General Education Program

The General Education program at Midway University supports the institutional mission: Midway University engages and challenges students to achieve individual growth, responsible citizenship, and meaningful careers through personalized educational experiences (Adopted November 8, 2018). This is accomplished by embedding a liberal arts intellectual environment within all educational programs; providing knowledge of key global, diversity, and gender issues; enhancing the communication and information literacy skills of all students; and integrating experiential knowledge within the curriculum to prepare them for professional and civic lives.

The Midway University General Education program offers students tools for thinking that are foundational to liberal arts education and essential for success in all academic programs, future graduate studies, professional careers, and engaged citizenship. Courses encourage students to think critically, analytically, and reflectively; communicate clearly; and develop ways of thinking and living that demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of a diverse world.  Students are empowered to go beyond their own perceived potentials to achieve greater degrees of self-reliance.  By examining, questioning, and analyzing contemporary and historical concerns, students exchange and develop perspectives that lead them to awareness of and dedication to the pursuit of our mission at Midway University, in our communities, and in a global marketplace.

Some General Education requirements can be completed by courses in the major provided these courses fulfill the learning objectives under each area described in this document.  These areas are marked with an asterisk (*) below.

Program Outcomes and Learning Objectives

Contemporary Global/Environmental Issues

Demonstrate understanding of social, cultural, political, religious, environmental, and economic issues in the world today and of the forces that shape them.

1. Demonstrate an understanding of environmental issues in the world today and of the forces that shape them.
2. Reveal an awareness of civic and social environmental organizations working in the world community.
3. Use data/information/content related to global environmental issues in order to draw conclusions, propose solutions, and/or make decisions.

Courses:  Contemporary Global/Environmental Issues (3); any courses outside the major that fulfill the objectives listed above.  ENV 201, Principles of Environmental Science; BIO 305, Global Ecology; GEO 110, Physical Geography; study abroad.

English

Speak effectively and appropriately based on audience and purpose; write effectively, shaping discourse to appropriate audience, purpose, and discipline; locate, evaluate, and make efficient and ethical use of information and technology (information literacy); read for understanding and comprehend at the analysis, synthesis, and evaluation levels.

1. Speak effectively and appropriately based on audience and purpose.
2. Write effectively, shaping discourse to appropriate audience, purpose, and discipline.
3. Locate, evaluate, and make well-organized and ethical use of information and technology.
4. Read for understanding, and comprehend at the analysis, synthesis, and evaluation levels.

Courses:  English 101, College Writing I (3) and English 102, College Writing II (3). 

The programs requiring ENG 380, Writing in the Disciplines as a general education requirement are: English, Interdisciplinary Studies, Mathematics, and Marketing Communications.

First-Year Seminar (MWY 101)

New TRD students must enroll into the first-year seminar course, MWY 101, Pathways and Perspectives. This course focuses on supporting students in making a successful transition to college, with ideal enrollment into the course taking place during their first semester.

Students may waive this requirement if they have transferred in a similar course from another university with a C or better; if they have already completed an associate degree; or if they have transferred in 45 or more credits with a GPA of 2.0 or higher but can enroll in the course if they choose. If a student does not meet any of the criteria for waiving the course, it should be included in their first-semester schedule.

While MWY 101 is not a requirement for EON students, any EON student can choose to enroll in this course as online sections are available.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

1. Engage in academic discussion with instructors and peers
2. Employ critical thinking in reading, responding to and writing about texts
3. Adapt strategies for academic success to their individual needs
4. Identify Midway University resources
5. Explain key university policies and procedures
6. Apply basic principles of financial literacy
7. Describe how individual choices and habits impact personal wellness
8. Recognize traits of positive campus and online citizenship
9. Value academic advising and planning
10. Value their personal and social connections as members of the Midway University community
11. Discuss the value of open dialogue about others’ viewpoints and beliefs

Course:  MWY 101, Pathways and Perspectives (3).

Gender Studies

Demonstrate understanding of the historical forces that have shaped the development of women’s roles in society to the present, of how prejudice and discrimination function in everyday life, and of how gender and social issues are affected by public policy and/or law related to the topic under study.

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the historical forces that have shaped the development of women’s roles in society to the present.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of how prejudice and discrimination are manifest in everyday life.
3. Use data/information/content related to women’s issues in order to draw conclusions, propose solutions, and/or make decisions.

Courses:  WST 100, Contemporary Women’s Issues (3), WST 200, Introduction to Gender Studies (3), and PSY 321, Psychology of Gender (3).

Human Difference

Demonstrate an understanding of and appreciation for differences among peoples and cultures and of the issues—race, class, gender, socio-economic level, age, ability, education—that affect them.

1. Demonstrate an understanding of and appreciation for differences among peoples and cultures and of the issues—race, class, gender, socio-economic level, age, ability, education—that affect them.
2. Exhibit thoughtful consideration of divergent points of view.
3. Critically analyze cultural issues to recognize tendencies towards bias and stereotyping, understand the implications of bias on societal and individual health.
4. Recognize, appreciate and understand intra-cultural diversity and the cultural practices of historically under-represented groups in the United States as well as the contributions of non-Eurocentric cultures to world civilization or the United States.

Course:  DVS 290, Human Difference (3). 

Humanities and Arts

Demonstrate familiarity with the principles, concepts, and terminology in the humanities and/or arts and understanding of major developments and achievements in them.

1. Demonstrate knowledge of the ways in which people through the ages in various cultures have created art.
2. Develop an artistic understanding, or analyze a creative work of art.
3. Create informed aesthetic judgments.

Any course (3 credit hours) in art, music, theatre, humanities, culture, literature, philosophy, history, or religion that fulfill the learning objectives listed above. Language courses do not fulfill this requirement. ART 101, Art Appreciation; ART 107, Painting; COM 205, Oral Communication; HIS 101, World Civilization I; HIS 102, World Civilization II; HIS 140, United States to 1865; HIS 141, United States Since 1865; MUS 167, Music Appreciation; MUS 215, Survey of American Pop Music; MUS 315, Songwriting I.

Mathematics

Demonstrate the ability to reason quantitatively, to solve problems, and to evaluate quantitative information.

1. Analyze/interpret quantitative data verbally, graphically, symbolically and/or numerically.
2. Communicate quantitative data verbally, graphically, symbolically and/or numerically.
3. Appropriately integrate technology into mathematical processes.
4. Use mathematical concepts in problem-solving through integration of new material and modeling.

Courses:  MTH 139, Introduction to Statistics or higher (3), as determined by the major program.

The programs requiring MTH 139, Introduction to Statistics or higher as a general education requirement are:  Criminal Justice, Education Studies – English, Education Studies – Social Studies, English, Health Care Administration, Interdisciplinary Studies, Marketing Communications, and Sport Management. Business Administration requires MTH 139.

The programs requiring MTH 140, College Algebra or higher as a general education requirement are: Biology, Education Studies – Mathematics, Education Studies – Science, Elementary Education, Environmental Science, Equine Science, Mathematics, Middle School English Education, Middle School Social Studies Education, Middle School Science Education, Middle School Mathematics Education, Nursing, Psychology, Secondary Biology Education, Secondary English Education, and Secondary Mathematics Education.

Science

Demonstrate understanding of scientific principles and the ability to apply the scientific method.

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method and apply it to at least one scientific discipline.
2. Solve introductory problems of a conceptual and/or numerical nature of at least one scientific discipline.
3. Apply the basic vocabulary and concepts of at least one scientific discipline verbally and in writing.

Courses:  Any courses with lab (4 credit hours) in the natural and/or physical sciences that fulfill the objectives listed above.  BIO 103-104, General Biology and Lab; BIO 155-156, Exploring Life’s Diversity and Lab; BIO 190-191, Anatomy and Physiology I and Lab; ENV 201-202, Principles of Environmental Science and Lab; CHM 150, Principles of Chemistry; CHM 170-171, General Chemistry I and Lab; PSC 105-106, Exploring Dynamic Connections to Earth and Lab.

Social Sciences

Demonstrate understanding of individual and/or group behavior and of the forces that shape it.  Show an understanding of the method of inquiry used by the social and/or behavioral sciences.

1. Critically evaluate the ways group members act and have acted in response to their societies.
2. Validate an understanding that actions, thinking, and feeling are culturally conditioned.
3. Compare how societies and social subgroups operate.

Courses:  Any courses (6 credit hours) in anthropology, political science/government, psychology, and sociology that fulfill the learning objectives listed above.  PSY 180, General Psychology; PSY/EDU 260, Human Growth and Development; PSY 312, Social Psychology; SOC 120, Principles of Sociology; SOC 220, Social Problems.

Additional Considerations

Technological proficiency is to be determined by the major programs.  Outcomes are to be fulfilled by (a) inclusion in the discipline-based writing course, or (b) by requiring a computer course as an elective.

Associate degree students will fulfill an abbreviated version of the general education requirements:  humanities and arts, social sciences, mathematics, science, and communication.  The specific courses will be determined by the major programs.

Traditional students will be required to complete all the courses within the General Education curriculum as listed here. Evening and online students will be exempted from Gender Studies and First Year Seminar and will be able to fulfill all other course requirements except Writing in the Disciplines via transfer credits as long as the transferred courses fulfill the course objectives as listed here.  Writing in the Disciplines must be completed at Midway University with a grade of C or better.

General Education Math and English Completion Policy

The general education courses in Math and English provide an important foundation for college-level academic work. For this reason, all Midway University students are required to complete ENG 101, ENG 102, and the Math course recommended/required for their major by the time they earn 60 credit hours at Midway.  Students who reach 60 institutional credit hours without completing these courses will have a hold placed on their academic record requiring them to enroll in the missing course(s) each subsequent term of enrollment until the requirement is fulfilled.  Students transferring into the institution as well as students who begin their studies at Midway are equally subject to this policy.

General Education Requirements for Associate Degree

General Education Requirements for Bachelor Degree