General Education Exploring Perspectives & Building Connections

The General Education curriculum described below applies to all students who matriculate in Spring 2022 or beyond. Students who matriculated in Fall 2021 or prior should consult the Fall 2021 General Education Curriculum policy.

Exploring Perspectives and Building Connections

The two categories of classes are not meant to be hierarchical; rather, they are complementary. Students can take Exploring Perspectives and Building Connections courses in any order; however, it is recommended that 100-200 level courses be completed before 300-400 level courses. All Exploring Perspectives and Building Connections courses will also have 1-2 attributes attached to them. For a complete description of the attributes in the General Education curriculum, please see the General Education Attribute Policy.

Exploring Perspectives

In Exploring Perspectives courses, students will explore and practice the varied approaches (ways of questioning/thinking/reasoning/doing) of the artist, humanist, natural scientist, and social scientist. The focus will be on immersing students in the perspectives of people working within the disciplines of the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. This includes exploring the ways in which they form questions and ideas, the methodologies and techniques they use, and how they create knowledge and/or works, while also highlighting the diversity of people and approaches that are integral to these disciplines.

Students will:

  • Choose one course from each of the four focus areas (12 units minimum):

    • Artist

    • Humanist

    • Natural Scientist

    • Social Scientist

Building Connections

In Building Connections courses, students will practice interdisciplinarity and multi-perspective taking. They will understand the value in bringing multiple perspectives and disciplinary approaches to bear on questions, issues, ideas, and potential solutions. Connecting various perspectives will enhance conceptual thinking, problem solving, innovative design, critical analysis, evaluation of ideas, and creation of knowledge/products.

Students will:

  • Choose three courses (9 units minimum)

Related Policies: