2_7_3

Section 2: Core Requirements

2.7.3 The institution requires in each undergraduate degree program the successful completion of a general education component at the collegiate level that (1) is a substantial component of each undergraduate degree, (2) ensures breadth of knowledge, and (3) is based on a coherent rationale. For degree completion in associate programs, the component constitutes a minimum of 15 semester hours or the equivalent; for baccalaureate programs, a minimum of 30 semester hours or the equivalent. The credit hours are to be drawn from and include at least one course from each of the following areas: humanities/fine arts; social/behavioral sciences; and natural science/mathematics. The courses do not narrowly focus on those skills, techniques, and procedures specific to a particular occupation or profession. The institution provides a written justification and rationale for course equivalency.

Judgment of Compliance:
Compliance

Narrative/Justification for Judgment of Compliance:
Christopher Newport University is in compliance with the core requirements for the general education component of undergraduate degrees.

Prior to Fall 2006, the general education component of undergraduate degrees consisted of 43-44 credit hours (36% of the credit hours required for graduation). They included:

6 hours of writing courses (ENGL 123 and 223)
3 hours of mathematics
7 hours of natural science sequence with laboratory,
3 hours in public speaking or critical thinking,
6 hours of world history (HIST 111 & 112),
6 hours in social sciences,
6 hours in humanities,
6 hours in foreign language

The curriculum, which included primarily introductory and survey courses, as opposed to narrowly focused skills courses, was “based on the conviction that every dimension of human life is improved when guided by active intelligence” and had the following goals:

1) The ability to communicate with words and numbers.
     a) To write and speak clearly and effectively in English.
     b) To convey numerical information clearly and effectively.

2) The ability to analyze, interpret, and think clearly.
     a) To understand and apply effectively mathematical concepts and methods.
     b) To understand and apply effectively scientific concepts and methods.
     c) To analyze and evaluate information logically.

3) An understanding of how science operates and the nature and role of science in society.
     a) To understand how the scientific method is used to comprehend the nature of the world.
     b) To appreciate the historical aspects of science and the impact and limitations of science and technology.

4) A global perspective of the world’s history, cultures and societies.
     a) To understand human experience through an historical perspective.
     b) To understand cultural diversity.
     c) To understand the foundations, structures, and processes of contemporary societies.

5) An understanding of the human condition and the significance of the individual.
     a) To understand the interdependency between the individual and society.
     b) To understand and value individual creativity, choice, and responsibility in being a member of society.

6) An understanding and practice of health and wellness.

7) The ability to use information technology for research and communication.

The Liberal Learning Core

In Fall 2006, Christopher Newport University is implementing new general education requirements called the Liberal Learning Core, which are consistent with the university’s mission to “providing a liberal arts education that stimulates intellectual inquiry and fosters social and civic values.”The Liberal Learning Core, detailed below, requires 46-48 hours (38% of the undergraduate degree) and includes courses in humanities/fine arts in Creative Expressions; social/behavior sciences courses in the Global and Multicultural and Identity, Institutions and Societies; and natural science/mathematics courses in the Foundation and the Investigating the Natural World.

Liberal Learning Foundation (18-20 credits)

First Year Seminar (3)
Mathematics (6-8)
Written Communication Literacy (6)
Second Language Literacy (3)

Areas of Inquiry (22 credits)

Western Traditions (3 hours)
These courses explore the defining ideas, cultural perspectives, and patterns of thought that have evolved in Europe throughout its history as well as the Americas after 1500. The courses highlight important characteristics of Western societies and situate these developments within a broad and meaningful context. Students are encouraged to grapple with the original thinkers of the West through the study of primary texts (such as literary works, historical documents, theoretical essays, and works of art and music). Therefore, students will meaningfully engage with key elements of the Western Tradition and understand its manifold influences on our modern cultures today. Examples: French Women Writers; The Western Novel Comes of Age; Western Civilization, from the Classical World to 1715; History of American Civilization since 1865; Religions of the West; America and the Second World War.

Global and Multicultural Perspectives (3 hours)
These courses probe conflicts and creative resonances shaped by cultural difference, as well as bridges built by shared understanding. Courses in this area should consider culture in terms of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, class, sexual orientation, or national origin; they should examine strategies of negotiation, resistance, and assimilation as these cultures interact with society’s dominant structures. Examples: Forms and Expressions in World Literature; History of Western Civilizations since the mid-16th Century; Cross-Cultural Awareness; Women in Islam; Globalization and Society; Introduction to Latin American Culture.

Creative Expressions (3 hours)
These courses focus on the human drive for creativity and self-expression in a wide range of forms and over a wide variety of cultures. Students will examine creative works both structurally and within a larger context; they may also produce works of creative expression. Examples: Arts of the United States; Into the Woods: The European Folktale Tradition; Search for Beauty; The Dramatic Impulse (Modern); Art, Clothing and Society.

Identity, Institutions and Societies (3 hours)
These courses expose students to the institutional structure of human society and the fluid role of the individual human within that society. Students will analyze concepts, patterns, and issues that affect the organization of societies, shape individual thought and social mores, and mold the relationship between individuals and society at large. Examples: Sociology of Sport; Human Communication Theory; Power and Politics in America; Principles of Macroeconomics.

Formal and Informal Reasoning (3 hours)
These courses investigate the structure and methods of formal and informal reasoning strategies. Students will study the nature and applicability of structures found in such areas as mathematical inquiry, formal logic, informal logic, and natural and artificial languages. Examples: Debate and Argumentation; Multimedia and Web Publishing; Critical Thinking; Applications in Social Science Research

Investigating the Natural World (7 hours and 1-hour laboratory accompanying a 3-hour course)
These courses introduce students to natural sciences in the modern world. Both lecture and laboratory courses focus on how science is conducted and how scientific knowledge advances in individual fields. Students will understand the process by which scientists gain knowledge about objects, phenomena, the laws of nature, and the laws of the physical world. Natural sciences study the physical world and its phenomena. Examples: How Things Work; Topics in Evolution and Diversity; Introductory Chemistry; General Biology Laboratory; Human Adaptation; Investigating the Biological Bases of Behavior and Cognition.

Liberal Learning Emphasis (6 credits)

6 additional credits (at least 3 hours at the 300-level or higher) in any Areas of Inquiry to provide depth beyond the major

Course Equivalencies
Students transferring into Christopher Newport University have their transcripts evaluated in the Office of the Registrar by the Assistant Registrar for Transfer. This is stated in the Undergraduate Catalog and on the CNU website. The Assistant Registrar first reviews the transfer student’s transcript, comparing the catalog course descriptions from the transcript granting institution to CNU’s course descriptions to determine if any courses are equivalent. To make this process easier, the Office of the Registrar is currently building within Banner a catalog of courses from other colleges and universities that show CNU equivalencies. If there is any question about the equivalency, then a faculty member in the appropriate department reviews the course in question using the designated transfer equivalency form. In the event a course is not equivalent to one of the general education courses, then the specific course is reviewed to determine if it satisfies the requirements for a course in one of the Areas of Inquiry. Again, faculty are called upon to make that judgment if it is not a clear fit. The course, if approved, would be considered an elective, but still satisfy a certain number of hours in that Area of Inquiry.

Enrolled CNU students who plan to take credit courses at other colleges must receive prior permission to do so. The form, Request to Take Course Elsewhere, used to request such permission requires the description of the course to be taken at the other college, the department chair’s signature from the department the courses would substitute a CNU course for, and the Registrar’s approval.

Support Documentation:
Undergraduate Catalog 05-06, p. 41-44.
Christopher Newport University Task Force on Curriculum and Academic Life, Report to the Provost, 25 February 2004.
Copy of the Liberal Learning Website:
          Reasoning
          Expressions
          Identity
          Natural
          Global
          Western
          Seminar
          Foundations
Request to Take Course Elsewhere form
Graphical Depiction of LLC Assessment
First Year Seminar Booklet
Approved A of I Course Listing
WI Certification
Student Handbook 05-06

Additional Live Web Resources:
None