General Education

General Education requirements provide broad learning in liberal arts and science disciplines and form the basis for developing important intellectual, civic, and practical capacities (AAC&U).  Our accrediting body, Middle States Commission on Higher Education requires the institution to have a general education program, free-standing or integrated into academic disciplines, that:

  • Offers a sufficient scope to draw students into new areas of intellectual experience, expanding their cultural and global awareness and cultural sensitivity, and preparing them to make well-reasoned judgments outside as well as within their academic field.

  • Offers a curriculum designed so that students acquire and demonstrate essential skills including at least oral and written communication, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical analysis and reasoning, technological competency, and information literacy.

  • Consistent with the mission, the general education program also includes the study of values, ethics, and diverse perspectives.

At Lincoln University, General Education is treated as a stand-alone academic program unit governed by the Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs). 

  • IL01 - Effective Communication
  • ILO2 - Technology and Information Literacy
  • ILO3 - Diversity Awareness/Cultural Awareness
  • IL04 - Social Responsibility and Civic Engagement
  • ILO5 - Critical Thinking
  • ILO6 - Lincoln Legacy
  • ILO7 - Scientific and Quantitative Literacy
  • IL08 - Integrative and Life-long Learning

View the complete ILO Definitions

 

  General Education Curriculum

Lincoln's General Education Curriculum in alignment with the University's liberal arts mission is designed to expose students to the broad array of fields that make up the academy. The curriculum draws students into new areas of intellectual experiences through coursework that covers broad disciplines and through engaging pedagogies that integrate communication, literacy, critical thinking, scientific and quantitative reasoning skills while exposing students to both diversity and cultural awareness. Additionally, the curriculum emphasizes social responsibility and civic engagement and advancing the Lincoln legacy.

The program requires students to take 45-48 credits (out of the 120 credits required for graduation) across disciplines with a combination of core and elective courses. Core (required) courses include a first-year experience course, two English composition courses, a course in African American experience, and a wellness course. Beyond the core courses, students may choose from one class in music or art, one in philosophy or religion, one of two English literature courses, two from a list of seven in the social sciences, one 100-level mathematics course, two science courses from a list of six, two semesters of a foreign language, or computer science. Incoming students complete math and writing assessments and are placed into appropriate level writing and math classes to optimize learning and advance skills necessary for college success. 

General Education Requirements (PDF)

  General Education Committee

The faculty committee on General Education shall oversee the General Education Curriculum and recommend modifications when necessary.  It shall ensure that there is a consistent assessment plan using appropriate rubrics and graded assignments as assessment tools.  The committee shall review the General Education curriculum on an annual basis, and generate a report for distribution to the faculty.

The faculty committee on General Education shall be composed as follows:

  • Elected: 2 from each college (1 from each college must have General Education instructional responsibilities), 1 from library, 2 at-large
  • Standing: Vice President for Academic Affairs or designee and 1 student

 

  General Education Workshops

The General Education Committee partners with CETL to offer workshops throughout the year.