General Education Program

Purpose | Learning Outcomes | General Education Requirements | Advising | Fine Arts | Humanities | Social Sciences | Natural Sciences | Ethnic Studies | World Culture

Purpose

The general education program gives students an opportunity to strengthen academic skills, broaden intellectual horizons, develop and explore new academic interests, reflect on personal values, and build a foundation of knowledge for future course work and lifelong learning.

In addition to providing a breadth of knowledge, the general education program is designed to enhance students’ ability to solve problems, think critically and communicate effectively. Students take courses in six broad domains: fine arts, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, ethnic studies, and world culture.

Learning Outcomes

All students who graduate from UW-Green Bay should achieve the three skill-based learning outcomes listed here in addition to domain specific learning outcomes. The general education program emphasizes developing these skills:

  • The ability to communicate effectively through listening, speaking, reading, writing, and the use of computers.
  • The ability to think critically.
  • The ability to exercise problem-solving skills, such as problem identification and analysis, solution formulation, implementation and assessment, using an integrated, interdisciplinary approach.

General Education Requirements

All students must complete the general education requirements. Depending upon the courses chosen, as well as the need to reach competency in mathematics and writing, students may take between 37 and 48 credits. Courses taken to fulfill general education requirements may also be used simultaneously to fulfill requirements in the major, minor or certificate programs.

  • Mathematical and English Competency Requirement: 0-9 credits

    All students must demonstrate competency in mathematics and written English. The University uses the Wisconsin Mathematics Placement Test (WMPT) and the English portion of the ACT or the verbal portion of the SAT I to assess these competencies. Students may need to take additional courses to satisfy this general education requirement. See the University Testing Requirements section of this catalog for further information.

  • Writing Emphasis Requirement: 4 courses

    Writing Emphasis courses provide students with the opportunity to practice and improve their writing skills across the curriculum. All students must complete four writing emphasis courses. At least two of these courses must be at the upper level. Courses taken to fulfill the Writing Emphasis may also be used, simultaneously, to fulfill any other requirements, including general education breadth requirements and requirements in the major, minor or certificate programs.

  • Breadth Requirement: 37 to 39 credits

    In order to build a foundation of knowledge for future course work and lifelong learning, students must complete from 37 to 39 credits in the following areas: fine arts (3 credits), humanities (9 credits), social sciences (9 credits), natural sciences (10-12 credits), ethnic studies (3 credits), and world culture (3 credits). The following sections describe the learning outcomes, credit requirements and list of courses for each area.

Students should also achieve the outcomes described in each of the areas of knowledge listed.

Advising

Contact the Office of Academic Advising for information or assistance on all matters pertaining to general education requirements, including advising. See www.uwgb.edu/lasdean/gened/ for general education information and petitions.

Fine Arts

Fine Arts Learning Outcome

An understanding of one or more of the fine arts, including an understanding of the nature and functions of art and ways of evaluating art.

Fine Arts Requirement: 3 credits

Complete 3 credits by taking one or more courses in either of the following two lists.

FA — History/Appreciation

  • ARTS MGT 257 Arts in the Community
  • AVD 102 History of the Visual Arts: Ancient to Medieval
  • AVD 103 History of the Visual Arts II: Renaissance to Modern
  • AVD 121 Survey of Western Music
  • AVD 141 Introduction to Theatre Arts
  • AVD 142 Performing Arts Perspectives: Experience and Evaluation
  • AVD 202 Concepts and Issues of Modern Art
  • AVD 221 Popular Music Since 1955
  • AVD 261 Understanding the Arts
  • AVD / WOST 272 Women in the Arts
  • AVD 327 Jazz History
  • AVD 328 Musical Theatre History
  • AVD 329 World Music
  • AVD 360 Art and Ideas
  • AVD 370 Modern American Culture
  • AVD 371 World Art
  • THEATRE 219 “UWGB Meets NYC”: New York Theatre Trip
  • THEATRE 309 Theatre History I: Greek to Elizabethan
  • THEATRE 310 Theatre History II: 17th Century to Realism
  • THEATRE 311 Theatre History III: 20th Century and Contemporary
  • THEATRE 340 Dance History

FA — Studio/Performance

  • ART 106 Design Methods
  • ART 107 Two-Dimensional Design
  • ART 210 Introduction to Painting
  • ART 230 Introduction to Ceramics
  • ART 260 Introduction to Jewelry/Metals
  • MUSIC 242 Jazz and Pop Literature, 2 credits
  • MUS APP xxx *Ensembles (University Chorus, Concert Choir,
  • Collegium Musicum, Phoenix Chorale, Symphonic
  • Band, Jazz Combo, Wind Ensembles, New Music,
  • Jazz, Vocal, Vocal Jazz, Woodwind, Brass, Guitar,
  • Hand Drumming, and Contemporary Percussion)
  • MUS APP xxx *Individual Lessons
  • THEATRE 128 *Jazz Dance I, 1 credit
  • THEATRE 131 Acting I (concurrent enrollment, Performance Practicum)
  • THEATRE 137 *Ballet I, 1 credit
  • THEATRE 141 *Period Dance Styles, 1 credit
  • THEATRE 142 *American Musical Theatre Dance, 1 credit
  • THEATRE 145 *Modern Dance I, 1 credit
  • THEATRE 161 *Tap Dance I, 1 credit
  • THEATRE 228 *Jazz Dance II, 2 credits
  • THEATRE 261 *Tap Dance II, 1 credit
  • THEATRE 335 *Production Practicum: Crews, 1 credit
  • THEATRE 336 *Production Practicum: Cast, 1 credit
  • THEATRE 338 *Production Practicum: Scene Shop, 1 credit
  • THEATRE 339 *Production Practicum: Costume Shop, 1 credit

*Repeatable courses. For purposes of general education, each course may be repeated for a total of 3 credits.

Humanities

Humanities Learning Outcomes

Have a fundamental understanding of the humanities including:

  1. the significance and chronology of major events and movements in Western civilization,
  2. a range of literature, representative of different literary forms and historical contexts, and
  3. the role of the humanities in identifying and clarifying individual and social values in a culture and understanding the implications of decisions made on the basis of those values.

Humanities Requirement: 9 credits

Complete one course from each of the following three lists of courses. These courses must include at least two different course prefixes.

HS1 – Survey of Western Civilization

  • ENGLISH 218 World Literatures I
  • ENGLISH 219 World Literatures II
  • HUM STUD 101 Foundations of Western Culture I
  • HUM STUD 102 Foundations of Western Culture II
  • PHILOS 213 Ancient Philosophy
  • PHILOS 214 Modern Philosophy

HS2 – Literature, Film, and Culture

  • ENGLISH 101 Introduction to Film
  • ENGLISH 104 Introduction to Literature
  • ENGLISH 212 Introduction to Creative Writing
  • ENGLISH 214 Introduction to English Literature I
  • ENGLISH 215 Introduction to English Literature II
  • ENGLISH 216 Introduction to American Literature I
  • ENGLISH 217 Introduction to American Literature II
  • ENGLISH 338 World Literatures
  • FNS 372 Indigenous Nations Oral and Storytelling Traditions
  • FRENCH 329 Representative French Authors
  • FRENCH 333 Literary Themes
  • FRENCH 354 France Today
  • FRENCH 355 Le Monde Francophone
  • GERMAN 329 Representative German Authors
  • GERMAN 333 German Literary Themes
  • GERMAN 335 German Literary Eras
  • GERMAN 350 Major German Drama
  • GERMAN 351 Major German Prose Fiction
  • GERMAN 352 Major German Poetry
  • GERMAN/HUM STUD 356 German Culture
  • GERMAN/HUM STUD 357 German Cinema
  • HUM STUD 201 Introduction to the Humanities I
  • HUM STUD 202 Introduction to the Humanities II
  • SPANISH 329 Representative Spanish and Latin American Authors
  • SPANISH 351 Major Spanish and Latin American Fiction
  • SPANISH 355 Spanish and Latin American Cinema
  • SPANISH 358 Latin America Today
  • SPANISH 359 The Cultures of the Americas
  • SPANISH 360 Spain Today
  • SPANISH 361 The Cultures of Spain
  • SPANISH 438 Major Spanish and Latin American Writers

HS3 – Individual and Social Values

  • ENGLISH 206 Women in Literature
  • ENGLISH 333 Literary Themes
  • FNS 210 American Indians in Film
  • FNS 224 American Indian Tribal Religion
  • FNS 374 Wisconsin First Nations Ethnohistory
  • FNS 391 First Nations Studies Seminar
  • FNS 392 First Nations Justice and Tribal Governments
  • FNS 393 First Nations and Education Policy
  • HISTORY 205 History of the United States 1600-1865
  • HISTORY 206 History of the United States 1865-Present
  • HISTORY 208 The Development of Modern Science in Western Society
  • HUM STUD 326 Non-Western Religions
  • HUM STUD 327 Religion and the Social Order
  • HUM STUD 334 Perspectives on Human Values (Classical)
  • HUM STUD 335 Perspectives on Human Values (Medieval)
  • HUM STUD 336 Perspectives on Human Values (Renaissance)
  • HUM STUD 337 Perspectives on Human Values (Age of Reason)
  • HUM STUD 350 Interdisciplinary Study of Great Works
  • HUM STUD 351 Interdisciplinary Themes in Humanistic Studies
  • HUM STUD 382 Perspectives on Human Values (Romanticism to Modernism)
  • HUM STUD 383 Perspectives on Human Values (Contemporary)
  • HUM STUD 384 Perspectives on Human Values (Other Cultures)
  • HUM STUD 385 Perspectives on Human Values (First Nations)
  • PHILOS 101 Introduction to Philosophy
  • PHILOS 102 Contemporary Ethical Issues
  • PHILOS 103 Critical Thinking
  • PHILOS 105 Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy
  • PHILOS 208 Science and Human Values
  • PHILOS 210 Philosophy of Culture
  • PHILOS 211 Philosophy of Art
  • PHILOS 212 Philosophy, Religion and Science
  • PHILOS 216 Introduction to Asian Philosophy
  • PHILOS 217 Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion

Social Sciences

Social Sciences Learning Outcomes

An understanding of the social sciences, including: major concepts of social, political, geographic and economic structures; and the impact that social institutions and values have on individuals and groups in a culture.

Social Sciences Requirement: 9 credits

Complete two courses (6 credits) in two different areas from the SS1 list of courses, and one course (3 credits) from the SS2 list.

SS1 - Social Sciences Introductory

  • ANTHRO 100 Varieties of World Culture
  • BUS ADM 202 Business and Its Environment
  • ECON 202 Macro Economic Analysis
  • ECON 203 Micro Economic Analysis
  • GEOG / UR RE ST 102 World Regions and Concepts: A Geographic Analysis
  • HISTORY 100 History of the Modern World
  • HUM DEV 210 Introduction to Human Development
  • POL SCI 100 Global Politics and Society
  • POL SCI 101 American Government and Politics
  • PSYCH 102 Introduction to Psychology
  • SOC C D / WOST 241 Introduction to Women’s Studies
  • SOCIOL 202 Introduction to Sociology
  • UR RE ST 100 Introduction to Urban Studies

SS2 — Application of Social Science Principles

  • ANTHRO 215 Introduction to Prehistoric Archaeology
  • ANTHRO 304 Family, Kin and Community
  • ANTHRO 320 Myth, Ritual, Symbol and Religion
  • ANTHRO 340 Medical Anthropology
  • BUS ADM 206 Law and the Individual
  • EDUC 206 Cultural Images in Materials for Children and Adolescents
  • GEOG 342 Settlement Geography
  • GEOG 371 Geography of the United States and Canada
  • HUM DEV / WOST 336 Gender Development Across the Lifespan
  • HUM DEV 342 Cross-Cultural Human Development
  • HUM DEV 344 Dying, Death, and Loss
  • POL SCI / PU EN AF 202 Introduction to Public Policy
  • POL SCI 353 Politics of Developing Areas
  • PU EN AF 102 Environment and Society
  • PU EN AF 215 Introduction to Public Administration
  • SOC C D 204 Freedom and Social Control
  • SOC C D 250 Introduction to Global Studies
  • SOC C D 251 Sustainable Development
  • SOC C D 265 Music, Politics and Social Change
  • SOC C D / HISTORY 275 The Vietnam War in Historical Perspective
  • SOC C D / WOST 340 Women, Work and Family
  • SOC C D / WOST 345 Women, Race and Culture
  • SOCIOL 203 Ethnic and Racial Identities
  • UR RE ST 205 Urban Social Problems

Natural Sciences

Natural Sciences Learning Outcomes

An understanding of the natural sciences, including: major concepts, principles, and theories of the biological and physical environment; and the impact of scientific and technological activities and products on individuals, society, and the environment.

Natural Sciences Requirement: 10-12 credits

Choose one of the following ways to complete the Natural Sciences requirement:

  1. Complete one course in each of the four Natural Science categories (HB1, HB2, NPS1, and NPS2).
  2. Complete Biology 202 and one course from the NPS1 category and one course from either the NPS2 or HB2 category.
  3. Complete a lab course from the NPS1 category and one course from the HB1 category and one course from either the NPS2 or HB2 category.

Human Biology

HB1

  • BIOLOGY 202 Principles of Biology: Cellular and Molecular Processes w/lab (4 credits)
  • HUM BIOL 102 Introduction to Human Biology

HB2

  • HUM BIOL 205 Biotechnology and Human Values
  • HUM BIOL / WOST 206 Fertility, Reproduction and Family Planning
  • HUM BIOL 217 Human Disease and Society
  • HUM BIOL 310 Human Genetics
  • HUM BIOL 331 Science and Religion: Spirit of Inquiry
  • NUT SCI 242 Food and Nutritional Health
  • NUT SCI 250 World Food and Population Issues
  • NUT SCI 300 Human Nutrition
  • NUT SCI 302 Ethnic Influences on Nutrition

Natural and Physical Sciences

NPS1

  • CHEM 108 General Chemistry w/lab (5 credits)
  • CHEM 211 Principles of Chemistry I w/lab (5 credits)
  • EARTH SC 102 Introduction to Earth Science
  • EARTH SC 202 Physical Geology w/lab (4 credits)
  • EARTH SC / GEOG 222 Ocean of Air: Weather and Climate
  • EARTH SC / GEOG 223 Ocean of Air: Weather and Climate Laboratory (1 credit)
  • ENV SCI 102 Introduction to Environmental Sciences
  • ENV SCI / PHYSICS 141 Astronomy
  • ENV SCI 142 Exploration of the Universe
  • PHYSICS 103 Fundamentals of Physics I w/lab (5 credits)
  • PHYSICS 180 Concepts of Physics (PHYSICS 181 Lab 1 credit)
  • PHYSICS 201 Principles of Physics I w/lab (5 credits)

NPS2

  • ENV SCI 188 Issues in Biological Conservation
  • ENV SCI 260 Energy and Society
  • ENV SCI 303 Conservation of Natural Resources
  • ENV SCI 342 Environmental Geology
  • ENV SCI 370 Emergence of Western Technology
  • ENV SCI 460 Resource Management Strategy
  • ENV SCI 469 Conservation Biology (4 credits)
  • INFO SCI 201 Information, Computers and Society

Ethnic Studies

Ethnic Studies Learning Outcome

An understanding of the causes and effects of stereotyping and racism and an appreciation of cultural diversity in the United States.

Ethnic Studies Requirement: 3 credits

Complete one course from the following list. Courses used to fulfill the Ethnic Studies Requirement cannot be used to fulfill other general education requirements.

  • AVD 327 Jazz History
  • EDUC 206 Cultural Images in Materials for Children and Adolescents
  • ENGLISH / FNS 336 American Ethnic Literature
  • ENGLISH 344 African American Literature
  • FNS 210 American Indians in Film
  • FNS 224 American Indian Tribal Religion
  • FNS 225 Introduction to First Nations Studies: The Tribal World
  • FNS 226 Introduction to First Nations Studies: Social Justice
  • FNS 301 Oneida Language I
  • FNS 372 Indigenous Nations Oral and Storytelling Traditions
  • FNS 374 Wisconsin First Nations Ethnohistory
  • HISTORY 207 Roots of Black America
  • HISTORY 209 United States Immigration History
  • HISTORY 340 Topics in African American History
  • HUM BIOL 202 Ethnic Minorities in Science
  • HUM DEV 346 Culture, Development and Health
  • HUM STUD 213 Ethnic Diversity and Human Values
  • HUM STUD / UR RE ST/ FNS 216 Native American Landscapes: Imagined and Lived Spaces
  • NUT SCI 302 Ethnic Influences on Nutrition
  • PSYCH 440 Multicultural Counseling and Mental Health
  • SOC WORK 330 Understanding Diversity, Challenging Oppression: A Service Learning Course for
  • Helping Professionals
  • SOC WORK 380 Cross Cultural Diversity and The Helping Professions
  • SOCIOL 203 Ethnic and Racial Identities
  • SOCIOL 303 Race and Ethnic Relations
  • UR RE ST 323 Asian Americans in the U.S.
  • UR RE ST 324 Latino Communities in the U.S.

World Culture

World Culture Learning Outcome

An understanding of contemporary global issues and problems through the study of beliefs, values and ways of life in a country other than the United States.

World Culture Requirement: 3 credits

Complete one course from the following list. Courses used to fulfill the World Culture Requirement cannot be used to fulfill other general education requirements.

  • ANTHRO 100 Varieties of World Culture
  • ANTHRO 303 Political, Economic and Environmental Anthropology
  • ANTHRO 304 Family, Kin and Community
  • ANTHRO 320 Myth, Ritual, Symbol and Religion
  • ANTHRO 340 Medical Anthropology
  • AVD 329 World Music
  • AVD 371 World Art
  • BUS ADM 421 International Marketing
  • GEOG 202 Introduction to Cultural Geography
  • GEOG / UR RE ST 370 Geography of South America
  • HISTORY 250 Traditional Asian Civilization
  • HISTORY 354 History of Modern Southeast Asia
  • HISTORY 356 History of Africa
  • HISTORY 358 Political History of Modern Latin America
  • HUM DEV 342 Cross-Cultural Human Development
  • HUM STUD 321 Language and Society
  • HUM STUD 326 Non-Western Religions
  • HUM STUD / SPANISH 355 Spanish and Latin American Cinema
  • HUM STUD / GERMAN 356 German Culture
  • HUM STUD / GERMAN 357 German Cinema
  • HUM STUD 384 Perspectives on Human Values in Other Cultures
  • NURSING 492 Special Topics in Nursing, 2-4 credits
  • NUT SCI 250 World Food and Population Issues
  • PHILOS 216 Introduction to Asian Philosophy
  • POL SCI 100 Global Politics and Society
  • POL SCI 351 Comparative Politics
  • POL SCI 353 Politics of Developing Areas
  • POL SCI 499 Travel Course
  • SOC C D 250 Introduction to Global Studies
  • SOC C D 251 Sustainable Development
  • SOC C D 333 Social Change in a Selected Area
  • SOC C D/ WOST 345 Women, Race and Culture
  • UR RE ST 392 Analysis of South Asia

One of the following will also fulfill the World Culture Requirement:

  1. Completion of a second year (fourth semester) of a foreign language at the college level or any upper-level foreign language course. Courses with variable content (course numbers 498, 497, and 478) may be approved for the World Culture Requirement by use of a special petition.
  2. Completion of any approved UW-Green Bay trip outside the United States, or study abroad programs, or student exchange programs outside the United States. Students should contact the Office of International Education for information on opportunities in international education.
  3. Substantial living experience outside the United States. The Associate Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences or a designate may grant a waiver of the World Culture Requirement to students based on documented prior experience living in a foreign country.
  4. Students who are not residents of the United States will satisfy the requirement by residence and course work at UW-Green Bay.