General Education

General Education serves as the foundation for all undergraduate degree programs at Mississippi State University. The academic degree progression, used to plan all undergraduate degrees, indicates the first 30+ hours of the degree are utilized to develop the intellectual skill needs needed in postsecondary education such as communication, natural sciences, human cultures, creative discovery, individuals and society and critical thinking laying the foundational understanding needed for progression through academic majors. An undergraduate degree at MSU prepares students to be problem solvers and leaders in their chosen field.

University Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of General Education course work, students will be able to

Develop and express their ideas in writing for given audiences in a particular rhetorical situation.
Interpret artistic expression and engage with a creative process.
Examine the human condition in different cultures throughout history.
Reason and solve quantitative problems from a wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations.
Apply the scientific method and theories to empirical evidence to support scientific models of the universe.
Engage in scientific inquiry of human behavior in the context of value systems, institutions, economic structures, social groups, and/or environments.
Evaluate issues, ideas, artifacts, and events through cross-disciplinary exploration before formulating an opinion or conclusion.
Prepare and deliver purposeful presentations for given audiences in a particular rhetorical situation.
Work cooperatively with others toward a common purpose through shared responsibility and mutual accountability.

University Syllabus Statement

General education provides a platform for fostering proficiencies that span all fields of study (e.g., social and ethical responsibility, critical thinking, evidence-based reasoning, communication, and problem solving) while also providing opportunities for hands-on experience with complex questions and problems. By facilitating students’ exploration of issues and questions that bridge multiple fields of study, general education helps students build the broad and integrative knowledge they need for careers, while also preparing them directly for questions and issues they will confront as citizens in a globally engaged democracy. [Faculty will provide another sentence explaining how the specific course fits into general education.]

Source: AAC & U General Education Maps & Markers (p. 5) https://aacu.org/gems

University General Education Committee

The newly appointed General Education committee is charged with overseeing learning outcomes, domain outcomes, and assessment of the rigor and relevance of the General Education program at Mississippi State University. The members are:

Aarhus, Craig, College of Education
Baham, Tracey, Associate Vice President for Institutional Strategy and Effectiveness
Franz, Dana, Director of Academic Quality
Harkess, Richard, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Jackson, Maralyn, College of Veterinary Medicine
Lavine, Matt, College of Arts & Sciences
Loehwing, Melanie, College of Arts & Sciences
Miller, Beth, College of Art, Architecture, & Design
Nadorff, Danielle, College of Arts & Sciences
Perkins, Andy, UCCC and Bagley College of Engineering
Rai, Aswathy, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Siegert, Courtney, College of Forest Resources
Roberts, Brandy, College of Arts & Sciences
Thomas, Kathleen, College of Business
Threet, Lara, College of Education

Last Updated: November 15, 2023