Mar 19, 2024  
2016-2017 Academic Catalog 
    
2016-2017 Academic Catalog [Archived Catalog]

General Education Core Curriculum


Mission

As required by the Louisiana Board of Regents, McNeese State University’s general education curriculum consists of coursework from six, broad disciplinary areas: English Composition, Mathematics/Analytical Reasoning, Natural Sciences, Humanities, Fine Arts, and Social/Behavioral Sciences. The mission of this core curriculum is to provide students with a foundation of knowledge, skills, and methods of inquiry that support advanced study in their chosen degree program and constitute the characteristics of an informed, college-educated citizen.

Institutional Mission Reference

The broad, skills-based curriculum supports the university’s mission to offer an array of programs with foundations in these disciplinary areas that serve the students and community of the Southwest Louisiana region and beyond.

Learning Competencies


Upon completion of the general education curriculum, students will be able to:

  1. Communicate effectively in written English (Area A: English Composition);
  2. Apply mathematical reasoning and analytical skills to solve problems (Area B: Mathematics/Analytical Reasoning);
  3. Demonstrate knowledge of scientific concepts (Area C: Natural Sciences);
  4. Demonstrate abstract reasoning and critical thinking (Area D: Humanities);
  5. Develop the ability to recognize fine and performing arts as expressions of human experience and to make informed judgments about them (Area E: Fine Arts);
  6. Learn independently by applying concepts from social and behavioral sciences to a variety of situations (Area F: Social/Behavioral Sciences).

General Education Core Curriculum Guide


Area A: English Composition (6 credit hours)


Competency: To communicate effectively in written English.

To fulfill this requirement, students must complete both courses.

Area C: Natural Sciences (9 credit hours)


Competency: To understand and apply the principles of the scientific method.

To fulfill this requirement, students must complete three courses (9 credit hours) as specified by individual degree programs. Both life and physical sciences must be completed, with six credit hours from life science and three credit hours from physical science or with six credit hours from physical science and three credit hours from life science.

Area D: Humanities (9 credit hours)


Competency: Demonstrate abstract reasoning and critical thinking.

To fulfill this requirement, students must complete three courses as specified by individual degree programs. All students must complete one English literature course, one history course, and one broad humanities or additional history course.

Category: Additional History or Broad Humanities (3 credit hours)


Notes


General education curriculum requirements for associate degree programs include:

  • English Composition (6 credit hours)
  • Mathematics/Analytical Reasoning (3 credit hours)
  • Natural Sciences (6 credit hours)
  • Humanities (3 credit hours)
  • Fine Arts (3 credit hours)
  • Social/Behavioral Sciences (6 credit hours)