The new General Studies 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 with fewer hours (30-31 versus the previous 45-hour program). The Program thus provides greater flexibility for students to add a second major or additional minor to their degree or explore their interests with more unrestricted elective credits. The Program also seeks to ease transfer for students from community colleges.
Transfers with Completed Associates Degree: Students admitted to UNK with an Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degree from a regionally accredited institution will have fulfilled UNK’s General Studies program requirements. Such students must still complete any GS requirements specified within their program of study.
Credit Hours: 30-31 hours in total. Students must complete one 3 credit-hour course that satisfies each learning objective/program essential requirement (LOPER) for LOPERs 1 through 10. LOPER 11 is optional. LOPER 8 (Natural Science) may be satisfied with a 3- or 4-credit hour course.
Program Requirements within General Studies: 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 GS courses for their degree.
General Studies 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 Studies Program: Once the new program has been fully implemented (but not as of the Fall 2020 semester), there will be 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 GS 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 Studies 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).
FOUNDATIONAL REQUIREMENTS – Skills that every university-educated person needs:
First-year seminar* (minimum 3 hours). Courses must meet all learning outcomes.
Assessed as:
Can locate and select appropriate sources of information (to include information important to academic and professional success)
Can discern a source’s argument or purpose and audience
Can summarize a source’s main points accurately and fairly
Can evaluate and use sources appropriately and responsibly
Can integrate information from multiple sources and contrasting viewpoints
* The first-year seminar is waived for students admitted as transfer students with a minimum of 18 hours of GS coursework; transfer students and re-admit students still must fulfill the requirements of a minimum of 30 hours GS coursework that meets LOPERs 2-10.
Departments cannot require students to take a specific First-year Seminar.
FOUNDATIONAL REQUIREMENTS – Skills that every university-educated person needs:
Writing skills (ENG 101 minimum; minimum 3 hours). Courses must meet all learning outcomes.
Assessed as:
Can discern a writer’s argument or purpose
Can evaluate and use sources appropriately and responsibly
Can use context-appropriate conventions in writing
Can communicate in a manner appropriate to audience and context
FOUNDATIONAL REQUIREMENTS – Skills that every university-educated person needs:
Oral communication skills (minimum 3 hours). Courses must meet all learning outcomes.
Assessed as:
Can discern a speaker’s argument or purpose
Can evaluate and use sources appropriately and responsibly
Can use context-appropriate conventions in speech and non-verbal expressions
Can form and support a coherent position
Can communicate in a manner appropriate to audience and context
FOUNDATIONAL REQUIREMENTS – Skills that every university-educated person needs:
Mathematics, Statistics, and Quantitative Reasoning (minimum 3 hours). Courses must meet all learning outcomes.
Assessed as:
Can describe problems using mathematical, statistical, or programming language
Can solve problems using mathematical, statistical, or programming techniques
Can construct logical arguments using mathematical, statistical, or programming concepts
Can interpret and express numerical data or graphical information using mathematical, statistical, or programming concepts and methods
BROAD KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS – Every university-educated person should be able to:
Evaluate and/or create cultural products in a discipline of the visual or performing arts (minimum 3 hours). Courses must meet all learning outcomes.
Assessed as:
Can interpret a work of art within its cultural or historical context
Can characterize and evaluate a work of art using concepts appropriate to its medium
Can distinguish between works of art from various schools, time periods, and/or cultures
Can articulate the significance of the arts for themselves or for society
BROAD KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS – Every university-educated person should be able to:
Explain and evaluate ideas and/or social and cultural conditions using the concepts and methods in a humanities discipline (minimum 3 hours). Courses must meet all learning outcomes.
Assessed as:
Can analyze primary sources appropriate to the humanities discipline
Can compare and contrast theories, narratives, or social/cultural conditions
Can make and support an argument about the human experience
Can articulate the significance of the humanities for themselves or for society
BROAD KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS – Every university-educated person should be able to:
Explain and evaluate human behavior and/or social systems using the concepts and methods in a social science discipline (minimum 3 hours). Courses must meet all learning outcomes.
Assessed as:
Can use the discipline’s concepts and methods to explain human behavior and/or social systems
Can investigate problems and analyze evidence using the discipline’s concepts and methods
Can make and support an argument about human behavior or social systems using social-scientific evidence
Can articulate the significance of social scientific knowledge for themselves or for society
BROAD KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS – Every university-educated person should be able to:
Solve problems and evaluate conclusions using the concepts and methods in a natural science discipline (minimum 3 hours). Courses must meet all learning outcomes.
Assessed as:
Can use the discipline’s concepts and methods to explain natural or physical phenomena
Can investigate problems and analyze evidence using appropriate scientific methodology
Can make and support an argument based on sound scientific principles
Can articulate the significance of scientific knowledge for themselves or for society
**Natural science requirement may include a lab component (total hours 3 – 4)
DISPOSITIONAL REQUIREMENTS – Every university-educated person should have:
Civic competency and engagement (Civic competency encompasses civic knowledge; analytical skills; and participatory and involvement skills. Civic engagement encompasses motivations, attitudes, and efficacy; democratic norms and values; and participation and activities.) Courses must meet all learning outcomes.
Assessed as:
Can identify issues of public or community concern and problems or challenges posed by lack of civic competency and engagement.
Can gather and evaluate sufficient and reliable information about issues of public concern and have the knowledge and skills to make reasonable judgements and decisions about them
Can evaluate practices and decisions for their civic consequences
Can articulate the importance of community service and civic engagement to address issues of public or community concern
DISPOSITIONAL REQUIREMENTS – Every university-educated person should have:
Respect for human diversity (in our own communities and/or globally). Courses must meet all learning outcomes.
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
*** Designated courses with the appropriate content may be approved to satisfy one of the Broad Knowledge requirements plus LOPER 9 or Broad Knowledge plus LOPER 10. Courses may be approved to satisfy LOPER 9 or LOPER 10 alone. (Courses satisfying LOPER 9 or LOPER 10 alone must be 3 credit hours.)
DISPOSITIONAL REQUIREMENTS – Every university-educated person should have:
Wellness (2 – 3 hours; optional (GS Elective); may be required by programs). Courses must meet all learning outcomes.
Assessed as:
Can articulate the importance of the eight domains of wellness (emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, environmental, financial, occupational, and social wellness).
Can describe the impact of social factors, and personal decisions and behaviors, on wellness.
Can gather and evaluate information about wellness and apply to personal behavior choices or decisions.
Can integrate information from multiple sources and contrasting viewpoints to make an informed and educated decision regarding wellness.
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