The Habits of Mind Experience Program
Plymouth State University provides opportunities for students to cultivate the mind in ways that will lead them to full awareness as adults, and to lives in which occupational achievement is balanced by social responsibility, cultural experience, and personal happiness. The University measures its excellence, not by the quality of students who enter its doors, but by the quality it adds to those who graduate. Because of this commitment, Plymouth State University believes that every student must engage with learning experiences that help them to develop strong Habits of Mind. The undergraduate Habits of Mind Experience (HoME) program gives students a broad perspective on ideas, an awareness of diverse human experiences and cultures, and the opportunity to develop the skills, confidence, and ways of engaging with the world that will allow them to make a difference.
The HoME program is meant to ensure that students develop the skills and dispositions necessary for academic success and lifelong learning, an appreciation of the various ways scholars consider and understand human experience, an appreciation of the process by which different approaches to scholarship can be brought to bear on the same problem, and an action-oriented approach to engagement with the world. Courses taken to ensure breadth of knowledge emphasize the relevance and application of methods of inquiry and content to students’ lives. The HoME program at Plymouth State University is designed to help students develop and practice four Habits of Mind.
Habits of Mind
Habits of Mind are a set of four usual ways of thinking or ways of engaging with the world. They will equip students well for life and work after college. In this General Education program, the following Habits of Mind are developed in meaningful contexts.
Purposeful Communication is a Habit of Mind characterized by the construction of meaning through interactions with texts and people and the creation of new messages. “Text” refers broadly to any communicative message including, but not limited to, messages that are spoken or written, read or listened to, nonverbal, and/or delivered through any form of media (digital, social, artistic, print, etc.). Construction of meaning and creation of messages are influenced by individuals’ prior experiences as well as cultural and historical contexts. Creation of messages involves the development and purposeful expression of ideas and is designed to increase knowledge, foster understanding, and/or promote change in others’ attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors. To be effective, messages must engage the perspectives of others and foster dialog among individuals and the community.
Problem Solving is a Habit of Mind that involves an iterative process of identifying, explaining, and exploring problems, describing challenges, envisioning possible solutions and their implication, and make decisions about how to proceed based on all of these considerations. Problem solving encompasses a broad array of activities and approaches. Problems range widely in scale and scope—small to large, local to global, well-defined to ambiguous, simulated to real-world—and problem solving may be undertaken individually or in collaboration with others. In all cases, engaging in problem solving requires the ability to think creatively, adapt and extend one’s thinking, acknowledge different contexts and incorporate different perspectives, embrace flexibility, consider potential implication, determine courses of action, persist and adapt despite failure, and reflect on the results. While the types of problems encountered and the strategies used to grapple with problems vary across disciplines, the problem solving Habit of Mind is relevant to all disciplines.
Integrated Perspective is a Habit of Mind characterized by the recognition that individual beliefs, ideas, and values are influenced by personal experience as well as multiple contextual factors—cultural, historical, political, etc. All human beings are interconnected through their participation in natural and social systems. An integrated perspective recognizes that individual decisions impact the self, the community, and the environment. Students will acknowledge the limitations of singular points of view and recognize the benefits of engaging with and learning from others in order to integrate multiple perspectives for effective communication, problem-solving, and collaboration.
Self-Regulated Learning is a Habit of Mind that encompasses the desire to learn, the ability to set personal goals for learning, and the capacity to engage in a self-monitored learning process. Self-regulated learners demonstrate strong commitment to the process of learning and take responsibility for their own learning. They take intellectual risks, persist in the face of challenges, and learn from their mistakes. They are able to organize and reorganize information, interpret information in new ways, and generate their own ideas. Self-regulated learners demonstrate metacognitive awareness (an understanding of the factors that influence their own learning) and cultivate the skills and confidence they need in order to be effective learners.
Components of the Program
In Plymouth State University’s Habits of Mind Experience (HoME) program, students take three First-Year Experience courses, which introduce the Habits of Mind. The Habits of Mind are then further practiced and refined in the other components of the program: the Directions courses, the Connections courses, and the Integrated Capstone, as well as in the major. Students must take one course in each of the Directions categories as well as an additional 4-8 credits of Directions (total of 20 credits of Directions). These courses are designed to excite students about learning and to give them breadth of knowledge and experience with different approaches to learning. Though taught by expert scholars in the various academic disciplines, Directions courses are required of no major and are open to all students. Connections courses help students connect their learning to some other aspect of their lives, as well as develop more advanced academic skills, appreciation of difference, and appreciation of wellness within specific academic contexts. Three of the six Connections must be explored within the context of the major; the other three may be explored in that context or in some other. The Integrated Capstone course is a culminating experience in which students from a variety of majors come together to demonstrate their development of the Habits of Mind while working on a collaborative project that has a real world impact.
Overview of the Four Components
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Experience | ||
| EN 1400 | Composition | 4 |
| IS 1115 | Tackling a Wicked Problem | 4 |
| MA | Mathematics Foundations 4 | 3-4 |
| Directions | ||
| CTDI | Creative Thought | 3-4 |
| PPDI | Past and Present | 3-4 |
| SIDI | Scientific Inquiry | 3-4 |
| SSDI | Self and Society | 3-4 |
| Directions (choose from CTDI, PPDI, SIDI, SSDI) 1 | 4-8 | |
| Connections | ||
| DICO | Diversity 2 | 3-4 |
| GACO | Global Awareness 2 | 3-4 |
| WECO | Wellness 2 | 3-4 |
| QRCO | Quantitative Reasoning in the Disciplines 3, 4 | |
| TECO | Technology in the Disciplines 3 | |
| WRCO | Writing in the Disciplines 3 | |
| Integrated Capstone | ||
| INCP | Integrated Capstone | 3-4 |
| Total Credits | 42-47 | |
- 1
Directions should total 20 credits (unless the major has a waiver for a specific Direction). If the major has a waiver for a specific Direction, no courses from that Direction will count toward the student's Direction credits.
- 2
These Connections may be double counted with a major, minor, or any other General Education requirement.
- 3
These Connections are three or four-credit experiences taken as part of the major and hence add no credits to those required of the major.
- 4
Mathematics Foundations and QRCO must be fulfilled by two different courses.
Description of the Four Components
First Year Experience
The goals of the First-Year Experience component are to connect students to life in an academic community and to introduce and practice in a meaningful context the Habits of Mind and skills listed above. The component consists of three courses (Composition, Tackling a Wicked Problem, and Mathematics Foundations) to be taken during the first year. Successful first-year students approach these courses with the special attention and effort they require and deserve. They are the foundation of the General Education program, the program which will instill in PSU students the hallmarks of a truly educated person.
Far from being merely introductory academic hurdles, the mastery of these three courses is a predictive barometer of students’ ability to make the transition from high school-level thinking—characterized by the elementary skills of merely absorbing and regurgitating facts, to college-level thinking—characterized by the ability to take ownership over and become fully engaged in one's own learning. Only when students embrace and persevere in the Habits of Mind will they have made the transition from high school to college; only then will they have taken the most important first steps toward becoming educated.
Plymouth State University places special emphasis on success in the first year. PSU is one of only 12 United States state institutions to hold the title of founding member of Foundations of Excellence in the First College Year™. To achieve this honor, the University participated in a two-year study in order to develop a model first-year experience to which it might aspire. Using this model, PSU continually makes efforts to improve the experience by refining its approach to the first-year philosophy, organization, recruitment methods, and faculty involvement. Additionally, Plymouth State University pays special attention to the individual needs of all students, student engagement, diversity, the roles and purposes of education, and the systematic assessment of its progress in all of these areas.
Composition (4 credits)
The Composition requirement is intended to help students become responsible writers who can take charge of their own writing process. It is satisfied by the course Composition (EN 1400) or its equivalency.
Students learn how to draft, respond to feedback from peers and instructor, revise, and edit successful college prose. By the end of the course, they should be able to write essays that are unified by a central thesis, well-developed in carefully organized paragraphs with vivid details, and grammatically appropriate with effective sentence structure and correct mechanics.
Students also learn to read comprehensively and effectively in order to relate ideas and arguments to their writing and thinking. They are expected to summarize different kinds of texts, paraphrase the ideas of someone else, analyze others’ arguments and positions, compare and contrast ideas, and generate their own thoughts and ideas following research and observation. Students are required to engage in library research and to write papers based on their research. Thus the General Education Skills being given special emphasis in this course are writing, reading, conducting research, and collaborating with others.
Tackling a Wicked Problem (4 credits)
During the first year at Plymouth State, all first year students, including those transferring in fewer than 24 credits, take the course IS 1115 Tackling a Wicked Problem. This is a single semester course that introduces students to Plymouth State University's educational model focused on collaboratively creating projects that reach beyond the walls of the classroom in some way. Through this course, students learn about using their education to make a difference in the world. The course introduces the Habits of Mind that will be developed over the course of the General Education program at PSU. This course also provides students with their first experience with Plymouth State University's Integrated Cluster model of education.
Each section of the course is focused on a wicked problem, a societal issue that is difficult or impossible to solve. . Human trafficking, homelessness, food insecurity, ocean plastics, and climate change are a few examples of the kinds of problems these sections focus on. By working on a collaborative project to address some aspect of the wicked problem, students practice the Habits of Mind. The course culminates in a public gathering during which students share their work with an audience external to the class.
Tackling a Wicked Problem is a cornerstone course, through which students begin to build the repertoire of intellectual skills needed for university-level work. The skills are not taught in isolation but rather in the context of the problem of the course. Assignments and activities introduce all of the skills listed above, but special emphasis is given to critical thinking, conducting research, working with information technology, writing, speaking and listening, and collaborating with others.
Mathematics Foundations (3-4 credits)
Through the Mathematics Foundations requirement, students become aware of the importance of mathematics and its application to fields as diverse as art, music, and science. It is satisfied by a mathematics course numbered Mathematics and the Humanities (MA 1500) or above, or by a mathematics course that is equivalent to Mathematics and the Humanities (MA 1500) or above, including credit-by-exam as explained below.
Mathematics Foundations courses focus on problem solving using the language of mathematics and on developing students’ ability to reason quantitatively in diverse contexts. Students learn to reduce complex problems to their fundamentals using algebra and geometry.
The Mathematics Foundations requirement enables students to make connections between mathematics and their own lives and to explore the roles of mathematics in society, culture, and politics. General Education skills given special emphasis are quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and working with information technology.
Students may demonstrate proficiency in mathematics by recording under the credit-by-examination policy, credits for a satisfactory performance on an AP, CLEP, DSST, or IB examination (see Transferring Credits). Mathematics coursework for which equivalent AP, CLEP, DSST, or IB credit has been received will not be granted credit.
Transfer students may demonstrate proficiency in mathematics by recording mathematics transfer credits that are equivalent to Plymouth State University courses. In cases where there is no equivalent course, the transfer credits must be deemed to be at a level equivalent to Mathematics and the Humanities (MA 1500) or higher by the transfer and articulation specialist and the mathematics faculty. Mathematics course work at PSU for which equivalent transfer credit has been recorded will not be granted credit.
Mathematics Placement Assessment. The Department of Mathematics offers an online placement assessment. The goal of the placement assessment is to help students enroll in the math course most suited to their background. Students may take the assessment a total of two times. Students are encouraged to study before they take the assessment a second time. The placement level is primarily used to determine placement in the algebra/precalculus/calculus sequence, although not all students are required to take courses in this sequence. Students may also receive a recommendation to complete Elementary Algebra (MA 1200) before taking any other required Mathematics Foundations course. The mathematics placement assessment is scored at four levels:
- Level 0: The mathematics faculty recommends students who score at this level complete Elementary Algebra (MA 1200) prior to any other math courses. Students may not be prepared for success in their Mathematics Foundations course and should consult with their academic advisor and the mathematics faculty before enrolling. Students do not meet the prerequisites for Precalculus (MA 2130) and must take College Algebra (MA 1800) before taking PreCalculus.
- Level 1: Students are generally prepared for a variety of Mathematics Foundations courses, including Math and the Humanities (MA 1500), College Algebra (MA 1800), Statistical Literacy in Today’s Society (MA 1900), Finite Mathematics (MA 2200), Finite Math with Statistics (MA 2210), or Statistics 1 (MA 2300). Students whose majors require Precalculus (MA 2130) and/or Calculus I (MA 2560) do not yet meet these prerequisites and must register for College Algebra (MA 1800).
- Level 2: Students meet the prerequisite for Precalculus (MA 2130) and all other Mathematics Foundations courses mentioned in level 1.
- Level 4: Students meet the prerequisite for Calculus I (MA 2550) and all other Mathematics Foundations courses mentioned in level 1.
The mathematics placement assessment is available online for all registered students through Canvas.
Note: Elementary Algebra (MA 1200) does not satisfy Mathematics Foundations or any General Education requirement.
Students satisfy the Mathematics Foundations requirement (3-4 credits) by either successfully completing a three- or four-credit mathematics course at the level of Mathematics and the Humanities (MA 1500) or higher, OR by successfully completing a mathematics course that is specified by the student’s major. Note that the Mathematics Foundations requirement must be fulfilled by a different course than that used to fulfill the Quantitative Reasoning in the Disciplines requirement.
Directions
The Directions component of the General Education program is intended to introduce students to different ways of considering and understanding human experience which they can apply as they seek meaning in their lives. Directions courses challenge students to see how different perspectives shape the ways in which people interpret ideas and experiences to construct meaning. They emphasize connections between the world of ideas and the “real world.”
Rather than introducing a whole academic discipline, these courses focus on a particular issue or problem or topic of interest within the discipline, especially a topic relevant to students’ own lives. Ideally and whenever possible, alternative perspectives and approaches are woven into the course. No Directions course is required as part of any major.
The four Directions essentially represent four different approaches to learning, defined by a combination of method of inquiry and content. They are intended to further strengthen the academic skills upon which the First-Year Experience is based. Different Directions emphasize different of these, but among them all skills are included. Because these skills are useful in all academic work, students are encouraged to take Directions courses early. Ideally all should be completed by the end of the second year.
Students must take one course in each of the Directions categories as well as an additional 4-8 credits of Directions (total of 20 credits of Directions). Directions courses will be a minimum of three credits. Some, for example, Scientific Inquiry courses involving laboratory work, may be more.
Creative Thought (3-4 credits)
People need to be creative in order to thrive in our complex and changing world. People need to understand the creative processes that lead to the generation of ideas and to engage in new interpretations of existing ideas. Creative Thought courses encourage students to recognize beauty in its many manifestations and to become aware of formal elements of creative expression.
These courses also encourage students to view themselves as creative beings, to appreciate creativity in others, and to regard creativity as an essential component in all areas of human endeavor. In these courses, students develop and value perseverance and a tolerance for ambiguity. Students are challenged to appreciate aesthetic forms, to use their imaginations, and to develop the skills and attitudes that allow creativity to flourish: independence and non-conformity, the ability to organize and reorganize information, and the confidence to think in new ways.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARDI 1250 | Creativity in Visual Art | 4 |
| ARDI 1400 | The Art of Sketching | 3 |
| ARDI 1405 | Art of Sketching - Online | 3 |
| ARDI 2311 | Table Manners: Functional Pottery | 4 |
| CMDI 1030 | Creativity and the Digital World | 4 |
| CMDI 1105 | Creating Games | 4 |
| CMDI 1300 | The Art of Video Blogging | 4 |
| CMDI 2100 | The Digital Imagination | 3 |
| CSDI 1200 | Web Expressions | 3 |
| DNDI 2105 | Movement for Community | 4 |
| ENDI 1402 | Writing and the Creative Process | 4 |
| ENDI 2205 | The Art of Film | 4 |
| ENDI 2235 | Creating Arguments | 4 |
| ENDI 2400 | The Manifesto: Changing Our World | 4 |
| GEDI 2400 | Mapping Our World: Creating Realities | 4 |
| LIDI 2455 | Creating Language | 4 |
| MUDI 1355 | American Popular Music: History and Creation | 4 |
| PODI 1061 | Politics and Art | 4 |
| PTDI 2200 | The Art of Photography | 3 |
| PTDI 2450 | Digital Photography | 3 |
| PYDI 2420 | Creative Solving of Ethical Problems | 4 |
| THDI 1300 | The Theatrical Experience | 3 |
Past and Present (3-4 credits)
In order to comprehend the present and envision the future, we must understand the past. Cultures and societies discern time and construct chronologies of significant events to explain the past, comprehend the present, and envision the future. By examining issues and events that are currently impacting students’ lives, Past and Present courses explore how people interpret causes and effects within events.
These courses encourage students to realize that different times shape different views of the world. For students to realize that all fields of knowledge are subject to change, they need to study the changes that have taken place within those fields. They also need to understand the dialectic movement between the past and present: just as the past shapes the present, so does the present shape our understanding of the past.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIDI 1400 | Plagues and Peoples | 3 |
| CJDI 2020 | Cons, Frauds, and Scammers | 4 |
| CMDI 2025 | Sex and Cinema in the 20th Century (and Beyond) | 4 |
| ENDI 1350 | Twice-Told Tales | 3 |
| ENDI 1355 | Twice-Told Tales | 4 |
| GEDI 1400 | Globalization and Diversity | 3 |
| GEDI 1500 | Globalization & Local Diversity | 4 |
| HIDI 1201 | War in US History | 4 |
| HIDI 1212 | The American West | 4 |
| HIDI 1213 | Creating a Nation: America 1600-1877 | 4 |
| HIDI 1214 | Developing the Modern Nation: US History Since 1865 | 4 |
| HIDI 1215 | US Society in the Vietnam Era | 4 |
| HIDI 1330 | Treating "Madness": Mental Illness and Therapy in History | 4 |
| HIDI 1340 | Facing Beasts: Animals in the Middle Ages and Beyond | 4 |
| HIDI 1355 | Medieval Me: Your Life in the Past | 4 |
| HIDI 1410 | The Deep Roots of Black Lives Matter: Exploring African American History | 4 |
| HIDI 1420 | Magic, Then and Now | 4 |
| HIDI 1455 | Roots of Current Global Conflicts | 4 |
| HIDI 1610 | (Re)Considering the Holocaust in a Polarized Society | 4 |
| LIDI 2505 | The History of the English Language | 4 |
| MUDI 1005 | Jazz Styles: Past and Present | 4 |
| MUDI 1310 | Exploring Music | 3 |
| PODI 1045 | Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism | 4 |
| PODI 1056 | Humanitarianism: Working in the Global Community | 4 |
| PYDI 1305 | Religious Practices and Beliefs | 4 |
| SPDI 2260 | Latino Culture in the US | 4 |
| SPDI 2270 | Spanish Cinema | 4 |
| WSDI 2505 | The F Word: Feminism in the United States | 3 |
| WSDI 2510 | The F Word: Feminism in the United States | 4 |
Scientific Inquiry (3-4 credits)
The methods of science are powerful tools with which we can attain a clearer understanding of the world. In the modern world, science has real application to all people’s lives. Scientific literacy helps people to make sense of the explosion of information they encounter every day. Scientific Inquiry courses use scientific methodologies to examine relationships between events in the natural world and make students aware that science occurs in a social, cultural, political, and ethical context.
Use of scientific methods in laboratory or field settings is an integral part of these courses. As students plan investigations, collect, analyze, and interpret data, and develop their ability to propose answers, offer explanations, and make predictions, they come to see both the power and the limitations of science. Students investigate the distinctions between rational thinking and anecdotal argumentation and develop an understanding that answers are never final, but always subject to revision.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANDI 1205 | Artifacts, Customs & Fossils: Studying Humans through Anthropological Prespectives | 4 |
| ANDI 2205 | The Science of Archaeology | 4 |
| BIDI 1090 | Curiosity and the Nature of New Hampshire | 4 |
| BIDI 1240 | Biology of the Northern Woods | 4 |
| BIDI 2010 | Human Biology I | 4 |
| CHDI 1600 | The Science of Crime-Solving | 4 |
| CJDI 1500 | Profiling Criminal Behavior | 4 |
| CMDI 2200 | The Science of Animation Programming | 4 |
| CSDI 2200 | Exploring Innovation and Engineering | 3 |
| CSDI 2930 | Robotics For Everybody | 4 |
| ESDI 1100 | Resource Management - an Earth Systems Science (ESS) Approach | 4 |
| ESDI 2500 | Environmental Science | 4 |
| ESDI 2610 | Earth Systems Science: The Hazardous Earth | 4 |
| GEDI 1200 | Environmental Geography | 3 |
| LIDI 2850 | Forensic Linguistics: Using Language to Solve Crimes | 4 |
| LIDI 2955 | Language Acquisition | 4 |
| MTDI 1200 | Weather and Climate | 3 |
| MTDI 1500 | Severe and Hazardous Weather | 3 |
| PHDI 2300 | Astronomy | 3 |
| PSDI 2030 | Mind, Brain, and Evolution | 3 |
| PSDI 2195 | Quack Remedies, False Prophets, and Unwarranted Claims | 4 |
| PYDI 2715 | Science or Pseudo-Science | 4 |
Self and Society (3-4 credits)
A rich and productive life encompasses an understanding of one’s self and one’s relationship to the world. An educated person must grapple with a question that has interested human beings for centuries: the relationship between self and society. To understand one’s self, one must understand and acknowledge the impact of society on the development of identity and the formation of beliefs. The needs of the individual sometimes conflict with the needs of society. Cultures differ in the relative value they give to the individual and to the group.
Using issues that impact on students’ lives, Self and Society courses explore questions of these sorts. They encourage students to inquire into multiple dimensions of self including the social, physical, emotional, and cognitive, and to investigate the interactions between individuals and the spatial, temporal, political, economic, and technological aspects of the social environment.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AHDI 2000 | Fashion Statements | 4 |
| ARDI 1300 | Myths, Masks, and Identity | 3 |
| BIDI 1500 | Insects and Society | 3 |
| BIDI 2050 | Plants and Society | 3 |
| BUDI 2350 | Personal Financial Planning | 4 |
| BUDI 2400 | Personal Financial Planning | 4 |
| BUDI 2840 | Career Exploration | 4 |
| CJDI 1030 | The Individual and the Law | 4 |
| CMDI 2015 | "Deviants" in Film and Society | 4 |
| CSDI 1500 | Computers: Fact, Fiction, Fantasy, and Film | 3 |
| ENDI 1320 | Murder, Mayhem, and Madness: Reflections of the Self and Society in Literature | 4 |
| ENDI 1440 | Social Justice and American Literature | 4 |
| ENDI 1450 | The Outsider | 3 |
| ENDI 1455 | The Outsider | 4 |
| ENDI 1555 | Wilderness Literature | 4 |
| ENDI 2105 | The Story | 4 |
| HIDI 1306 | Childhood in American History | 4 |
| HIDI 1320 | Cultural Contact in World History | 4 |
| HIDI 1361 | Beyond Mockingbird: Reading Race, Class, & Identity in 20th-Century US History | 4 |
| HIDI 1430 | Making Sense of "Madness:" Diagnoses and Data | 4 |
| ISDI 2100 | Issues in Sustainability | 3 |
| ISDI 2200 | Play and Society | 4 |
| LIDI 2025 | Queer Language, Culture, and Identity | 4 |
| LIDI 2750 | Language & Identity | 4 |
| MUDI 2050 | Your Unique Voice | 4 |
| PODI 1051 | Global Problems, Power and Politics | 4 |
| PODI 1110 | Conspiracies v.s. Conspiracy Theories | 4 |
| PODI 1600 | Being an American | 4 |
| PYDI 1030 | Thinking for Yourself | 3 |
| PYDI 1135 | Ethics in Everyday Lives | 4 |
| SODI 2205 | Exploring Social Life | 4 |
| SPDI 2200 | Latin American Literature in English Translation | 3 |
| SPDI 2250 | The Latino Boom: A Survey of US-Latino Literature | 3 |
Connections
The Connections component is intended to tie general education to the rest of the curriculum, including the majors, by helping students develop attitudes shared by educated people and more advanced academic skills within specific academic contexts. Three of the seven Connections are tied explicitly to the majors in that students take courses required by the major which advance their writing, quantitative, and technological skills in ways appropriate to the major. In many cases, one or more of the other four Connections may be tied to the major as well.
Diversity1 (3-4 credits)
Becoming educated involves developing awareness of, sensitivity to, and appreciation for viewpoints other than those to which we have been acculturated. Through such development comes increased respect for those different from oneself.
Students take a three or four-credit Diversity (DICO) course (either within the major or not) designed to broaden and deepen awareness and appreciation of differences and commonalties of sub-cultural groups in the US society defined by differences in race, ethnicity, ability, social class, religion, politics, gender, or sexual orientation. International courses do not address diversity in US society so DICO credit is omitted from international courses. Diversity courses do this by exposing students to the life stories and the voices of members of different groups and by exploring issues of equity, opportunity, and justice.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AE 2660 | Planning and Pedagogy for a Diverse World | 4 |
| AH 3735 | Gender, Representation, and the Visual Arts | 4 |
| BI 3240 | Conservation | 3 |
| BUS 1200 | Business Law and Ethics | 4 |
| CJ 3075 | Race, Class, Crime and Justice | 4 |
| CJ 3157 | Society, Ethics, and the Law | 4 |
| CJ 3515 | Women and Crime | 4 |
| CM 3006 | Analyzing Screen Media | 4 |
| CS 4520 | CyberEthics | 3 |
| ED 3000 | Identity in a Diverse Society | 4 |
| EN 2440 | Rethinking Early American Literature | 4 |
| EN 2460 | Rethinking Modern American Literature | 4 |
| ENDI 1440 | Social Justice and American Literature | 4 |
| ESP 3800 | Food Systems: Social, Economic and Environmental Impacts of Modern Agriculture | 4 |
| FR 1011 | French Language and Culture Studies I | 4 |
| FR 1012 | French Language and Culture Studies II | 4 |
| FR 2023 | French Language and Culture Studies III | 4 |
| FR 2024 | French Language and Culture Studies IV | 4 |
| FR 4815 | The Diversity of Franco Communities in the United States | 3 |
| HI 3145 | Antebellum America, 1815-1860 | 4 |
| HI 3351 | Women, Gender, and Sexuality in American History | 4 |
| HI 3359 | Law and Society in US History | 4 |
| HI 3526 | The Great Depression in Film, Print, and On Stage: An Interdisciplinary History | 4 |
| HI 3535 | Home Front, USA: The WWII Era in the United States | 4 |
| HI 3571 | Interrogating US History | 4 |
| IS 4360 | Cultural Diversity and American Society | 3 |
| LIDI 2025 | Queer Language, Culture, and Identity | 4 |
| LIDI 2750 | Language & Identity | 4 |
| MGM 3450 | Organizational Behavior & Team Development | 4 |
| MU 3250 | Global Jazz | 3 |
| MU 3460 | Music In Context I - Music and Identity in the Americas | 3 |
| NR 3020 | Introduction to Patient-Centered Care | 3 |
| PE 3610 | Adapted Physical Education | 3 |
| PO 2025 | Public Administration | 4 |
| PS 3200 | Psychology of Women | 3 |
| PY 3157 | Society, Ethics, and the Law | 4 |
| PY 3330 | Business Ethics | 3 |
| PY 3370 | Ethics and Communication | 3 |
| PY 3725 | Lizzie Borden Took an Axe | 4 |
| SL 2950 | American Sign Language I | 3 |
| SL 2960 | American Sign Language II | 3 |
| SO 2225 | Foundations of Sociology | 4 |
| SO 3185 | Sociology of Deviance | 4 |
| SO 3375 | Sociology of Race and Ethnicity | 4 |
| SP 1011 | Spanish Language and Culture Studies I | 4 |
| SP 1012 | Spanish Language and Culture Studies II | 4 |
| SP 1013 | Conversational Spanish I | 4 |
| SP 1080 | Spanish for Criminal Justice I | 3 |
| SP 1090 | Spanish for Criminal Justice II | 3 |
| SU 3112 | Social Science Perspectives on Sustainability | 4 |
| SW 3430 | Diversity and Oppression | 3 |
| TE 3305 | Foundations of Multilingual Multicultural Studies | 4 |
| TH 3430 | American Theatre | 4 |
Global Awareness1 (3-4 credits)
Educated people are aware that human beings are interdependent members of a world community, that there are both similarities and differences in the societies and cultures of the world, and that the manners in which people live their lives need not be exactly alike.
Students take a three or four-credit Global Awareness (GACO) course (either within the major or not) designed to expose them to the important societal issues facing the world and to encourage them to develop the ability to appreciate and think about issues from different points of view. Global Awareness courses focus on the forces that have shaped peoples, cultures, nations, and regions of the world. They increase students’ understanding of each person’s position, participation, obligations, and responsibilities within the world community.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AH 1150 | Art History Foundations: Prehistory to 1400 | 4 |
| AH 3000 | Contemporary Art Since 1940 | 4 |
| AHS 3305 | Epidemiology and Evidence Based Medicine | 4 |
| AN 2100 | Foundations of Anthropology | 4 |
| AN 3005 | Great Archaeological Discoveries | 4 |
| AN 3120 | Anthropology of Migration | 4 |
| AN 3405 | Anthropology of Sub-Saharan Africa | 4 |
| BI 3240 | Conservation | 3 |
| BUS 1400 | Principles of Economics | 4 |
| CJ 3515 | Women and Crime | 4 |
| CM 3485 | Global Perspectives in the Media | 4 |
| CN 1015 | Fundamentals of Chinese I | 3 |
| EN 3515 | Currents in Global Literature | 4 |
| ESP 3325 | Climate, Risk, and Adaptation | 3 |
| ESP 3326 | Climate, Risk, and Adaptation | 3 |
| ESP 3900 | Oceanography | 3 |
| FR 1011 | French Language and Culture Studies I | 4 |
| FR 1012 | French Language and Culture Studies II | 4 |
| FR 2023 | French Language and Culture Studies III | 4 |
| FR 2024 | French Language and Culture Studies IV | 4 |
| FR 3035 | French Popular Culture and Technology | 4 |
| HI 2006 | Ancient and Medieval Civilizations | 4 |
| HI 2011 | Modern World History, 1500 to Present | 4 |
| HI 3210 | History of China | 4 |
| HI 3220 | Sex, Slavery, and Empire in Global History | 4 |
| HI 3230 | Topics in European History | 4 |
| HI 3465 | The British Empire in World History | 4 |
| HI 3485 | The French Revolution and Napoleonic Era, 1789-1815 | 4 |
| HI 3590 | Religious Conflict in Early Modern Europe | 4 |
| HI 3775 | Islamic Empires | 4 |
| HI 3825 | Topics in World History | 4 |
| MT 2000 | Fundamentals of Meteorology and Climatology | 3 |
| MU 3250 | Global Jazz | 3 |
| MU 3470 | Music In Context II - Philosophy and Music | 3 |
| NR 4020 | Global Health and Population-Based Health Care | 3 |
| PO 1035 | World Politics | 4 |
| PO 3005 | Politics and Conflict in the Middle East | 4 |
| PO 3085 | Model United Nations | 4 |
| PO 3255 | Model United Nations | 4 |
| PO 3305 | Latin American Politics | 4 |
| PO 3505 | Politics and Conflict in the Middle East | 4 |
| PY 1010 | Ultimate Questions | 3 |
| PY 3345 | Military Ethics | 3 |
| PY 3560 | Philosophical Perspectives on War and Peace | 3 |
| PY 3825 | Understanding Existentialism | 4 |
| SP 1011 | Spanish Language and Culture Studies I | 4 |
| SP 1012 | Spanish Language and Culture Studies II | 4 |
| SP 1013 | Conversational Spanish I | 4 |
| SP 1014 | Conversational Spanish II | 4 |
| SP 1080 | Spanish for Criminal Justice I | 3 |
| SP 1090 | Spanish for Criminal Justice II | 3 |
| SP 2025 | Intermediate Spanish | 4 |
| SP 3030 | Advanced Spanish | 3 |
| SP 3500 | Advanced Spanish | 4 |
| SU 3112 | Social Science Perspectives on Sustainability | 4 |
| SU 3115 | Economic and Ecological Sustainability | 4 |
| SW 3300 | Mental Health and Society | 3 |
| SW 3500 | Health and Society | 3 |
| TMP 2010 | Introduction to Travel and Tourism | 4 |
Wellness1 (3-4 credits)
To be fully educated, people need respect for and understanding of how health, physical activity, and wellness contribute to mental acuity and emotional well-being. Awareness of and attention to the physical can enhance the cognitive and emotional aspects of life.
Students take a three or four-credit Wellness (WECO) course (either within the major or not) designed to increase their understanding of the connection between mind and body.
These courses expose students to the theory and practice of life-span wellness and fitness activity, and to the knowledge, attitudes, habits, and skills needed to live well. Their goal is to help students cultivate life skills, which will promote mental, physical, and emotional well-being.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AN 3510 | Illness, Wellness, and Healing | 4 |
| AR 3221 | Multi-Media: Ceramic Concepts | 4 |
| BI 2270 | Integrative Biology | 4 |
| BIDI 2010 | Human Biology I | 4 |
| BU 3720 | Career Development | 3 |
| BUDI 2400 | Personal Financial Planning | 4 |
| CM 3515 | Communication, Media, and Wellness | 4 |
| DN 3071 | Moving Intelligence and Body Design | 4 |
| ED 2400 | Child and Youth Development in Context | 4 |
| EN 1555 | Adolescent Development and Teaching Humanities | 3 |
| ER 2155 | Play and Learning in Early Childhood | 4 |
| ESP 3550 | Environment and Health | 3 |
| ESP 3700 | Medical Geology | 4 |
| ESP 3800 | Food Systems: Social, Economic and Environmental Impacts of Modern Agriculture | 4 |
| HE 2900 | Disease, Safety, and Environment | 3 |
| HE 3110 | Eating Disorders and Disordered Eating | 3 |
| HE 3200 | Stress Management | 3 |
| HE 3210 | Mental Health Issues | 3 |
| HE 3670 | CPR/AED & First Aid; Basic and Instructor Training | 3 |
| HE 3700 | Drug Behavior | 3 |
| HE 3730 | Sex and Family Living | 3 |
| HE 4100 | Women's Health Issues | 3 |
| HI 3355 | Health and Illness in American History | 4 |
| MUDI 2050 | Your Unique Voice | 4 |
| NR 3070 | Health and Wellness of Older Adults | 3 |
| PE 2860 | Adventure Programming for Physical Educators | 3 |
| PE 2880 | Adventures in Wellness | 3 |
| PEHE 2000 | Wellness Choices for Healthy Living | 3 |
| PY 3310 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| PY 3325 | Medical Ethics | 3 |
| PY 3365 | Ethics and Psychology | 4 |
| SO 3510 | Illness, Wellness, and Healing | 4 |
| SO 3605 | Sustainability in Practice | 4 |
| SSE 1550 | Adolescent Development and Teaching Humanities | 3 |
| SW 3050 | Perspectives on Aging | 3 |
| SW 3500 | Health and Society | 3 |
| TH 2820 | Acting I | 3 |
| TMP 2303 | Stay Work Play : Wellness in Hospitality Management | 4 |
Quantitative Reasoning in the Disciplines2 (3-4 credits within the major)
Mathematics finds application in all fields of scholarship. All disciplines make use of quantitative reasoning in some way and to some extent.
Students take a three or four-credit Quantitative Reasoning (QRCO) course specified as required for their major. This course may be taught within the major discipline or not. It might teach quantitative techniques used as primary or secondary tools within the discipline, or might be a course in which students of less quantitative disciplines come to deepen their appreciation of the relevance of quantitative reasoning to us all.
Note that the Quantitative Reasoning in the Disciplines requirement must be fulfilled by a different course than that used to fulfill the Mathematics Foundations requirement.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACC 4100 | Accounting Info Systems and Analytics | 4 |
| AG 3800 | Publication Design | 4 |
| AHS 3305 | Epidemiology and Evidence Based Medicine | 4 |
| AR 3060 | Multi-Media: Design for the Body | 4 |
| AR 3160 | Multi-Media: Objects and Design | 4 |
| BI 4050 | Ecology | 4 |
| BU 2240 | Business Statistics | 3 |
| CH 2335 | General Chemistry I | 4 |
| CJ 3260 | Data Analysis for Criminal Justice | 4 |
| CM 4655 | Communication Research Methods | 4 |
| DAT 3000 | Intro to Data Analytics | 4 |
| EN 1600 | Studies in English | 4 |
| FIN 3100 | Financial Analytics | 4 |
| GE 2050 | GIS I: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
| HI 2223 | Methods, Theories, and Careers in History | 4 |
| MA 1500 | Mathematics and the Humanities | 3 |
| MA 1900 | Statistical Literacy in Today's Society | 3 |
| MA 2120 | Mathematics for Grades 4-6 Educators | 4 |
| MA 2130 | Precalculus | 4 |
| MA 2210 | Finite Math with Business Statistics | 4 |
| MA 2300 | Statistics I | 3 |
| MA 2550 | Calculus I | 4 |
| MA 2560 | Calculus II | 4 |
| MGM 3190 | Business Operations Analytics | 4 |
| MKT 3120 | Marketing Research and Consumer Insights | 4 |
| NR 4060 | Research Process and Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
| PE 3565 | Measurement and Assessment in Physical Education | 3 |
| PS 3115 | Research Methods and Statistics I | 4 |
| PY 2310 | Elements of Logic | 3 |
| SS 3705 | Social Statistics | 4 |
| SU 3115 | Economic and Ecological Sustainability | 4 |
| SW 3705 | Social Statistics | 4 |
| TH 2500 | Stagecraft Fundamentals | 3 |
Technology in the Disciplines2 (3-4 credits within the major)
In the modern world, technology has application to every academic discipline, and educated people must have an understanding of technology that will allow them to adapt to rapid technological change.
Students take a three or four-credit Technology in the Disciplines (TECO) course specified as required for the major. This course may be taught within the major discipline or not. The course will help students examine the role of technology within their own discipline and within a larger societal and cultural context. The TECO course will provide students with hands-on experience using current technologies; with a broad understanding of the concepts underlying current technology; with an understanding of the potential ethical issues involved with the use of technology; and with an understanding of forces, based in the needs and values of our culture, that drive technological innovation.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ACC 4100 | Accounting Info Systems and Analytics | 4 |
| AG 2100 | Design Software Basics | 4 |
| AN 4415 | Methods of Social Research | 4 |
| AP 3101 | Immersion Wilderness Expedition | 4 |
| AR 1080 | Art Foundations: Digital and New Media | 4 |
| BI 1110 | Biological Science I | 4 |
| BUS 1300 | Digital Information Technologies | 4 |
| CD 1000 | Children and Youth in Schools and Community | 3 |
| CH 3550 | Instrumental Analysis | 4 |
| CJ 3260 | Data Analysis for Criminal Justice | 4 |
| CJ 3450 | Technology in criminal justice | 4 |
| CM 2000 | Studies in Communication and Media | 4 |
| CM 2775 | Media and Cultural Studies | 4 |
| CM 3095 | Technical Communication | 4 |
| CM 3675 | Journalism in the Digital Age | 4 |
| CS 2010 | Computing Fundamentals | 3 |
| DAT 3000 | Intro to Data Analytics | 4 |
| ED 2800 | Inclusive Education and Technology | 4 |
| ED 3350 | Classroom Planning, Management, and Organization for Middle School and Secondary Educators | 3 |
| EN 2440 | Rethinking Early American Literature | 4 |
| EN 2490 | Rethinking Modern British Literature, 1660-1945 | 4 |
| ESP 3335 | Environmental Geology | 4 |
| FIN 3100 | Financial Analytics | 4 |
| FR 3035 | French Popular Culture and Technology | 4 |
| GE 2050 | GIS I: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems | 4 |
| HE 3220 | Applied Nutrition for Healthy Living | 3 |
| HI 3571 | Interrogating US History | 4 |
| HI 4455 | History Capstone Seminar | 4 |
| IP 4500 | Interdisciplinary Studies Senior Seminar | 4 |
| MA 3355 | Introduction to Mathematical Modeling | 4 |
| ME 3500 | Technology for Music Educators | 3 |
| MT 4280 | Synoptic Meteorology | 4 |
| MT 4405 | Numerical Weather Prediction | 3 |
| MU 2105 | Introduction to Music Technology | 4 |
| MU 3240 | Technology in Music Performance | 4 |
| NR 4600 | Leadership, Collaboration & Quality Health Care Systems | 3 |
| PBH 2200 | Assessment and Communication in Public Health | 4 |
| PE 2550 | Foundations of Physical Education | 3 |
| PO 3065 | Political Analysis and Policy | 4 |
| PO 3125 | Political Parties, Elections, and Interest Groups | 4 |
| PS 3115 | Research Methods and Statistics I | 4 |
| PTDI 2450 | Digital Photography | 3 |
| PY 3380 | Humans and Humanoids: Ethics in Technology | 3 |
| PY 3610 | Philosophy of Technology | 3 |
| SO 4415 | Methods of Social Research | 4 |
| SP 3030 | Advanced Spanish | 3 |
| SW 4020 | Social Work Research Methods | 3 |
| TH 2100 | Technology for Theatre Professionals | 3 |
Writing in the Disciplines2 (3-4 credits within the major)
Students take a three or four-credit Writing course (within a major) that contains significant writing experiences appropriate to the discipline. These experiences must include Writing Across the Curriculum activities that facilitate student learning and help students become better writers. At a minimum these activities demonstrate three specific aspects.
- Students in the course do substantial writing that enhances learning and demonstrates knowledge of the subject or the discipline. Writing assignments should be an integral part of the course and account for a significant part (approximately 50 percent or more) of the final grade.
- The course demonstrates an approach to writing as a process where students have the opportunity to submit and receive feedback on multiple drafts of major assignments.
- Students have the opportunity to write for formal and informal, graded and ungraded occasions throughout the course with an emphasis on the use of writing as a mode of learning.
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AG 3450 | History of Graphic Design | 4 |
| AH 3000 | Contemporary Art Since 1940 | 4 |
| AHS 3305 | Epidemiology and Evidence Based Medicine | 4 |
| AP 3320 | Adventure Education Philosophy and Theory | 3 |
| BI 4050 | Ecology | 4 |
| BI 4150 | Developmental Biology | 4 |
| BI 4170 | Ecology and Development | 4 |
| BI 4770 | Animal Physiology | 4 |
| BI 4780 | Neurobiology | 4 |
| BUS 2300 | Business Writing and Presenting | 4 |
| CH 3410 | Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics and Kinetics | 4 |
| CH 3550 | Instrumental Analysis | 4 |
| CJ 3225 | Research Methods in Criminal Justice | 4 |
| CJ 3450 | Technology in criminal justice | 4 |
| CJ 4805 | Criminal Justice Seminar | 4 |
| CM 3095 | Technical Communication | 4 |
| CM 3645 | Communication Theory | 4 |
| CM 3675 | Journalism in the Digital Age | 4 |
| CS 4520 | CyberEthics | 3 |
| ED 2600 | Learning and Development | 4 |
| EN 1600 | Studies in English | 4 |
| ESP 2305 | Foundations of Environmental Policy | 4 |
| ESP 4550 | Environmental Science and Policy Seminar | 4 |
| EX 4770 | Exercise Physiology for Special Populations | 3 |
| EX 4840 | Research Methods in Exercise Science | 3 |
| FR 3135 | Advanced French Composition | 4 |
| HI 2223 | Methods, Theories, and Careers in History | 4 |
| IP 4500 | Interdisciplinary Studies Senior Seminar | 4 |
| MA 2700 | Introduction to Mathematical Proof Writing | 3 |
| MA 4140 | Abstract Algebra | 3 |
| MT 4725 | Meteorological Remote Sensing | 3 |
| MU 3320 | History and Literature of Music II | 3 |
| MU 3470 | Music In Context II - Philosophy and Music | 3 |
| NR 4060 | Research Process and Evidence-Based Practice | 3 |
| PBH 3400 | Program Planning for Public Health | 4 |
| PE 3565 | Measurement and Assessment in Physical Education | 3 |
| PO 3060 | Political Analysis and Policy | 4 |
| PO 3065 | Political Analysis and Policy | 4 |
| PO 3305 | Latin American Politics | 4 |
| PS 3125 | Research Methods and Statistics II | 4 |
| SP 3220 | Advanced Spanish Composition | 3 |
| SU 3333 | Environmental Humanities | 4 |
| SW 4550 | Social Work Integrative Seminar | 3 |
| TH 3430 | American Theatre | 4 |
| TMP 4010 | Tourism Development | 4 |
- 1
These Connections may be double counted with a major, minor, or any other general education requirement.
- 2
These Connections are three or four-credit experiences taken as part of the major and hence add no credits to those required for the major.
Integrated Capstone (3-4 credits)
The Integrated Capstone (INCP) component of the General Education program is intended to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their development of the Habits of Mind. It is satisfied by the course IS 4220 Signature Project or its equivalency. An INCP course is a capstone to the General Education program and, as such, is separate from any capstone experience in the major. Because it belongs to no single major, it brings together students from different disciplines to work on interdisciplinary, integrated projects that make a lasting difference in the world.
Students take a 3 or 4 credit Integrated Capstone course in which they bring both their disciplinary expertise from their major and the Habits of Mind developed via General Education program together with other students to articulate, develop, plan, and implement signature projects that address a significant problem, issue, or question. A signature project:
- Is transdisciplinary: The project integrates knowledge from multiple disciplines and sources to create something new that could not be created without all of them.
- Is completed collaboratively: The project is large and complex enough that it requires input and work from more than one person to be successful.
- Is student-driven: While faculty, staff, and community partners provide guidance and coaching, student agency and independence move the project forward.
- Requires metacognitive reflection: Students reflect on what and how they learn and how their learned knowledge, skills, and dispositions might be transferable to other contexts.
- Reaches beyond the walls of the classroom: The work of the project touches the world outside the classroom in some way.
- Has an external audience for project results: The results of the project are presented to someone who is outside of the class.
- Is completed ethically and respectfully: Work on the project engages internal/external audiences and/or partners with mutual benefit.
Transfer of General Education Courses
A course, or courses, must fulfill the transfer criteria established by Plymouth State University. When discrepancies occur, the transfer and articulation specialist shall consult with the department chair for clarification on details of course description or the amount of credit to be honored. In cases where a clear decision is not apparent, or where students make a challenge of a decision, it shall become the responsibility of the academic affairs office to make a decision.
Courses that are transferred into Plymouth State University receive General Education designation in one of the following ways:
- The appropriate department declares the course to be equivalent to a PSU course that carries the General Education designation.
- The transfer and articulation specialist assigns the designation as part of the initial evaluation of transfer credit or as part of the review of the Transfer Credit Approval form.
- The academic affairs office approves a Student Request for such designation (this option provides a mechanism of appeal of the first two).
Writing Across the Curriculum
Plymouth State University believes in Writing Across the Curriculum, activities that engage students in the process of writing in many places throughout the curriculum. As students write to learn, they learn to write.