catalog
General Education Check List, 2006-07 catalog
General Education Check List, 2005-06 catalog
General Education Check List, 2004-05 catalog
General Education Check List, 2003-04 catalog
General Education Check List, 2002-03 catalog

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The requirements are:

GE1. English Composition.

 Students will receive extensive practice in critical reading and writing; be introduced to conventions governing appropriateness and persuasiveness in writing; learn the conventions of standard English; learn to choose words more precisely, to write clearer sentences and more effective paragraphs, to argue a workable thesis, use an effective voice and to integrate the work of others into their own work properly; and, overall, learn to increase precision, fluency, and confidence with written language.

 The English department will assess the proficiency of entering students by a placement examination. The most proficient will be exempt from the composition requirement. Others may demonstrate their proficiency by completing successfully one of the following courses.

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GE2. Foreign Language.

Students will acquire oral and written skills in at least one foreign language; begin to define the differences between their own culture and a foreign culture; acquire basic tools that will provide access to broader cultural knowledge; and gain a deeper and more thorough of their own language and culture.

Entering students who demonstrate, on placement tests administered by the language departments or through transfer or advanced placement credit, that they are qualified to enter third-year language courses have met this foreign language requirement. Native speakers of a language other than English who wish to be exempted from this requirement may present to the appropriate W&L language department or the Committee on Courses and Degrees evidence of their ability. (As a starting place for finding an instructor to test you, try www.carla.umn.edu/lctl/db/ , linguistlist.org/people/personal/search-personal.html , or Google at www.google.com/search?q=site:edu+language+langname, replacing "langname" with one word or string related to the language, e.g. Korean.)

All others may meet it by completing satisfactorily one of the following courses. 

Chinese 262
French 162 or 172
German 262 or 263
Greek 202
Italian 162
Japanese 262
Latin 202
Russian 262 or 263
Spanish 162 or 164

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GE3. Literature.

Students will acquire knowledge about the cultural context of literature; learn to analyze complex, ambiguous and difficult language; learn to read with imagination and to respond to literature orally and in writing; learn new ways of thinking about literature; and acquire an aesthetic interest to pursue in later life.

 To meet this requirement a student must take two courses (six credits of work) from among the following:

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GE4. Fine Arts, History, Philosophy, and Religion.

A student must take at least 12 credits and must include courses from at least two of the following four areas. Poverty and Human Capability 101 and Women's Studies 120 will meet the requirement for credits but will not meet the requirement for two areas.

 a. Fine Arts - Students acquire historical knowledge about artistic, musical and theatrical traditions; are introduced to works representative of both historical and contemporary traditions; gain practical experience in the creative, musical and theatrical arts; acquire skills in using words, concepts and methods to analyze past and contemporary art, music and theatre; and learn ways to express personal creativity and employ their imaginations.

b. History - Students will acquire knowledge about the past; learn to read texts critically; acquire an appreciation of the importance of evidence in reaching conclusions; acquire an appreciation for the historical approach to understanding the present; and improve his or her writing style and learn to write an historical essay.

c. Philosophy - Students will acquire knowledge about political and ethical theory or about fundamental questions in metaphysics or epistemology; develop the ability to scrutinize their unquestioned assumptions about reality, the right and the good, and the sort of life they ought to live; acquire knowledge about the history of philosophy; acquire insight into disparate positions taken by well-known thinkers of our past; and develop abstract reasoning skills and ability to identify faulty reasoning and make sound arguments.

d. Religion - Students will learn about one or more of the historic or living religious traditions, the thought, beliefs, institutions, worship, ethical implications of such traditions, and their interaction with other social and cultural forms, including other religious traditions; learn about one or more methods used in religious studies, (e.g. historical, sociological, comparative, theological, philosophical, anthropological, hermeneutical, textual); and learn to think about religious ways of life tolerantly, sympathetically and yet critically.

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GE5. Science and Mathematics.

A student is required to complete 10 credits in science and mathematics, including at least four credits of laboratory science from requirement "5a" and a course chosen from requirement "5b" below:

 a. Laboratory Science Courses - Students will understand the methods that scientists employ in seeking to understand the natural world; gain an appreciation for the character of the evidence used in science, and the methods used to gather and interpret data; obtain a basic understanding of the language and procedures involved in at least one of the natural sciences; learn how to make and interpret observations of natural phenomena; and acquire a better understanding of the operation of natural processes and phenomena.

c. Additional courses in mathematics or science

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GE6. Social Sciences.

Students will acquire knowledge about human beings and their economic, political and social institutions; become familiar with the analytical skills employed in any one of these disciplines; and acquire knowledge useful in discussing and evaluating anthropological, economic, political, psychological and sociological issues.

A student must take at least nine credits and must include courses from at least two of the following four areas. Environmental Studies 110 will meet the requirement for credits but will not meet the requirement for two areas.

a. Economics 101, 102

 

b. Politics 100, 105, 111, 203 (Journalism 203), 214, 215, 233, 240

 

c. Psychology 111, 112, 113, 114 (Sociology 114), 120, 150, 240

 

d. Anthropology 101, 205, 207, 210, 230, 252, 260, 338 (History 338), Classics 238, Sociology 102, 200 (Religion 200),
202, 225, 245 (Politics 245), 246 (Politics 246)

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GE7. Physical Education.

 Students will improve physical fitness and dexterity; develop skills in various sports and activities; and acquire knowledge or skills useful in the pursuit of physical fitness and recreation after college. A student is required to pass a proficiency test in swimming and to complete five terms of physical education activity classes selected from Physical Education 101 to 215.
  

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