General Education

General Education Philosophy

Content

The problems and issues that a student will face after leaving college are not simply those connected with a specific interest, career or professional calling. Instead, they arise out of a variety of interests and contexts in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

To live a full, purposeful human life, therefore, during his or her college career, each student must be helped to cultivate knowledge, skills, habits, and commitments that transcend any particular major or discipline. She or he must be provided with a general education, which will empower him or her to draw from and integrate multiple perspectives and ways of knowing in the service of addressing, appreciating and acting upon real-life practical, ethical, political and spiritual challenges.

The Heritage

Such an education has traditionally been the goal of the liberal arts, which classically emphasized character development, versatility, breadth, independence, perspective, effective expression and critical thinking as essential for achieving lives of personal liberation and public service. Such an education has also traditionally been the goal of the liberal institutions in the Dominican tradition, where the need for study and reflection is joined with a requirement of action for the common good.

The Mission

At Edgewood College, both of these traditions find concrete expression in the College Mission, which is to engage students within a community of learners committed to building a just and compassionate world and to educate them for meaningful personal and professional lives of ethical leadership, service and a lifelong search for truth. Because it reflects both the traditions of the College and the needs of the student in today’s world, this Mission is the foundation of all of the College’s curricular offerings and of its overall understanding of the shape of general education.

The Method

In other institutions of higher learning, the general education that students receive is often organized in the following way: each student chooses from a range of designated courses in a number of separate, unchanging topic areas; these topics are associated with certain disciplines, which are in turn associated with particular departments. When a student is finished with his or her general education program, she or he will have one or more classes in each separate discipline area.

In contrast, what Edgewood College requires of its students is success in meeting a set of linked goals that can be embodied in a variety of educational structures. Some of these goals involve the acquisition of skills; others the application of knowledge. Still others have to do with educational processes, including integration of knowledge, developmentalism and experiential and community-based learning.

In meeting these goals, students at Edgewood College have the opportunity to engage directly in the sort of integration, critical thinking, self-reflection and problem solving that they will need to have rewarding lives of public service, personal fulfillment and professional achievement. In addition, they have the ability to do so within a structure that allows for a high degree of freedom and innovation with respect to classrooms, disciplines and departments.

As a result, the Edgewood College student is better able to conceptualize his or her learning, both in the sense of providing more varied contexts for learning and in the sense of allowing the student to apply and be assessed in his or her learning in a wider variety of contexts. In the tradition of classical liberal arts education, general education at Edgewood College is therefore, holistic, interdisciplinary and practically motivating and empowering. As such, General Education requirements may not be fulfilled through Independent Study coursework.

Goals

To live a full and purposeful life, each Edgewood College student must learn to cultivate knowledge, skills and habits of mind and commitments that transcend a particular major or discipline. Students must be provided with a general education that will empower them to draw from and integrate multiple perspectives and ways of knowing in the service of addressing, appreciating and acting upon real-life practical, ethical, political and spiritual challenges.

At Edgewood College, the general education is grounded in the College Mission, to engage students within a community of learners committed to building a just and compassionate world and to educate them for meaningful personal and professional lives of ethical leadership, service and a lifelong search for truth.

Each set of goals in the Edgewood College general education program is connected with a specific element of student learning essential to the realization of the Edgewood College Mission. These are:

Cornerstones

Students must be able to communicate, think critically, think mathematically, and assess and evaluate information at least well enough to apply these basic skills in the context of their education at Edgewood College, prepare them for lives of meaningful professional leadership and growth and demonstrate intellectual and practical skills for active citizenship and everyday life.

Ways of Knowing

To have the tools and the background to make judgments about and act in the world and be lifelong learners, students must be exposed to diverse ways of knowing and experiences of how knowledge is acquired; they must engage with numerous bodies of knowledge and the research methodologies with which those bodies of knowledge are connected. Such encounters introduce students to the multiple lenses through which the world is defined, understood, analyzed and experienced. Moreover, they reinforce crucial critical thinking and inquiry skills.

Perspectives on the World

In order to build a more just and compassionate world, students must be able to understand the complexities of that world and to engage with it, approaching issues and problems from multiple perspectives, learning about the world through its languages and cultures, and being aware of how their decisions and actions affect the environment in which they live. They must learn to apply inquiry/problem-solving skills in a context that allows theory to inform practice.

The Edgewood COR

Finally, students must be given the opportunity for identity development and critical self-reflection, for experiencing the world and discerning their place in it. They must be given a context for applying, integrating and synthesizing their learning, a context that requires students to learn, practice, and apply foundational skills, offer venues for applying knowledge and skill, and explicitly link the theories that we use understand the world and the actions that we and others choose to take.

Notice about course tags: Courses in this catalog may include three additional tags: K, U, and X (Enriched Oral Communication, Critical Thinking, and Writing requirements). Students in the 2020-21 catalog will not be required to meet these general education requirements, however courses may carry these tags into the future for students in past catalog years. 

General Education Requirements

Full-time, first-year students must complete a minimum of one Initial Cornerstone Experience in their first semester. Full-time students must complete all Initial Cornerstone Experiences in their first four semesters at the College.

Cornerstones

Five Cornerstone Experiences improve and reinforce the fundamental skills and abilities central to a liberal education. Students are required to complete one experience from each of the following: Critical Thinking (T), Mathematics (M), Information and Technology Literacy (I), Oral Communication (O), Written Communication (W).

Ways of Knowing

Ways of Knowing Experiences provide exposure to a range of academic disciplines and methods of inquiry. Students are required to complete 10 Ways of Knowing Experiences:

• Three Experiences in Experience and Study of the Arts and Literature (A, B, and C) with at least one experience in historical and contemporary history works (A); one with a studio component (B); and one in literature (C).
• Three Experiences in Reflection on Human Culture, Values, and Ideas (R, P, and H) with at least one experience in religious studies (R); one in history (H); and one in philosophy (P).
• Four Experiences in Analysis of Human Behavior and Social Structure (J) and Exploration of the Natural World [S (field/lab) or V(non-field/lab)] to include:
  • One experience in Analysis of Human Behavior and Social Structure (J).
  • Two Experiences in Exploration of the Natural World (S).
  • One additional experience in S, V, or J

Perspectives on the World

Perspective Experiences prepare students to live and work in a global and diverse world. Students are required to complete six Perspective Experiences:

• One Experience in Global Perspectives (G).
• One Experience in Environmental Perspectives (E).
• One Experience in Multicultural Perspectives (D).
• One Experience in Gender Perspectives (Q).
• Two Experiences in World Language (L).
  World Language Experiences may be fulfilled by:
  • Completion of two years of the same language in high school with a cumulative average of C (2.0) with no grade lower than a C- (best of four semesters). A maximum of 2 L tags can be fulfilled through foreign language taken in high school.
  • Completion of two semesters of college/university language, other than one’s own, of the same language.
  • Students for whom English is not their first language may qualify for a substitution of this requirement. Contact the Academic Dean’s Office for more information.

COR

All students pursuing an undergraduate degree are required to earn COR 1, COR 2, and COR 3 general education tags.  These requirements represent the integration of the College’s Dominican heritage, intellectual tradition, and values in the general education curriculum, and provide students with opportunities to connect learning, beliefs, and action while examining relevant human issues from multiple perspectives.  Courses that meet the COR 1, COR 2, and COR 3 requirements link knowledge gained in classroom and community settings, and encourage students to consider their own answers to the “COR” questions through discussion, written work, and other forms of expression.

COR Questions

• Who am I and who can I become?
• What are the needs and opportunities of the world?
• What is my role in building a just and compassionate world?

The COR Program’s name comes from Edgewood’s Latin moto, cor ad cor loquitur, “heart speaks to heart.”  In the Dominican tradition, the forging and nurturing of relationships is at the center of study, reflection and action for the common good.  These components of the Dominican studium – study, reflect, and act - characterize students’ experiences in the COR Program.

Study

Many COR experiences emphasize interdisciplinary inquiry.  Students explore social and human issues from the perspectives of different liberal arts disciplines, or ways of knowing, in order to understand the issues in a more complete and complex manner.  At the same time, students develop the skills necessary to participate in building a more just and compassionate world, including skills related to civic discourse, cultural awareness, leadership development, and civic engagement.

Reflect

Self-knowledge and self-awareness are necessary components in the development of skills, habits of mind, and commitments that are foundational to rewarding lives of personal fulfillment, professional achievement, and public service.  In COR experiences, students identify and reflect on their personal values, beliefs, spiritualities, and worldviews; explore the ethical dimensions of community involvement; and consider their own social responsibility in the world.

Act

COR experiences provide students with exploratory, more intensive, and major-related community engagement opportunities, which are integrated with study and reflection in course curricula.  Whether the focus on “community” is local, global and/or professional, students connect personally with meaningful, real-life social issues, including those related to their chosen career paths.

COR 1: Introduction to a Dominican Liberal Arts Education

COR 1 Seminars are interdisciplinary, theme-focused academic courses taken during the first semester of students’ first year.  Whether the community comes into the classroom through guest speakers and project-based work, or students go into the community individually or as an entire group, COR 1 classes connect this learning to reflection on identity, values, beliefs, worldviews, and spiritualities.  COR 1 instructors also serve as faculty mentors for first-year students, and together with an advanced student who is a teaching assistant/peer leader for the class, provide support for the transition to college academic work and social life.

COR 199: Transfer Bridge to COR

Rather than a COR 1 seminar, most transfer students complete this 2.5 hour, zero credit introduction to COR during the first semester of enrollment.  Modeled on the Dominican studium, each section addresses Edgewood College’s Dominican tradition; connects students to the broader community through exploration of a section theme; and communicates expectations for out-of-class engagement in COR 2 courses.  Readings, presentations by community partners, and class discussion integrate reflection on the COR questions and address COR 1 learning outcomes.  All transfer students with 12 or more credits enroll in COR 199 during the first semester at Edgewood; those with sophomore or junior standing may enroll in a COR 2 course for the same semester.  Students with fewer than 12 credits, including those with no prior college but significant life, military, or work experience, may seek an exception to enroll in COR 199 rather than a COR 1 seminar.

COR 2: Perspectives on Community Engagement

At the sophomore or junior level, students select a COR 2 experience from many possibilities, including short-term study abroad and other options for exploring contemporary social issues.  Community-based learning is integrated with study, analysis, and reflection, including reflection on ethical considerations and personal values.

COR 3: Integrating for the Common Good

Most COR 3 experiences are situated within students’ chosen majors, and are designed to encourage substantive integration of learning from both general education and major coursework with issues of personal and professional identity and values.  Students demonstrate acquired skills and apply knowledge to relevant social and professional concerns, while engaging audiences connected to their major fields.

Fulfilling the Requirements: For all three levels of COR, the current Timetable provides the names of seminars, courses, and experiences available in a given semester.  Some courses that meet COR general education requirements satisfy other requirements as well.   

Edgewood College’s curriculum aims to prepare students for lifelong learning and personal development, fulfilling careers, and growth in responsibility for the wider community.

College Completion Program

As of the 2020-21 academic year, the College Completion program is being phased out.  Current students will be permitted to graduate using the general education requirements stated in their catalog year.  This is typically the year that you first entered Edgewood College.  Consult your advisor for questions regarding the general education requirements for your program.  

Applied Associate to Bachelor Completion (ABC) Degree General Education Requirements

The following criteria must be met for a student to qualify for this program:

• Students must have already completed an applied associate degree in one of the Edgewood College-approved associate degree programs to be eligible for the ABC general education curriculum. See the Registrar’s Office website (registrar.edgewood.edu) for the list of approved programs. Students can earn the associate degree at any of the Wisconsin Technical Colleges, not only Madison College.
• Students must declare a major in the corresponding program at Edgewood College, following an established “transfer pathway.”
• Guaranteed admission is available for some transfer pathways, but not all. This will be decided by each individual program.

Only students in approved major/concentrations will be permitted to take advantage of this program. Students would not be eligible for the ABC requirements if they choose a major that is not in an approved transfer pathway. For example, a student with a degree in Electrical Engineering Technology who decided to be a Music major would have to complete the normal general education requirements.

Only students who have completed approved associate degrees are eligible to take advantage of this program. Each of the programs listed above has been carefully vetted and it has been determined that there is sufficient academic content to merit transfer to a four-year institution. We recognize that not all degrees offered by the technical colleges meet this requirement.

Students who wish to matriculate at Edgewood before completing their associate degree will be admitted under the normal general education requirements. Upon completion of the associate degree, they can petition to qualify for the ABC program. Academic advisors will be aware of students who may qualify for the ABC requirements, and will be trained to help them navigate the curriculum.

General Education Requirements for Applied Associate to Bachelor Completion (ABC) Degree

COR Program

• COR 2
• COR 3

Cornerstones

Five Cornerstone Experiences improve and reinforce the fundamental skills and abilities central to a liberal education. Students are required to complete one experience from each of the following:

• Critical Thinking (T),
• Mathematics (M),
• Information and Technology Literacy (I),
• Oral Communication (O),
• Written Communication (W).

Ways of Knowing

Ways of Knowing Experiences provide exposure to a range of academic disciplines and methods of inquiry. Students are required to complete six Ways of Knowing Experiences, plus a religious studies requirement:

• Three Ways of Knowing Experiences from the following (no more than one of each tag):
  • Experience and Study of the Arts (Historical and Contemporary Artistic Works) (A)
  • Experience and Study of the Arts (Studio Component) (B)
  • Experience and the Study of Arts (Literature) (C)
  • Reflection on Human Culture, Value and Ideas (History)(H)
  • Reflection on Human Culture, Value and Ideas (Philosophy) (P)
• Three Ways of Knowing Experiences from the Following:
  • Exploration of the Natural World (Field/Laboratory Component) (S) (maximum of 2)
  • Exploration of the Natural World (V) (maximum of 1)
  • Analysis of Human Behavior and Social Structure (J) (maximum of 2)
• One Experience in Religious Studies (R)

Perspectives on the World

Perspective Experiences prepare students to live and work in a global and diverse world. Students are required to complete four of the following perspective experiences (no more than two of each tag):

• Experience in Global Perspectives (G)
• Experience in Environmental Perspectives (E)
• Experiences in Multicultural Perspectives (D)
• Experience in Gender Perspectives (Q)
• Experiences in World Language (L)
   

World Language Experiences may be fulfilled by:

• Completion of two years of the same language in high school with a cumulative average of C (2.0) with no grade lower than a C- (best of four semesters). A maximum of 2 L tags can be fulfilled through foreign language taken in high school.
• Completion of two semesters of college/university language, other than one’s own, of the same language.
• Students for whom English is not their first language may qualify for a substitution of this requirement. Contact the Academic Dean’s Office for more information.