General Education (GE) Program

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Academic Requirements

The General Education (GE) Program forms the foundation on which the specialized studies of the major are based, as general education studies introduce the student to some of the key issues, concepts, and perspectives of the disciplines of humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and quantitative thought and are intended to help students develop analytical, organizational, oral, writing, interpersonal, and research skills.

The GE program is designed to ensure the following student learning outcomes:

SLO #1: Students will be aware of global history and diversity.
SLO #2: Students will develop a sense of responsible citizenship.
SLO #3: Students will communicate effectively.
SLO #4: Students should be able to draw from a variety of disciplines to arrive at coherent, educated opinions.
SLO #5: Students will think critically and analytically.
SLO #6: Students will effectively engage in creative thinking.

The tables below summarize the general education requirements for the completion of bachelor’s degrees at Lindenwood. The requirements listed in the tables have been approved by the University; however, before completing the GE requirements, students must compare the requirements listed below against the particular GE requirements of their respective schools or departments, as some programs require a particular course for the completion of the general education requirements, and other schools or departments have narrowed the list of GE-approved courses within specific majors. Please check the catalog for major-specific direction regarding general education requirements. Unless otherwise specified, students will complete the GE requirements outlined in each section.

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts

English	Required: ENG 15000 (GE-Eng) /EPP 15000 (GE-Eng) and ENG 17000 (GE-Eng)
Communications	Select: one Communications course (GE-Comm)
Literature	Select: two English Literature courses (GE-Lit)
Philosophy or Religion	Select: one Philosophy or Religion course (GE-Phl-Rel)
Fine Arts	Select: one Fine Arts course (GE-FineArt)
American Government or American History	Select: one (GE-AmGovHis) American Government or History course
World History	Select: one (GE-WHis)
Culture and Civilization	Select: two Cross-Cultural courses (GE-CrsClt) or two courses of the same Foreign Language* (GE-ForLang)
Social Sciences	Select: two Social Sciences courses (GE-SocSci) from different disciplines
Mathematics	Select: one Mathematics course (GE-Math)
Natural Sciences	Select: two Natural Science courses (GE-BioSci, GE-EarthSci, or GE-PhysSci) from two different science disciplines, one of which must include a lab (GE-BioSciLab), (GE-EarthSciLab), or (GE-PhysSciLab).

*Non-native speakers of that language only

Some general education courses meet more than one type of general education requirement. For example, (GE-Fine Art/CrsClt), indicating that it meets either the fine art or the cross-cultural requirement. However, the course cannot be used to satisfy both requirements simultaneously.

In contrast, if a GE course and a course required for one’s major can be met by one course, that course may be used to satisfy both the GE requirement and the major requirement.

Note: Although two requirements are fulfilled in this instance, the total number of credits earned is still three, as only one course was taken.

Notes (GE-Eng):

(1) In order to satisfy the GE-ENG requirement, students must earn a C in both ENG 15000/EPP 15000 Strategies for University Writing and ENG 17000 Research and Argumentation. This requirement applies also to students who have transferred their English composition courses into Lindenwood University.

(2) Upon completion of ENG 17000, students are required to successfully complete the Writing Proficiency Assessment. If students do not pass the assessment, they are required to successfully complete the Writing Proficiency Lab (ENG 21000) prior to graduation. Transfer students are also required to meet this requirement. It is strongly recommended that students complete the writing assessment immediately following the semester in which they complete ENG 17000.

Notes (GE-CrsClt):

(1) If foreign language courses are selected, the student must choose two courses of the same foreign languages with a GE-ForLang designation in order to meet the requirement. However, foreign language GE-CrsClt courses can be combined with other GE-CrsClt courses in other departments to meet the cross cultural requirement.

(2) Native speakers of a foreign language may not satisfy the Culture and Civilization GE requirement by taking courses designated as GE-ForLang if taught in their first language. However, they may satisfy this requirement by taking courses designated as GE-CrsClt even if offered in their first language.

(3) The GE-ForLang courses include elementary, intermediate, conversation and composition, and advanced oral expression and grammar courses.

Bachelor of Science

English	Required: ENG 15000 (GE-Eng) /EPP 15000 (GE-Eng) and ENG 17000 (GE-Eng)
Communications	Select: one Communications course (GE-Comm)
Literature	Select: two English Literature courses (GE-Lit)
Philosophy or Religion	Select: one Philosophy or Religion course (GE-Phl-Rel)
Fine Arts	Select: one Fine Arts course (GE-Fine Art)
American Government or American History	Select: one (GE-AmGovHis) American Government or History course
World History	Required: one (GE-WHis)
Social Sciences	Select: two Social Sciences courses (GE-SocSci) from different disciplines
Mathematics	Select: two Mathematics courses (GE-Math)
Natural Sciences	Select: two Natural Science courses (GE-BioSci, GE-EarthSci, or GE-PhysSci) from two different science disciplines, one of which must include a lab (GE-BioSciLab), (GE-EarthSciLab), or (GE-PhysSciLab)
Mathematics or Natural Sciences	Select: one additional Mathematics or Natural Science course based on the graduation requirements of the individual school from which the degree is being earned.

Notes (GE-Eng):