Intro. to General Studies

Course Description

Focus on the integration of knowledge across various disciplines, essential to a critical and interdisciplinary approach. Emphasis on the interconnectedness of different fields of knowledge central to broad, critical, and holistic view of education.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the theory and practice of General Studies from a critical and interdisciplinary perspective.
• Discuss some of the most important thinkers in selected disciplines.
• Acquire the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes to function effectively as citizens and within a work or professional environment.
• Identify major trends, traditions, themes, and issues that predominate within the contemporary world.
• Interpret knowledge content from various disciplines.
• Understand basic elements of creative and critical thinking.
• Use information technology as a means of reliable and valid data collection in developing personal opinions.
• Make informed decisions regarding future course offerings within the General Studies major.

Requirements

Students are required to post on one-half page discussion essay per week. Students will be further required to post two interactive responses to two classmates’ posts for each week (20 percent of grade). Students are required to post weekly comments in a journal reflecting on the course readings, discussions, and overall assessment of individual progress in the course (20 percent). Students must submit an essay, which is to be revised in response to instructor and classmates feedback (30 percent). Students must also participate in peer review, library orientation, complete three worksheets, and visit the online writing center (20 percent). Students must begin a portfolio that will be developed over the course of their academic program and submitted to BGS (the capstone course) as a requirement for completing the General Studies degree.