General Education Requirements

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Every student who graduates from Friends University will complete a general education program intentionally designed to build essential skills and prepare you for a diverse and ever-changing work environment. General Education courses are provided by different academic divisions to provide a cross-discipline approach to developing skills in critical thinking, quantitative analysis, written and verbal communications, and collaboration with peers from different disciplines.

The University’s General Education Program has eight educational goals, each providing a number of distinct learning outcomes, which can be met by a variety of courses and educational experiences. General Education goals are best met early in a student’s undergraduate career, however, there are courses that are appropriate to take in a student’s junior and senior years.

The following courses are required for all undergraduate students. Courses may be titled as listed or may be designated as themed courses.

General Education Goal 1: Intellectual and Practical Skills (1-3 credit hours)

Two credit hours of Friends Experience (GNST 1XX) are required of first year students.

One credit hour of Friends Experience (GNST 111) may be taken by transfer students who transfer 28 or more credit hours.

GNST 110 - Friends Experience 2 Credit Hours
GNST 111 - Friends Experience 1 Credit Hours
The following courses are options for Honors Students only:
HNRS 110 - Introduction to Honors I 2 Credit Hours
HNRS 111 - Introduction to Honors II 1 Credit Hours
The following course is an option for CAPS students only:
CAPS 200 - Principles and Skills of Adult Learning 3 Credit Hours

General Education Goal 2: Quantitative Literacy (3 credit hours)

For CAPS students, course must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.

MATH 101 - Math for Liberal Arts 3 Credit Hours
MATH 111 - College Algebra 3 Credit Hours
Other MATH course with a College Algebra pre-requisite

General Education Goal 3: Communication Skills (9 credit hours)

Written Communication (6-9 credit hours)

Courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. Course requirements are dependent upon placement.

COMP 110 - Integrated Reading and Writing - Part I 3 Credit Hours *
COMP 111 - Integrated Reading and Writing - Part II 3 Credit Hours *
*Completion of both Part I and II is required for registration in COMP 202.
COMP 201 - Writing 1 3 Credit Hours
COMP 202 - Writing 2 3 Credit Hours

Oral Communication (3 credit hours)

Choose one of the following:

BADM 220 - Business Communications and Networking 3 Credit Hours
PSYC 250 - Interpersonal Relations 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 250 - Interpersonal Relations 3 Credit Hours
SPCH 100 - Public Speaking 3 Credit Hours
SPCH 111 - Public Speaking for College and Career 3 Credit Hours
SPCH 275 - Voice and Speech for Performance 3 Credit Hours

General Education Goal 4: Breadth of Knowledge (16 credit hours)

General Education Goal 5: Culture and Diversity (3 credit hours)

ART 220 - Art History 1 3 Credit Hours
BSAD 570 - Business Diversity and Cross-Cultural Communication 3 Credit Hours
DANC 321 - Dance History 2 3 Credit Hours
GNST 498 - Studies Abroad Workshop 1 - 12 variable Credit Hours
ENGL 322 - U.S. Women’s History/Literature (Multicultural) 3 Credit Hours
HIST 322 - U.S. Women’s History/Literature (Multicultural) 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 322 - U.S. Women’s History/Literature (Multicultural) 3 Credit Hours
HIST 321 - African American History 3 Credit Hours
IDST 301 - Colloquium II: Cultural Context 3 Credit Hours
INBS 310 - International Environment in Business 3 Credit Hours
MUSC 415 - Music History and Literature 3 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 245 - Racial and Ethnic Relations 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 260 - Cultural Anthropology 3 Credit Hours
SOCI 335 - Social Inequality 3 Credit Hours
SPAL 351 - Latin America Today 3 Credit Hours
SPAL 352 - Spain Today 3 Credit Hours
SPAL 353 - Mayan Culture 3 Credit Hours
SPAL 354 - Mexican American Culture 3 Credit Hours

General Education Goal 6: Personal and Social Responsibility (3 credit hours)

BMGT 220 - Business Ethics 3 Credit Hours
FLDB 200 - Foundations of Environmental Science 3 Credit Hours
PHIL 180 - Introduction to Ethics 3 Credit Hours
POLS 100 - American Government 3 Credit Hours
POLS 250 - Christianity and Social Justice 3 Credit Hours
SOSC 220 - Simplicity and Sustainability 3 Credit Hours

General Education Goal 7: Integration, Applied, Learning, Creativity (3 credit hours)

REL 299 - The Good Life 3 Credit Hours
The following courses are options for CAPS students only:
ACCT 462 - Accounting Capstone 3 Credit Hours
BADM 490 - Strategic Management 3 Credit Hours
CSE 490 - Capstone Project 3 Credit Hours
ELEM 440 - Elementary School Student Teaching 6 Credit Hours
HRMT 490 - HR Capstone: Current Issues in Human Resources Management 3 Credit Hours
PSYC 490 - Senior Thesis Capstone Project 3 Credit Hours
SOSC 490 - Capstone Change Project 3 Credit Hours

General Education Goal 8: World Religion and Christianity (3-6 credit hours)

Choose one of the following:

REL 160 - Theology 1 3 Credit Hours
REL 205 - Christian Resources for the Care of Creation 3 Credit Hours
REL 221 - Varieties of Religious Experience 3 Credit Hours
REL 222 - Introduction to Christian Living 3 Credit Hours
REL 250 - Christian History 3 Credit Hours

Choose one of the following (CBASE students only):

REL 110 - Old Testament Survey 3 Credit Hours
REL 111 - New Testament Survey 3 Credit Hours
REL 125 - Survey of the Bible 3 Credit Hours
REL 230 - Psalms 3 Credit Hours
REL 231 - Romans 3 Credit Hours

Total General Education Requirements: 43-48+ credit hours

Additional Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Science: Students must have an additional 6 hours of science and/or math.
Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, and Bachelor of Music: Students must have 8 additional hours in a single foreign language. See Undergraduate Student Academic Policies section under Degree Requirements and Graduation Information.

General Education Requirements

General Education Goal 1: Intellectual and Practical Skills (1-3 credit hours)

General Education Goal 2: Quantitative Literacy (3 credit hours)

General Education Goal 3: Communication Skills (9 credit hours)

Written Communication (6-9 credit hours)

Oral Communication (3 credit hours)

General Education Goal 4: Breadth of Knowledge (16 credit hours)

Humanities (3 credit hours)

Natural Science (3-5 credit hours)

Business (3 credit hours)

Arts (3 credit hours)

Social Sciences and History (3 credit hours)

General Education Goal 5: Culture and Diversity (3 credit hours)

General Education Goal 6: Personal and Social Responsibility (3 credit hours)

General Education Goal 7: Integration, Applied, Learning, Creativity (3 credit hours)

General Education Goal 8: World Religion and Christianity (3-6 credit hours)

Choose one of the following:

Choose one of the following (CBASE students only):

Total General Education Requirements: 43-48+ credit hours

Additional Degree Requirements