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 | |
† | |
Total Credits | 39 |
- A list of university approved general education courses and administrative policies are available here.
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 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 Global Seminar and Global Practicum Courses
Global Practicum: Study Abroad [(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, may qualify for either Cultural Diversity or Global Perspectives. Completing six or more study abroad credits may qualify for both Cultural Diversity and Global Perspectives categories. 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.
Global Seminar [(Prefix) 179, 279, 379, 479, 679] Global Seminar experiences do not automatically qualify for NDSU general education. An NDSU global seminar instructor 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) - students will
Quantitative Reasoning (R) - student will
- apply quantitative and qualitative methods to collect and analyze data, in order to:
- explain the nature of evidence used for analysis
- evaluate the assumptions, evidence, and logic of competing views and explanations
Science & Technology (S)
Technology Learning Outcome- students will
- understand, use, and apply technology to demonstrate creativity and solve problems
- identify the social, aesthetic, and ethical implications of technological decisions
- analyze how technology shapes, limits, and augments our experiences and understandings
Natural and Physical Sciences Learning Outcome - students will
- analyze components and dynamics of natural and physical worlds
- develop models to explain phenomena within the natural and physical worlds
- apply methods of scientific inquiry to enhance their understanding of the natural and physical world
Humanities & Fine Arts (A) - students will
- identify the nature and impact of aesthetic, creative, or cultural activities on human experience
- analyze the components and dynamics of human societies in their artistic, cultural, and historical contexts
Social & Behavioral Sciences (B) - students will
- analyze the interplay of self and society, particularly how social structures shape human experiences and how humans shape social structures
- apply theories or research methods to understand human events, identities, artifacts, or social structures
- Examine their own values, biases, and conclusions within larger social or theoretical contexts
Social & Behavioral Sciences - Wellness (W) - students will
- examine how social ecological contexts relate to their personal wellness values, biases, and conclusions
- articulate how their personal, professional, or civic goals reflect their core wellness values
- explore, identify and evaluate sources of information related to personal wellness
Cultural Diversity (D) - students will
- identify how diverse societies shape individual experiences, expressions and identities
- identify how diversity influences cultural values
Global Perspectives (G) - students will
- apply theories or research methods to develop strategies and solutions that address global challenges
- identify potential benefits and explore the implications of global citizenship
- evaluate global phenomena using perspectives, attitudes and beliefs of communities with cultural backgrounds different from their own
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. Cultural diversity and global perspectives may be satisfied by completing courses in another category.
Category C: Communications - 12 credits
- 3 of the 12 credits at the upper-level (300-400):
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 |
FREN 360 | Studies in Language and Style | 3 |
HIST 390 | Historical Research and Writing | 3 |
PHIL 450 | Metaphysics | 3 |
PHIL 451 | Skepticism and the Possibility of Knowledge | 3 |
PHRM 324 | Writing and Professionalization in Pharmacy | 3 |
SPAN 401 | Advanced Spanish Grammar and Writing | 3 |
Category R: Quantitative Reasoning - 3 credits
CATEGORY S: Science & Technology - 10 Credits
-
At least four credits must be in natural or physical sciences.
-
A one-credit lab must be taken as a co-requisite with a general education science/technology 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 TL 116 | Business Software Applications |
CSCI 160 | Computer Science I | 4 |
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.
CATEGORY D: Cultural Diversity
- This requirement may be met by 3 credits taken in any department as part of the 39 credits required for general education in a course approved for cultural diversity.
CATEGORY G: Global Perspectives
- This requirement may be met by 3 credits taken in any department as part of the 39 credits required for general education in a course approved for global perspectives.
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.