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4-3: Liberal Arts Core Requirements

• Effective: Fall 2013

• Approved: April 2013

1.0 PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to establish how Fort Lewis College (hereafter the College) complies with C.R.S. 23-1-125 (3) and Colorado Commission on Higher Education Policy Section I-L 5.02.

2.0 REQUIREMENTS

2.01 Colorado Statute

C.R.S. 23-1-125 (3) requires all Colorado public institutions of higher education to implement a general education program that is at least 30 credit hours but no more than 40 credit hours and conforms to the guidelines for general education established by the Colorado Department of Higher Education and approved by the Colorado Commission on Higher Education.

2.02 Colorado Commission on Higher Education Policy

Colorado Commission on Higher Education Policy I-L-5.02 establishes the following guidelines for a 31-credit general education program:

• Communication – Two courses totaling a minimum of six credits in the CO1-CO2 or CO2-CO3 sequence:

  • Introductory Writing (CO1)
  • Intermediate Writing (CO2)
  • Advanced Writing (CO3)

• Mathematics – One course of a minimum of three credits

• Arts and Humanities, History, and Social and Behavioral Sciences – Four or five courses totaling a minimum of 15 credits with at least two courses and a minimum of six credits in Arts and Humanities (no subcategory requirements specified), at least one course and a minimum of three credits in History, and at least one course and a minimum of three credits in Social and Behavioral Sciences (no subcategory requirements specified):

  • Arts and Humanities
    • Arts and Expression (AH1)
    • Literature and Humanities (AH2)
    • Ways of Thinking (AH3)
    • Foreign Language (AH4)
  • History (HI1)
    • Social and Behavioral Sciences
      • Economic or Political Systems (SS1)
      • Geography (SS2)
      • Human Behavioral, Cultural or Social Framework (SS3)
    • Natural and Physical Sciences – Two courses, at least one course in SC1, totaling a minimum of seven credits:
      • With Lab (SC1)
      • Without Lab (SC2)

2.03 Higher Learning Commission Policy

Higher Learning Commission B.1.a. establishes a minimum of 30 credits for general education in baccalaureate degree programs.

3.0 DESIGNATION OF GENERAL EDUCATION

The College has designated its general education program the Liberal Arts Core.

4.0 CATEGORIES OF REQUIREMENTS

The Liberal Arts Core is structured into six categories of requirements, the five categories specified in CCHE Policy I-L-5.02 and an additional institution-specific category of Physical Well-Being.

•Communication

•Mathematics

•Arts and Humanities

•History

•Social and Behavioral Sciences

•Physical Well-Being

5.0 COMPLIANCE WITH MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM NUMBER OF CREDITS REQUIREMENTS

Section 6.0 of this policy ensures ensure that each category of requirements in the Liberal Arts Core meets the minimum credit requirements in CCHE Policy I-L-5.02.

Section 6.0 further ensures that the total number of credits in the Liberal Arts Core meets the minimum established in C.R.S. 23-125 (30 credits), HLC policy (30 credits), and CCHE Policy I-L-5.02 (31 credits), and does not exceed the maximum number of credits specified in C.R.S. 23-1-125 (40 credits).

5.01 Summary of Minimum and Maximum Number of Credits in Liberal Arts Core

The following summary of the minimum and maximum number of credits by category and overall follows the honest credit counting protocols specified in Fort Lewis College Academic Policy and Procedure – Section 4-1 – Honest Credit Counting Protocols: 3

  • Communication – Minimum 7, Maximum 10
  • Mathematics – Minimum 3, Maximum 4
  • Arts and Humanities – Minimum 8, Maximum 8
  • History – Minimum 4, Maximum 4
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences – Minimum 4, Maximum 4
  • Natural and Physical Sciences – Minimum 7, Maximum 8
  • Physical Well-Being – Minimum 1, Maximum 1
  • Combined credits required in Arts and Humanities, History, and Social and Behavioral Sciences – Minimum 16, Maximum 16
  • Total credits required for Liberal Arts Core – Minimum 34, Maximum 39

6.0 ALLOWABLE CREDITS FOR EACH TYPE OF COURSE IN EACH CATEGORY OF REQUIREMENTS

Each type of course approved for the Liberal Arts Core must be designed to qualify for the number of credits specified in this section.

6.01 Communications

All CO1, CO2, and CO3 courses must be designed to qualify for a minimum of 3 credits and a maximum of 4 credits.

6.02 Mathematics

All MA1 courses must be designed to qualify for a minimum of 3 credits and a maximum of 4 credits.

6.03 Arts and Humanities

All AH1, AH2, AH3, and AH4 courses must be designed to qualify for exactly 4 credits.

6.04 History

All HI1 courses must be designed to qualify for exactly 4 credits.

6.05 Social and Behavioral Science

All SS1, SS2, and SS3 courses must be designed to qualify for exactly 4 credits.

6.06 Natural and Physical Sciences

6.06.01 Science with Lab

All SC1 courses must be designed to qualify for exactly 4 credits.

6.06.02 Science without Lab 4

All SC2 courses must be designed to qualify for a minimum of 3 credits and a maximum of 4 credits.