This is an archived copy of the 2016-17 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://bulletin.ndsu.edu.

General Education

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.

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.
  • Cultural diversity (D) focuses on the social, personal, and interpersonal effects of variety and differences among cultures.
  • Fine arts (A), as an integral component of the humanities, promote the appreciation of aesthetics and the expression of creativity.
  • Global perspectives (G) focus on analysis of worldwide issues illustrating the interdependence of the world and its people.
  • Humanities (A) systematically explore cultural and intellectual forces shaping events, individual expression, and social values.
  • 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 Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree

  • A dynamic list of approved general education courses offered by term is available on the NDSU General Education Requirements website.
  • General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review the major, minor, and program emphases requirements for minimum grade restrictions, if applicable.
First Year Experience (F)1
Skills For Academic Success (Also offered with the following prefixes: ABEN, AGRI, BUSN, HD&E, ME, NURS, PHRM)
Communication (C)12
College Composition I
College Composition II
Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Upper Division Writing
Quantitative Reasoning (R) 3
Science and Technology (S) 10
Humanities and Fine Arts (A) 6
Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) 6
Wellness (W) 2
Cultural Diversity (D) *†
Global Perspectives (G) *†
Total Credits40

General Education Program Assessment

General education assessment has three basic purposes:

  1. To improve student learning and development by identifying the intended student outcomes for the program.
  2. To provide feedback on the progress toward the intended student outcomes.
  3. 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.

NDSU Study Abroad and Study Tour Experiences

UNIV 492: Study Abroad – three study abroad credits, completed successfully and transferred back to NDSU, will qualify for either of the general education categories of Cultural Diversity or Global Perspectives.   Six or more study abroad credits, completed successfully and transferred back to NDSU, will qualify for both Cultural Diversity and Global Perspectives categories.

(Prefix) 379: Study Tour – NDSU study tour instructors may apply for general education course approval in any category that pertains to the course content (including cultural diversity and global perspectives), especially but not only if the tour is offered with some regularity. Course approval for study tours requires a syllabus and a one-page rationale for how the tour addresses a general education outcome and should be sent to the Director of General Education for General Education committee review.  Study tours must actively and substantially address the outcomes requested (comparable to an approved 3-credit course).

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.