General Education Overview
The purpose of general education at NDSU is to ensure that students acquire knowledge, perspectives, and skills basic to a university education. The program is designed so that students will be able to adapt to and anticipate changes in their profession and in society. Students also will be able to integrate and use the knowledge and perspectives they have gained to live productive, intellectually rewarding and meaningful lives.
University General Education Requirements
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| College Composition I | |
| College Composition II | |
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | |
1 | |
| Total Credits | 39 |
General Education Category Descriptions
The following descriptions are elaborations of the general education categories approved by the Faculty Senate.
- Communication (C) is the clear, precise, and purposeful exchange of information in a variety of contexts, using either written or oral means.
- Digital Literacy (L) is the ability to use technology to find information, evaluate sources, create content, and communicate with others effectively.
- Fine arts (A), as an integral component of the humanities, promote the appreciation of aesthetics and the expression of creativity.
- Humanities (A) systematically explore cultural and intellectual forces shaping events, individual expression, and social values.
- Intercultural Knowledge and Competence (I) is a set of cognitive, affective, and behavioral skills and characteristics that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts.
- Quantitative reasoning (R) is an organized set of quantitative methods used to solve problems or extend knowledge. Quantitative methods are a set of principles and procedures that could be used to manipulate numerical data.
- Science (S) is an organized body of knowledge, including principles and procedures based on scientific methods, used to explain physical or biological phenomena.
- Social and behavioral sciences (B) use scientific methods to analyze the behaviors, structures, and processes of individuals and groups.
- Wellness (W) is a dynamic and integrative process of becoming aware of healthy lifestyles, of learning to make informed choices, and of developing a balanced approach to living.
General Education Program Assessment
General education assessment has three basic purposes:
- To improve student learning and development by identifying the intended student outcomes for the program.
- To provide feedback on the progress toward the intended student outcomes.
- To use the feedback to modify aspects of the program to ensure that the outcomes are being achieved and that student learning is improved.
Assessment activities are valued at NDSU and include the participation of students. Results will not be used to penalize students or faculty. Student performance on assessment of the general education program will not become part of the transcript.
General Education Transfer
Students transferring lower-division general education credits within the North Dakota University System need to consult with advisers in their academic programs at NDSU for two reasons. First, degree requirements of individual programs and colleges at NDSU may exceed the university-wide general education requirements. Second, meeting the university-wide lower-division general education requirements by transfer credits may not necessarily prepare students for advanced, upper-division study in an academic major at NDSU. See also the NDUS GERTA Agreement.
NDSU Study Abroad
Study Abroad/Student Exchange [(Prefix) 292, 392, 492, 692] A student who studies abroad for one or more semesters, and who successfully completes a minimum of three credits eligible for transfer back to NDSU, will completion the Intercultural Knowledge and Competence category. A student must arrange to have an official transcript sent to NDSU from the study abroad institution for official evaluation and credit determination. The student must complete a Student Appeal for Exception to General Education Requirements for this consideration. Note: Not eligible for a domestic student exchange program.
Faculty-Led Study Aboard [(Prefix) 179, 279, 379, 479, 679] Participation in a faculty-led study abroad experience does not automatically qualify for NDSU general education. The faculty member leading the study-abroad experience must apply for approval in an appropriate general education category before the course is open for student enrollment and well in advance of seminar departure. Approval requires the instructor to submit a course syllabus and a one-page rationale to the University General Education committee addressing how the seminar experience aligns the course learning outcomes with the general education learning outcomes for the category being sought. Approval is a one-time event and is not extended to additional semesters. Only students who enroll in the class and complete the experience are eligible for general education.
General Education Learning Outcomes
The intended learning outcomes resulting from the various general education categories include the following:
Communication (C) -is the clear, precise, and purposeful exchange of information in a variety of contexts, using either written or oral means. Students will
- adapt communication to suit different audiences and formats.
- present knowledge and conclusions across various contexts.
Quantitative Reasoning (R) - is the ability to use technology to find information, evaluate sources, create content, and communicate with others effectively. Students will
- evaluate data using quantitative or deductive reasoning.
- analyze data for the purpose of deriving conclusions and making interpretations.
Science & Technology (S)
Technology Learning Outcome- students will
- apply technology to demonstrate creativity and problem-solving skills.
- analyze how technology affects human experiences and understanding.
Natural and Physical Sciences Learning Outcome - students will
- analyze components and dynamics of natural and physical worlds.
- apply methods of scientific inquiry to the natural and physical world.
Humanities & Fine Arts (A)
Humanities - students will
- identify how cultural and intellectual forces influence events, individual experience, and social values.
- analyze texts or works of art through close reading and critical thinking.
Fine Arts - students will
- evaluate forms of artistic expression.
- interpret the ways artistic works convey meaning and affect.
Social & Behavioral Sciences (B) - students will
- analyze behaviors and social structures that shape individual and group interactions.
- examine how social structures shape experience and how individuals drive change.
Social & Behavioral Sciences - Wellness (W) - students will
- analyze how social ecological contexts relate to their personal wellness experiences.
- use information related to their wellness decisions and goals.
Intercultural Knowledge and Competence (I) - students will
Digital Literacy (L) - students will
- evaluate the accuracy and relevance of digital information.
- integrate digital technology and information into academic inquiry.
General Education Courses
The following is representative of the courses approved in each general education category for the specific catalog year. The general education component requires a minimum of 39 total credits with a minimum credit requirement in each of the six categories. The Intercultural Knowledge and Competence and Digital Literacy are non-credit bearing categories and are satisfied by completing courses that are dual listed in one of the other categories.
Category C: Communications - 12 credits
- 3 of the 12 credits must be at the 300/400 level upper-division
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| ENGL 110 | College Composition I | 3 |
| or ENGL 112 | Multilingual College Composition I |
| ENGL 120 | College Composition II | 3 |
| or ENGL 121 | Honors Composition II |
| or ENGL 122 | Multilingual College Composition II |
| COMM 110 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| or COMM 111 | Honors Public Speaking |
| ECON 356 | History of Economic Thought | 3 |
| ENGL 320 | Business and Professional Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 321 | Writing in the Technical Professions | 3 |
| ENGL 322 | Writing and the Creative Process | 3 |
| ENGL 324 | Writing in the Sciences | 3 |
| ENGL 325 | Writing in the Health Professions | 3 |
| ENGL 326 | Writing in the Design Professions | 3 |
| ENGL 357 | Visual Culture and Language | 3 |
| ENGL 358 | Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences | 3 |
| ENGL 459 | Researching and Writing Grants and Proposal | 3 |
| HIST 390 | Historical Research and Writing | 3 |
| PHIL 352 | Knowledge and Reality | 3 |
| PHIL 450 | Metaphysics | 3 |
| PHIL 451 | Skepticism and the Possibility of Knowledge | 3 |
| PHRM 324 | Writing in Pharmacy | 3 |
| SPAN 401 | Advanced Spanish Grammar and Writing | 3 |
Category R: Quantitative Reasoning - 3 credits
CATEGORY S: Science & Technology - 10 Credits
-
Four of the 10 credits must be in natural or physical sciences
-
A co-requisite, one-credit lab must be taken with a natural or physical science course unless the course includes an embedded lab experience equivalent to a one-credit course.
Natural Science (Sn):
Physical Science (Sp):
Technology (St):
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| CSCI 114 | Computer Applications | 3 |
| or SCM 116 | Business Software Applications |
| CSCI 121 | Artificial Intelligence for Everyone | 3 |
| CSCI 160 | Computer Science I | 4 |
| CSCI 227 | Computing Fundamentals in Python I | 3 |
| ECON 211 | Introduction to Computational Economics | 3 |
| HDFS 140 | Navigating Technology and Family Life | 3 |
| HON 121 | Innovation and Imagination Challenge Studio | 3 |
| STAT 331 | Regression Analysis | 2 |
CATEGORY A: Humanities & Fine Arts - 6 Credits
CATEGORY B: Social & Behavioral Sciences - 6 Credits
CATEGORY W: Wellness - 2 Credits
- Required is a social/behavioral science course that integrates at least two areas of lifelong wellness: emotional well-being, nutrition, physical activity, and psychological development.
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| ANSC 165 | Animals and Human Health | 3 |
| BUSN 130 | Basic Skills in Leadership and Personal Marketing | 3 |
| FIN 205 | Market Values | 3 |
| FIN 210 | Personal Finance in a Digital World | 3 |
| GLBL 311 | Global to Personal Wellbeing | 3 |
| HDFS 242 | Couples, Marriages and Families | 3 |
| HNES 100 | Concepts of Fitness & Wellness | 2 |
| HNES 111 | Wellness | 3 |
| HNES 250 | Nutrition Science | 3 |
| HPER 217 | Personal and Community Health | 3 |
| NURS 211 | Perspectives for Wellness | 3 |
| PH 101 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| PHRM 170 | Common Diseases, Prevention, and Treatment | 2 |
CATEGORY I: Intercultural Knowledge and Competence - 0 Credits
-This category must be completed with one of the classes listed that is also included in one of the credit bearing categories listed above.
CATEGORY L: Digital Literacy - 0 Credits
-This category must be completed with one of the classes listed that is also included in one of the credit bearing categories listed above.
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| ECON 211 | Introduction to Computational Economics | 3 |
| ENGL 120 | College Composition II | 3 |
| FIN 210 | Personal Finance in a Digital World | 3 |
| MICR 110 | Forensic Microbiology: Clues, Crimes, and Microbes | 3 |
| PHIL 170 | Artificial Intelligence and Society | 3 |
| PHIL 171 | Ethics and AI | 3 |
| PHIL 172 | AI in the Humanities | 3 |
North Dakota University System General Education Requirements Transfer Agreement
The North Dakota University System (NDUS) General Education Requirements Transfer Agreement (GERTA) was established by the State Board of Higher Education to ease student transfers within the system. Although subject to revision by the board, the policies at the time of this printing were as follows:
- If students have completed the lower-division general education course requirements (36 credits or more) at one NDUS institution and transfer to another NDUS institution, then the lower-division general education requirements will have been met.
If the lower-division general education requirements have not been completed before transferring, the general education courses from the indicated areas are applicable to an appropriate general education requirement of the institution to which they are transferred. In these cases, the number of credits required to complete the general education requirement in each area is determined by the policies of the institution to which the courses are transferred.
Students transferring lower-division general education credits within the North Dakota University System need to consult with advisers in their academic programs at NDSU for two reasons. First, degree requirements of individual programs and colleges at NDSU may exceed the university-wide general education requirements. Second, meeting the university-wide lower-division general education requirements by transfer credits may not necessarily prepare students for advanced, upper-division study in an academic major at NDSU.
Students transferring from non-ND University System institutions will have their general education requirements evaluated on a course-by-course basis when they enter NDSU.