General Education Core Curriculum Outcomes and Objectives

Purpose of the Core Curriculum

The purpose of the general education core curriculum is to produce graduates who embody the Christian intellectual life thus helping to fulfill Institutional Educational Goals. Toward this end, undergraduate students will engage the humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, natural sciences and math, religion/philosophy, and demonstrate the critical reasoning skills essential to an educated Christian capable of leadership and service. All of this arises from the conviction that the liberal arts are best understood through a theological situation of life and learning. The basic assumptions of the general education core curriculum reflect the medieval insight that a mature faith seeks understanding. A graduate will demonstrate familiarity with the broad contours of human knowledge within the specific resources and perspectives offered by the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition. The goal of the general education curriculum is for students to develop a truly Christian understanding in vital conversation with the liberal arts.

Organization of the Curriculum

The general education core curriculum is organized into four tiers, which together prepare the student for academic work toward a specific vocation. In the Communications Tier students will develop the basic skills necessary for a university education and lifelong learning. From the Social/Behavioral Sciences Tier students will acquire the basic social structures necessary to a meaningful life. From the Natural Sciences and Math Tier students will gain an understanding of the scientific method, physical and biological sciences, and an appreciation of the environment. The central piece of the general education curriculum is the Humanities Tier. This part of the curriculum includes a worldview course embracing the basic content of a Christian liberal arts education and providing a foundation for future discussions of a Christian worldview within the student’s chosen discipline.

General Education Outcomes

The purpose and organization of the general education curriculum is linked to the Institutional Educational Goals. Therefore, the curriculum is a context of Christian character; disciplined reflection; and literary, artistic, mathematical, and scientific contributions that have shaped civilization within which students may develop an appreciation for diversity; writing, speaking, and use of technology; critical skills essential to a lifetime of intellectual growth; and a holistic understanding of life. The learning outcomes of the general education curriculum seek to link the Institutional Educational Goals through an emphasis upon skills, content, and constructive/integrative domains of understanding. The curriculum embraces the conception that the four tiers (foundations, human sciences, natural sciences, and contexts) are best understood as involving skills, content, and constructive/integrative domains. While the general education curriculum is organized into tiers, the horizon that informs the core involves these outcomes which run throughout the tiers. In other words, an educated person will possess certain skills and content as a basis of embracing the world through a constructive and integrative theological vision of life and learning.

1. Students will
   1. articulate their thoughts and perspectives clearly through written communication using Standard English.
   2. construct and present a thoughtful, well-developed rational analysis and explanation of information through oral communication.
2. Students will identify foundational biblical themes and strategies for studying Scripture.
3. Students will articulate the doctrinal and moral convictions of the Wesleyan Holiness tradition and the Church of the Nazarene.
4. Students will
   1. apply methods of scientific inquiry to solve problems and evaluate ideas using experimental evidence.
   2. use the methods and perspectives of mathematics to analyze data and solve problems.
5. Students will explore and analyze patterns of human behavior, beliefs, and aesthetics across civilizations and times.
6. Students will analyze issues or problems utilizing integrative modes of thinking (e.g., analytical, creative, interdisciplinary).
7. Students will holistically integrate the Christian faith with learning in preparation for leadership and service in the global community.
8. Students will recognize and articulate the significance of cultural diversity within society, positively and respectfully engaging with others.
9. Students will engage in cultivating a responsibility to steward personal and communal resources from a Christian perspective.