General Education (University Core)

Program Purpose

The University Core consists of Religion and General Education (GE) requirements.  The current list of certified GE courses can be found online University Core .

General education (GE) joins with religious education to make university education different from specialized vocational training. The GE program meets the university mission by providing a broad university education. It builds a foundation for intellectual development; it increases understanding of civilization-of humankind's most valuable knowledge and achievements in the arts, letters, and sciences. General education teaches the importance of critical thinking, an awareness of the past, aesthetic sensibility, and moral judgment. These, together with the training provided in verbal and quantitative skills and in manipulating symbolic systems, help prepare students for a lifetime of learning, effective communication, responsible action, forming and judging arguments, and appreciating and creating the good and the beautiful.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge

Students will be able to demonstrate foundational knowledge and skills in the methods of investigating, expressing, and evaluating concepts in the following disciplines:

Arts

History

Humanities and Languages

Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Social Sciences  

Courses that Contribute: A HTG 100 AFRIK 202 ANTHR 110 ANTHR 330 ANTHR 335 ANTHR 340 ART 101 ART 104 ART 105 ARTED 326 ARTHC 111 ARTHC 201 BIO 100 BIO 130 BULGN 330 CANT 202 CHEM 101 CHEM 102 CHEM 105 CHEM 111 CHIN 202 CHIN 301 CL CV 201 CL CV 202 CL CV 245 CL CV 246 CMLIT 201 CMLIT 202 CZECH 330 DANSH 202 DANSH 340 ECON 230 ENGL 238 ENGL 391 ENGL 495 EUROP 336R FINN 202 FINN 340 FNART 270R FREN 202 FREN 317 FREN 340 FREN 361 FREN 362 FREN 363 GEOG 120 GEOG 222 GEOG 255 GEOG 265 GEOG 271 GEOG 272 GEOG 273 GEOG 285 GEOL 100 GEOL 101 GEOL 102 GERM 202 GERM 330 GERM 343 GREEK 301 GREEK 302 GREEK 411R HIST 200 HIST 201 HIST 202 HIST 220 HIST 221 HIST 231 HIST 293 HIST 304 HIST 310 HIST 312 HIST 490 HUNG 330 ICLND 202 IHUM 101 IHUM 201 IHUM 202 IHUM 260 IHUM 261 IHUM 262 ITAL 340 ITAL 360 ITAL 361 ITAL 460 JAPAN 350 JAPAN 351 LATIN 301 LATIN 302 LATVI 330 LITHU 330 MATH 118 MESA 250 MMBIO 121 MMBIO 221 MMBIO 240 MUSIC 101 MUSIC 201 MUSIC 202 MUSIC 204 NDFS 100 NES 347R NORWE 202 NORWE 340 NURS 320 PDBIO 120 PHIL 110 PHIL 201 PHIL 202 PHIL 210 PHIL 211 PHIL 214 PHIL 215 PHIL 305 PHIL 423 PHSCS 127 PHSCS 137 PHSCS 167 PHY S 100 POLI 110 POLI 150 POLI 170 POLI 202 POLI 347 POLI 353 POLI 354 POLI 385 POLI 400 POLI 410 POLI 470 POLI 472 PORT 321 PORT 330 PORT 345 PSYCH 111 PSYCH 308 PWS 100 PWS 112 PWS 150 ROM 340 RUSS 202 RUSS 330 RUSS 340 RUSS 341 SC ED 250 SFL 160 SFL 210 SOC 111 SPAN 205 SPAN 321 SPAN 330 SPAN 345 SPAN 355 SWED 202 SWED 340 TMA 102 TMA 201 TMA 202 UKRAI 330 WRTG 310 WRTG 315 WS 222
Linked to BYU Aims: Intellectually Enlarging
Communication

Students will be able to communicate effectively with diverse audiences using written, oral, visual, and digital media. 

Courses that Contribute: AFRIK 202 ANTHR 110 ANTHR 335 ANTHR 499 ARAB 202 ART 105 ARTED 326 ARTED 397 ARTHC 111 ARTHC 201 ASL 202 BIO 130 BULGN 330 CANT 202 CHEM 391 CHIN 202 CHIN 301 CHIN 344 CL CV 110 CMLIT 201 CMLIT 202 CZECH 330 DANSH 202 DANSH 340 ELANG 150 ENGL 211 ENGL 212 ENGL 230 ENGL 232 ENGL 235 ENGL 236 ENGL 238 ENGL 268 ENGL 295 ENGL 300R ENGL 338 ENGL 391 ENGL 495 FINN 202 FINN 340 FREN 202 FREN 340 FREN 361 FREN 362 FREN 363 GEOG 255 GEOG 265 GEOG 271 GERM 202 GERM 330 GERM 340 GREEK 301 GREEK 302 GREEK 411R HEB 202 HIST 200 HIST 201 HIST 202 HIST 220 HIST 221 HIST 231 HIST 293 HIST 303 HIST 304 HIST 310 HIST 312 HIST 324 HIST 490 HUNG 330 ICLND 202 ICLND 429 IHUM 201 IHUM 202 IHUM 261 IHUM 262 ITAL 202 ITAL 340 ITAL 361 ITAL 460 JAPAN 202 JAPAN 301 JAPAN 350 JAPAN 351 KOREA 202 KOREA 301 LATIN 301 LATIN 302 LATVI 330 LITHU 330 M COM 320 MESA 495 MUSIC 201 MUSIC 202 NORWE 202 NORWE 340 NURS 320 NURS 339 PHIL 110 PHIL 202 PHIL 300 PHIL 423 PHSCS 127 PHSCS 416 PHY S 100 POLI 200 POLI 202 POLI 347 POLI 354 POLI 385 POLI 400 POLI 410 POLI 450 POLI 470 POLSH 202 POLSH 330 PORT 202 PORT 205 PORT 321 PORT 330 PSYCH 307 PSYCH 308 PWS 100 PWS 150 RUSS 330 SFL 210 SLN 330 SPAN 205 SPAN 321 SPAN 330 SWED 202 SWED 340 UKRAI 330 WRTG 150 WRTG 311 WRTG 312 WRTG 313 WRTG 315 WRTG 316 WS 222
Linked to BYU Aims: Intellectually Enlarging
Perspective

Students will be able to:

Describe important ideas in their own cultural tradition

Describe important ideas in the cultural traditions of others

Describe important ideas in cultural traditions from the various perspectives of the General Education disciplines 

Courses that Contribute: A HTG 100 AFRIK 202 ANTHR 101 ANTHR 330 ANTHR 335 ART 101 ARTED 326 ARTED 397 ARTHC 111 ARTHC 201 BIO 130 CHEM 391 CL CV 110 CL CV 201 CL CV 202 CL CV 241 CMLIT 201 DANSH 202 ENGL 238 FINN 202 FINN 340 FREN 202 GEOG 120 GEOG 271 GEOL 100 GERM 217 HEB 202 HIST 201 HIST 312 IAS 353R ICLND 202 IHUM 242 IHUM 260 IHUM 261 IHUM 262 ITAL 317 JAPAN 350 JAPAN 351 NORWE 202 NORWE 340 NURS 339 PHIL 211 PHIL 214 PHIL 423 PHY S 100 POLI 354 POLI 385 POLI 472 POLSH 202 POLSH 330 PORT 202 PORT 205 PORT 345 PWS 100 RUSS 202 RUSS 330 SFL 102 SLN 330 SOC 111 SPAN 345 SPAN 355 STAT 105 SWED 202 SWED 340 TMA 102 TMA 201 TMA 202 WRTG 313 WS 222
Linked to BYU Aims: Spiritually Strengthening, Character Building
Gospel Insights

Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to relate General Education core concepts to the restored gospel. 

Courses that Contribute: ARTED 326 ARTED 397 CHEM 102 CL CV 201 GEOL 100 IHUM 242 PHIL 110 PHIL 210 PHSCS 127 PHSCS 416 PHY S 100 POLI 150 POLI 202 POLI 347 POLI 354 POLI 400 POLI 472 SOC 111
Linked to BYU Aims: Spiritually Strengthening
Sound Thinking and Problem Solving

Students will be able to:

Demonstrate the ability to develop a defensible solution to a problem

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their own ideas/arguments

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the ideas/arguments of others

Demonstrate the ability to address conflicting perspectives 

Courses that Contribute: A HTG 100 ANTHR 110 ANTHR 340 ART 104 ARTED 326 ARTED 397 BIO 100 BIO 130 CHEM 101 CHEM 102 CHEM 105 CHEM 391 CHIN 344 CL CV 241 CL CV 245 CL CV 246 CMLIT 201 ELANG 150 ENGL 212 ENGL 230 ENGL 232 ENGL 235 ENGL 236 ENGL 238 ENGL 268 ENGL 295 ENGL 338 ENGL 391 FREN 202 FREN 340 FREN 361 GEOG 110 GEOG 222 GERM 217 GERM 330 GERM 340 GERM 343 HIST 200 HIST 201 HIST 202 HIST 220 HIST 221 HIST 231 HIST 293 HIST 302 HIST 303 HIST 304 HIST 310 HIST 312 HIST 324 HIST 490 IHUM 101 IHUM 262 ITAL 202 ITAL 360 ITAL 361 MATH 102 MATH 112 MATH 113 MATH 119 MMBIO 221 MMBIO 240 NDFS 100 PDBIO 120 PHIL 110 PHIL 210 PHIL 211 PHIL 214 PHIL 215 PHIL 305 PHSCS 101 PHSCS 105 PHSCS 121 PHSCS 127 PHSCS 167 PHY S 100 POLI 110 POLI 150 POLI 200 POLI 201 POLI 202 POLI 347 POLI 354 POLI 385 POLI 400 POLI 450 POLI 470 POLI 472 PORT 202 PORT 330 PWS 150 RUSS 340 RUSS 341 RUSS 343 SCAND 217 SFL 260 SOC 111 SPAN 330 STAT 105 TMA 201 TMA 202 WRTG 150
Linked to BYU Aims: Intellectually Enlarging
Lifelong Learning

Students will be able to demonstrate that they have the skills to continue learning throughout their lives. 

Courses that Contribute: A HTG 100 ARTED 326 ARTHC 201 CHEM 105 CHEM 391 CL CV 201 CL CV 202 DANSH 340 ENGL 238 FINN 340 GEOG 120 HIST 201 HIST 202 IHUM 261 IHUM 262 MUSIC 201 MUSIC 202 NORWE 340 PHSCS 127 PHY S 100 POLI 110 POLI 201 POLI 202 POLI 354 PWS 150 RUSS 340 RUSS 341 SOC 111 SWED 340
Linked to BYU Aims: Lifelong Learning and Service

Evidence of Learning

General Education Learning Outcomes and associated Assessment Methods

Knowledge

Students will be able to demonstrate foundational knowledge and skills in the methods of investigating, expressing, and evaluating concepts in the following disciplines:

Arts

History

Humanities and Languages

Natural Sciences and Mathematics

Social Sciences.

Assessment Methods.  A faculty committee will review samples of student work from General Educaiton courses, including tbut not limited to papers, creative works, oral presentations, and digital media.

Communication

Students will be able to communicate effectively with diverse audiences using written, oral, visual and digital media.

Assessment Methods

A faculty committee will review samples of student work from General Education Advanced Writing and other courses, including papers, visual and digital media and oral reports.

Perspective

Students will be able to:

Describe important ideas in their own cultural tradition

Describe important ideas in the cultural traditions of others

Describe important ideas in cultural traditions from the various perspectives of the General Education disciplines

Assessment Methods

A faculty committee will review samples of student work from General Education courses, with a focus on courses in Civilization, Arts, Letters, and Social Science.

Gospel Insights

Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to relate General Education core concepts to the restored gospel.

Assessment Methods

Data from the Senior Survey and the Alumni Questionnaire

Sound Thinking and Problem Solving

Students will be able to:

Demonstrate the ability to develop a defensible solution to a problem

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of their own ideas/arguments

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the ideas/arguments of others

Demonstrate the ability to address conflicting perspectives

Assessment Methods

A faculty committee will review samples of student work from General Education courses, including papers, projects, digital media, and reports of community and global outreach connected with the coursework.

Lifelong Learning

Students will be able to demonstrate that they have the skills to continue learning throughout their lives.

Assessment Methods

Data from the Senior Survey and the Alumni Questionnaire

Learning and Teaching Assessment and Improvement

The Office of Undergraduate Education assesses the achievement of two learning outcomes annually, and all six learning outcomes wihtin each three-year period.  The associate dean for General Education directs the gathering, analysis, and reporting of assessment data.  The Office of Undergraduate Education shares assessment results with the Faculty General Education Council and with colleges in order to improve General Education courses, and it uses assessment results to make improvements in General Education.