Distribution Requirements (25 hours)
The liberal studies program requires that you gain a broad educational base by taking courses from the following distribution blocks. You must take at least two courses (3-6 hours total) in at least three of the following distribution blocks: Aesthetic & Humanistic Inquiry, Cultural Understanding, Science and Applied Science, Social & Political Worlds. You may not use courses in your major discipline (as determined by the course prefix) to meet liberal studies requirements. For example, if you are an anthropology major, you may not count ANT 103 in the Cultural Understanding block as one of your liberal studies distribution courses. Go to the list of Approved Liberal Studies Courses to see the courses available for each block.
- Laboratory Science
- Courses in this block will increase student's knowledge about the natural world. Understanding of a variety of physical and biological phenomena is developed through the application of the scientific method. Students will learn to employ the logic and techniques of scientific inquiry and thereby develop an understanding of the basis and limits of contemporary scientific knowledge. These courses will also familiarize students with important theories, concepts, and taxonomies that are central to the various science disciplines. (4 credits)
- Science/Applied Science
- Courses in which students apply knowledge derived from scientific inquiry to address human needs through technological advancements. Students learn practical skills in the creation and application of various technologies. Courses in this block also address the impact of technology on the human condition and the natural world. (3-6 credits)
- Social and Political Worlds
- Courses that engage students in the study of the patterns that characterize the history of human communities, the relationships between the psychological, social, cultural and political components of human communities, and dynamics of human behavior in varied contexts. Students will learn how different empirical and theoretical strategies are employed to study human behavior and social, political, and cultural systems. These courses enhance student understanding of the dynamic relationships between human communities and their ecological context, the systemic components and dynamics of contemporary human societies, relationships between human societies in the global community, and the major dimensions of variation in contemporary human experience. (3-6 credits)
- Aesthetic and Humanistic Inquiry
- Courses in this block involve students in the study of the human condition through philosophical inquiry and analysis of the various forms of creative expression. These courses help students develop an understanding of the relationship between context and human creative expression, major conceptual frameworks utilized to make sense of the creative arts, and how human experience and values are expressed through creative endeavors. Students will also develop their capacities for analysis and ethical reasoning along with an understanding of the multiple facets of the human condition. (3-6 credits)
- Cultural Understanding
- Courses in this block enhance students' understanding of different cultures of the world through the study of language, literature, religion, and artistic creations or other disciplines. These courses provide students with an experience of diverse cultures [different from their own], and an analytic framework that facilitates awareness of how cultures vary and shape human experience. Students will become more familiar with cultures of the world and develop an appreciation for the unique features and perspectives of varied cultural traditions. (3-6 credits)