Core Connections
The Meredith General Education Curriculum
Mission
General Education enhances a Meredith degree through coursework and experiences that position students to live, work and lead in a complex world.
Values
The Meredith Community achieves the mission of General Education through a teaching and learning environment that values
- Curiosity and exploration
- Fundamental and innovative knowledge
- Skills development
- Critical and creative thinking
- Openness to varied perspectives
Students complete General Education with an enriched and enlarged sense of the world and of their own potential.
Program Components
General education requirements are met with a combination of courses across the curriculum and inside the major. The program includes four components:
| Component | Definition |
|---|---|
| Fields of Knowledge | Exploring the past, present and future as approached by the arts, humanities, natural and social sciences, mathematics and health/physical learning |
| Communication | Development of writing, speaking and foreign language strengths |
| Modes of Inquiry | Practice in the types of thought that support advanced learning and personal growth: critical thinking, ethical reasoning, quantitative reasoning, information literacy |
| Perspectives & Citizenship | Understanding significant domestic and global topics; a focused learning experience outside the classroom, and immersion in cultural events, on- and off- campus |
Policies
- Listed on the following page are courses that typically meet General Education requirements.
- See Self Service for available offerings each semester.
- A single course may fulfill only one Fields of Knowledge requirement.
- A single course may fulfill only one Fields of Knowledge requirement.
- “Variable” credit indicates requirements that can be combined with other courses.
- AP and IB credit are addressed in the catalogue.
- A student must pass ENG-111 with a C or above to progress to ENG-200. On second attempt, a student may progress to ENG-200 with a D or higher.
- Courses in Meredith and Meredith-Approved study abroad programs can fulfill the GP requirement.
Core Connections Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Arts & Aesthetics – Three credits from designated courses in any of the following: Art, Dance, Music, and Theatre (and approved courses in other disciplines) | 3 |
| Health and Physical Learning – A combination of Health, Nutrition and Physical Activity courses | 4-6 |
| History – Any 3 credit hours in an HIS introductory or topics course (HIS-102, 103, 188, 200, 214, 215, 219, 224, 382, 285, 288). Courses like 188 must be 3 credit hours. | 3 |
| Literature – Designated courses in English, World Languages and Cultures, or Religious Studies (and approved courses in other disciplines) | 3 |
| Laboratory Science – Choice of course and accompanying lab in Biology, Chemistry, Geoscience or Physics | 4 |
| Mathematics – Statistics (MAT-175) or approved Calculus (MAT-181 or MAT-191) | 3-4 |
| Natural Science, Mathematics, Computer Science Elective – Three credits from designated courses in any of these areas | 3 |
| Religious Studies – Any RES course | 3 |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences – Choice of designated courses in Economics, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology (and approved courses in other disciplines) | 6 |
| Cultural Elective – Choice of designated courses in History and Religious Studies (and approved courses in many other disciplines) | 3 |
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| ENG-111, Principles of Writing – Includes an Information Literacy focus | 3 |
| ENG-200, Critical Reading and Writing – Includes an Information Literacy focus | 3 |
| Foreign Language – Choice of French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese or Latin through 205 level (for more information see World Languages and Cultures) | 0-9 Or by exam |
| Writing Intensive Thread – Fulfilled in course work across the curriculum and in the major | Variable |
| Oral Communication Thread – Fulfilled in course work across the curriculum and in the major | Variable |
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Information Literacy – Choice of designated courses, typically in the major or Fields of Knowledge | Variable |
| Quantitative Reasoning – Embedded in the Mathematics requirement | 0 additional credits required |
| Ethical Reasoning – Choice of designated courses, typically in the major or Fields of Knowledge | Variable |
| Critical Thinking – Embedded in the major | 0 additional credits required |
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| US-focused Perspectives Course – Choice of designated courses, typically in the major or Fields of Knowledge | Variable |
| Global-focused Perspectives Course – Choice of designated courses, typically in the major or Fields of Knowledge | Variable |
| Experiential Learning – Choice of internship, study abroad, leadership experience, directed research, student teaching and many other approved opportunities typically in the major |