Montana University System Core
In our world of rapid economic, social, and technological change, students need a strong and broadly-based education. General education helps students achieve the intellectual integration and awareness they need to meet challenges in their personal, social, political, and professional lives. General education courses introduce great ideas and controversies in human thought and experience. A solid general education provides a strong foundation for the life-long learning that makes career goals attainable. The breadth, perspective, and rigor provided by the core curriculum helps students become educated people.
Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology’s General Education Core reflects the Montana University System’s General Education Core. As students work on the Montana University System General Education Core, they should attempt to select classes that are also required in their major. That efficient use of coursework could help students complete their degrees more quickly, since the classes could be used to satisfy both the requirements of the major and the requirements of the MUS General Education Core. After completion of core requirements students will be able to:
- Demonstrate understanding of major findings and ideas in a variety of disciplines.
- Demonstrate understanding of methods, skills, tools and systems used in a variety of disciplines, and historical, theoretical, scientific, technological, philosophical, and ethical bases in a variety of disciplines.
- Use appropriate technologies to conduct research on and communicate about topics and questions; to access, evaluate and manage information; to prepare and present their work effectively, and to meet academic, personal, and professional needs.
- Demonstrate critical analysis of arguments and evaluation of an argument’s major assertions, its background assumptions, the evidence used to support its assertions, and its explanatory utility.
- Understand and articulate the importance and influence of diversity within and among cultures and societies.
- Understand and apply mathematical concepts and models.
- Communicate effectively, through written and oral communication and through other forms as appropriate.
Student Learning Outcomes for
MSU-Great Falls College of Technology Core:
Communication (English Composition and Oral Communication):
- Demonstrate an understanding of writing as a series of tasks, including finding, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing appropriate sources, and as a process that involves composing, editing, and revising.
- Demonstrate critical reading and analytical skills, including understanding an argument’s major assertions and assumptions and how to evaluate its supporting evidence.
- Demonstrate research skills, integrate one’s own ideas with those of others, and apply the conventions of attribution and citation correctly.
- Use Standard Written English and edit and revise one’s own writing for appropriateness.
- Enhance the fluency and range of vocabulary and syntax with which to meet the requirements of different rhetorical situations.
- Develop proficiency in oral discourse.
- Produce and deliver a clear, well organized verbal presentation.
- Interact in a collaborative, synergistic manner within a small-group problem-solving meeting.
- Use appropriate technologies to conduct research on and communicate about emerging issues and to access, evaluate, and manage information to prepare and present one’s work effectively.
- Demonstrate understanding of the interconnections of knowledge within and across disciplines.
Mathematics:
- Interpret mathematical modes given verbally, or by formulas, graphs, tables, or schematics, and draw inferences from them.
- Represent mathematical concepts verbally, and where appropriate, symbolically, visually, and numerically.
- Use arithmetic, algebraic, geometric, technological, or statistical methods to solve problems.
- Use mathematical reasoning with appropriate technology to solve problems, test conjectures, judge the validity of arguments, formulate valid arguments, check answers to determining reasonableness, and communicate the reasoning of the results.
- Recognize and use connections within mathematics and between mathematics and other disciplines.
Humanities/Fine Arts:
- Investigate the role and values of art in human life and demonstrate an understanding of the significance of specific art forms to the cultures that create and adopt them.
- Describe specific processes by which works of painting, sculpture, architecture, music, dance, theater, film, multi media, or environmental art are created.
- Demonstrate the dependence of meaning upon cultural and historical context when analyzing works of art.
- Compare and contrast one work of art with another or one medium with another to illuminate both.
- Investigate the variety of human culture and demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which cultures have changed.
- Understand and employ a wide range of humanistic, qualitative, quantitative, theoretical, or philosophical methods for recording and explaining human experience.
- Identify and assess one’s own and others’ values; identify the underlying premises in one’s own and others’ arguments.
- Investigate the role and value of literature in human life and demonstrate an understanding of the significance of specific literary works or genres to the cultures that create them and adopt them.
- Identify and use a variety of arts materials, techniques and resources while creating works of art.
Natural Science:
- Use quantitative information and/or mathematical analysis to obtain sound results and recognize questionable assumptions.
- Demonstrate understanding of the broad principles of science and the ways scientists in a particular discipline conduct research.
- Make observations, understand the fundamental elements of experimental design, generate and analyze data using appropriate quantitative tools, use abstract reasoning to interpret the data and formulae, and test hypotheses with scientific rigor.
- Understand the role that human diversity plays in the practice and history of science.
- Demonstrate proficiency in the collection, interpretation, and presentation of scientific data.
Social Sciences/History:
- Demonstrate knowledge of findings and theories in the social and behavioral sciences.
- Demonstrate an understanding of investigative methods used in the social and behavioral sciences.
- Demonstrate critical thinking about arguments in the social and behavioral sciences and evaluate an argument’s major assertions, its background assumptions, the evidence used to support its assertions, and its explanatory utility. Demonstrate knowledge of important findings and theories in social and political history.
- Demonstrate an understanding of investigative methods used in social and political history.
Cultural Diversity:
- Investigate major issues and scholarly approaches related to diversity.
- Analyze concepts and implications of diversity.
- Demonstrate an understanding of historical, cultural, social, or political conditions and the ways in which they influence the status, treatment, or accomplishments of various groups.
- Articulate how diversity helps shape the role of the individual and the interconnections and relationships within and among groups across societies and cultures
Cultural Heritage of American Indians:
Courses include significant content related to the cultural heritage of American Indians.
Estimated Resident Program Cost:
| Tuition and Fees | $2999.36 |
| Application Fee | $30 |
| Lab Fees | $60 |
| Books | $750 |
| TOTAL: | $3389.36 |
Montana University System Core Courses
Offered Online and On Campus
(Need 3 writing & 3 verbal credits)
| Course | No. | Title | Credits |
| ENGL | 121** | Composition I AND 1 of the following |
3+ |
| COLS | 101 | First Year Seminar | 3+ |
| COMM | 130 | Public Speaking | 3+ |
| COMM | 135 | Interpersonal Communication | 3+ |
Mathematics - 3 credits
| Course | No. | Title | Credits |
| MATH | 130** | Precalculus Algebra | 4+ |
| MATH | 131** | Precalculus Trigonometry | 3+ |
| MATH | 150** | Math for Liberal Arts | 3+ |
| MATH | 161** | College Algebra w/ Science App | 3+ |
| MATH | 181** | Calculus I | 4+ |
| MATH | 216** | Basic Statistics | 4+ |
Humanities/Fine Arts - 6 credits
| Course | No. | Title | Credits |
| ART | 101 | Intro to Visual Arts | 3+ |
| ART | 114 | Art Fundamentals | 3+ |
| ART | 140 | Drawing I | 3+ |
| DE | 161 | Introduction to Design | 3+ |
| ENGL | 114 | Intro to Literature | 3+ |
| ENGL | 210* | World Literature I | 3+ |
| ENGL | 211* | World Literature II | 3+ |
| ENGL | 217 | Creative Writing | 3+ |
| HUM | 242 | Gender & Equality | 3+ |
| MUS | 102 | Fundamentals of Music | 3+ |
| MUS | 210 | Music Appreciation | 3+ |
| MUS | 212 | American Music | 3+ |
| MUS | 214 | World Music | 3+ |
| PHIL | 101 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3+ |
| PHIL | 232 | Basic Ethics | 3+ |
Natural Science - 7 credits
(Must include 1 lab course)
| Course | No. | Title | Credits |
| BIO | 103** | Introduction to Biology/Lab | 4+ |
| BIO | 107** | Fund of Human Biology/Lab | 4+ |
| BIO | 151* | Molecular & Cellular Biology/Lab | 4+ |
| BIO | 152 | Organismal Biology/Lab | 4+ |
| BIO | 205 | Personal Nutrition | 3+ |
| CHM | 111* | Inorganic Chemistry/Lab | 4+ |
| CHM | 131* | General Chemistry I | 4+ |
| CHM | 132* | General Chemistry II | 4+ |
| GEOL | 101 | Introduction to Geology | 4+ |
| PHYS | 110 | Survey of Natural Sciences | 3+ |
| PHYS | 130 | Fund Physical Science Lab | 4+ |
Social Sciences/History - 6 credits
| Course | No. | Title | Credits |
| ECON | 102 | Economics I (Macro) | 3+ |
| ECON | 201 | Economics II (Micro) | 3+ |
| HIST | 103N | History of the U.S. I | 3+ |
| HIST | 104N | History of the U.S. II | 3+ |
| HIST | 106 | History of Western Civ I | 3+ |
| HIST | 107 | History of Western Civ II | 3+ |
| HIST | 210N | Montana History | 3+ |
| PSY | 101 | General Psychology | 3+ |
| PSY | 109 | Lifespan Development | 3+ |
| SOC | 111 | Introduction to Sociology | 3+ |
| SOC | 115 | Survey of Criminal Justice | 3+ |
| POLS | 206 | U.S. Government | 3+ |
Cultural Diversity - 3 credits
| Course | No. | Title | Credits |
| ANT | 101 | Intro to Anthropology | 3+ |
| BUS | 249 | Global Marketing | 3+ |
| ENGL | 214N | Literature of the West | 3+ |
| HUM | 244 | American Cultural Values | 3+ |
| ML | 121 | Intro to American Sign Lang | 3+ |
| NAS | 201N | Montana's American Indians | 3+ |
| NAS | 215N | Native American Religious Trad | 3+ |
CULTURAL HERITAGE OF AMERICAN INDIANS--3 CREDITS
Courses with an “N” behind the course title will fulfill the Cultural Heritage of American Indians requirement as well as a designated core area requirement.
Total Program Credits: 31
~Many students need preliminary math, English or biology courses before enrolling in the program requirements. These courses may increase the total number of program credits. Students should review their math and English placement before planning out their full program schedules.
As students work on the MUS general education core, they should attempt to elect classes that are required in their major. That efficient use of coursework could help students complete their degree more quickly, since the classes could be used to satisfy both the requirements of the major and the requirements of the MUS General Education Core.
Students should consult with the intended receiving institution to determine whether or not additional core courses may be required to satisfy that institution’s General Education Core.
Upon completion of the General Education Core, please notify the Registrar to have the core indicated on your transcript.
+ A grade of "C-" or above required for graduation
* Indicates prerequisites needed
** Placement in course(s) is determined by placement assessment
