New Liberal Education Program
Introduction
The purpose of this page is provide basic information about the Liberal Education Program to be implemented fall 2010. Included below are the new mission and goal statements. In the Overview document (below) you will also find brief descriptions of the University Inquiry course, the three new structural divisions of the program (Foundation Core, Diversity of Knowledge, and Integration), principles for program delivery for students, and the assessment plan (still under construction). The new overall structure with the attached learning outcomes/competencies will replace the existing eleven-category BSU Liberal Education Program. As the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum is embedded in the new Liberal Education Program, students will still be able to transfer easily both into and out of BSU. A minimum of 40 credits is required for students to complete the BSU Liberal Education Program.
Mission Statement
Liberal education, a central component of university life, provides an opportunity to reflect on what we value in arts, sciences, and social relations. The unifying mission of the Liberal Education Program at Bemidji State University is to promote a spirit of free inquiry and to foster critical thinking skills needed to make sound choices; it serves to enhance quality of life by helping each person reach full potential. Liberal Education develops effective citizens who appreciate learning as a life-long search for understanding and who are willing to engage and evaluate new ideas and diverse perspectives.
Goal Statement
Upon completion of the Liberal Education program students will have gained:
- intellectual and practical skills in thinking critically and reasoning logically, communicating both orally and in writing, and accessing and generating new knowledge;
- foundational knowledge in the natural and social sciences, arts, humanities, and mathematics; and
- an appreciation of arts, knowledge and learning, intellectual virtues, and personal, ethical, and civic responsibilities.