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2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
General Education Requirements
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2020-2021 University General Education Requirement
Statement of Purpose. General education provides students with the foundation for successful academic study, for lifelong learning, and for carrying out the duties of local, national, and global citizenship. The university’s general education curriculum is designed to help students better understand themselves, human cultures and societies, and the natural world, and to contribute to their personal enrichment while enrolled and after graduation.
The general education program focuses on “Building Basic Skills” and on “Developing Broadened Perspectives”:
Building Basic Skills: Because the hallmark of the educated person is the ability to think independently, students must be trained to acquire, evaluate, and use information and to apply it in their written, oral, and mathematical expression. They must write clearly, speak convincingly, and solve problems using logical and critical reasoning.
Developing Broadened Perspectives: General education should help students develop habits of self-examination in the context of their relationship to family, community, local and global societies, and the natural world. To this end, general education should help foster a commitment to respecting the diversity of personal and cultural values. Students should be able to explain their own values and beliefs, as well as to understand the histories and cultures behind those values. Students should study the historical traditions and artistic works of other cultures, both within and outside the United States, and the fundamental principles and chief discoveries of the scientific disciplines. They should strengthen their sensitivity to cultural diversity by studying the dynamic nature of a multicultural world through interdisciplinary perspectives or by learning other languages.
The design of the University of Tennessee’s general education program enables students to move among colleges within the university or to move to another institution of higher learning. Although general education provides students with the foundational skills required for college study, those skills are specific neither to UT nor to a particular major or career path.
Requirements and Outcomes. The general education requirements and the student learning outcomes expected for each area are listed below. (See Notes).
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A. For Building Basic Skills
I. Communicating through Writing (WC)
(3 courses including ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 or equivalent plus an approved writing-intensive course)
Good writing skills enable students to create and share ideas, investigate and describe values, and record and explain discoveries – all skills that are necessary not only for professional success but also for personal fulfillment. Students must be able to write correctly, and they must be able to locate relevant information, evaluate its usefulness and quality, and incorporate it logically and ethically to support ideas and claims.
Courses in this area are expected to produce the following outcomes for students:
- Students will demonstrate the ability to write clearly and correctly, employing the conventions of standard American English.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to write effectively for different audiences and purposes, shaping content, organization, and style to correspond with appropriate disciplinary expectations and rhetorical contexts.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to locate and use relevant, credible evidence to support ideas.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to cite and document sources in keeping with appropriate disciplinary conventions.
Students may satisfy the first-year composition requirement in one of two ways:
- By completing 6 hours in English writing courses according to one of the following 4 sequences:
- ENGL 101 and ENGL 102
- ENGL 118 and ENGL 102 . Students who earn a B or higher in ENGL 118 may complete their first-year composition requirement with ENGL 102 , a sophomore-level course in the English department, or ENGL 355 . The sophomore course, if designated AH, may also be used toward the Arts and Humanities General Education requirement. Eligibility for ENGL 118 will be determined by ACT or SAT scores.
- ENGL 131 and ENGL 132 . Placement in ENGL 131 or ENGL 132 will be determined by TOEFL (or equivalent standardized test) scores.
- ENGL 198 and ENGL 298 (for Chancellor’s Honors Program students only)
- By earning credit for ENGL 101 through a College Board Advanced Placement Test and completing one additional course from the following:
Upon completion of ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 or their equivalent, students must take one other approved WC course. The WC course can be within the student’s major or an elective.
Approved Communicating Through Writing (WC) Courses
Aerospace Engineering
AE 449 - Aerospace Engineering Laboratory
Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications
ALEC 440 - Business and Research Writing
American Studies
AMST 312 - Popular Culture and American Politics
Anthropology
ANTH 321 - Anthropology of South Asia
ANTH 423 - Anthropology of Gender
Arab
ARAB 321 - The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in Literature, Film, and Popular Culture
Architecture
ARCH 213 - Modern Architecture: Histories and Theories
ARCH 227 - Honors: Modern Architecture Histories and Theories
Art History
ARTH 402 - Seminar in Art History II
Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology
BCMB 409 - Perspectives in Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology
Biomedical Engineering
BME 449 - Biomedical Engineering Laboratory
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
CBE 415 - Advanced Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Laboratory
Chemistry
CHEM 449 - Advanced Synthesis Laboratory
CHEM 459 - Advanced Measurement and Spectroscopy Laboratory
Child and Family Studies
CFS 405 - Development of Professional Skills
Cinema Studies
CNST 312 - Popular Culture and American Politics
Civil Engineering
CE 205 - Professional Development I
Classics
CLAS 299 - Research Practicum in Classics
Computer Science
COSC 402 - Senior Design Practicum
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
EEB 205 - Theory and Methods in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology †
EEB 305 - Evolution and Society
EEB 409 - Perspectives in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
EEB 425 - Communicating the Science of Climate Change Biology
EEB 451 - Research Ethics
Electrical and Computer Engineering
ECE 402 - Senior Design Practicum
English
ENGL 206 - Introduction to Shakespeare
ENGL 207 - Honors: British Literature I
ENGL 208 - Honors: British Literature II
Forestry
Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries
German
History
Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism
Haslam Scholars Program
Industrial Engineering
Information Sciences
Journalism and Electronic Media
Judaic Studies
Materials Science and Engineering
Mathematics Education
Mechanical Engineering
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Military Science and Leadership
Music Education
Musicology
Nuclear Engineering
Nursing
Philosophy
Plant Sciences
Political Science
Psychology
Religious Studies
Retail and Consumer Sciences
Russian
Science Education
Social Work
Sociology
Theatre
University Honors
Women, Gender, and Sexuality
II. Communicating Orally (OC) (1 course)
Good oral communications skills enable students to interact successfully with others, share ideas, and present and explain discoveries – all skills that are necessary not only for professional success but also for personal fulfillment. Students should be able to speak in an informative and/or convincing manner to other individuals and to groups, both small and large. Students should be able to locate relevant information, evaluate its usefulness and quality, and incorporate the information logically and ethically in oral communication.
Courses in this area are expected to produce the following outcomes for students:
- Students will demonstrate the ability to speak clearly and effectively.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to locate and use relevant, credible evidence to support ideas.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to present oral information effectively to different audiences, shaping message, organization, language choices, and delivery techniques to correspond with purpose and rhetorical context.
This requirement may be completed by either of the following:
- Taking Communication Studies (CMST) - or (or honors equivalents, or ).
or
- Taking a course with an OC designation.
Approved Communicating Orally (OC) Courses
Aerospace Engineering
Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications
Animal Science
Art Design/Graphic
Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology
Biosystems Engineering
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Chemistry
Child and Family Studies
Civil Engineering
Computer Science
Design
Engineering Fundamentals
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Environmental and Soil Sciences
Graphic Design
Industrial Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Microbiology
Nuclear Engineering
Nursing
Philosophy
Physics
III. Quantitative Reasoning (QR) (2 courses)
Quantitative and statistical evidence and mathematical and logical reasoning often play critical roles in building arguments and claims to support opinions and actions. Students should therefore possess the mathematical and quantitative skills needed to evaluate such arguments and claims. Students should be able to recognize the quantitative dimensions of questions and issues they will encounter in their professional and personal lives. They also should be able to use mathematical and logical reasoning to formulate and solve problems.
Courses in this area are expected to produce the following outcomes for students:
- Students will demonstrate the ability to identify those aspects of arguments and claims that rely on quantitative evidence and on mathematical or logical reasoning.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate the appropriateness of conclusions drawn from quantitative evidence and mathematical or logical reasoning techniques.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to formulate and solve problems that rely on mathematical or logical reasoning.
This requirement may be completed by either of the following.
- Taking two mathematics or statistics courses from the list below. (Preferably, these courses would be taken in one of the following pairings: and ; and ; and ; and ; and ; , or and or ; and or or .)
or
- Taking one mathematics course from the list below and one course designated in the undergraduate catalog as having a quantitative component (QR). The course designated as having a quantitative component may be within the student’s major or an elective.
Mathematics
Statistics
Approved Quantitative Reasoning (QR) Courses
Architecture
Business Administration
Computer Science
Geography
Interior Architecture
Music Technology
Philosophy
Psychology
B. For Developing Broadened Perspectives
I. Arts and Humanities (AH) (2 courses)
“What does it mean to be human?” In attempting to answer this question, people have produced—and continue to produce—culturally and historically significant works. The study and critical interpretation of such works and their creators not only enriches students’ lives but also helps students understand their own and others’ answers to this enduring question.
Courses in this area are expected to produce the following outcomes for students:
- Students will demonstrate the ability to identify and describe prominent works, figures, and/or schools of thought in the arts and humanities.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to describe the cultural and historical significance of prominent works, figures, and/or schools of thought in the arts and humanities.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to critically interpret prominent works or accomplishments in artistic and humanistic fields.
This requirement is satisfied by taking two courses from the approved AH list.
Approved Arts and Humanities (AH) Courses
Africana Studies
Arab
Architecture
Art Design/Graphic
Art History
Cinema Studies
Classics
English
German
Graphic Design
Haslam Scholars Program
History - Europe
Judaic Studies
Middle East Studies
Musicology
Music Theory
Philosophy
Religious Studies
Russian
Theatre
University Honors
II. Cultures and Civilizations (CC) (2 courses)
Deepening understanding of one’s own cultures and traditions requires stepping back to see how and why individuals and societies are both similar and different. Contextualizing beliefs about global events, ideas, and social practices provides students with the tools they need to understand historical, social, linguistic, and/or cultural similarities and differences.
Courses in this area are expected to produce the following outcome for students:
- Students will demonstrate understanding of appropriate disciplinary vocabulary, or competency in reading and speaking a language other than English.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to identify those aspects of social and cultural behaviors and ideas that change and those that stay the same across different times and places.
This requirement may be satisfied in one of the following ways:
- Taking two courses from the following CC list.
or
- Taking a two-course sequence in a foreign language at the intermediate level.
or
- Taking a six-hour intensive foreign language course at the intermediate level.
Approved Cultures and Civilizations (CC) Courses
Africana Studies
Anthropology
Classics
Cultural Studies in Education
Entomology and Plant Pathology
Environmental and Soil Sciences
Food Science
Global Studies
History
Haslam Scholars Program
Latin American and Caribbean Studies
Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Modern Foreign Languages and Literatures
Plant Sciences
Religious Studies
Retail and Consumer Sciences
Sociology
University Honors
INTERMEDIATE FOREIGN LANGUAGE SEQUENCES
Some Colleges, such as Arts and Sciences and Business Administration, may require specific foreign language courses to fulfill this requirement (see Note 2). Students should consult their academic advisor before selecting language courses.
American Sign Language
Arabic
Asian Studies
Chinese
Classics
French
German
Hebrew
Italian
Japanese
Persian
Portuguese
Religious Studies
Russian
Spanish
INTENSIVE INTERMEDIATE FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSES
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Spanish
III. Natural Sciences (NS) (2 courses)
Over time, advances in science and technology have shaped our understanding of the world and our place in it. All students should be familiar with the fundamental principles and chief discoveries of one or more scientific disciplines, the role and relevance of science in contemporary society, and should be able to use scientific knowledge and methods to answer questions about natural phenomena and analyze contemporary issues.
Courses in this area are expected to produce the following outcomes for students:
- Students will demonstrate the ability to describe fundamental principles and chief discoveries through appropriate use of the basic vocabulary of a course’s discipline.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to identify the scientific dimensions of contemporary issues.
- Students will demonstrate the ability to use experimental techniques to answer questions and test hypotheses.
This requirement is satisfied by taking two courses from the approved NS list. At least one of the courses must have a laboratory.
Approved Natural Sciences (NS) Courses († Non-Lab Courses)
Anthropology
†
†
Astronomy
†
†
*NOTE: Students may take - or - for natural science with lab credit.
Biology
†
†
†
†
(Lab if taken with or .)
†
†
†
†
*NOTE: Students may take -, -, -, or - for natural science with lab credit.
Chemistry
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
†
Engineering Fundamentals
Entomology and Plant Pathology
†
†
Environmental and Soil Sciences
†
Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries
†
Geography
†
Geology
†
†
†
†
†
†
†
†
†
Haslam Scholars Program
†
†
Microbiology
Nutrition
†
Physics
†
†
†
Plant Sciences
†
University Honors
†
†
IV. Social Sciences (SS) (2 courses)
Why do people – individually and collectively – do what they do? Answering this question allows us to better understand ourselves, make better decisions, and promote the health and success of individuals and groups. The ability to answer this question requires gaining knowledge about individual and group behavior and political and social systems, as well as understanding the methods by which social scientists collect, create, and evaluate such knowledge.
Courses in this area are expected to produce the following outcomes for students:
- Students will identify and critique claims about human behavior and the dynamics of individual, political, and social issues.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of appropriate and ethical methods, technologies, and data that social scientists use to investigate and describe the human condition.
This requirement is satisfied by taking two courses from the approved SS list.
Approved Social Sciences (SS) Courses
Africana Studies
Agricultural and Resource Economics
Agriculture and Natural Resources
Anthropology
Baker Center for Public Policy
Child and Family Studies
Economics
Educational Psychology
Geography
Global Studies
Haslam Scholars Program
Interior Architecture
Political Science
Psychology
Public Health
Religious Studies
Social Work
Sociology
University Honors
Women, Gender, and Sexuality
Notes
- Some courses on the various General Education course lists may have prerequisites. Students are responsible for meeting all course prerequisites.
- A student’s college/program may require specific General Education courses.
- General Education courses must be taken for a letter grade (i.e., A-F) rather than Satisfactory/No Credit (unless this is the only way the course is offered).
- The Office of Disability Services (ODS) is committed to providing equal opportunities for students with disabilities at the University of Tennessee. Appropriate accommodations will be made to enable persons with disabilities to satisfy the General Education requirements. Students with documented disabilities should contact the Office of Disability Services for assistance with appropriate accommodations at (865) 974-6087 or ods@tennessee.edu.
- Subcommittees of the Undergraduate Council General Education Committee are charged with management of the courses to be included on the General Education course lists for the Basic Skills and Broadened Perspectives areas.
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