Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

The General Education Program Requirements


For policy and general information visith The General Education Program Information  page.

The General Education Program Requirements


The minimum number of required General Education semester credit hours for all students, regardless of their program of study, is 42. Some degree programs may require up to six additional hours of General Education depending on the math, science, and technology courses required.

Courses taken to fulfill General Education requirements may not be taken on the pass/fail basis. Students who have fulfilled all General Education requirements in a specific area may elect to take additional General Education courses as free elective hours in the same area on the pass/fail basis.

Some General Education selections listed on these pages may be limited by major/minor choice. Check the major/minor listing in the catalog for specific General Education requirements within the major/minor.

A Guide to Symbols Used in General Education

+ Planned placement required for enrollment
^ Audition or placement assessment required for enrollment
# Course fulfills state law requirement Section 170.011 RSMO Supp (1988) (US/Missouri Constitutions)
Course has environmental, economic, and/or social sustainability as a major objective.
GE Denotes a general education course when listed in other parts of this catalog.

Foundational Skills Areas 11-12 Hours


Four courses must be taken to fulfill this area: one Writing I, one Writing II, one Managing Information, and one Communication course (see listing below). Some students may exceed the 11 credit hour minimum depending on course selection and major-required Managing Information courses.

UCM graduates will demonstrate mastery of intellectual and practical skills by

  • writing with clarity and purpose using appropriate conventions of format, structure, and documentation;
  • acquiring and managing information effectively through research and the uses of current and emerging technologies; and
  • presenting and interacting effectively in professional, group, and interpersonal settings.

Writing I - 3 Credit Hours


These courses fulfill General Education Competency 1.

Note:

+Eligibility for enrollment in this course is based on university planned placement guidelines. Click here  for more information about Planned Placement.

*Students who earn a grade of C or higher in ENGL 1080  will be awarded an additional 3 hours of special credit (CR) for ENGL 1020  and will have fulfilled the six hours of writing requirement in general education. Students who earn a grade of D in ENGL 1080  may either opt to repeat the course or enroll in CTE 3060 /ENGL 1030  to fulfill the six hours of writing requirement in general education.

Writing II - 3 Credit Hours


These courses fulfill General Education Competency 1.

Note:

*Students who earn a grade of C or higher in ENGL 1080  will be awarded an additional 3 hours of special credit (CR) for ENGL 1020  and will have fulfilled the six hours of writing requirement in the general education. These students will not have to enroll in CTE 3060  or ENGL 1030 .

Managing Information - 2-3 Credit Hours


These courses fulfill General Education Competency 5.

Communication - 3 Credit Hours


These courses fulfill General Education Competency 2.

Knowledge Areas 28 Hours


Knowledge Area I 9 Hours


Three courses must be taken to fulfill this area: one Literature, one Fine Arts, and one additional course (see listing below). UCM graduates will demonstrate knowledge of the world in which we live by acquiring knowledge and appreciation of and/or participation in the creation or performance of literature, languages, and the arts using the standards of evidence and reasoning appropriate to the humanities and the arts.

Literature - 3 Credit Hours

These courses fulfill General Education Competencies 1 and 6.

Fine Arts - 3 Credit Hours

These courses fulfill General Education Competency 6.

 

Additional Courses for Knowledge Area I - 3 hours

These courses fulfill General Education Competency 6.

Choose one additional course from the Literature or Fine Arts categories above or one course below from Languages or Humanities. If an additional Fine Arts course is chosen, it must be a three-credit hour course from the Fine Arts list above.

Knowledge Area II 10 hours


Three courses must be taken to fulfill this area: one Science with a Laboratory, one Mathematics, and one additional course (see listing below). Some students may exceed the 10 credit hour minimum depending on course selection and major-required science and mathematics courses.

UCM graduates will demonstrate knowledge of the world in which we live by acquiring knowledge of the physical and natural world using the standards of evidence and reasoning appropriate to the sciences, mathematics, and technology.

Science with a Laboratory - 4 Credit Hours


These courses fulfill General Education Competency 7.

Note:

*Courses must be taken together in the same semester.

**Students who have earned credit in BIOL 1004  in the Science with a Laboratory category are not eligible for credit in BIOL 1003  in the Science without a Lab category. Students who have earned credit in CHEM 1104  in the Science with a Laboratory category are not eligible for credit in CHEM 1103  in the Science without a Lab category. Students who have earned credit in PHYS 1104  in the Science with a Laboratory category are not eligible for credit in PHYS 1103  in the Science without a Lab category.

Mathematics - 3 Credit Hours


These courses fulfill General Education Competencies 3 and 7.

Additional Courses for Knowledge Area II - 3 Credit Hours


These courses fulfill General Education Competency 7.

Note:

*Students who have earned credit in BIOL 1004  in the Science with a Laboratory category are not eligible for credit in BIOL 1003  in the Science without a Lab category. Students who have earned credit in CHEM 1104  in the Science with a Laboratory category are not eligible for credit in CHEM 1103  in the Science without a Lab category. Students who have earned credit in PHYS 1104  in the Science with a Laboratory category are not eligible for credit in PHYS 1103  in the Science without a Lab category.

Knowledge Area III 9 hours


Three courses must be taken to fulfill this area: one History, one Social/Behavioral Science, and one additional course (see listing below). Within the nine hours required in Knowledge Area III, all students must select a course which fulfills state law requirement Section 170.011 RSMO Supp (1988). These courses are marked with a “#”.

UCM graduates will demonstrate an ability to comprehend, evaluate, and analyze aspects of the human experience through an understanding of history and the social and behavioral sciences and the standards of evidence that create knowledge within those frameworks. Students will learn substantive content as well as the relevant evaluative process of reasoning, evidence, and argument.

United States and Missouri Constitutions Requirement (State Law Requirement, Section 170.011)
Within the nine hours required in Knowledge Area III, all students must select a course which fulfills state law requirement Section 170.011 RSMO Supp (1988). These courses are marked with a “#”. These courses must be taken from institutions in the state of Missouri. Courses from out of state institutions which are articulated or substituted for these courses will not fulfill state law requirement Section 170.011 RSMO Supp (1988). Students who have one of these courses from out of state or who have already fulfilled all nine hours of Knowledge Area III may fulfill this requirement by passing an exam on the constitutions of the United States and of Missouri offered by School of Social Sciences and Languages  (Wood 203, 660-543-8840).
 

History - 3 Credit Hours


These courses fulfill General Education Competency 8.

Social/Behavioral Sciences - 3 Credit Hours


These courses fulfill General Education Competency 8.

Additional Courses for Knowledge Area III - 3 Credit Hours


Choose one additional course from either the History or Social/Behavioral Sciences areas above.

Engagement 3 hours


One course from the listing below must be taken to fulfill this area.

UCM graduates will demonstrate an understanding of individual and social responsibility by evaluating individual actions, intercultural relationships, and social choices within local/global frameworks using ethical reasoning, civic principles, and cultural values.

Integration 1-8 Hours in the Major


Students will integrate the knowledge and skills from the general education program with major-specific content through a cumulative work or experience that demonstrates the ability to gather information, perform synthesis and analysis, and communicate in a technical and proficient manner.

Students will complete one of the courses listed below as prescribed by their major curriculum*. See the major section of this catalog for more information. These courses fulfill General Education Competency 10:

Note:


*Students pursuing a named individualized major program will have a course identified in their program of study to fulfill Competency 10 as determined by the faculty advisor who signs off on the program. Students pursuing the General Studies individualized major may complete any course with the IGEN prefix to fulfill Competency 10.