James Madison UniversityGeneral Education Program

Q: What is General Education?A: The foundation program for all students

Liberal artsLiberal arts Basic skillsBasic skills Establishes lifelong learningEstablishes lifelong learning Provides breadth of study in broad areas Provides breadth of study in broad areas

of human knowledgeof human knowledge Opportunity for students to explore Opportunity for students to explore

individual interestsindividual interests

Supporting the JMU Mission:

A liberal education for all studentsA liberal education for all students The integration of liberal education intoThe integration of liberal education into

the university curriculumthe university curriculum Learning experiences that provide students Learning experiences that provide students

with a global consciousness in a rapidly with a global consciousness in a rapidly changing and technologically oriented changing and technologically oriented worldworld

The General Education Mission:

To graduate informed citizens, well prepared to participate To graduate informed citizens, well prepared to participate in public lifein public life

To provide students with critical skills in reasoning, To provide students with critical skills in reasoning, communication, and technologycommunication, and technology

To introduce students to core areas of knowledge central to To introduce students to core areas of knowledge central to the history of western civilization, including interactions the history of western civilization, including interactions with the global communitywith the global community

To invite students to know themselves and to consider the To invite students to know themselves and to consider the connections between values and behaviorconnections between values and behavior

The Value of a Liberal Education:

Knowing how to learnKnowing how to learn The ability to analyze and synthesize The ability to analyze and synthesize

information and ideasinformation and ideas Flexibility and creativityFlexibility and creativity Critical thinking and problem-solving skillsCritical thinking and problem-solving skills Written and oral communication skillsWritten and oral communication skills Understanding that crosses historical periods Understanding that crosses historical periods

and cultural differencesand cultural differences

General Education:The Human Community

Cluster One: Cluster One: Skills for the 21st CenturySkills for the 21st Century Cluster Two: Cluster Two: Arts and HumanitiesArts and Humanities Cluster Three: The Natural WorldCluster Three: The Natural World Cluster Four: Cluster Four: Social and CulturalSocial and Cultural

ProcessesProcesses Cluster Five: Cluster Five: The Individual in the The Individual in the

Human CommunityHuman Community

Cluster One:Skills for the 21st Century

Written communicationWritten communication Oral communicationOral communication

Critical thinkingCritical thinking

Communication through technologyCommunication through technology

Information retrievalInformation retrieval

Cluster Two: Arts and Humanities

Fine artsFine arts Literature Literature

Cultural and intellectual historyCultural and intellectual history Philosophy and religion in a historical Philosophy and religion in a historical

contextcontext

Cluster Three:The Natural World

MathematicsMathematics Quantitative skillsQuantitative skills Scientific literacyScientific literacy Experiential learning in the sciencesExperiential learning in the sciences

Cluster Four: Social and Cultural Processes

American and global perspectivesAmerican and global perspectives PoliticsPolitics EconomicsEconomics Societies and institutionsSocieties and institutions Social historySocial history

Cluster Five: The Individual in the Human Community

Health and wellnessHealth and wellness PsychologyPsychology Human behaviorHuman behavior Personal responsibilityPersonal responsibility

Cluster One Packages

A: Effective ArgumentsA: Effective Arguments

B: Critical Skills in the World of BusinessB: Critical Skills in the World of Business

C: Not available 1999-2000C: Not available 1999-2000

D: Critical Skills and Historical InquiryD: Critical Skills and Historical Inquiry

E: Media Literacy and CommunicationE: Media Literacy and Communication

Cluster One: Package E

Media Literacy and CommunicationMedia Literacy and Communication

GCOM 121E--Basic HumanGCOM 121E--Basic Human

CommunicationCommunication GENG 102E--Reading and CompositionGENG 102E--Reading and Composition GMAD 150E--Mediated Communication: GMAD 150E--Mediated Communication:

Issues and Skills Issues and Skills

How do we know if we’re doing a good job?

Program assessmentProgram assessment Pre-tests and post-tests in all five clustersPre-tests and post-tests in all five clusters Student performance on national testsStudent performance on national tests Portfolio assessment of writingPortfolio assessment of writing

Competency testingCompetency testing Basic technology skills (Tech 1)Basic technology skills (Tech 1) Information-Seeking Skills TestInformation-Seeking Skills Test

General Guidelines

One package in each clusterOne package in each cluster Cluster One (Skills) is freshman yearCluster One (Skills) is freshman year Cluster Three (Math and Science) by the end of Cluster Three (Math and Science) by the end of

sophomore yearsophomore year Other clusters sequenced through student’s Other clusters sequenced through student’s

educational careereducational career Consult academic advisor about relation to major Consult academic advisor about relation to major

requirementsrequirements

General Education:The Human Community

For more information:For more information:Visit our website at Visit our website at http://www.jmu.edu/genedhttp://www.jmu.edu/genedCall us at (540) 568-2852Call us at (540) 568-2852Email us at gened@jmu.eduEmail us at gened@jmu.edu

General Education is every student’s opportunity to enter into the learning community,

explore the world of knowledge, and prepare for the 21st century.