The Cedar Crest College Liberal Arts Curriculum
The Liberal Arts Curriculum serves as the intellectual foundation for the
completion of academic majors and the pursuit of lifelong learning by ensuring
that students receive a comprehensive liberal arts education rooted in the
Arts, Humanities, and Sciences. A fundamental purpose of the curriculum is to
hone the critical thinking skills of students as reflected in their ability to
reason—scientifically, qualitatively, quantitatively, and morally. Another goal of the
curriculum is to develop the communications skills of students as reflected in
their ability to express ideas via the written and spoken word and through the
use of technology. Ultimately, the Liberal Arts Curriculum intends to help students to acquire
knowledge and skills that will foster their thoughtful participation in the
various communities to which they belong, personal and professional, local and
global.
The Liberal Arts Curriculum requires students to complete a minimum of 40
general education credits distributed across eight areas of knowledge and
application.. These requirements apply to all students, regardless of academic
major or transfer status. To complete the program, a student must earn a grade
of “C” or better in all required coursework. In doing so, students will have
demonstrated an acceptable level of academic performance (i.e. proficiency or
better) relative to the following general educational outcomes:
1. An understanding of the Arts, Humanities, and Social and Natural Sciences as
distinctive areas of scholarly inquiry and human achievement.
2. An understanding of how scientific reasoning can be utilized to investigate
the natural and physical world.
3. An understanding of how qualitative and quantitative approaches can be
utilized to understand social systems, human culture, and human behavior.
4. An understanding of how qualitative reasoning can be utilized to interpret
the aesthetic qualities and social significance of historical and cultural
artifacts, including works of art, literature, and film.
5. An understanding of how quantitative and logical reasoning skills can be
utilized to formulate, interpret, and solve problems.
6. An understanding of how the Western tradition of ethics can serve as a guide
to personal conduct, engaged citizenship, and community service.
7. An understanding of the complexities and challenges of cross-cultural
perspectives within a global context that is shaped by technological
interconnectivity and the rapid movement of people, goods, and ideas across
national borders.
8. An understanding of how writing techniques can be utilized to develop and
communicate ideas and information to an audience.
9. An understanding of how public speaking techniques can be utilized to develop
and communicate ideas and information to an audience.
10. An understanding of how technology can be utilized for purposes of data
acquisition, analysis, evaluation and presentation.
11. An understanding of how information can be acquired, analyzed, evaluated and
effectively used.
A Cedar Crest College student must complete the following course work to earn a
degree.
Requirements for the Liberal Arts Program
Arts 2 courses, one of which must be a 3-credit course 6 credits
Humanities 2 courses 6 credits
Natural Sciences 2 courses, one of which must be a lab-based course 7 credits
Social Sciences 2 courses 6 credits
Ethics 1 course 3 credits
Global Studies 1 course 3 credits
Mathematics & Logic 2 courses, one of which must be a mathematics course 6 credits
Writing 2 courses: WRI 100 or HON 122 and one WRI-2 course 6 credits
40-43 credits
Transferred courses may be used to satisfy Liberal Arts Curriculum requirements,
consistent with the College's transfer policy.
Areas of Knowledge and Application
A. Courses that address areas of scholarly inquiry and human achievement:
Arts: The courses that comprise this category are designed to help students develop
an understanding and appreciation for the fine arts, including the visual and
performing arts and creative writing. Creating, performing and appreciating
works of art define the basis for an aesthetic education. Studio and/or
performance experiences help students to develop creative and critical thinking
skills whereas appreciation experiences help students to understand the value
systems that have developed over the centuries, underpinning the rationale for
determining the great works and their creators. While tools and process may
differ, the concepts that define the arts are common to all disciplines in this
category. The key disciplines in this category are the Fine Arts: Dance, Theater, Music,
Creative Writing, and the Visual Arts. Students may select two courses from the
same discipline to satisfy the Arts requirement. Disciplines selected in
fulfillment of the Arts requirement may not also satisfy requirements in
Humanities and Social Sciences.
Humanities: The courses that comprise this category examine the texts produced by human
culture in order to understand how these texts have, in the past, reflected and
shaped – and continue to reflect and shape – human thought, including human aspirations and fears. The texts studied by
humanistic disciplines include literature and film, philosophical and religious
treatises, and historical documents. The method of inquiry employed by
humanities disciplines requires a textual analysis that arrives at its
understanding by considering the text from multiple perspectives, ranging from
the study of the text’s language and its implications, to a consideration of historical and cultural
contexts, to the situation of a text within a tradition of thought. The key
disciplines in this category are Communication, English, History, International
Languages, and Philosophy. Students must choose two different disciplines
within this requirement. Disciplines selected in fulfillment of the Humanities
requirement may not also satisfy requirements in Arts and Social Sciences.
Mathematics and Logic: The courses that comprise this category are designed to engage students in
activities that develop analytical skills relating to the formulation,
interpretation and solution of quantitatively-based problems or activities
which develop logical reasoning skills, including the ability to analyze and
critically evaluate arguments from a logical point of view. The key discipline
in this category is Mathematics.
Natural Sciences: The courses that comprise this category share a common methodology, in that
they explore and study the natural world through the application of the
scientific method. This method of inquiry involves critical and objective
observation, the formulation and testing of hypotheses, and the critical
analysis and interpretation of empirical data. The key disciplines in this
category are Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and General Science.
Social Sciences: The courses that comprise this category study human culture and behavior and the
institutions within which individuals and groups live, work, learn and act. The
mode of inquiry associated with the investigation of the cognitive, political,
religious, social, expressive, and economic dimensions of human life is
informed by the scientific method, signifying an appreciation of the value and
significance of using empirical evidence, hypothesis testing, quantitative
analysis and qualitative studies to think critically about the nature of human
behavior, institutions and individual development. The key disciplines in this
category are Anthropology, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Religion,
and Sociology. Students must choose two different disciplines within this
requirement. Disciplines selected in fulfillment of the Social Sciences
requirement may not also satisfy requirements in Arts and Humanities.
B. Courses that promote reflection on and engagement with the demands of
citizenship within a complex and changing society:
Ethics: The courses that comprise this category are designed to help students develop a
working knowledge of the theories and principles underlying the Western
tradition of ethics while also engaging students in activities that encourage
individuals to reflect systematically on their personal moral beliefs and
values. Courses should be interdisciplinary in nature and should focus upon the
application of ethical theory to practice, both in the classroom and in
experiences beyond the classroom.
Global Studies: The courses that comprise this category introduce students to art, literature,
religion, or historical perspectives beyond the American mainstream; diverse
cultural practices and beliefs, including health practices and new cultures
arising from new technologies and the development of a quasi-borderless world;
or the study of economic, political, legal and/or scientific systems or
interactions within the context of varied social backgrounds or cultural
frameworks.
C. Courses that promote the ability to use writing as a tool for expression and
understanding:
Writing: The courses that comprise this category are designed to help students develop
the ability to approach a topic for writing in light of the demands of purpose,
audience, and the specific requirements of an assignment. Such requirements
include skills in these categories: insightful and developed ideas, a supported thesis, awareness of audience and
discourse conventions, coherence and logical organization, a sophisticated and
professional style, and an attention to the revision process and manuscript
preparation.
College-wide Requirements Satisfied Within the Departmental Major
The following requirements will be satisfied by students within the context of
individual academic majors. For all requirements, the necessary coursework may be offered directly within
the academic major or, alternatively, the academic major may require that
students complete an appropriate course or courses offered in a different
department.
Technology Requirement: The technology requirement is satisfied through the completion of coursework
required within the context of individual academic majors. This approach
recognizes that the definition of “technological competence” differs across academic disciplines and fields of specialization; thus each
department is responsible for documenting that students enrolled in their
programs as majors have demonstrated an acceptable level of academic
performance in regard to their ability to: (1) engage in data searches and data
organization, (2) engage in data analysis, and (3) engage in data presentation
and communication.
Oral Presentation: The oral presentation requirement is satisfied through coursework required
within the context of individual academic majors or through the completion of a
course designated by the department as satisfying this requirement. Each department is responsible for documenting that students enrolled in their
programs as majors have demonstrated an acceptable level of academic
performance in regard to their ability to: (1) employ basic skills of good
public speaking, (2) conduct an audience analysis, (3) use logic, and (4)
demonstrate credibility through the presentation of evidence and the use of
proper delivery techniques, including the use of audio-visual materials and
appropriate technologies.
Information Literacy Requirement: The information literacy requirement is satisfied through the completion of
coursework required within the context of individual academic majors. Each department is responsible for documenting that students enrolled in their
programs as majors have demonstrated an acceptable level of academic
performance in regard to their ability to: (1) frame a research question, (2) access and evaluate sources, (3) evaluate
content, (4) use information effectively to accomplish a specific purpose, and
(5) understand the economic, legal and social issues of information use.