Mar 28, 2024  
Fall 2016 Academic Catalog (August 2016 - December 2016) 
    
Fall 2016 Academic Catalog (August 2016 - December 2016) [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

General Studies


All Students must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours to receive a baccalaureate degree, regardless of their field of specialization, and among these must be the minimum 49 semester hours prescribed in the Program of General Studies.

General education is an essential element in an educational process designed around student learning expectations and the attainment of the skills, knowledge, and attitudes. At Concord University, the Program of General Studies is a coherent series of courses that emphasize the common learning of a shared body of knowledge, the development of intellectual skills, and an appreciation of the diverse social and cultural values and institutions that make up the modern world. Through studies in these basic liberal arts and sciences, students gain a foundation for specialized studies, are equipped with the tools and skills necessary to pursue further learning, and acquire an understanding of the modes of inquiry and the ways of knowing.

Although general education continues throughout the full four years, students will take most of the Program of General Studies in their first two years. This makes it possible to explore programs and fields of specialization.

The Program of General Studies consists of some courses which are absolute requirements; others allow for some academic choices.

A. Written and Oral Communications (9 hours)


Depending on placement, the first courses in English for entering freshmen are ENGL 101C* , Grammar, Composition & Rhetoric (3); ENGL 101 , Composition and Rhetoric (3); or ENGL 102 , Composition and Rhetoric (3); and

  , Fundamentals of Speech (3).

1.  Initial placement in ENGL 101C*   or ENGL 101  is determined by the student’s score on one of the following:

the English section of the Enhanced ACT

the Critical Reading (formerly termed Verbal) section of the SAT

the English section of the ASSET test

and, additionally, in some cases by a writing sample.

Initial placement in ENGL 102  is determined by both of the following: 

(1) the student’s score on one of the test sections indicated above, and (2) demonstration of writing proficiency beyond the ENGL 101  level. (Contact the Chair of the Division of Languages and Literature for further information.)

  1. A student who scores 17 or below or who has no scores at the time of enrollment will be placed in ENGL 101C* .
  2. A student who scores between 18 and 24 in ACT English will be eligible for initial placement in ENGL 101 . However, if a writing sample indicates a need for more basic instruction, the student will be transferred to ENGL 101C*  .
  3. A student who scores above 24 in ACT English will be eligible for placement in ENGL 102  if, in the judgment of at least two English faculty members, the student’s writing demonstrates adequate mastery of the skills taught in ENGL 101 .

In special circumstances, students whose writing ability appears to be inappropriate for the type of freshman-level course in which they are enrolled may be transferred to a different course within two weeks after classes begin should two of three faculty members concur with the instructor of the course.

A minimum grade of C is required in ENGL 101C  , ENGL 101 , and ENGL 102 . An incoming student must enroll in an English class at the appropriate level in the entering semester and continue to do so each semester until this course sequence has been satisfactorily completed.

*A mandatory co-requisite lab (zero credit hours), ENGL 101L  , Grammar, Composition & Rhetoric Lab, is required for enrollment in ENGL 101C  .

2. In oral communication, students will complete COMM 101 , Fundamentals of Speech. Teacher education majors are referred to the section on Admission to Teacher Education  for additional requirements.

All students must complete the nine (9) hour requirement for the Written and Oral Communications component of the General Studies program.

B. Literature (6 hours)


Non-English majors will complete ENGL 203 , World Literature I (3) and ENGL 204 , World Literature II (3); or they may substitute three Special Topics Mini-courses (1, 1, 1) for either ENGL 203  or ENGL 204  (not both), as indicated below:

ENGL 203A  courses may be used toward substitution for ENGL 203 .  

ENGL 204A  courses may be used toward substitution for ENGL 204 .

ENGL 207A  courses may be used toward substitution for either ENGL 203  or ENGL 204 

Note:


Both ENGL 203  and ENGL 204  are required for B.A. English and B.S. Education English/Language Arts majors.

Only Elementary Education K-6 candidates may substitute ENGL 329 for ENGL 204 in the General Studies Program.

D. Natural Sciences and Mathematics (14-15 hours)


  1. Students will complete one college level course (100 level or above) offered by the Department of Mathematics for at least three semester hours.
  2. Students will complete two four-hour laboratory science courses offered by the Department of Physical Sciences (GEOL, CHEM, PHYS, PHSC) or the Department of Biology (BIOL) for eight semester hours.
  3. Students will complete an additional four-hour laboratory science course from BIOL, CHEM, GEOL, PHYS, PHSC; or N SC 300C -N SC 300D  (3); or MATH 105 , Elementary Statistics (3); or CS 201 , Introduction to Computer Programming I (3). Teacher education majors are referred to the section on Admission to Teacher Education  for additional requirements.

Note:


BIOL 201 , Ecology and Field Methods, cannot be used to satisfy a General Studies science requirement.

E. The Social Sciences (12 hours)


Students must complete four courses with at least three of the following disciplines represented.

No more than two courses may be taken in the same discipline and be counted toward meeting the general studies requirement.

Only one Economics course may be counted toward the general studies requirement.

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Education degree must take three hours of history. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Education with the Elementary content specialization must take GEOG 200 and HIST 101 or HIST 102.

F. Physical Education (2 hours)


Students will complete the following:

G. Modern Languages (6 hours)


In certain cases, a two-semester sequence of courses in the same modern language can be substituted for up to two General Studies courses. Both courses in this two-course sequence must be passed before General Studies credit can be awarded. Modern language courses can be used to substitute for no more than ONE General Studies course per Academic Division.

Students entering Concord with no high school credit in a particular language may substitute the 101-102 sequence of courses in that language for up to two General Studies courses.

Students entering Concord with one year of high-school credit in a language may take the 101-level course in that language for credit toward graduation, but not for General-Studies course substitution purposes. A two-course sequence in that language that begins at the 102- or 110-level (or higher) may be substituted for up to two General Studies courses.

Students entering Concord with two or more years of high school credit in a particular language may take the 101- 102 course sequence (or the 110-level course) in that language for credit toward graduation, but not for General-Studies course substitution purposes.

A two-course sequence in that language beginning at the 201-level (or higher) may be substituted for up to two General Studies courses. Students fulfilling modern language program requirements MAY take 101 and 102 of a language studied in high school to fulfill program requirements, but may NOT substitute for general studies requirements with the same language.

Honors Course


Any student enrolled in the Honors Program may elect to substitute the 400 level capstone course for any General Studies course not required in his or her program, except that there is no substitute permitted for ENGL 101  - ENGL 102 , or the General Studies mathematics requirement.