The LOPERs General Education Program, effective for students initially enrolling or transferring in the 2020-21 academic year or after, is designed to provide students with a solid foundation for advanced study through 30-31credit hours of general education classes.
Transfers with Completed Associates or Bachelor's Degree: Students admitted to UNK with an Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS), or Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution will have fulfilled UNK’s General Studies program requirements. Such students must still complete any GE requirements specified within their program of study.
Credit Hours: 30-31 hours in total. Students must complete 3 credit-hours that satisfies each learning objective/program essential requirement (LOPER) for LOPERs 1 through 10. LOPER 11 is optional, but may be required by a major. LOPER 8 (Natural Science) may be satisfied with a 3- or 4-credit hour course. Departments may require up to 7 additional hours for the students majoring in their programs above the 30-31 General Education credits. The catalog and the degree audit label these additional general education requirements as Program Specified Requirements.
The first-year seminar is waived for students admitted as transfer students with a minimum of 18 hours of GE coursework; transfer students and re-admit students still must fulfill the requirements of a minimum of 30 hours of GE coursework that meets LOPERs 2-10.
Program Requirements within General Education: Departments are permitted to require that their majors complete particular courses for LOPERs 2-11. Students should consult the program requirements in their major to choose appropriate GE courses for their degree.
General Education Courses from a Single Department: A student may not take more than 3 courses with the same department/discipline prefix in their General Studies program. Lecture/lab combinations from a single department that must be taken as co-requisites count as one course for this rule.
Electives in the General Education Program: There are designated courses with the appropriate content approved to satisfy one of the Broad Knowledge requirements (LOPERs 5-8) plus LOPER 9 or a Broad Knowledge requirement plus LOPER 10.
A student who satisfies LOPER 9 or LOPER 10 with a course that also meets another requirement will have 3 hours of elective GE credits in the 30-hour program. A student who satisfies both LOPERs 9 and 10 with courses that also meet other requirements will have 6 hours of elective credits.
Students may use their elective credits (where applicable) for additional coursework in LOPERs 2-10, or for LOPER 11 (Wellness).
Learning Objectives/Program Essential Requirements (LOPERs): The LOPERs General Education Program is structured to teach students: Foundational academic skills (LOPERs 1-4), Broad knowledge of the arts & sciences (LOPERs 5-8), and Dispositions that prepare students for responsible, productive lives in a democratic, multicultural society (LOPERs 9-11).
UNK General Education Learning Objectives and Performance Indicators (as of 5/26/26)
LOPER 1 LEARNING OBJECTIVE -Students should be able to employ academic and career strategies. Performance indicators are:
Apply at least two academic strategies tailored to course assignments or projects
Identify and use two strategies to manage time and identify academic resources
Identify relevant academic policies, processes, and procedures related to advising, course planning, and major exploration
Engage in at least two collaborative activities with peers, staff, or faculty, or utilize campus resources and/or participate in campus activities
Identify one area of growth in communicating across diverse perspectives
Apply two well-being practices and document their impact on academic and personal success
LOPER 2 LEARNING OBJECTIVE -Students should be able to demonstrate foundational writing and reading skills. Performance indicators are:
Can respond to a writer’s argument or purpose
Can synthesize sources appropriately and responsibly
Can communicate in a manner appropriate to audience and context
LOPER 3 LEARNING OBJECTIVE -Students should be able to demonstrate professional oral communication skills. Performance indicators are:
Can identify a speaker’s argument or purpose
Can fully support a logical argument
Can use context appropriate conventions and non-verbal expressions
Can communicate in a manner appropriate to audience and context
LOPER 4 LEARNING OBJECTIVE -Students should be able to use analytical reasoning to solve problems. Performance indicators are:
Identify valid methods to solve a problem
Apply chosen methods to derive a solution
Interpret the validity of a solution
LOPER 5 LEARNING OBJECTIVE #1 -Students should be able to interpret works of art in a given artistic discipline. Performance indicators are:
Analyze a work of art based on the techniques, styles, and approaches of the given medium
Interpret works of art from various schools, time periods, and cultures based on concepts appropriate to the medium
LOPER 5 LEARNING OBJECTIVE #2 -Students should be able to articulate the significance of the arts for themselves and/or society. Performance indicator is:
Describe how the arts reflect, shape, and influence society and personal values
LOPER 6 LEARNING OBJECTIVE #1 -Students should be able to analyze influential texts and social and cultural conditions using the concepts, ideas, and methods in the humanities disciplines. Performance indicators are:
Interpret primary sources appropriate to the humanities discipline
Compare and contrast theories, narratives, and social/cultural conditions
Develop an evidence-based argument about the human experience
LOPER 6 LEARNING OBJECTIVE #2 -Students should be able to articulate the impact of the humanities on themselves, their values, and society. Performance indicators are:
Explain how the humanities reflect, shape, and influence society and personal values
Communicate how the humanities are integral to society and building community
LOPER 7 LEARNING OBJECTIVE -Students should be able to use reasoning from a social science discipline to explain human experience within social systems and institutions. Performance indicators are:
Connect discipline-specific theories or concepts to real world situations
Use evidence to communicate this connection to an appropriate audience
LOPER 8 LEARNING OBJECTIVE -Students should be able to apply fundamental scientific principles to real world phenomena and evaluate the validity of scientific claims using evidence-based reasoning. Performance indicators are:
Identify concepts and methods to explain natural or physical phenomena
Analyze problems and conclusions using the concepts and methods in a natural science discipline
Support an argument based on sound scientific principles
Explain the impact of scientific discoveries on society
LOPER 9 LEARNING OBJECTIVE -Students should be able to articulate the importance of civic engagement and community service. Performance indicators are:
Identify issues of public or community concern
Describe the impact of civic participation
Reflect on the relationship between civic engagement, personal responsibility, and community wellbeing using evidence or experience
LOPER 10 LEARNING OBJECTIVES -assessed as:
Can describe the nature and consequences of human diversity
Can gather and evaluate information important for relating to diverse populations
Can evaluate practices and decisions for their impacts on inequality or inclusivity
Can articulate the significance of human diversity for themselves or for society
LOPER 11 LEARNING OBJECTIVE -Students should be able to analyze wellness information to understand how personal behaviors and various factors influence overall wellbeing. Performance indicators are:
Describe the importance and interconnection of the various dimensions of wellness
Evaluate credible wellness information
Explain how various external factors influence personal behaviors and wellbeing
Apply wellness concepts to articulate informed decisions that support personal wellbeing
