Western New Mexico University recognizes its obligation to insure that each student acquires the foundation necessary to function fully in our complex and evolving society. The University believes the development of the educated person goes beyond the foundation and must include an appreciation and understanding of broad aspects of human knowledge. Through the General Education Program the University encourages each student to explore the world in which he or she lives from a variety of perspectives. The University seeks to develop each student as a whole person capable of contributing to society and appreciating its diversity.
The goals of the General Education Program at the University are as follows:
1. Provide each student with opportunities for critical thinking and reasoning, communication of ideas and information to others, numerical analysis and decision-making, and insure personal and emotional well-being.
2. Ensure that graduates of the University possess the skills necessary to interact positively and productively in society.
3. Develop personal, social, and cultural awareness that values cultural diversity and recognizes the commonalities that bind peoples of the world.
4. Instill an appreciation for the variety of perspectives that are used to interpret the world in which we live and that provide the foundation for solving the problems that confront society.
Based on these goals, the following objectives are incorporated into the General Education Program, with emphasis placed on integrating an appreciation of cultural diversity throughout the curriculum
a. Critical thinking
b. Creativity
c. Communication (written, oral, and visual)
d. Multicultural perspectives
e. Physical and mental well-being
f. Social responsibility and cooperation
g. Literacy of all types (reading, numbers, consumerism, technology)
h. Intellectual curiosity and wonder (continued learning)
i. Environmental responsibility
The General Education Program requirements are university requirements and cannot be waived at the departmental level. To fulfill these requirements, all students must take 51 semester hours of specified lower division (100- or 200-level) courses. Due to the foundational nature of the General Education Program, students are urged to complete these course requirements early in their university careers. No general education course may be counted as major or minor hours. All students must complete the requirement for intensive-writing courses in General Education. A department may require specific or additional general education courses. Please refer to departmental sections of the catalog.
ALL STUDENTS SHOULD FAMILIARIZE THEMSELVES WITH OTHER DEGREE REQUIREMENTS LISTED IN THE UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS SECTION.
AREA 1 Oral Communication (3 hours)
Outcomes
a. Ability to speak effectively in a variety of settings/situations
Courses:
COMM 110
AREA 2 Written Communication (6 hours)
Outcomes
a. Ability to communicate effectively in writing to a variety of audiences
b. Ability to conduct research and appropriately report results in writing
Courses:
ENGL 101, ENGL 102
Requirements for both courses include an exit exam, which will be scored pass/fail by English faculty. Failure of the exam will lower the course grade one grade.
AREA 3 Expressive Arts (6 hours)
Outcomes
a. Understand the contributions of arts to cultures and life in the broadest sense
b. Develop skills through a hands-on practical experience in the arts
Courses:
a. One of the following is required: ART 211, MUSC 111, THR 110
b. An additional 3 hours from the following are required: Music, Theater or a 4 hour studio art course (three hours will count towards Gen. Ed.) ART 101, 102, 103,107, 205, 210, 221, 230, 241, 251, 261, 271; MUSC 100, 101, 119, 151; THR 136, 211,215, 250
AREA 4 Physical and Mental Well-Being (4 hours)
Outcomes
a. Improve physical fitness
b. Develop lifetime sports skills
Courses:
a. MUSC 100 is required and is a prerequisite for all other courses
b. Two additional courses from the following are required: MUSC 103, 104, 105, 106, 109, 112, 113, 118, 119, 121, 124, 125, 134, 135, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 143, 144, 151, 152, 153, 157, 160.
AREA 5 Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)
Outcomes
a. Understand how people are organized, how belief systems develop and how “cultures’’ come to be
b. Understand the dimensions and consequences of human differences with respect to race, ethnicity, class, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age and/or disability.
Courses
a. Two courses from separate disciplines from the following are required: ANTH 201, ANTH 202, GEOG 202, POLS 201, PSY 102, SOC 101, SOC 102, ECON 200, 201, 202.
AREA 6 Mathematics Literacy (6 hours)
Outcomes
a. Increase in mathematical abilities
b. Ability to solve problems using mathematical modeling
Courses:
a. Two courses from the following are required: MATH 105, 106, 111, 121, 123,132, 171, 172, 221, 272
AREA 7 Computer Literacy (3 hours)
Outcomes
a. Ability to use database, spreadsheet, word processing and data analysis software packages.
b. Increase computer-related consumer literacy
Courses:
One course from the following is required: CMPS 110, 115 (recommended for math and computer science majors), 160
AREA 8 Literature (3 hours)
Outcomes
a. Understanding of literature from diverse geographic, ethnic and gender perspectives.
Courses:
One course from the following is required: ENGL 200, 201, 205, 225, 240, 296, 297, 298, 299, HUM 205
AREA 9 Laboratory Science (8 hours)
Outcomes
a. Experience the scientific method and scientific analysis
b. Understand the biological and physical sciences and their relationships to the everyday world
c. Understand the biological and physical aspects of environmental issues
Courses:
Two courses (including their associated laboratories) from the following are required: BIOL 101, 102, 111, 112; CHEM 121, 151, 152; GEOG 201; GEOL 101,102, 201, MUSC 240; PHYS 151, 152, 171, 172; PHSC 101, 102, 115, 181/183,182/184
AREA 10 History(6 hours)
Outcomes
a. Understand the multicultural heritage of the Southwestern United States
b. Understand the history of the world from a cross-cultural perspective
c. Understand the multicultural history of the United States
Courses:
a. Two courses from the following are required: HIST 111, 112, 201, 202
AREA 11 Community Service
All students are required to participate in a minimum of 16 hours of community service as outlined and documented by their major departments.
Communication in Written English
Prior to enrollment in any upper division course, students must have passed English 101 and English 102 or its equivalent with a grade of C or better.
The Foreign Language Requirement for B.A./B.S.W. Students
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree or Bachelor of Social Work must complete two years (or its equivalent) of a foreign language. The foreign language requirement is fulfilled by the completion of Spanish 202 or Spanish 252, or Spanish 214 (for native speakers only), or any upper-level Spanish course.
Students who have studied a foreign language in high school, or those who believe they have some proficiency in a foreign language, may determine the level at which they should begin language study by consulting the Humanities Department Chair.
The Math/Computer Science Requirement for B.S./B.B.A./B.S.V.T. Students
Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Technology, Bachelor of Science in Vocational Teaching or Bachelor of Social Work degree must complete six credit hours of mathematics and/or computer science and/or SOC 323, Social Statistics, in addition to the six credit hours of mathematics and three credit hours of computer science listed above (and required of all graduates). These additional hours must be an advanced progression from the hours used in fulfilling the General Education requirements. Elementary Education majors and Special Education majors must take Math 301 and Math 302 for the B.S. requirement.
Education Majors
In addition to the campus wide general education requirements, education majors must complete additional state general education hours: Lab Science (4), English (6) and History (6).