Liberal Education requirements and courses
A liberal education introduces you to the modes of inquiry and subject matter of the major branches of knowledge, including the factual information and theoretical or artistic constructs that form their foundations; the "ways of knowing" the kinds of questions asked and how insight, knowledge, and data are acquired and used; the changes over time of their central ideas or expressive forms; and the interrelationships among them and with human society in general. To these ends, study by all undergraduate students on the Twin Cities campus is guided by a common framework.
Satisfying Liberal Education requirements
You may satisfy Liberal Education requirements with a variety of courses; some satisfy several requirements at once. For example, some courses will satisfy both a diversified core requirement and a designated theme requirement; other courses will satisfy the requirements for each of two designated themes.
Overview of Liberal Education requirements
If you have questions about the Liberal Education requirements, see your adviser.
The Diversified Core Curriculum
Physical and Biological Sciences
Comprehension of physical and biological principles; understanding of and ability to use the methods of scientific inquiry—the ways in which scientists investigate physical and biological phenomena; and appreciation of the importance of science and the value of a scientific perspective.
Historical Perspectives
Historical Perspective courses focus on methods and concepts of historical inquiry, considering how the questions we ask shape the knowledge we make; and on sources from which historians construct interpretations of the past, reflecting on what we can and cannot learn from different kinds of evidence (oral, written, visual, and material; primary and secondary; public and private).
Social Sciences
How social scientists describe and analyze human experiences and behavior; study of the interrelationships among individuals, institutions, structures, events and ideas; and an understanding of the roles that individuals play in their cultural, social, economic, and political worlds.
Arts and Humanities
Understanding of approaches to the human condition through works of art, literature, and philosophy; knowledge of how artists create and humanistic scholars think; ability to make aesthetic judgments.
Mathematical Thinking
Acquisition of mathematical modes of thinking; ability to evaluate arguments, detect fallacious reasoning, and evaluate complex reasoning chains; appreciation of the breadth of applications of mathematics and its foundations.
The Designated Themes of Liberal Education
The designated themes of liberal education offer a dimension of liberal learning that complements the diversified core curriculum. Each of the themes focuses on an issue of compelling importance to the nation and the world, the understanding of which is informed by many disciplines and interdisciplinary fields of knowledge.
Environment
Knowledge of the interaction and interdependence of the biophysical systems of the natural environment and human and social cultural systems.
Cultural Diversity
Understanding of the roles gender, ethnicity and race play in structuring the human experience in and developing the social and cultural fabric of the United States.
International Perspectives
Comprehension of the ways in which you are part of a rapidly changing global environment dominated by the internationalization of most human endeavors.
Citizenship and Public Ethics
Reflection on and determination of a clearer sense of your present and future civic relationships and your obligations to the community.
Writing Intensive Requirement
Students are required to take four writing intensive courses. These courses are in addition to the one to two freshman writing courses required for all freshmen. At least two of the four required writing intensive courses must be taken at the 3000-level or above, and at least one upper division writing intensive course must be taken with the student's major or program area.
Freshman Seminars
Freshman seminars follow a standard numbering system where the number denotes the approved Liberal Education requirement(s).
Freshman seminars numbered 1901 are approved for the environmental requirement; 1902 for the cultural diversity requirement; 1903 for the citizenship/public ethics requirement; 1904 for the international perspectives requirment; 1906 for both environment and writing intensive; 1907 for both cultural diversity and writing intensive; 1908 for both citizenship/public ethics and writing intensive; 1909 for both international perspectives and writing intensive; 1910 for the writing intensive requirement only. Freshman seminars numbered 1905 are not approved for a Liberal Education requirement.
Semester Courses That Fulfill the Fine Arts/Performing Arts High School Preparation Requirement