UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM AND COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The Curriculum

The undergraduate degree programs support the mission of the university through a quality education that focuses on the development of the whole person including the intellectual, spiritual, social and physical dimensions. The undergraduate curriculum includes four associate, 29 baccalaureate degree programs, and nine certificates built on a broad liberal arts foundation that emphasizes communicative and quantitative skills; independent thinking; tolerance of diverse points of view; cultural, historical and ethical awareness; and preparation for leadership, civic responsibility and life-long learning. The curriculum has three components: The General Education Curriculum requirements, the major program requirements, and sufficient electives to meet the semester-hour requirement for the degree sought. Baccalaureate students are encouraged to seek completion of a minor or second major to fulfill the 120-hour requirement to graduate.

Common to all baccalaureate degrees (associate degrees have specified general education requirements depending on the program of study), the general education requirements emphasize a strong foundation in the basic skills of reading, writing, speaking, problem-solving, and using technology. The general education curriculum also introduces the humanities, the sciences, the social sciences, and religion. The curriculum is designed to allow early completion of basic skills courses so these skills may be practiced in subsequent courses. To receive a baccalaureate degree, the student must select a major or an area of concentration. The major or area of concentration provides for in-depth study in a specific subject area.