General Education Outline

(10-13 classes, total)

Part A: Core:  (2 courses)

  1. First Year Preceptorial

  2. Sophomore Seminar 

Part B: Distribution requirements: (8 courses)

1. One (1) Social Sciences course. This category includes: psychology, anthropology, history, sociology, economics, and political science.

2. Two (2) Humanities courses (includes studio and performing arts courses), one of which must be a literature course (HUL).

3. Two (2) courses in Linguistic and Cultural Competency. This requirement can be satisfied in the following ways:

     - a sequence of two courses in one foreign language at level 101 or higher, OR
     - any two courses designated as "LCC" by the General Education Board, OR
     - term abroad courses (including miniterms) that deal with a cultural tradition outside the U.S.

4. Three (3) courses: one in quantitative and mathematical reasoning (QMR), one in natural and applied science with a lab (SCLB), and one in science or engineering or the impact of science and technology on society (SET):

     - one course in quantitative and mathematical reasoning: includes courses in math or those offered 
       in a number of departments, listed as "QMR"
     - one course in natural sciences, with lab, listed as "SCLB"
     - one a course selected from the following categories:

             i.  a second science course, but need not have a lab

            ii.  a course from engineering or computer science to foster understanding of technology

           iii.  a team-taught ID course (including at least one faculty from Div 3 or 4), with significant
                science or engineering content, about the impact of science and/or technology on the
                human world, listed as "SET"

Part C: Making Connections across Disciplines (3 courses)

Click here for the Cluster Finder web site.

A cluster prompts awareness of interdisciplinary connections by requiring students to take 3 courses in an approved cluster, from at least 2 different departments.  Possibilities would include 3 courses in any of the existing ID programs and/or clusters of courses proposed by faculty groups and approved by the General Education Board such as “Ancient Studies,” “Globalization,” or “Media Studies.” The committee envisions that the list of approved clusters would change over time with new clusters being proposed and older ones, if no longer a focus of interest, disappearing over time. 

Note that students may also satisfy the Cluster requirement by completing either a major or a minor in any interdisciplinary or organizing theme program.