The general education of LSU students spans the four years of undergraduate study. In courses designated as general education, students begin a process of developing competencies or essential learning outcomes which continues through their study in upper-level elective courses and courses in the major field of study. LSU‟s General Education Component represents a conviction on the part of the faculty that LSU graduates will be able to communicate effectively through multiple media; will have a basic appreciation of historical, cultural, and philosophical complexity; will be aware of the economic, political, cultural, and linguistic factors which inform global interdependence; will be able to identify and solve important problems through research-based inquiry which employs scientific and mathematical methods, and appropriate technology; and will have the requisite abilities and motivation to participate effectively in the civic life of communities.
Recognizing that the fundamental characteristics for effective participation in the marketplace and the community necessarily involve multidisciplinary study, each student designs a unique curriculum based on a major field of study and including 39 hours of general education courses across six areas of focus: English Composition, Analytical Reasoning, Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences. In general education courses, students begin the development of the essential learning outcomes, which are refined and focused in disciplinary courses taken during the junior and senior years, with the intention that all graduates, regardless of major, will develop a set of intellectual abilities, a degree of sophistication, and a civic-minded perspective that correspond to the high level of functionality represented in the outcomes taken as a whole.
General Categories of Learning
- Knowledge of the Sciences, Mathematics, Histories, Social Sciences, Humanities, Languages, and Arts
- Communication through Written, Spoken, Visual, and Technological Media
- Critical and Creative Thinking
- Performance of Research-Based Inquiry, Analysis, and Problem Resolution
- Personal Responsibility, Intercultural Competence, and Civic Engagement
Learning Outcomes
- An LSU graduate will demonstrate effective communication of complex knowledge and ideas through written, oral, visual, and technological media.
- An LSU graduate will demonstrate an understanding of historical, cultural, and philosophical complexity which supports sophisticated discourse.
- An LSU graduate will be able to conduct research-based inquiry, including articulation of complex disciplinary and interdisciplinary problems, effective evaluation and analysis of primary and secondary sources, and integration of relevant information into original discourse.
- An LSU graduate will be able to employ scientific and mathematical methods and technology in the resolution of laboratory and real-world problems.
- An LSU graduate will demonstrate an understanding of the informing factors of global interdependence, including economic forces, political dynamics, and cultural and linguistic difference.
- An LSU graduate will have the knowledge, skills, and disposition which attest to a commitment and ability to recognize and to participate in processes which improve the civic life of communities.
Students must complete 39 hours of course work in six general education areas:
- English composition (six hours)
- Analytical reasoning (six hours)
- Arts (three hours)
- Humanities (nine hours)
- Natural sciences (nine hours)
- Social sciences (six hours)
Regulations
- Students must complete the 39-hour general education requirement prior to graduating from LSU. It is recommended that students complete the requirement during their first four semesters at the University.
- Only those courses on the approved list below may be used to satisfy the general education requirement.
- No more than six hours of credit taken through distance learning courses may be applied to a student’s general education requirement.
- An entering student may receive three or six hours of credit in English composition on the basis of ACT scores and/or performance on approved placement tests.
- An entering student may receive credit for one or more of the required mathematics courses on the basis of placement test scores.
- Advanced placement and advanced standing credit may be used to satisfy the general education requirement.
- General education courses will be graded on the “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “F” system. No courses taken on a pass/fail basis will count toward the general education requirement.
- Appeals for an exception to the general education requirements: A „request for an exception to the general education requirement’ must be submitted to the dean of the student’s college using the appropriate form. Scheduling difficulties or allegations of poor advising typically do not constitute a reasonable basis for an appeal. The dean’s evaluation as well as the student‟s request must then be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs. A final decision will be made after consideration by the Faculty Senate Committee on General Education. Students are strongly encouraged to obtain a decision prior to registering for a LSU course intended to substitute for an approved general education course.
Transfer Course Approval
Deans are to determine the applicability of transfer courses to a component of LSU’s general education requirements.
If the course is deemed to be applicable, and there is no equivalent LSU course, deans are asked to enter a course substitution on the Student Records and Registration database, indicating that the course is accepted for general education credit. Documentation concerning this decision should be kept on file in the college.
If it is determined that a course is equivalent to an LSU course, colleges should notify the Office of Undergraduate Admissions so the Admissions Transfer Table can be updated.
If the college does not approve a transfer course for general education credit, the student may petition the Office of Academic Affairs for a decision.
Regents’ Statewide Articulation
LSU participates in the Board of Regents‟ Statewide Articulation Consortium. Students who plan to transfer to another Louisiana public institution should consult the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for information about the course transfer agreement.
General Education Courses
In the list of courses in the “Courses of Instruction” section of this catalog, general education courses are designated in the course description.
In the list below, cross-listed courses are identified by information enclosed in parentheses.