General Education Requirements
The General Education (Gen Ed) program is a common set of courses that all students must satisfy prior to graduating from the University. The current Gen Ed program was created by faculty, implemented in the Fall of 2008, to provide a foundation to foster confident, competent, reflective, visionary leaders and responsible citizens. These goals were satisfied, in part, by creating a curriculum that promoted the six University-wide learning outcomes under which the University operates.
Curriculum Worksheets
Curriculum worksheets for each academic program are available for viewing on the University website: Academics/Degree Programs. Curriculum worksheets are updated on an annual basis to reflect any changes to Gen Ed or Major requirements. In addition, curriculum worksheets for previous years are archived on the University website. The appropriate curriculum worksheet for a student is the one which was in effect when the student entered the University. In the event that a student has a break in enrollment, they must follow the curriculum worksheet in effect when they return to the University.
Curriculum Structure
The General Education curriculum is comprised of three types of requirements: core requirements; distribution requirements; and intensive requirements. The current Gen Ed requirements are those that have been recommended to the Provost, through the University-Wide Curriculum Committee.
Requirements
I. CORE REQUIREMENTS: 23 credits
These courses assess and develop key competencies required of all students. The core requirements must be taken by all undergraduates, regardless of major, unless:
- they are transfer students with equivalent coursework from another undergraduate institution,
- they provide evidence of course mastery (see policy on Challenging Courses by Examination),
- they are Freshmen who have AP credit for the courses
First Year Experience (3 credits)
GAC 120 Freshman Seminar I (1.5 credit). The Freshman Seminar courses are required of all incoming Cheyney students, except for transfer students who have completed more than 30 accepted credits of coursework elsewhere.
GAC 121 Freshman Seminar II (1.5 credit). Students must complete the second-half of a two course sequence that orients students to the University; other stipulations are as stated above for GAC 101.
Essential Skills (14 credits)
HEN 112 English I (3 credits). Students must complete Freshman English I unless, in its place, their advisor recommends taking English II (HEN 113) as their first composition course at the University. Students that are able to bypass English I must take HEN 319 Advanced Composition instead to satisfy the 6 credits of composition required in the Gen Ed.
HEN 113 English II (3 credits). Students must complete Freshman English II or the equivalent in composition.
HEN 114 Fundamentals of Speech (3 credits).
REC 111 (2 credits) Students must complete REC 111 Health and Wellness.
EDU 110 Introduction to Interpretation and Analysis (3 credits). Students must complete a college-level reading course in which students critically read and analyze difficult texts, and gain proficiency in interpreting, paraphrasing, and evaluating the written word.
OR
HPH 110 Critical Thinking (3 credits). Students must complete a foundational course for the information literacy intensive courses. It is encouraged that students complete this course prior to enrolling in an information literacy (I) intensive course.
Mathematics (3 credits)
MAT 104 Survey of College Mathematics (3 credits). MAT 104 is the minimum level mathematics course required of all Cheyney students. However, the baseline may be different for certain majors.
MAT 160 Calculus I is the minimum requirement for Biology, Mathematics, and Computer Science majors.
African-American Experience (3 credits)
AAS 210 African-American Experience in Global Context (3 credits). This is a sophomore class in which the major themes of the general education program are explored in an interdisciplinary format. Transfer students who enter the University in their junior year do not need to take this class; however, alternative coursework, approved by the department that hosts the student’s degree program, must be completed to ensure 120 credits for graduation.
II. DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS: 19 – 20 credits
All students must take a specified number of credits in a variety of academic disciplines. The distribution requirements are intended to develop fluency with the different modes of learning practiced across the academy. Distribution courses must be courses outside the students major, unless this is deemed not feasible by their major department. Courses that satisfy the distribution requirements are determined by the housing Departments, updated annually, and can be viewed below by selecting the corresponding hyperlink.
Natural Sciences (6 credits)
Students must complete two courses or 6 credits in the natural sciences; the natural sciences include biology, physics, chemistry, and earth or space science. Students may take two courses in one of these subject areas or one course in two of these subject areas. Approved natural sciences distribution courses include, but are not limited to:
SPH100, SPH 101, SLF 100, SLF 101, SLF 110, SCH 101, SCH 111, SCH 200, SES 200, SES 210
Humanities (6 credits)
Students must complete two courses or 6 credits in the humanities; the humanities include literature, language, theater, music, visual arts, or philosophy. Students may take two courses in one of these subject areas or one course in two of these subject areas. Approved humanities distribution areas include Art (HAR), Communication Arts (HCA), English (HEN), Graphic Design (GRD), Liberal Studies (HPH), Philosophy (HPH), Music (HMU), and Theater (HTA). Some courses in these areas may have pre-requisites. Students should confer with their academic advisor before choosing courses.
Social Science (6 credits)
Students must complete two courses or 6 credits in the social sciences; the social sciences include psychology, sociology, history, economics, political science, and geography. Students may take two courses in one of these subject areas or one course in two of these subject areas. Approved social sciences distribution areas include Geography (RGE), History (RHI), Political Science (RPO), Psychology (RPS), Social Relations (RSO), and Economics (BEC 210 and BEC 220). Some courses in these areas may have pre-requisites. Students should confer with their academic advisor before choosing courses.
Physical Activity (1-2 credits)
Physical Activity courses are numbered REC 113 through 216.
III. INTENSIVE REQUIREMENTS
The purpose of the intensive requirements is to ensure that all students receive extensive and in-depth instruction in four areas deemed significant: Writing Intensive (W), African American Heritage (A), Global Studies (G), or Information Literacy (I). Unlike the other requirements in the Gen Ed, these requirements are simultaneously satisfied while completing coursework either in the student’s major or general education program. Courses are not permanently associated with an intensive requirement and may be offered with or without the designation at the discretion of the department. In the Semester Course Schedule (in Power Campus Self-Serve) The intensive designation (W,A,I or G) will appear in parentheses after the course name.
Writing (2 courses; or 6 credits)
Students must complete two writing intensive courses. English I and II do not satisfy the writing intensive requirement and do not bear the W designation. These courses are intended to provide additional experiences for the student to master their writing skills; this is accomplished by limiting the enrollment to 20 students; explicitly attending to plagiarism, requiring at least 15 pages of writing, and opportunities to resubmit papers — among other criteria. Every department offers courses that satisfy the writing intensive (W) designation – but not necessarily every semester.
African American Heritage (1 course; or 3 credits)
Students must complete a course that includes significant consideration of some aspect of African American history or experience. African American Experience in the Global Context (AAS 210) does not satisfy the African American Heritage intensive requirement does not bear the A designation. Nearly all departments offer one or more courses that will satisfy the A designation.
Global Studies (1 course; or 3 credits)
Students must complete a course that includes significant consideration of cultures and nations other than the U.S. African American Experience in the Global Context (AAS 210) does not satisfy the global studies intensive requirement and does not bear the G designation. All departments offer one or more courses that will satisfy the G designation.
Information Literacy (1 course; or 3 credits)
Students must complete a course that exposes them to discipline specific skills to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information. Such courses would include instruction in the use of sources and related technologies, interpretive and critical reading skills, and analytical and critical thinking skills. It is encouraged that students complete Critical Thinking HPH 110 prior to enrolling in information literacy (I) intensive courses. Usually a student will complete the information literacy (I) course in their major department, but every department offers courses that will satisfy the I designation.