Undergraduate General Education Curriculum

General Education Philosophy

Goldey-Beacom’s General Education curriculum is designed to ensure all students that graduate from the College have successfully completed courses challenging them to grow in their ability to:

• Think and problem-solve creatively, synthesizing knowledge critically to develop innovative solutions
• Communicate effectively to wide-ranging audiences through a variety of means
• Perceive the ethical implications of actions in the context of various cultures
• Know themselves, their skills, and their ability to contribute to their chosen field
• Collaborate powerfully with others, understanding the basics of healthy group dynamics
• Adapt to and engage with new technologies in ways that are responsible and meaningful

General Education Curriculum:

The following courses are required (21 credits):

• COM 238 - Professional Communications  
• DATA 210 - Foundations of Data Management  
• ENG 110 - Critical Reading  
• ENG 130 - Critical Writing   
• ENG 265 - Research Writing   
• FYE 101 - First-Year Experience: Moving In  
• FYE 102 - First-Year Experience: Moving Forward  
• FYE 103 - First-Year Experience: Moving Up  
• Mathematics Option (Choose one of the following courses. Students majoring in a business discipline should enroll in MAT-136):
  • MAT 120 - Foundations of Applied Mathematics  
  • MAT 136 - Precalculus  

The following groups of courses are required. Students can choose from any of the listed courses to satisfy each group (15 credits):

• Critical Thinking, Innovation & Problem Solving Option | 3 Credits (Choose one of the following courses):
  • ENG 255 - Introduction to Literature  
  • MAT 234 - Finite Mathematics  
  • PHL 233 - Logic and Critical Thinking  
• Effective Communication Option | 3 Credits (Choose one of the following courses):
  • COM 285 - Public Speaking   
  • ENG 256 - Creative Writing  
  • MGT 202 - Leadership & Organizational Behavior  
• Ethics & Cultural Awareness Option | 3 Credits (Choose one of the following courses):
  • COM 250 - Intercultural Awareness  
  • HUM 102 - Art & The World  
  • HUM 103 - Humanities I: Our Cultural Heritage  
  • HUM 104 - Humanities II: Roots of the Modern World  
  • HUM 105 - Literature-Based Humanities: Monsters in our Midst  
  • HUM 202 - Art Through Time  
  • HUM 230 - Humanities of Here  
• Personal Development & Professional Identity Option | 3 Credits (Choose one of the following courses):
  • FIN 208 - Getting Financially Fit  
  • PSY 160 - Introduction to Psychology  
• Meaningful Collaboration Option | 3 Credits (Choose one of the following courses): 
  • COM 241 - Group & Team Dynamics  
  • COM 285 - Public Speaking  
  • COM 486 - Argumentation & Negotiation  
  • ENG 256 - Creative Writing  
• Technological & Information Fluency 
  • Embedded throughout major specific courses

General Education Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in all programs within the College, students will be able to:

Critical Thinking, Innovation & Problem Solving

• analyze complex information from diverse sources, including numerical data.
• apply mathetmatical and statistical concepts to evaluate evidence-based arguments.
• develop innovation solutions to problems using reasoning and creativity, as well as to problems requiring quantitative analysis.

Effective Communication

• articulate ideas clearly and persuasively by:
  • visualizing and explaining qualitative and quantitative information and data-driven insights, across multiple formats (written, oral, visual, digital) and
  • adapting their style and genre to diverse audiences and professional contexts.

Ethics & Cultural Awareness

• demonstrate ethical decision-making frameworks.
• examine diverse cultural perspectives.
• engage in addressing complex social issues responsibly and with integrity, locally and globally.
• recognize the ethical impact of data collection and statistical representation on diverse communities. 

Personal Development & Professional Identity

• understand self-awareness of strengths, values, and growth areas.
• explore ongoing self-reflection and set meaning personal and professional goals.
• leverage self-knowledge to explore career and learning paths, as well as civic responsibility, effectively. 

Technology & Information Fluency

• evaluate and ethically use information resources and technologies in their field.
• show adaption to emerging and relevant digital tools.
• demonstrate technological familiarity relevent to their professional goals. 
• interpret and apply data in meaningful ways.

Meaningful Collaboration

• practice effective collaboration in diverse teams.
• analyze complex problems.
• apply creative, design-thinking, and interdisciplinary approaches.