Proposed Purpose Statement (Drafted 11/23/04; Approved 12/20/04)

Consistent with Millersville University's mission to "promote intellectual development through an exemplary liberal arts based education," the purpose of General Education is to provide breadth of knowledge as a balance and complement to the depth provided by the major. General Education is designed to provide a coherent, well-rounded educational experience that assures the acquisition of lifelong values and competencies, including information literacy, personal wellness, ways of knowing across a variety of disciplines, and an appreciation for cultural and academic diversity. These are necessary for the holistic development of our graduates so that they may become responsible citizens in a democracy that exists within an increasingly complex global society.

Proposed Objectives (Drafted 12/20/04; Approved 12/20/04)

The General Education Program prepares graduates who meet all of the following objectives.

Foundations for Critical Thinking and Life-Long Learning

1. Students will:
1. generate, express, and revise ideas for personal, career, and civic communication.
2. present ideas formally in spoken, written, and media forms.
3. find appropriate sources of information, evaluate the information, and integrate it into a final product.
4. demonstrate general knowledge and an appreciation for physical and psychological well-being, as well as an appreciation for the environment, life-long learning, and community participation.

Critical Thinking And Its Application To Personal, Academic, Career, and Civic Purposes

2. Students will:
1. use and interpret statistical data.
2. evaluate and solve problems from the real world using the symbolic language of mathematics with appropriate technology.

3. Students will:

1. use social science evidence and theories to become a participating and informed citizen in a democracy that exists within an increasingly complex global society.
2. evaluate theories of human behavior and social institutions using methods of inquiry of the social sciences, including quantitative and qualitative methods and appropriate technology.

4. Students will:

1. use scientific reasoning, laboratory methods, appropriate technology, and mathematics to investigate scientific concepts.
2. evaluate and apply scientific evidence and theories.

5. Students will:

1. use critical analysis to respond thoughtfully to works of literature. b) apply critical and creative methods of the arts and humanities.

Connecting Critical Thinking In The Disciplines To Life Beyond The Classroom

6. Students will be able to:
1. demonstrate knowledge, attitudes, and skills essential for communicating with, working with, and making decisions with people of diverse backgrounds.
2. articulate and rationally support personal, moral, and civic values and manifest a commitment to these values through personal, academic, career, and civic endeavors.
3. connect big ideas and methods of inquiry from different disciplines including both historical and contemporary perspectives in ways that lead to effective problem solving and support life-long learning.

Foundations (4 courses - 12 sh)

• UNIV 1**: First Seminar (or other GenEd course) 3 sh
• ENGL 110: English Composition 3 sh
• COMM 100: Fundamentals of Speech 3 sh
• WELL 175/352: Wellness: Concepts of Health & Fitness/Health Education in Elem. Schools 3 sh

Introduction to Critical Thinking in the Disciplines (4 courses - min. 12 sh)

• Math with statistics or calculus component
• Laboratory science
• U.S. Civics-related Social Science
• Literature (from the Humanities)

Critical thinking in the Disciplines Electives (6 courses - min. 18 sh)

• 2 each in Humanities and Fine Arts, Science and Mathematics, Social Sciences
• Three courses at 200 level or above

Integration (3 courses - 9 sh)

• Perspectives course
  • At least junior standing
• Gen Ed elective
  • At least junior standing
  • 300 level or higher
• Writing intensive capstone or Advanced Writing
  • Senior standing

Six courses (18 sh) from Required Related course work in student's major may be counted toward any of the Gen Ed requirements above.

Other University requirements:

Writing courses: 4 required; may be in General Education, the major or general electives.
Diversity² course: 1 required; may be in General Education, the major or general electives.

Courses meeting any Gen Ed requirement will be approved according to existing procedures.

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