The Maryville Curriculum, General Education

Professor Mary Turner, Chair, Core Curriculum

The Maryville Curriculum, a core program of general education, is based on the conviction that liberal learning is the best preparation for a satisfying and successful life, whatever one’s vocation. While many aspects of the college experience, including major-field requirements, allow students to prepare for a variety of careers and professions, general education emphasizes the cultivation of the intellectual skills and personal qualities that mark the educated person. Through the enhancement of skills and knowledge, the deepening of sensitivities, and the clarification of personal purpose, students learn to deal responsibly in a world of uncertainty and accelerating change.

General education is the centerpiece of any liberal arts degree and provides curricular definition to the mission of a liberal arts college. The Maryville Curriculum follows directly and consciously from the College’s Statement of Purpose and Educational Goals.

The Maryville Curriculum, often called the “core” curriculum, consists of 51 credit hours. Some general education requirements are met by virtue of the student’s major; others may be met by demonstration of competence.

Course Descriptions for courses in the Maryville Curriculum are described in the Course Listings section of this Catalog.

Distinctive features of the Maryville Curriculum:

  • Course groupings that are closely aligned with specified educational goals of the College.
  • An integrated and sequenced set of foundational courses designed to assist in adjustment to college life, to attend to the developmental and learning issues unique to first year students, and to develop the basic communication, quantitative, and critical thinking skills needed for success in college.
  • A range of coursework that provides grounding in the various modes of inquiry and all aspects of the liberal arts.
  • A range of choices for students among courses that fulfill common curricular goals.
  • Required groupings of courses designed to extend the college learning experience beyond the major and provide integration of liberal learning using various modes of inquiry.
  • Recognition that knowledge in certain domains is fulfilled by courses within the major.
  • A strong global and cross-cultural dimension.
  • Attention to values and ethical decision-making throughout the curriculum, with a capstone course focusing on these matters.
  • A curricular structure built upon groups of courses focusing on shared student learning outcomes that result in a broad liberal arts experience.
  • An integrated and sequenced set of vocational development activities and experiences.

General Education Requirements

Requirements in General Education are based on the four overarching educational goals of Maryville College. Each student must satisfy requirements for courses in each of the following instructional categories. Courses within domains share common student learning outcomes that guide teaching and learning within the group of courses.

Foundations (12 Credit Hours)

FYS 110First Year Seminar 110

3

ENG 110Composition and Speech I

3

ENG 120Composition and Speech II

3

MTH 110Quantitative Literacy (QL)

3

Note on special conditions:

ENG 110, ENG 120, and MTH 110: Placement examination results may result in exemption from the requirement.

Category I Domains of Knowledge (15-18 Credit Hours) - A critical knowledge of self and informed understanding of other

Religion, Spirituality and Critical Thought (3 Credit Hours)

Completion of one from this selection of courses or other course with (RS) Core designation in the course title:

PHL 149Selected Topics

3

REL 130Hebrew Bible World and Culture

3

REL 140The New Testament World and Culture

3

REL 149Selected Topics

3

REL 162Approaches to the Study of Religion

3

REL 212World Religions

3

Literary Studies (3 Credit Hours)

Completion of one from this selection of courses or other course with (LS) Core designation in the course title:

ENG 160The Early Western Literary Tradition

3

ENG 170The Modern Western Literary Tradition

3

ENG 180Literature and the American Experience

3

ENG 181Women's and Minority Literature

3

ENG 191American Literature: Puritan through Romantic

3

ENG 196Survey of British Literature I

3

ENG 292American Literature: Realism to the Present

3

ENG 297Survey of British Literature II

3

Historical Reasoning (3 Credit Hours)

Completion of one from this selection of courses or other course with (HR) Core designation in the course title:

ART 212Renaissance, Baroque and Modern Art

3

ART 31120th Century Art

3

ASL 107History and Culture of the American Deaf Community

3

HIS 149Selected Topics in History

3

HIS 131Early American History: 1492-1865

3

HIS 132Modern American History: 1865-Present

3

MUS 313History of Western Fine Arts Music to 1750

3

THT 316Theatre History I

3

Some HIS 149 courses also include the U.S. Pluralism (US) designation. See course title in Self Service.

Empirical Study of Person and Society (3 Credit Hours)

Completion of one from this selection of courses or other course with (PS) Core designation in the course title:

ECN 101Contemporary Economic Issues

3

ECN 221Economic Development

3

INT 201Contemporary Global Issues

3

PLS 211Comparative Government and Politics

3

PSY 101Introductory Psychology

3

SOC 101Introductory Sociology

3

Culture and Intercultural Dynamics (3 Credit Hours)

Completion of one from this selection of courses or other course with (CD) Core designation in the course title:

WRC 370Topics in World Culture

3

SPN 305Civilizations & Cultures of Latin America

3

Approved Study Abroad Program

Approved Study Abroad Program - recent examples include:

PSY/INT 249: International Child Welfare

SUS 249/ENV 200: In Search of Hygge/Sustainability in Scandinavia

EXP 200: India's Identities: Religion, Caste, and Gender/South India

PSY 200: Celtic Connections with Appalachia)

US Pluralism

Completion of one from this selection of courses or other course with a (US) Core designation in the course title:

ASL 107History and Culture of the American Deaf Community

3

DSN 149Selected Topics in Design

3

EDU 312Instructional Strategies for Diverse Learners

3

ENG 180Literature and the American Experience

3

ENG 181Women's and Minority Literature

3

GWS 101Introduction to Gender and Women's Studies

3

HIS 131Early American History: 1492-1865

3

HIS 132Modern American History: 1865-Present

3

HIS 305African American History: 1500-Present

3

MUS 312History of Music in the United States

3

PHR 321Physical Education and Recreation for Special Populations

3

PLS 149Selected Topics

3

PSY 228Human Sexuality

3

PSY 248Drugs and Behavior

3

PSY 324Child Poverty and Inequality

3

SOC 101Introductory Sociology

3

SOC 222Sociology of Appalachia

3

SOC 271Sociology of Education

3

SOC 315Social Inequality

3

SOC 101: If taken at Maryville College

DSN 149: Only the section entitled, "Art, Design and American Politics"

PLS 149: Only the section entitled, "Art, Design and American Politics"

Category II Domains of Knowledge (10-11 Credit Hours) - Proficiency in the use of evidence, empirical data, and quantitative analysis

Scientific Reasoning (7-8 Credit Hours)

One of the courses below must have a laboratory component (4 Credit Hours)

One physical science course from a selected group of courses with (SP) in course title:
CHM 111Fundamentals of Chemistry

4

CHM 121General Chemistry I

4

CHM 149Selected Topics in Chemistry

3-4

PHS 111Investigations in Physical Science

4

PHY 101College Physics I

4

PHY 149Selected Topics

3

PHY 201General Physics I

4

One life science course from a selected group of courses with (SL) in course title:
BIO 111Fundamentals of Biology

4

BIO 112Principles of Microbiology

4

BIO 113Principles of Organismal Biology

4

BIO 115Principles of Cellular Biology

4

BIO 149Selected Topics in Biology

3

BIO 217Human Anatomy and Physiology I

4

EVS 101Introduction to Environmental Science

3

Mathematical Reasoning (3-4 Credit Hours)

Completion of one from this selection of courses or other course with (MR) Core designation in the course title:

STA 120Introductory Statistics

4

CSC 111Introduction to Computer Science I

3

MTH 125Calculus I (MR)

4

Category III Domains of Knowledge (up to 11 Credit Hours) - Skill and discernment in producing and interpreting forms of human expression

Second Language (L2) (up to 8 Credit Hours) - #a #b

Completion of a 120 course in a second language, options include:

ASL 120American Sign Language II

4

FRN 120Elementary French II

4

GER 120Elementary German II

4

ITA 120Elementary Italian II

4

JPN 120Elementary Japanese II

4

LAT 120Elementary Latin II (L2)

4

SPN 120Elementary Spanish II

4

Notes on special conditions:

#a Placement examination results may result in exemption from the requirement.

#b Not required of students for whom English is a second language. For these students, study in a third language is recommended as an elective, but is not required.

Creative Arts (CA) (3 Credit Hours)

Completion of one of a selection of courses or three semesters of participation in a musical ensemble or three semesters of participation in theatre productions, options include:

ART 102Introduction to Two- Dimensional Design

4

ART 103Introduction to Sculpture and Three-Dimensional Design

4

ART 110Painting and Drawing I

4

ART 124Introduction to Photography

4

ART 125Introduction to Ceramics

4

ART 126Introduction to Printmaking

4

ART 140Perspectives in Art

3

MUS E12The Maryville College Concert Choir

0-1

MUS E13The Maryville College Community Chorus

0-1

MUS E14The Orchestra at Maryville: A College-Community Ensemble

0-1

MUS E15The Maryville College Jazz Band

0-1

MUS E16The Maryville College Community Concert Band

0-1

MUS 140Perspectives in Music

3

THT 101Introduction to Theatre

3

THT 140Perspectives in Theatre

3

THT 204Theatre Production

1

Category IV Domain of Knowledge (3 Credit Hours) - The judgment and knowledge required for ethical citizenship of nation and world.

Ethical Citizenship (3 Credit Hours)

Completion of one course in ethics or other course with an (EC) Core designation in the course title, typically taken in the senior year:

ETH 490Philosophical and Theological Foundations of Ethical Thought

3