General Education: Archway Curriculum

Archway Curriculum

The general education requirements have been revised.
These General Education Requirements are for First-Year students starting in Fall 2014 or later and Transfer students starting in Fall 2015 and later. Any student starting prior to the previously stated dates should follow the "Preparing for Global Citizenship" curriculum.

First-Year Curriculum

Archway Seminar
The Archway Seminar introduces first-year students to the intellectual practices that must be cultivated and routinely exercised to make the most of a liberal education. By exploring an interdisciplinary topic, students develop their capacity to think analytically, conduct research, communicate orally and in writing, and collaborate in solving problems.

All students will take:

IDS 1010 The Archway Seminar

First-Year Writing
First-Year Writing courses prepare students for further academic study and for careers by improving their writing skills. These courses focus on all stages of the writing process and give students the opportunity to compose in different styles and formats for different purposes.

All students will choose two of the following courses:

Or a student can take ENG 1030FYW Writing and the Creative Arts for 4 credit hours.

Foundational Literacies

Modern Language Literacy
The study of a modern language is a vehicle for learning about other cultures. Developing proficiency in another language enables students to communicate more effectively in a multilingual society.

Students will acquire, at a minimum, proficiency equivalent to a year of modern language study at the college level, and all students will complete at least one semester of college language study.

Students with previous language study will be tested and placed in the appropriate language class. The modern language requirement at Nebraska Wesleyan can be met in the following ways*:

Satisfactory completion of Stage II (second semester of the beginning two-semester language sequence) (4-5 credits)
Satisfactory completion of a more advanced language course (i.e., Stage III or higher) (3 credits)
Students with previous language study who have been tested and place higher than Stage II may meet this requirement upon completion of one semester in a new language, if they prefer (4-5 credits).
Requirement waived for students who have completed the fourth-year high school language course in a modern language. Students must have earned grades of “B” or higher in each semester of language study, or grades of "A" in the final two semesters.

Requirement waived for native speakers of languages other than English who have fulfilled the TOEFL/APIEL/IELTS admission standard.

*Wesleyan Advantage students (those who complete a minimum of 24 hours through the Wesleyan Advantage program) may meet the modern language requirement in the following ways:

Satisfactory completion of any Stage I or higher modern language course
Satisfactory completion of an approved modern language course designed for nontraditional students: SPAN 1050 Spanish: Spanish for Communication or SPAN 1100 Spanish: Spanish for Health Professionals.

Six hours at ITESM, Campus Queretaro, will satisfy this area.

All students will take one of the following courses:

Mathematical Problem Solving
Developing skills in mathematical problem solving provides students with important tools in logical reasoning that can be applied to both quantitative and non-quantitative arguments.

All students will choose at least 3 credits from the following courses:

Natural Science Investigations
In order to understand many of the most important challenges that society faces, students must possess a basic understanding of both the natural and social sciences.

All students will take at least 4 credits (including a lab) from the following courses:

Social Science Investigations
In order to understand many of the most important challenges that society faces, students must possess a basic understanding of both the natural and social sciences.

All students will take at least 3 credits from the following courses:

Creative and Performing Arts
Creative and Performing Arts courses give students a first-hand experience of the creative act and of our shared artistic heritage. Students engage in the conceptual, formal, critical, and reflective processes that are central not only to artistic practice, but also to the demands of their working, social and private lives. The participatory structure of the classes enhances students' potential for creative expression in the future.

All students will take at least 3 credits from the following courses:

Integrative Core

The Integrative Core prepares students to confront the multifaceted challenges that face them as members of a diverse and global society. In these courses, students examine a core issue from different disciplinary, cultural, historical, social, scientific, artistic, or ethical perspectives. As a result of this integrative study, students develop the intercultural, interpersonal, and interdisciplinary skills they will need as the next generation of civic and professional leaders.

All students may choose one 18 hour Thread or two 9 hour Threads. Please see your academic advisor for details on Threads.

Essential Connections

Writing-Instructive
Writing-Instructive Courses ensure that students have frequent opportunities to develop their writing skills beyond the first year and across the curriculum.

All students must take three Writing Instructive courses from the following:
At least one course must be at the 3000-level or 4000-level.

Discourse/Speaking Instructive
Discourse and Speaking-Instructive courses ensure that students have frequent opportunities to develop their speaking skills beyond the first year and across the curriculum.

All students must choose either 3 Speaking-Instructive courses or 2 Speaking-Instructive and 1 Discourse-Instructive course from the following:
At least one course must be at the 3000-level or 4000-level.

Discourse-Instructive:

COMM 3800 Communication Through Dialogue

Speaking-Instructive:

Diversity-Instructive
Diversity-Instructive courses invite students to expand both their understanding of majority/minority relations in U.S. society and develop greater appreciation of our global society. In an increasingly diverse world where global migration is increasing at a rapid pace, where inequality based on heritage is built into social systems, and actions of individuals from every background, students must have a deeper understanding of the diverse nature of their world. This deeper understanding will allow for movement toward social justice.

All students must choose 1 course designated as Global Diversity issues and 1 course designated as U.S. Diversity issues from the following:

Global Diversity

United States Diversity

Experiential Learning

Experiential Learning integrates co-curricular experiences into academics in order to expand, deepen, and apply students' classroom learning.

All students must complete the Exploratory experience (which usually requires at least 20 hours within the first two years at Nebraska Wesleyan University) and the Intensive experience (which usually requires at least 45 hours and is usually taken within the last two years at Nebraska Wesleyan University) Alternately, a student may choose to complete two Intensive Experiences to fulfill this requirement.