General Education Requirements

Overview

According to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE), “The following student learning outcomes are a foundation for richer lives, careers, and citizenship. Institutions should strive to include each of these outcomes in general education programs:

1. Appreciating and understanding diverse cultures and heritages
2. Mastering multiple modes of inquiry, reasoning, and critical thinking
3. Effectively analyzing and communicating information
4. Recognizing the importance of creativity and values to the human spirit
5. Understanding relationships within nature and science
6. Developing responsible, ethical, and engaged citizens
7. Promoting lifelong learning, wellness and personal enrichment
8. Adapting to a constantly changing global society”

(Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, Academic Policy Manual, 3.14.6, General Education Framework)

NSU General Education Learning Outcomes

In line with the OSRHE outcomes and as a result of continuing study, the faculty at Northeastern State University believes that all students should participate in certain common experiences during the first two years of college work and that such a program of common experiences is best designated as General Education.  NSU’s General Education course work provides students extensive experiences that are both rich and important in preparing them to live in a democratic society.  General Education serves as the foundation for future, program-specific learning and serves students by developing essential academic knowledge and skills needed for future course work.

With this general philosophy, NSU’s faculty have developed a General Education course sequence which has these student learning outcomes.  After completing the General Education core, students should demonstrate their ability to

1. Communicate effectively through writing, listening, speaking, and reading;
2. Recognize and analyze works in the humanities ( literature, art, music, philosophy, and religion) as expressions used to communicate perspectives on the human condition;
3. Identify and evaluate political, historical,  and social forces that shape the past, present, and future;
4. Become globally-aware citizens through an understanding and appreciation of human and cultural diversity;
5. Understand physical and biological phenomena and their importance for the welfare of society;
6. Apply methods of scientific inquiry;
7. Use quantitative symbolic systems to solve problems and interpret data;
8. Understand and apply concepts and activities that promote good health and life skills; and
9. Use critical thinking to analyze and solve problems.

At Northeastern State University, students demonstrate that they have achieved these general education learning outcomes by successfully completing the designated assessments found in the General Education course requirements. The learning outcomes by category can be accessed at this link to the General Education Student Learning Outcomes   page.

General Education Summary

A minimum of 49 hours of academic work in general education are required during the freshman and sophomore years.  For students transferring with the Associate of Arts degree or Associate of Science degree from a public institution in Oklahoma, all general education requirements will be satisfied with respect to degree requirements.  However, some majors may require other specific general education courses as program prerequisites or program requirements.  Students should consult advisors and the program’s plan of study for further information.  Students are required to complete general education requirements by the time they have completed 90 semester hours of college work.

University Strategies

All beginning freshmen are required to enroll in UNIV 1002 - University Strategies # as a part of the first semester class load.  The orientation program helps students begin the transition to university student.  The University Strategies course meets the entire first semester and carries two semester credit hours.  Students meet in small groups with faculty and also participate in larger group activities that familiarize them with important academic, social, developmental, and financial concepts which are essential to a successful first year.   The University Strategies course is designed to ease the transition to NSU and provide information pertaining to campus life and the varied concerns that freshmen encounter while beginning their college careers.

General Education Requirements

Effective Fall 2010, Northeastern State University implemented the following general education curriculum.