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Requirements — General Education
General Education Program Requirements
The General Education program is experienced via a range of courses, including a writing and critical thinking sequence (ENG 1000 / IDS 1600 / ENG 2010 / IDS 2000); various "Ways of Knowing" courses drawn from different disciplines on campus; and specific requirements realized in a student's final two years on campus.
I. Aurora University's core sequence relating to written communication and critical thinking includes:
ENG1000 Preparatory and Introductory Composition
IDS1600 Culture, Diversity and Expression
ENG2010 Composition II: Introduction to Research Writing
IDS2000 Wellness and Social Responsibility
In particular, the IDS courses allow students to read texts closely, engage in reflection and discussion on fundamental questions from a variety of perspectives, and translate those endeavors into effective argumentative writing. Faculty members are drawn from across the university. The two IDS courses are also "writing intensive," meaning that attention to writing and revision are core elements of the courses, with students' final essays being assessed based on a university rubric.
II. As articulated in the Undergraduate Catalog, all students complete coursework drawn from three "Ways of Knowing" categories, which roughly correspond to the the social sciences, sciences, and humanities. A list of approved courses within these categories appears below. These courses still retain a General Education focus on reading, speaking, writing, and critical thinking, while allowing students to experience coursework within different disciplines on campus, consistent with the campus' commitment to the liberal arts.
III. The curriculum also provides several other General Education experiences. First, students are required to demonstrate proficiency in mathematics and technology (by coursework or examination). Students also take certain General Education offerings in their final two years, such as a 3000-level writing intensive course in the major and an upper-level General Education course. Additionally, students complete a senior capstone course in their major, allowing for reflection on experience and service.
Approved General Education Ways of Knowing Courses
Knowing Ourselves and Others A (Select at least one course from Group A)
| ECN2010 | Principles of Microeconomics - 3 hrs |
| ECN2020 | Principles of Macroeconomics - 3 hrs |
| COM1500 | Introduction to Human Communication - 4 hrs |
| PSY1100 | General Psychology - 4 hrs |
| PSY3250 | Lifespan Development - 4 hrs |
| PSY3350 | Child and Adolescent Psychology - 4 hrs |
| PSY3360 | Adult Development and Aging - 4 hrs |
| SBS1100 | Introduction to the Social Sciences - 4 hrs |
| SOC1100 | Principles of Sociology - 4 hrs |
| SOC2150 | Cultural Anthropology - 3 hrs |
| SOC3350 | Race, Ethnicity, and Power - 4 hrs |
| SOC3480 | Globalization and Social Change - 4 hrs |
| SOC4500 | Human Rights and Social Justice - 4 hrs |
| SWK1100 | Careers in Social Work - 4 hrs |
| SWK2050 | Drugs and Human Behavior: Substance Abuse Evaluation and Treatment - 4 hrs |
| SWK2100 | Social Work in American Society - 4 hrs |
| SWK2150 | Violence in America - 4 hrs |
Knowing Ourselves and Others B (Select at least one course from Group B)
| CRJ1010 | Introduction to Criminal Justice System - 4 hrs |
| CRJ2300 | Criminology - 3 hrs |
| MST1110 | Introduction to Museum Studies - 3 hrs |
| HIS1200 | American History I - 4 hrs |
| HIS1210 | American History II - 4 hrs |
| HIS2500 | Western Civilization I (to 1500) - 4 hrs |
| HIS2600 | Western Civilization II (1500 - Present) - 4 hrs |
| HIS3100 | The African American Experience - 4 hrs |
| HIS3200 | American History since the 1960s - 4 hrs |
| HIS3350 | The Native Americans - 4 hrs |
| LTS1200 | Introduction to Latino Cultural Studies - 3 hrs |
| PSC1100 | Politics, Society, and Culture - 4 hrs |
| PSC2110 | U. S. Government - 4 hrs |
| REC1760 | Leisure and Society - 3 hrs |
| SBS1100 | Introduction to Social Sciences - 4 hrs |
| SBS2100 | Human Geography - 3 hrs |
| SPN1120 | Elementary Spanish - 4 hrs |
Observation of the Natural World (Select at least two courses)
| BI01060 | Human Biology - 4 hrs |
| BI01210 | Biology of Cells - 4 hrs |
| BI02200 | Humans and the Environment - 4 hrs |
| B103080 | Nutrition and Health Promotion - 4 hrs |
| BI03260 | Comparative Botany - 4 hrs |
| CHM1200 | Principles of Chemistry - 4 hrs |
| CSC2100 | Computational Science - 4 hrs |
| NSM1150 | Science Foundations - 4 hrs |
| NSM1200 | Astronomy - 3 hrs |
| NSM1300 | Earth Science - 4 hrs |
Aesthetic and Philosophical Expression A (Select at least one course from Group A)
| BUS1010 | Business Environment and Ethical Dimensions - 2 hrs |
| PHL1100 | Problems in Philosophy - 4 hrs |
| PHL1200 | Logic - 3 hrs |
| PHL2100 | Ethics - 4 hrs |
| PHL/REL3100 | Philosophy of Religion - 3 hrs |
| PHL3150 | Professional Ethics - 4 hrs |
| PHL3250 | History of Philosophy I, Ancient and Medieval - 3 hrs |
| PHL3400 | The Good Life? - 2 or 4 hrs |
| PHL3500 | Philosophy of Love and Sex - 2 or 4 hrs |
| REL1050 | Introduction to World Religions - 4 hrs |
| REL1100 | The Christian Bible - 4 hrs |
| REL2160 | Exploring Religion - 4 hrs |
| REL2200 | The Shaping of Christian Identity - 4 hrs |
| REL2310 | The Faiths of Abraham - 4 hrs |
Aesthetic and Philosophical Expression B (Select at least one course fromGroup B)
| ART1000 | Art Appreciation - 3 hrs |
| ART2500 | Art History I - 4 hrs |
| ART2600 | Art History II - 4 hrs |
| ART2670 | Photography I: Silver Black and White - (3) |
| COM2300 | Introduction to Film - 3 hrs |
| COM3500 | Intercultural Communication - 3 hrs |
| ENG1060 | Introduction to Literary Study - 4 hrs |
| ENG2200 | Novel - 4 hrs |
| ENG2240 | Poetry - 4 hrs |
| ENG3320 | American Literature, Puritanism to 1865 - 4 hrs |
| ENG3350 | American Literature, 1965 - Present - 4 hrs |
| ENG3400 | British Literature, Anglo Saxon to Renaissance - 4 hrs |
| ENG3420 | British Literature, Renaissance to Romantics - 4 hrs |
| ENG3440 | British Literature, Romantics to the Present - 4 hrs |
| HUM2100 | The Arts and Human Experience - 4 hrs |
| MUS1500 | Music Appreciation - 4 hrs |
| MUS2510 | History of Western Music I - 4 hrs |
| MUS2550 | Opera Appreciation - 2 hrs |
| THE1200 | Introduction to Theatre - 3 hrs |
| THE/ENG2220 | Drama Literature - 4 hrs |
Academic information on departmental Web sites reflects the university's most current curriculum. The print version of the catalog, which is also posted online, may differ from this information.
