General Education Requirements

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The General Education requirements are designed to provide students with a breadth of knowledge, skill, and understanding that will prepare them to perform successfully as well-informed citizens and professionals in their community, nation, and world. General Education courses also provide an enriching context for the in-depth study required in every major. All students, regardless of their major program of study, must complete the General Education requirements. Students who enter Ferrum College with an Associate’s Degree from an accredited college are exempt from the General Education requirements.

Core Competencies

The General Education Curriculum rests on a foundation of three “Core Competencies”: Written Communication (WC), Quantitative Reasoning (QR), and Global and Social Responsibility (GSR). In their first year, students at Ferrum College take two WC courses (one of which is ENG 112), one QR course, and one GSR course. All Core Competency courses are offered at the 100- and 200-levels.

Exploration Areas

The bulk of the General Education Curriculum is structured around four “Exploration Areas.” Each of these areas focuses on a “big question”:

What shapes human identity?
How do we interact with different cultures and times?
How do we evaluate and solve problems?
How can we prepare for and engage in a meaningful life?

Students select a total of twenty-one credit hours from these four areas, at least three credit hours from each area. Within these twenty-one credit hours, students must take at least one course from each of the following areas: humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural sciences/mathematics. Remaining courses may be selected from any available offerings.

What shapes human identity?

ENG 214 - Harry Potter and the Hero Myth 3 Credit(s).
ENG 218 - Introduction to Creative Writing 3 Credit(s).
ENG 338 - Digital Rhetoric 3 Credit(s).
HIS 306 - Women in Twentieth-Century America 3 Credit(s).
HIS 308 - African American History 3 Credit(s).
HIS 316 - Virginia History 3 Credit(s).
HIS 335 - Classical Antiquity Greco-Roman History 3 Credit(s).
HIS 353 - History of Barbarians 3 Credit(s).
PSY 211 - Human Growth and Development – Child and Adolescent 3 Credit(s).
PSY 325 - Psychopathology of Childhood 3 Credit(s).
REC 103 - Backpacking and Hiking 1 Credit(s).
REC 104 - Rock Climbing and Rappelling 1 Credit(s).
REC 106 - Outdoor Water Sports 1 Credit(s).
REC 139 - Orienteering 1 Credit(s).
SPA 325 - Spanish Civilization & Culture 3 Credit(s).
SPA 326 - Latin American Civilization & Culture 3 Credit(s).
THA 412, 413 or 414 - Special Theatre Topics 1-3 Credit(s).

How do we interact with different cultures and times?

ENG 215 - Appalachian Literature 3 Credit(s).
ENG 301 - Literature for Children and Adolescents 3 Credit(s).
HIS 302 - History of Sports in the US 3 Credit(s).
HIS 357 - Russian History 3 Credit(s).
HIS 376 - The History of Islam 3 Credit(s).
MUS 155 - Guitar Class 1 Credit(s).
MUS 205 - Introduction to Music in Appalachia 3 Credit(s).
REL 210 - American Gods 3 Credit(s).
REL 316 - Life and Letters of Paul 3 Credit(s).
SPA 301 - Advanced Grammar and Composition 3 Credit(s).
SPA 302 - Advanced Speaking and Comprehension 3 Credit(s).
SPA 403 - Special Topics in Hispanic Culture 3 Credit(s).
SPA 404 - Selected Topics in Hispanic Literature 3 Credit(s).

How do we evaluate and solve problems?

AGS 110 - Agriculture Issues 3 Credit(s).
ART 215 - Photoshop 3 Credit(s).
ART 222 - Basic Computer Graphics 3 Credit(s).
BUS 330 - Quantitative Methods: Management 3 Credit(s).
EDU 203 - Foundations and Trends in Education 3 Credit(s).
ENG 401 - Literary Criticism 3 Credit(s).
ESC 203 - Fundamentals of Ecology 4 Credit(s).
ESC 313 - Natural Resource Management 3 Credit(s).
ESC 405 - Fisheries and Wildlife Ecology and Management 4 Credit(s).
ESC 413 - Forest Science and Management 4 Credit(s).
GEO 221 - Geographic Information Systems 4 Credit(s).
HIS 307 - American Crime: Criminalization and Punishment in the 20th Century 3 Credit(s).
HIS 347 - The History of Disease 3 Credit(s).
HON 210 - Reason and the Individual 3 Credit(s).
HON 213 - Media and Violence 3 Credit(s).
MTH 203 - Concepts in Calculus 3 Credit(s).
MTH 208 - Introductory Statistics 3 Credit(s).
NUR 470 - Current, Future, and Transcultural Issues in Nursing 3 Credit(s).
PSC 304 - Modern Ideologies 3 Credit(s).
PSC 324 - U.S. Constitutional Law 3 Credit(s).
PSC 402 - Policy Analysis 3 Credit(s).
PSY 210 - Human Growth and Development - Lifespan 3 Credit(s).
PSY 306 - Intro to Research Methods and Statistics 3 Credit(s).
PSY 307 - Advanced Research Methods and Statistics 3 Credit(s).
PSY 332 - Cognitive Psychology 3 Credit(s).
SCI 250 - Physical Science 4 Credit(s).
SCI 398 - Junior Seminar 3 Credit(s).
SCI 498 - Senior Seminar 3 Credit(s).
SPA 320 - Introduction to Literature in Spanish 3 Credit(s).
THA 222 - Voice and Diction 3 Credit(s).

How can we prepare for and engage in a meaningful life?

BIO 202 - Introduction to Plant Science 4 Credit(s).
BUS 208 - Principles of Leadership 3 Credit(s).
COM 201 - Public Speaking 3 Credit(s).
ENG 461 - Professional Writing 3 Credit(s).
HIS 360 - The History of Travel and Tourism 3 Credit(s).
HIS 398 - Historiography 3 Credit(s).
HON 223 - Political Satire 3 Credit(s).
NUR 440 - Community Health Nursing 3 Credit(s).
PSC 310 - Political Parties and Groups in the United States 3 Credit(s).
PSC 399 - Citizenship and Service Learning 3 Credit(s).
REC 285 - Recreational Sports 3 Credit(s).
REL 216 - Religion in Film 3 Credit(s).
SOC 340 - Organizations, Collective Behavior and Social Movements 3 Credit(s).
SPA 299 - Latino Communities in the U.S. 3 Credit(s).
THA 498 - Senior Seminar 2 Credit(s).

Emphases

All Exploration Area courses carry specific emphases: reading, writing, quantitative, speaking, or experiential. Students take at least three credit hours in each emphasis during their time at Ferrum College.

Reading Emphasis – Courses with a Reading Emphasis are aimed at helping students acquire and practice critical reading skills that will help them succeed not only in college, but also after graduation. Reading Emphasis courses are taught in a variety of academic disciplines, and emphasize the development of reading skills appropriate to the field and subject matter of the course. Prerequisites for Reading Emphasis courses are set at the course level, at the discretion of the program offering the course.
Writing Emphasis – In Writing Emphasis courses, students practice and build on skills that were introduced during their Written Communication Core Competency Courses. Writing Emphasis courses are taught in a variety of academic disciplines, and emphasize the development of writing skills appropriate to the field and subject matter of the course. Satisfactory completion of ENG 112 is a prerequisite for all Writing Emphasis courses.
Quantitative Emphasis – In Quantitative Emphasis courses, students practice and build on skills that were introduced during their Quantitative Reasoning Core Competency Courses. Quantitative Emphasis courses are taught in a variety of academic disciplines, and emphasize the development of quantitative skills appropriate to the field and subject matter of the course. Satisfactory completion of a Quantitative Reasoning Core Competency course is a prerequisite for all Quantitative Emphasis courses.
Speaking Emphasis – Courses with a Speaking Emphasis are aimed at helping students acquire and practice oral communication skills that will help them succeed not only in college, but also after graduation. Speaking Emphasis courses are taught in a variety of academic disciplines, and emphasize the development of reading skills appropriate to the field and subject matter of the course. Prerequisites for Speaking Emphasis courses are set at the course level, at the discretion of the program offering the course.
Experiential Emphasis – Experiential Emphasis courses at Ferrum College encourage students and faculty to take a hands-on approach to learning, and to break the mold of the traditional classroom. These courses are taught in a variety of academic disciplines, and emphasize experiential learning appropriate to the field and subject matter of the course. Prerequisites for Experiential Emphasis courses are set at the course level, at the discretion of the program offering the course.

Reading Emphasis (RE)

ENG 214 - Harry Potter and the Hero Myth 3 Credit(s).
ENG 301 - Literature for Children and Adolescents 3 Credit(s).
ENG 401 - Literary Criticism 3 Credit(s).
ESC 313 - Natural Resource Management 3 Credit(s).
HIS 307 - American Crime: Criminalization and Punishment in the 20th Century 3 Credit(s).
HIS 316 - Virginia History 3 Credit(s).
HIS 335 - Classical Antiquity Greco-Roman History 3 Credit(s).
HIS 353 - History of Barbarians 3 Credit(s).
HIS 376 - The History of Islam 3 Credit(s).
HIS 398 - Historiography 3 Credit(s).
HON 210 - Reason and the Individual 3 Credit(s).
MUS 155 - Guitar Class 1 Credit(s).
PSC 304 - Modern Ideologies 3 Credit(s).
PSC 399 - Citizenship and Service Learning 3 Credit(s).
PSY 332 - Cognitive Psychology 3 Credit(s).
SPA 320 - Introduction to Literature in Spanish 3 Credit(s).
SPA 325 - Spanish Civilization & Culture 3 Credit(s).

Writing Emphasis (WE)

BUS 208 - Principles of Leadership 3 Credit(s).
ENG 218 - Introduction to Creative Writing 3 Credit(s).
ENG 338 - Digital Rhetoric 3 Credit(s).
ENG 461 - Professional Writing 3 Credit(s).
HIS 302 - History of Sports in the US 3 Credit(s).
HIS 306 - Women in Twentieth-Century America 3 Credit(s).
HIS 308 - African American History 3 Credit(s).
HON 223 - Political Satire 3 Credit(s).
PSC 310 - Political Parties and Groups in the United States 3 Credit(s).
PSY 307 - Advanced Research Methods and Statistics 3 Credit(s).
REL 216 - Religion in Film 3 Credit(s).
REL 316 - Life and Letters of Paul 3 Credit(s).
SCI 398 - Junior Seminar 3 Credit(s).
SPA 299 - Latino Communities in the U.S. 3 Credit(s).
SPA 301 - Advanced Grammar and Composition 3 Credit(s).
SPA 404 - Selected Topics in Hispanic Literature 3 Credit(s).
THA 498 - Senior Seminar 2 Credit(s).

Quantitative Emphasis (QE)

AGS 110 - Agriculture Issues 3 Credit(s).
BUS 330 - Quantitative Methods: Management 3 Credit(s).
ESC 203 - Fundamentals of Ecology 4 Credit(s).
ESC 413 - Forest Science and Management 4 Credit(s).
GEO 221 - Geographic Information Systems 4 Credit(s).
MTH 203 - Concepts in Calculus 3 Credit(s).
MTH 208 - Introductory Statistics 3 Credit(s).
NUR 440 - Community Health Nursing 3 Credit(s).
PSC 402 - Policy Analysis 3 Credit(s).
PSY 306 - Intro to Research Methods and Statistics 3 Credit(s).
PSY 325 - Psychopathology of Childhood 3 Credit(s).

Speaking Emphasis (SE)

COM 201 - Public Speaking 3 Credit(s).
ENG 215 - Appalachian Literature 3 Credit(s).
ESC 405 - Fisheries and Wildlife Ecology and Management 4 Credit(s).
HIS 347 - The History of Disease 3 Credit(s).
HIS 357 - Russian History 3 Credit(s).
HIS 360 - The History of Travel and Tourism 3 Credit(s).
HON 213 - Media and Violence 3 Credit(s).
MUS 205 - Introduction to Music in Appalachia 3 Credit(s).
NUR 470 - Current, Future, and Transcultural Issues in Nursing 3 Credit(s).
PSC 324 - U.S. Constitutional Law 3 Credit(s).
PSY 210 - Human Growth and Development - Lifespan 3 Credit(s).
REL 210 - American Gods 3 Credit(s).
SCI 250 - Physical Science 4 Credit(s).
SCI 498 - Senior Seminar 3 Credit(s).
SOC 340 - Organizations, Collective Behavior and Social Movements 3 Credit(s).
SPA 302 - Advanced Speaking and Comprehension 3 Credit(s).
SPA 326 - Latin American Civilization & Culture 3 Credit(s).
SPA 403 - Special Topics in Hispanic Culture 3 Credit(s).
THA 222 - Voice and Diction 3 Credit(s).

Experiential Emphasis (EE)

ART 215 - Photoshop 3 Credit(s).
ART 222 - Basic Computer Graphics 3 Credit(s).
BIO 202 - Introduction to Plant Science 4 Credit(s).
EDU 203 - Foundations and Trends in Education 3 Credit(s).
PSY 211 - Human Growth and Development – Child and Adolescent 3 Credit(s).
REC 103 - Backpacking and Hiking 1 Credit(s).
REC 104 - Rock Climbing and Rappelling 1 Credit(s).
REC 106 - Outdoor Water Sports 1 Credit(s).
REC 139 - Orienteering 1 Credit(s).
REC 285 - Recreational Sports 3 Credit(s).
THA 412, 413 or 414 - Special Theatre Topics 1-3 Credit(s).