General Education Requirements
Every University of Maine academic
program is based upon a strong foundation in the liberal arts and
sciences. The University's goal is to ensure that all of its graduates,
regardless of the academic major they pursued, are broadly educated
persons who can appreciate the achievements of civilization, understand
the tensions within it, and contribute to resolving them. This component
of every program is called general education, and it amounts to about
one third of every program. The design of general education at the
University of Maine is meant to be flexible within the broad goals it
seeks to achieve. It affords each student many ways of meeting its
requirements, which fall under the six broad categories outlined below.
Science
Each program must include two courses in the physical or biological
sciences. This may be accomplished in two ways:
- By completing two courses with
laboratories in the basic or applied sciences;
- By completing one laboratory course
in the basic or applied sciences, and a second approved course that
incorporates a laboratory experience and stresses the applications of
scientific knowledge.
Human Values and Social Context
Each program must include 18 credits in this broad area, selected
from lists of approved courses to satisfy each of five sub-categories.
(Courses that satisfy requirements in more than one sub-category may be
counted in each appropriate sub-category, but credits may be counted
only once.)
-
Western cultural tradition
- Social context and institutions
- Cultural diversity and international
perspectives
- Population and the environment
- Artistic and creative expression
Mathematics
Each program must include at least six credit hours in mathematics,
including statistics and certain courses in computer science. No more
than three of the six credit hours may be in computer science.
Writing Competency
The ability to write well is one of the most important attributes of an
educated person. To help ensure this outcome the University requires its
students to write throughout their academic careers, focusing both on
general-purpose writing and professional writing within their majors.
Each program must include:
- ENG 101, College Composition. All
students must complete this course with a grade of C or better, or be
excused from this course on the basis of a placement exam or
completion of HON 111 and HON 112 with a grade of C or better in each.
- At least two courses designated as
writing-intensive, at least one of which must be within the academic
major.
Ethics
Each program must include at least one approved course or series of
courses placing substantial emphasis on the discussion of ethical
issues.
Capstone Experience
Every
program must include an approved capstone experience. The goal is to
draw together the various threads of the undergraduate program that bear
directly upon the academic major in an experience that typifies the
work of professionals within the discipline. Normally, the Capstone
would conclude at the end of the student's senior year. Students should
consult closely with their academic advisor to explore the range of
options available for meeting this requirement.
Course descriptions reflect specific
general education categories. You may also go to
http://studentrecords.umaine.edu/ for currently offered courses.
Click on Schedule of Classes. Enter a term and a General Education
category. A complete list of courses meeting the specified General
Education category will be displayed.
A student (completing more than one
academic major or baccalaureate degree) need complete only one set of
UMaine General Education Requirements. For example, a student completing
a double major need complete the "writing intensive course in the major"
and the capstone experience only for the designated primary major.
Exception: some departments may specifically require their writing
intensive and capstone courses as part of the major, aside from their
role in general education. In this case the double-major student must
complete them, not because of general education policy, but because the
major program requires them.
