Woods Core Curriculum
Vision Statement
To provide a transformational General Education experience that develops high-level transferrable and durable skills to empower students for success.
The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College faculty has designed a general education curriculum that prepares its community of learners to live responsibly, productively and creatively in an ever-changing world by providing a foundation of critical thinking, problem-solving and communication skills. A liberal arts education allows learners to experience and apply activities and information gleaned about nature, culture and society organized in a well-grounded, intellectual framework. Recognizing the College’s relationship with the Sisters of Providence, the faculty constructed a general education curriculum that supports the development of leaders who acknowledge the importance of diversity, social justice, environmentalism, and spirituality.
College Core
The College Core is a set of overarching concepts that unify the vision, mission, and values of the College with the outcomes for the undergraduate, graduate, and student support services. The first five concepts provide the foundation for the General Education Woods Core and serve as the program outcomes. These outcomes may be reinforced in any major or minor. The last three concepts are the foundation for the majors and free standing minors and may be integrated in the General Education Woods Core courses. Any of the concepts may apply to the student support services. The following are the College Core concepts and definitions.
Upon the completion of the SMWC educational experience the student will be able to demonstrate:
- Critical Thinking/Problem Solving
Obtain and use valid information to make decisions and solve problems with demonstrated ingenuity.
- Communication
Clearly articulate thoughts and ideas in written and oral forms by selecting the appropriate tools and media relative to the audience.
- Leadership/Collaboration
Use interpersonal skills to build collaborative relationships and leverage the strengths of self and others to achieve common goals.
- Technology Adaptiveness
Select and use appropriate technology to accomplish a given task, as well as the ability to apply skills to solve problems in an evolving world of technology.
- Social Responsibility
Benefit society by demonstrating an effective and ethical use of systems, an understanding of diversity, and analysis of inequities in an interconnected global society.
- Integration of Knowledge
Understand the content and concepts related to a selected area of study, discipline, or expressive art, and is able to connect this information to prior knowledge, general education, and experiential learning.
- Application of Skills
Demonstrate competency in the skills and abilities related to a selected area of study, discipline, or expressive art.
- Professional/Career Development
Demonstrate personal accountability and the necessity for life-long learning.
Placement Options
Because of the importance and developmental structure of the Woods Core curriculum, academic advisors at the College strongly encourage students to take the required Woods Core courses in order. In exceptional cases of previous college work, great proficiency or relevant experience, options are available for substitution or exemption. No credit hours are awarded for exemptions.
Placement/Exemptions
CO 111 Introduction to Human Communication
Students may apply to the chairperson of the Department of Languages and Literature for an exemption if they have significant previous speech coursework and experience. Students exempt from this course are not required to take additional course hours in communication unless required by the major or minor. No credit hours are awarded for the exemption. Students may also apply for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit for the CO 111 requirement.
EN 111 English Composition and Research Writing
Students who achieve satisfactory scores on the SAT or ACT are placed in EN 111 English Composition and Research Writing. Students whose standardized test scores or high school English grades indicate a need for additional preparation are placed in EN 110 Introductory College Writing as a prerequisite for EN 111.
Substitutions for the Woods Core Mathematics Requirements
The mathematics requirement for the Woods Core is one of the following two courses: MA 117 Quantitative Reasoning or MA 253 Statistics. Based on the results of a placement test or SAT/ACT scores, students may be required to take a prerequisite course prior to enrolling in MA 117 or MA 253. Approved course substitutions are the following:
MA 120 Pre-Calculus
MA 121 Calculus substitutes for MA 117
BI 253 Biostatistics substitutes for MA 253
Foreign Language
If a student chooses to take a foreign language, they will be placed in the appropriate instructional level based on background and testing. Students testing at the elementary level pursue the first 3-credit hour course of the basic sequence in French or Spanish. Students at a more advanced level pursue the 3-credit hour course in the higher level sequence. The culture requirement may be fulfilled by a more advanced level foreign language course.
Computer Competency
Students are expected to have computer software competency in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
Course Rotations
Woods Core courses are offered on a rotating basis. To assist with course planning, students may refer to the Woods Core Grid, the course rotation schedule, or contact their academic advisors. The following is the recommended order for campus students to take the Woods Core to ensure that students have only one critical thinking and writing course per semester, and that these courses are taken throughout the time the student is developing academically. For students bringing in transfer courses or other college credit, Woods Core courses may be taken in other combinations. Students will work closely with their advisors to ensure that they are taking the appropriate Woods Core courses, as some courses may be required in their major(s)/minor(s).
General Education and Woods Core Policy
All SMWC undergraduate students are required to complete a general education curriculum as part of their degree program.
A. Students transferring from Indiana colleges with Statewide Transfer General Education Core courses with an Associate of Arts, Associate of Sciences or Associate of General Studies will be required to complete WC 100, TH 200, and select one of the following: WC 401, WC 402, WC 403, or WC 480 at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
B. Transfer students from other than Indiana colleges with Statewide General Education Core Courses will have to meet all the Woods Core requirements and their transcripts will be evaluated individually. If a student’s major requires a Woods Core course that has not been completed as part of the associate degree, that course will be required for graduation.