Goals and Objectives

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A student completing the general education program at Western Kentucky University will have:

ACADEMIC SKILLS

1. The capacity for critical and logical thinking;

• uses investigative, analytical, and critical thinking skills to acquire information, evaluate alternatives, and make decisions
• evaluates the accuracy, authority, bias, and relevance of information sources

 2. Proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking;

• derives meaning from various texts, evaluates arguments, recognizes explicit statements and inferences, reaches conclusions, and makes generalizations
• uses oral and written language to create a text with a clear and significant thesis, adequate and relevant supporting evidence, appropriate documentation, and clear and valid assumptions and conclusions
• demonstrates mastery of such essential practices as planning, invention, arrangement, revision, and editing
• develops clear and effective prose through attention to style and grammar
• uses rhetorical strategies appropriate to purpose, audience, and content

3. Competence in a language other than the native language;

• demonstrates basic facility of the vocabulary and grammar of a second language
• demonstrates basic communication skills in a second language
• comprehends the various forms of communication in a second language

4. The ability to understand and apply mathematical skills and concepts;

• uses the fundamental principles of reasoning that are involved in mathematics
• uses graphical, symbolic, and numeric methods to solve practical problems
• interprets data presented in tables and graphical displays

KNOWLEDGE, PERSPECTIVES, AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS

5. An informed acquaintance with major achievements in the arts and the humanities;

• uses appropriate vocabulary and concepts for the description and critical analysis of literary and artistic works
• identifies important ideas and achievements in philosophy, literature, and the arts
• identifies various forms of literature and artistic expression
• identifies and analyzes similarities, differences, and interrelationships among the arts
• evaluates the contributions of philosophical, ethical, or religious systems to human life
• attends cultural events and visits sites of historical significance

6. A historical perspective and an understanding of connections between past and present;

• analyzes historical patterns and their contemporary significance
• identifies interrelationships between historical events and artistic, literary, philosophical, religious and scientific works and movements
• identifies historical developments and cultural traditions in western civilization
• demonstrates a critical perspective on one's own culture by studying other historical periods and other cultural traditions

7. An appreciation of the complexity and variety in the world's cultures;

• recognizes the contributions of the various world cultures to humanity and identifies the ways in which these cultures are interrelated and interdependent
• identifies differences and similarities among the world's cultural traditions and social organizations

8. An understanding of the scientific method and a knowledge of natural science and its relevance in our lives;

• explains how scientific knowledge is created, developed, and changed through experimentation and reasoning
• demonstrates knowledge in one or more of the sciences, including theories, concepts, and principles that explain observations and make predictions
• locates and evaluates reliable resources to acquire information about scientific developments
• outlines the reciprocal relationship between humans and the rest of the ecosystem

9. An understanding of society and human behavior;

• describes methods of inquiry appropriate to the scientific study of societal institutions and human behavior
• identifies social processes and structures from local to global levels
• explains how cultural, political, and economic forces affect society and individuals
• describes basic social problems and issues, potential solutions, and their impact on people and institutions
• identifies and evaluates the behaviors that contribute to effective political participation in the United States
• recognizes the contributions of the diverse cultures in the United States and identifies how these cultures are interdependent
• examines patterns of interaction pertaining to race, gender, ethnic identity, class, community, and other forms of social grouping
• evaluates the impact of heredity and environment on human development and individual behavior

10. An understanding of factors that enhance health, well-being, and quality of life.