General Education Requirements

In addition to meeting degree requirements for a particular major, a student at Christian Brothers University will be required to have a broad understanding of self, others, and the contemporary world. Furthermore, the graduate of Christian Brothers University shall have cultivated, through the arts and sciences, the necessary skills of reasoning and communication, and shall have developed an awareness of the religious dimension of human existence. In the tradition of the Christian Brothers, all students take a broad range of courses, thus providing the opportunity to experience the full breadth of the curriculum.

Pyramid of Learning

The Pyramid of Learning

At CBU, the goals for student learning have been grouped into four major areas, represented by a pyramid. The most basic goals are at the base of the pyramid: critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and effective communication. At the next level are knowledge of religion, culture, society, and self, and knowledge of the natural world, the scientific method, and its application. At the peak of the pyramid are moral, ethical, and aesthetic principles.

Student Outcomes

Within each of the four major learning goals listed above are several student learning outcomes:

A. Critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and effective communication

  1. Quantitative Problem Solving. Students will demonstrate the appropriate use of mathematical, quantitative, and logical methods to solve problems.
  2. Statistics. Students will demonstrate the appropriate use of statistical methods to analyze data, solve problems, and make decisions.
  3. Effective Written Communication. Students will demonstrate their ability to write effectively, employing appropriate use of language, sentence structure, and grammar
  4. Critical Reading. Students will demonstrate their ability to read critically.
  5. Research Skills. Students will demonstrate their ability to access scholarly communication effectively, and locate, evaluate, and properly cite information resources both online and in print.

B. Knowledge of religion, culture, society, and self

  1. Knowledge of World Religions. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the beliefs, principles, and practices of Christianity as well as those of other religions and cultures.
  2. Impacts of World Religions. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the influence of religion on individuals, cultures, and societies from both historical and contemporary perspectives.
  3. Knowledge of Cultural and Global Issues. Students will demonstrate an understanding of personal, cultural, social, and global issues from historical and contemporary perspectives.*

C. Knowledge of the natural world, the scientific method, and its application

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the Scientific Method and the ability to interpret data.

D. Moral, ethical, and aesthetic principles

  1. Ethics and Judgments. Students will demonstrate an understanding of accepted ethical principles and their applicability in making ethical and moral judgments.
  2. Aesthetic Principles. Students will demonstrate an understanding of aesthetic principles from the perspective of diverse academic disciplines.

The Matrix (Table) indicates in general terms which Student Learning Outcomes are met by each category. A more detailed list of course requirements in each category follows the Table.

Matrix of G.E.R. Outcomes

√ indicates this outcome is assessed in this category

* indicates that this outcome is reinforced in some of the courses in this category

OUTCOMES
CATEGORY A1 A2 A3 A4 A5 B1 B2 B3 C1 C2 D1 D2
Mathematics - * * - - - - - - - -
Statistics * - * * - - - - * - -
English - - - - - - - - *
Religious Studies - - * * - * - - * -
Social Sciences/History - * * * * - * * * * *
Natural/Physical Science * * * * * - * * - -
Moral Values - - * * - - - - - - -
Aesthetics - - - - - - - - - - -

General Education Course Requirements

Mathematics (3 hours)

MATH 105Finite Math

3

 

MATH 107Functions

2

AND

MATH 110Trigonometry

2

 

MATH 117Precalculus

3

MATH 129Functions and Engineering Calculus I

6

MATH 131Calculus I

3

MATH 162Health Science Applications of Algebra and Statistics

3

Not permitted: ALG 115, ALG 120 or MATH 103.

Statistics (0-3 hours)

BIOL 340Experimental Design and Statistical Analysis

3

CH E 120Introduction to Chemical Engineering

2

ECE 400The Compleat Engineer

3

HIST 220Historical Research and History Careers

3

HSCI 220Analysis and Interpretation of Health Data

3

MATH 152Math Topics for Elementary Teachers

3

MATH 162Health Science Applications of Algebra and Statistics

3

MATH 201Applied Statistics

3

MATH 308Statistics

3

NSCI 410Natural Science Seminar

1

PHIL 201Introduction to Logic

3

PSYC 354Correlational Research Methods and Statistics

3

STAT 221Elementary Business Statistics

3

STAT 223Business Statistics

3

Total Credit Hours:3

this outcome can be challenged by the independent study course MATH 121.

English (8-9 hours)

Writing and Critical Literacy:

ENG 121Writing and Critical Literacy

3

AND

ENG 121LWriting and Critical Literacy Lab

1

OR

ENG 122Writing and Critical Literacy for Multilingual Learners

3

AND

ENG 122LWriting and Critical Literacy Lab for Multilingual Learners

1

OR

ENG 123Writing and Critical Literacy

3

 

Writing and Critical Research

ENG 130Writing and Critical Research

3

Literature:

One of

ENG 211Introduction to Literature

3

ENG 221Survey of British Literature I

3

ENG 222Survey of British Literature II

3

ENG 223American Literature to 1865

3

ENG 224American Literature from 1865

3

ENG 231Honors Survey of World Literature I

4

ENG 232Honors Survey of World Literature II

4

ENG 337Texts and Technologies

3

ENG 338Public Humanities

3

ENG 361African-American Literature

3

ENG 362Literature and Gender

3

Honors program students may fulfill the above English requirements by completing ENG 231 & ENG 232 which is 8 hours.

Social Science / History (6 hours)

ANTH 160Cultural Anthropology

3

ECON 214Principles of Microeconomics

3

ECON 215Principles of Macroeconomics

3

ENGR 220Engineering in the Ancient World

3

HIST 107World History to 1500

3

HIST 108World History since 1500

3

HIST 151American Society to 1877

3

HIST 152American Society since 1877

3

HIST 211Memphis Past and Present

3

HIST 306Rock 'n' Roll History of Great Britain

3

HIST 380Honors Political History of the Space Age

3

HUM 210Introduction to Sustainability

3

POLS 112American Government

3

POLS 113World Politics

3

POLS 115Nations and States (Comparative Politics)

3

POLS 356The Holocaust: Political and Religious Dimensions

3

POLS 370International Law

3

PSYC 105General Psychology

3

SOC 101Introduction to Sociology

3

Natural and Physical Sciences (4 hours)

Any of the following courses and the accompanying lab

BIOL 103Biology of Addiction

3

BIOL 107Environmental Biology

3

BIOL 109Human Biology

3

BIOL 169Backyard Birding

3

CHEM 105Chemistry of Cooking

3

CHEM 107Chemistry and the Community Garden

3

CHEM 111Introduction to Forensic Chemistry

3

CHEM 113Principles of Chemistry I

3

CHEM 115General Chemistry

3

ENGR 109Introduction to Meteorology

3

HSCI 113Anatomy and Physiology I

3

NSCI 109/ENGR 109Introduction to Meteorology

3

NSCI 111Introduction to Astronomy

3

NSCI 122The Nature of Light

3

NSCI 126/ANTH 126Forensic Anthropology

3

NSCI 128/ANTH 128Physical Anthropology

3

PHYS 150Physics I

3

PHYS 201Introductory Physics I

3

Moral Values (3 hours)

PHIL 219Social and Political Philosophy

3

PHIL 220Contemporary Moral Issues

3

PHIL 223Business Ethics

3

PHIL 224Theories of Human Nature

3

PHIL 234Honors Theories of Human Nature

3

PHIL 322Medical Ethics

3

PHIL 324Technology and Human Values

3

PHIL 325Environmental Ethics

3

PHIL 340Ethical Theory

3

Aesthetics (0 additional hours)

ENG 211Introduction to Literature

3

ENG 221Survey of British Literature I

3

ENG 222Survey of British Literature II

3

ENG 223American Literature to 1865

3

ENG 224American Literature from 1865

3

ENG 231Honors Survey of World Literature I

4

ENG 232Honors Survey of World Literature II

4

Religious Studies (6 hours)

RS 200Understanding Religion

3

RS 217Old Testament (Hebrew Scriptures)

3

RS 218New Testament

3

RS 220Martyrs, Monks, and Mystics

3

RS 221Modern Christian Thought

3

RS 230Christian Ethics

3

RS 235Catholic Social Teaching

3

RS 260Person, World, and God

3

RS 270World Religions

3

RS 271Sociology of Religion

3

RS 280Catholicism

3

RS 285Church in the World

3

RS 300Jesus Christ

3

RS 310Sacred Signs & Symbols: Gifts of the Christian Life

3

RS 320Religion in America

3

RS 324Christian Spirituality

3

RS 326Social and Political Theologies

3

RS 330Justice and Society

3

RS 331The Spirituality and Ethics of Eating

3

RS 335Philosophy of Religion

3

RS 340African American Theology

3

RS 345God, Evil and Suffering

3

RS 347C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien: Biblical and Theological Themes

3

RS 355Judaism

3

RS 356The Holocaust: Political and Religious Dimensions

3

RS 372Women and Christianity

3

RS 375The Prophets

3

RS 377Apocalyptic Imagination

3

RS 380Paul: His Life and His Letters

3

RS 385The Gospels

3

The above courses have been approved to meet the outcomes as of printing. Courses may meet more than one outcome. However, each student must take a minimum of 30 hours of General Education Courses. Special Topics courses (courses without a permanent course number or description) may be used to satisfy general education requirements, but must be approved on an annual basis by the Faculty Assembly Curriculum Committee. Students should consult their advisor before assuming a Special Topics course will meet a requirement.