2010-2011 Undergraduate Catalog: July addendum [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
General Education
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A General Education program is a set of academic requirements common to all students, ranging across a spectrum of academic disciplines and subjects. The general education curriculum at Malone University plays a central role in fulfilling our distinctive mission to provide each one of our students with “an education based on biblical faith in order to develop men and women in intellectual maturity, wisdom, and Christian faith who are committed to serving the church, community, and world.”
Malone University is committed to equipping graduates to put “Christ’s Kingdom First” in all of life. In part, this means cultivating in students the skills, knowledge, and dispositions that will equip them to serve effectively in the workplace. This goal is addressed both through specialized study in the major and throughout the general education program. In a day when most people will engage in multiple careers across a lifetime, our general education curriculum cultivates crucial abilities that transcend specialization, such as critical and creative thinking, interaction with knowledge and ideas, communication, and problem solving. Whatever their callings, we are committed to preparing students to serve faithfully and effectively.
This commitment also means that a Malone education is a preparation for life beyond the workplace, in such realms as church, family, local community, nation, and world. General education coursework provides a solid grounding in Christian scriptures and tradition, along with many additional opportunities for growth in self-knowledge, knowledge of God, and knowledge of the challenges, complexities, and opportunities of our changing world. We challenge students to cultivate a love of truth, life-long habits of thoughtful reflection, and a strong foundation of practical wisdom grounded in biblical faith, equipping them to live and thrive in the world as agents of Christ’s kingdom.
Coursework in our general education program progresses from Foundations courses that establish a strong framework for Christian higher education, to Engaging courses designed to deepen and expand our understanding of people, creation, our nation, and our world. In some components of the program all students take required courses in common; in other components students have opportunities to make choices. Students work closely with their academic advisors to shape the general education program to their own emerging interests.
The General Education (GE) curriculum requires a capstone course (GEN 460) for all students. This course should be taken after all other GE courses are completed. The courses are offered primarily during the fall and spring semesters. All seniors and those juniors who have completed their General Education requirements are eligible to register for a section of GEN 460. If a student does not meet these criteria and has significant extenuating circumstances requiring registration, s/he must contact the Director of General Education to request permission to register for a section of GEN 460. This is accomplished by contacting the Director of GE.
Students are offered a variety of GEN 460 course sections each semester. Sections are taught by seasoned faculty and examine the world through a variety of intellectual lenses. Courses are rigorous, reading plentiful, and papers are required. Students are encouraged to examine a variety of ideas presented within the section from several intellectual traditions and further asked to examine their faith beliefs in light of the section topic.
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Requirements (50-56 hours)
One course is required in each of the 17 components with the exception of Bible which requires 2 courses. Course descriptions for all general education courses are located in the appropriate academic sections of this catalog. Foundations of Faith and Learning (13 hours)
Foundational Skills (9-10 hours)
Engaging God’s World (28-33 hours)
Engaging Human Experience (11-12 hours)
Engaging Cultures and Institutions (10-12 hours)
American Cultures and Institutions**
Engaging the Created Order (4-6 hours)
Additional, more advanced options:
Faith in the World (3 hours)
Faith in the World Seminar
Note(s):
- All students must demonstrate math proficiency by a) an ACT math score ≥ 20 (SAT-Math ≥ 500), or b) by passing a proficiency exam offered by the Office of Advising and Testing, or c) by passing MATH 130. Enrollment at the MATH 125 or 130 level is required each semester until this proficiency is met.
- Students must be enrolled at the appropriate level of ENG 120, 145, or 200 each semester until the sequence is completed.
- A maximum of three courses may count for dual credit in the major and in general education. Some multi-disciplinary majors have higher limits; details may be obtained from advisors.
- Credits can be secured by examination for some general education courses. Syllabi for these courses are available in the Office of the Provost. Arrangements for these examinations may be made through the Office of Advising and Testing.
- MATH 150, SPAN 201, and THEO 211 may each be fulfilled through Advanced General Education Credit as follows: MATH 201 for MATH 150; SPAN 202 for SPAN 201; THEO 201, 331, and 332 for THEO 211.
- GEN 225- applies to study trips sponsored by Malone University. One such course, PSYC 225- , will be available in Summer 2010. Refer to the Department of Psychology section of this catalog for additional information.
Credit for Off-Campus Study Experiences
Many Malone University students take advantage of opportunities for off-campus academic study, and in some cases such study can be used to fulfill general education requirements. Off-campus study experiences include those sponsored by Malone University as well as others not sponsored by Malone University (e.g., programs available through the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, Brethren Colleges Abroad, etc., and independent study programs).
Some off-campus study experiences may include courses that have been pre-approved to fulfill Global Connections, Cross-Cultural Encounter, Engaging Cultures and Institutions, Faith in the World, or other general education requirements. The Office of the Registrar maintains a list of courses that have been pre-approved to fulfill specific general education requirements. Students are encouraged to consult this list when planning to participate in off-campus study experiences in order to assist them in meeting their academic requirements. Off-campus study experiences sponsored by Malone University will include information about whether or not they fulfill specific general education requirements in their course descriptions (if they are Malone courses). In many cases, off-campus study experiences that are not sponsored by Malone University may include courses that have been pre-approved to meet specific general education requirements. Information about off-campus study experiences is available from the Director of Study Abroad and Off-Campus Programs. Approvals for off-campus study experiences and any petitions seeking approval for general education requirements must be completed prior to the time at which the student engages in the off-campus study experience.
Note: With prior approval of the Cross-Cultural Experience Coordinator, a student may use an off-campus study experience as the basis for completing SOSC 211 to fulfill the Cross-Cultural Encounter component of the general education program. This may be accomplished by registering for SOSC 211 and fulfilling all related course requirements prior to, during, and after the experience. See SOSC 211 for a complete course description of Cross-Cultural Experience. Testing of General Education Proficiencies
Malone University requires all students who complete the General Education program listed on the previous pages to take the CAAP Test (Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency) prior to graduation. The CAAP Test is designed to measure selected academic skills of writing, reading, mathematics, science reasoning and critical thinking. These are foundational for successful performance in upper-level University courses and are essential to the general education curriculum. CAAP is given for three main reasons:
- to measure each student’s academic proficiency in relationship to other Malone students;
- to measure Malone students’ academic proficiency as a whole in relationship to national norms;
- to provide test scores in each of the academic areas which may be used in advising and accepting students into specific majors. A University-wide minimum proficiency in English has been established. Each academic school or department may also establish minimum proficiencies in other selected academic areas.
A student who has completed at least 45 semester hours (typically, a second semester sophomore) will be required to register with the Office of Advising and Testing to take the CAAP Test prior to applying for a major. It is to the student’s advantage to have taken the required English, mathematics and science General Education courses prior to taking the Test. The Office of Advising and Testing is responsible for administration of the CAAP Test.
It is advisable for each student to consult the appropriate dean or department chair in order to become fully aware of the proficiencies and other requirements for the major. A student failing to meet departmental CAAP minimum proficiency requirements (other than English-writing; see “Writing Proficiency” below) must contact the dean or department chair of his/her intended major to take the necessary step(s) to meet the requirement(s). Writing Proficiency
A student’s proficiency in writing will be determined by:
- successful completion (a grade of C or higher) of ENG 145, usually during the freshman year, and
- attaining a scaled score of 62 on the Writing Skills section of the CAAP Test (Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency).
A student who fails to meet the minimum proficiency in English (writing) on the CAAP test will be required to retake that section. A student who fails to meet the minimum proficiency in the CAAP test on the retake will be required to take (at personal expense) and successfully complete (a grade of C or higher) ENG 210: Grammar Review. These steps should be taken in subsequent semesters and will satisfactorily meet the minimum proficiency requirement in English (writing).
Questions regarding writing proficiency should be directed to the Office of Advising and Testing.
Although students evidence that they are capable of acceptable writing by completing the above steps successfully, they must show a continuing proficiency throughout their academic work.
Every paper should meet the following standards:
- it must be legible, preferably typed or written in ink, and be neat in appearance, showing that the student takes pride in written work submitted;
- it must issue from a clearly stated thesis, which is supported throughout in well-developed paragraphs;
- it must show careful attention to grammar and mechanics. Fragments or run-on sentences may make a paper unacceptable mechanically (unless they are used intentionally for effect). An average of more than one spelling error or typographical error per page may also make a paper unacceptable;
- it should conform to widely accepted standards of form and documentation. The final authority on matters of appropriate form in the preparation of papers is to be determined by the instructor of the course for which the paper is written or by the school or department in which the course is taken. This authority may be a published guide such as Writing Research Papers: A Complete Guide by Lester.
When a student’s final grade in any course is affected by a deficiency in writing, the student must, on the recommendation of the course instructor, take a corrective program under the general supervision of the director of the campus writing center. This program may involve remedial coursework, the use of programmed materials and/or tutorial study. |
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