Core Connections (General Education)

Core Connections

The Meredith General Education Curriculum

Mission

General Education enhances a Meredith degree through coursework and experiences that position students to live, work and lead in a complex world.

Values

The Meredith Community achieves the mission of General Education through a teaching and learning environment that values

Curiosity and exploration
Fundamental and innovative knowledge
Skills development
Critical and creative thinking
Openness to varied perspectives

Students complete General Education with an enriched and enlarged sense of the world and of their own potential.

Program Components

General education requirements are met with a combination of courses across the curriculum and inside the major. The program includes four components:

Fields of Knowledge	Exploring the past, present and future as approached by the arts, humanities, natural and social sciences, mathematics and health/physical learning
Communication	Development of writing, speaking and foreign language strengths
Modes of Inquiry	Practice in the types of thought that support advanced learning and personal growth: critical thinking, ethical reasoning, quantitative reasoning, information literacy
Perspectives & Citizenship	Understanding significant domestic and global topics; a focused learning experience outside the classroom, and immersion in cultural events, on- and off- campus

Policies
Listed on the following page are courses that typically meet General Education requirements.	AP and IB credit are addressed in the catalogue.
See Self Service for available offerings each semester. A single course may fulfill only one Fields of Knowledge requirement.	A student must pass ENG-111 with a C or above to progress to ENG-200. On second attempt, a student may progress to ENG-200 with a D or higher.
A single course may fulfill only one Fields of Knowledge requirement.	Courses in Meredith and Meredith-Approved study abroad programs can fulfill the GP requirement.
“Variable” credit indicates requirements that can be combined with other courses.

Core Connections Requirements

Requirement	Credits
Arts & Aesthetics – Three credits from designated courses in any of the following: Art, Dance, Music, and Theatre (and approved courses in other disciplines)	3
Health and Physical Learning – A combination of Health, Nutrition and Physical Activity courses	4-6
*History* – Any 3 credit hours in an HIS introductory or topics course (HIS-102, 103, 188, 200, 214, 215, 219, 224, 282, 285, 288). Courses like 188 must be 3 credit hours.	3
*Literature* – Designated courses in English, World Languages and Cultures, or Religious Studies (and approved courses in other disciplines)	3
*Laboratory Science* – Choice of course and accompanying lab in Biology, Chemistry, Geoscience or Physics	4
*Mathematics* – Statistics (MAT-175) or approved Calculus (MAT-181 or MAT-191)	3-4
*Natural Science, Mathematics, Computer Science Elective* – Three credits from designated courses in any of these areas	3
*Religious Studies* – Any RES course	3
*Social and Behavioral Sciences* – Choice of designated courses in Economics, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology (and approved courses in other disciplines)	6
*Cultural Elective* – Choice of designated courses in History and Religious Studies (and approved courses in many other disciplines)	3

Requirement	Credits
*ENG-111, Principles of Writing* – Includes an Information Literacy focus	3
*ENG-200, Critical Reading and Writing* – Includes an Information Literacy focus	3
*Foreign Language* – Choice of French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese or Latin through 205 level (for more information see World Languages and Cultures)	0-9 Or by exam
*Writing Intensive Thread* – Fulfilled in course work across the curriculum and in the major	Variable
*Oral Communication Thread* – Fulfilled in course work across the curriculum and in the major	Variable

Requirement	Credits
*Information Literacy* – Choice of designated courses, typically in the major or Fields of Knowledge	Variable
*Quantitative Reasoning* – Embedded in the Mathematics requirement	0 additional credits required
*Ethical Reasoning* – Choice of designated courses, typically in the major or Fields of Knowledge	Variable
*Critical Thinking* – Embedded in the major	0 additional credits required

Requirement	Credits
*US-focused Perspectives Course* – Choice of designated courses, typically in the major or Fields of Knowledge	Variable
*Global-focused Perspectives Course* – Choice of designated courses, typically in the major or Fields of Knowledge	Variable
*Experiential Learning* – Choice of internship, study abroad, leadership experience, directed research, student teaching and many other approved opportunities typically in the major	Variable
*Academic/Cultural Events* – Eight designated campus or off-campus events, presentations, experiences	Non-credit