Mar 28, 2024  
2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

General Education Requirements


The General Education component of all baccalaureate programs shall consist of the System General Education Requirements, Institutional Graduation Requirements, Globalization/Global Issues Requirement, and Writing Intensive Requirement. BOR policy 2:7 identifies (a) the purpose of the requirement, (b) the skills to be developed in each course that satisfies the requirement, and (c) the list of approved courses. Students may only select general education courses from the approved list included in this policy. These requirements are effective for students entering Fall 2005. (https://www.sdbor.edu/policy/documents/2-7.pdf)

 

General Education Requirements for Associate Degree ^TOP

BOR policy 2:26 (https://sdbor.edu/policy/documents/2-26.pdf)

Associate Degree Graduation Requirements

Associate of Arts Degrees

Students pursuing an Associate of Arts degree meet the same regental System-wide Graduation Requirements (SGR) goals and 30 credit hours as required for the Bachelor’s Degree.

SGR Goal 1: Written Communication   6 credit hours  
SGR Goal 2: Oral Communication    3 credit hours  
SGR Goal 3: Social Sciences    6 credit hours  
SGR Goal 4: Humanities/Fine Arts    6 credit hours  
SGR Goal 5: Mathematics    3 credit hours  
SGR Goal 6: Natural Science    6 credit hours  

Associate of Science Degrees

Students pursuing an Associate of Science degree meet the regental System-wide Graduation Requirements (SGR) goals and a minimum of 18 credit hours as specified in BOR policy 2:7.

SGR Goal 1: Written Communication   3 credit hours  
SGR Goal 2: Oral Communication   3 credit hours  
SGR Goal 3: Social Sciences    3 credit hours  
SGR Goal 4: Humanities/Fine Arts   3 credit hours  
SGR Goal 5: Mathematics    3 credit hours  
SGR Goal 6: Natural Science   3 credit hours (6 recommended)  

Associate degree students are not required to meet the USD Institution-specific Graduation Requirements (IGRs).

General Education Requirements for Baccalaureate Degree ^TOP

Students pursuing a baccalaureate degree meet the System General Education Requirements (SGRs), Institutional Graduation Requirements (IGRs), Globalization/Global Issues Requirement, and Writing Intensive Requirement.

SGR-System General Education Requirements  
    SGR #1-Written Communication    6 credit hours
   SGR #2-Oral Communication    3 credit hours
    SGR #3-Social Science    6 credit hours
    SGR #4-Humanities and Fine Arts    6 credit hours
    SGR #5-Mathematics    3 credit hours
    SGR #6-Natural Science   6 credit hours
    SGR #7-Information Literacy    0 credit hours
IGR-Institutional Graduation Requirements  
    IGR #1-Additional First-Year Composition Course Requirement    0-3credit hours
    IGR #2-Aesthetic Experience Requirement    3 credit hours
Board of Regents Additional Requirements  
    G-Globalization/Global Issues Requirement    3 credit hours
    W-Writing Intensive Requirement    3 credit hours

 

System General Education Requirements (SGR) ^TOP

The System General Education Requirements (SGRs) are common across the entire South Dakota Regental System and are designed to achieve these seven goals.


SGR #1


Written Communication (6 credit hours)

Students will write effectively and responsibly and will understand and interpret the written expression of others.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Write using standard American English, including correct punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure,
  2. Write logically,
  3. Write persuasively, with a variety of rhetorical strategies (e.g., expository, argumentative, descriptive), and
  4. Incorporate formal research and documentation into their writing, including research obtained through modern, technology-based research tools.

Each course meeting this goal includes the following student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2, #3, and #4

 ^TOP


SGR #2


Oral Communication (3 credit hours)

Students will communicate effectively and responsibly through listening and speaking.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Prepare and deliver speeches for a variety of audiences and settings,
  2. Demonstrate speaking competencies including choice and use of topic, supporting materials, organizational pattern, language usage, presentational aids, and delivery,
    and
  3. Demonstrate listening competencies by summarizing, analyzing, and paraphrasing ideas, perspectives and emotional content.

Each course meeting this goal includes the following student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2, and #3

 ^TOP


SGR #3


Social Science (6 credit hours in 2 disciplines)

Students will understand the organization, potential, and diversity of the human community through study of the social sciences.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Identify and explain basic concepts, terminology, and theories of the selected social science disciplines from different spatial, temporal, cultural and/or institutional contexts,
  2. Apply selected social science concepts and theories to contemporary issues, and
  3. Identify and explain the social or aesthetic values of different cultures.

In addition, as a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of at least one of the following:

  1. The origin and evolution of human institutions,
  2. The allocation of human or natural resources within societies, and
  3. The impact of diverse philosophical, ethical or religious views.

Each course meeting this goal includes the following student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2, and #3
At least one of the following: #4, #5, or #6

 ^TOP


SGR #4


Humanities and Fine Arts (6 credit hours in 2 disciplines or a sequence of foreign languages courses)

Students will understand the diversity and complexity of the human experience through study of the arts and humanities.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the diversity of values, beliefs, and ideas embodied in the human experience, and
  2. Identify and explain basic concepts of the selected disciplines within the arts and humanities.

In addition, as a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will be able to do at least one of the following:

  1. Identify and explain the contributions of other cultures from the perspective of the selected disciplines within the arts and humanities,
  2. Demonstrate creative and aesthetic understanding,
  3. Explain and interpret formal and stylistic elements of the literary or fine arts, and
  4. Demonstrate foundational competency in reading, writing, and speaking a non-English language.

Each course meeting this goal includes the following student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2
At least one of the following: #3, #4, #5, or #6

*Students complete, at a minimum, a course in either Humanities or Fine Arts. Students in the College of Arts and Sciences should complete a course in Humanities only.

Courses:


 ^TOP


SGR #5


Mathematics (3 credit hours)

Students will understand and apply fundamental mathematical processes and reasoning.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Use mathematical symbols and mathematical structure to model and solve real world problems,
  2. Demonstrate appropriate communication skills related to mathematical terms and concepts, and
  3. Demonstrate the correct use of quantifiable measurements of real world situations.

Each course meeting this goal includes the following student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2, and #3

 ^TOP


SGR #6


Natural Science (6 credit hours)

Students will understand the fundamental principles of the natural sciences and apply scientific methods of inquiry to investigate the natural world.

Student Learning Outcomes: As a result of taking courses meeting this goal, students will:

  1. Demonstrate the scientific method in a laboratory experience,
  2. Gather and critically evaluate data using the scientific method,
  3. Identify and explain the basic concepts, terminology and theories of the selected natural sciences, and
  4. Apply selected natural science concepts and theories to contemporary issues.

Each course meeting this goal includes the following student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2, #3, and #4

Courses:


Note:


 

* Combinations not permitted because of excessive duplication
BIOL 104 with BIOL 101/103/151/153
BIOL 151 with BIOL 103
BIOL 153 with BIOL 101
CHEM 104 with CHEM 106/107/112/114/116
CHEM 112 with CHEM 106
CHEM 116 with CHEM 106/114
ESCI 104 with ESCI 101
PHYS 104 with PHYS 111/113/211/213
PHYS 211 with PHYS 111
PHYS 213 with PHYS 113
 ^TOP


SGR #7


Information Literacy (0 credit hours)

Students will recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, organize, critically evaluate, and effectively use information from a variety of sources with intellectual integrity.

Student Learning Outcomes: Students will:

  1. Determine the extent of information needed,
  2. Access the needed information effectively and efficiently,
  3. Evaluate information and its sources critically,
  4. Use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose, and
  5. Use information in an ethical and legal manner.

Each course meeting this goal includes the following student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5

 ^TOP

 

Institutional Graduation Requirements (IGR)


IGR #1


Additional First-Year Composition Course (0-3 credit hours*)

Institutional Graduation Requirement

Goal: Students will write effective and responsible critical prose and will understand and interpret the written literary and critical expression of others.

Student Learning Outcomes:

  1. Students will write using standard, formal American English, including correct punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure,
  2. Students will write well-reasoned, critical essays on topics in literature, demonstrating competence in critical reading of texts,
  3. Students will write persuasively, employing appropriate evidence and a variety of rhetorical strategies so as to produce effective arguments, and
  4. Students will incorporate into their writing formal research and documentation using MLA style, including research obtained through modern, technology-based research tools.

Each course meeting this goal meets the following required student learning outcomes:
Required: #1, #2, #3, and #4.

Note:


* Students choosing ENGL 210 - Introduction to Literature (C) [SGR #4, IGR #1]  to satisfy Goal 4 of the Systemwide General Education Requirements (SGR) will simultaneously satisfy this part of the IGR.

 ^TOP


IGR #2


Aesthetic Experience (3 credit hours)

Institutional Graduation Requirement

Goal: Students will have a greater understanding of the fine arts as an expression of human imagination and creativity, and will understand the contribution of the arts to self-understanding and a more enriched life experience.

Student Learning Outcomes:

  1. Students will be able to demonstrate creative and aesthetic understanding, and
  2. Students will be able to explain and interpret formal and stylistic elements of the fine arts.

Each course meeting this goal meets the following required student learning outcomes:
Required: #1 and #2.

Note: This course cannot fullfill both SGR 4 (Humanities and Fine Arts) and IGR 2 (Aesthetic Experience).

Courses:


 ^TOP

 

BOR Additional Requirements


Globalization/Global Issues Requirement [G]


Goal: Students will understand how global issues, developments, and ideas affect their lives and those of others.

Student Learning Outcomes:

  1. Students will demonstrate awareness of multiple perspectives within the global community.
  2. Students will investigate and analyze contemporary issues, phenomena, and ideas with global impact, considering their effect on the individuals, communities, and social or natural environments involved.

This goal and associated outcomes will be satisfied by designated courses among those meeting Goal 3 and Goal 4 of the System-wide General Education Requirements and by specified courses required for the majors and/or minors.

Courses:


 ^TOP


Writing Intensive Requirement [W]


Goal: Students will demonstrate advanced research-based critical writing skills.

Student Learning Outcomes:

  1. Students will complete formal writing assignments that entail research drawing from sources that are documented using a recognized style such as APA, Chicago, MLA, a journal-specific style, etc.,
  2. Students will be able to critique the validity and effectiveness of arguments presented by others in the field,
  3. Students will use a planning/drafting/revising process that incorporates self-assessment and/or peer review and includes instructor feedback, and
  4. Students will write using standard American English, including correct punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure.

Courses:


 ^TOP