Liberal Arts Core (LAC) Curriculum (General Studies)

Meredith Dodson, Ph.D., Program Director

The Liberal Arts Core curriculum at The University of Olivet consists of a sequence of required courses and menus of courses providing common learning and shared experiences for all traditional undergraduate students. It forms the foundation for a liberal arts education at the university. The courses of the Liberal Arts Core Curriculum link skills, orientations, and educational outcomes with Olivet’s University-Wide Educational Goals and Learning Outcomes as well as with its academic vision of Education for Individual and Social Responsibility.

Core courses and program areas encompass the traditional disciplines of the liberal arts, foundational courses in skills for liberal education today, and aspects of the university’s vision and commitments. Students complete courses in written communication, interpersonal communication and collaboration, reasoning and critical thinking, and quantitative analysis. They choose from a menu of courses in the liberal arts and sciences and creative expression. Courses are also selected from a menu of courses selected to expand students’ knowledge of the larger world and of diversity within the United States, as well as ethical awareness and wellness and physical/mental health. In accord with the university’s mission, students complete at least one course involving a Service Learning project. Students also complete a Senior Capstone Experience course in their major in which they demonstrate proficiency in integrating the knowledge of their discipline and the application of problem-solving skills using the tools of the discipline. The various components of the Liberal Arts Core curriculum are presented in the chart on the following page. Courses fulfilling each of these requirements are listed in the degree program requirements section later in this catalog.

At The University of Olivet a full-time student is usually limited to seven years between original matriculation and final graduation. Students who take more than the traditional four years should be aware that from time to time graduation requirements and curricula change, which may require some adjustments in the program of the longer-term student (see Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy  for more information).

Liberal Arts Core Curriculum Requirements (46-51 semester hours)

University-Wide Learning Outcome (CWO) Mapping Key: I = Introduced/Taught; R = Reinforced/Practiced; M = Mastered/Applied