General Education Curriculum

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

With the 2019-20 academic year, The Citadel began a new General Education program, replacing the Core Curriculum that had been in effect for more than fifty years. The new strands-model General Education described here is required for all students matriculating in the day program since the fall of 2019. The old Core Curriculum, described in earlier catalogs, remains in effect for students who matriculated prior to 2019.

The Citadel’s new General Education program has two related purposes:

Promoting our students’ intellectual development by affording them coursework in the fundamental academic disciplines of mathematics, natural science, literature, history, and social science; and
Developing our students’ skills and dispositions in six essential areas: quantitative literacy, written communication, critical thinking, inquiry and analysis, intercultural knowledge and competence, and ethical reasoning and action.

Students begin the General Education program in their first year and continue to take General Education classes throughout their college careers. The Curriculum has been designed to offer both progressively challenging standards and a significant amount of choice.

The General Education program has been developed so that, upon successfully completing the curriculum, graduates ought to be able

To use quantitative reasoning skills to make calculations, interpret data, communicate results, and evaluate an issue or solve a problem;
To communicate ideas in a logical sequence, demonstrating control of syntax and mechanics and the ability to integrate credible and reliable sources;
To analyze complex issues that have varying positions and assumptions using information from credible sources, and to state positions, create new positions, and acknowledge other positions including implications and consequences;
To demonstrate skill in inquiry and analysis, including using a design process, synthesizing information from relevant sources, drawing conclusions, and recognizing implications and limitations;
To demonstrate insight into their own cultural rules and biases, to have accurate understandings of other cultural world views, and to display attitudes of curiosity, openness, and empathy;
To recognize ethical issues when presented in a complex, multilayered (grey) context, to analyze cross-relationships among the issues, and to evaluate ethical perspectives and concepts, including his or her own.

The Components of the General Education Program are as Follows:

First-Year Mathematics

Every first-year student will enroll in at least one mathematics class. The specific class will vary depending on the student’s degree program. The classes that fulfill this requirement are the following:

MATH 104 - Elementary Mathematical Modeling Credit Hours: 3
MATH 105 - Finite Mathematics Credit Hours: 3
MATH 106 - Applied Calculus I Credit Hours: 3
MATH 118 - College Algebra with Trigonometry Credit Hours: 4
MATH 119 - Precalculus Credit Hours: 4
MATH 131 - Analytic Geometry and Calculus I Credit Hours: 4
STAT 160 - Statistical Methods Credit Hours: 3

First-Year Science

Every first-year student will enroll in at least one science class. This class will be a four-credit unit, three credits for the lecture and one for the lab. The classes will vary depending on the student’s degree program. The classes that fulfil this requirement are the following:

For Non-STEM Majors:

ASTR 105 - Foundations of Astronomy: The Solar System Credit Hours: 3 AND
ASTR 155 - Foundations of Astronomy Laboratory: The Solar System Credit Hours: 1
ASTR 106 - Foundations of Astronomy: Stars and Galaxies Credit Hours: 3 AND
ASTR 156 - Foundations of Astronomy Laboratory: Stars and Galaxies Credit Hours: 1
BIOL 105 - Foundations of Biology Credit Hours: 3 AND
BIOL 115 - Foundations of Biology Laboratory Credit Hours: 1
CHEM 105 - Foundations in Chemistry: Health Perspectives Credit Hours: 3 AND
CHEM 115 - Foundations in Chemistry: Health Perspectives Laboratory Credit Hours: 1
CHEM 106 - Foundations in Chemistry: Forensic Perspectives Credit Hours: 3 AND
CHEM 116 - Foundations in Chemistry: Forensic Perspectives Laboratory Credit Hours: 1

For STEM Majors:

BIOL 130 - Introduction to Biology I Credit Hours: 3 AND
BIOL 131 - Introduction to Biology I Laboratory Credit Hours: 1
BIOL 150 - General Biology for Engineers Credit Hours: 3 AND
BIOL 151 - General Biology for Engineers Laboratory Credit Hours: 1
CHEM 140 - General Chemistry for Engineers Credit Hours: 3 AND
CHEM 141 - General Chemistry for Engineers Laboratory Credit Hours: 1
CHEM 151 - General Chemistry I Credit Hours: 3 AND
CHEM 161 - General Chemistry I Laboratory Credit Hours: 1
CHEM 153 - General Chemistry I for Chemistry Majors Credit Hours: 3 AND
CHEM 163 - General Chemistry I Laboratory for Chemistry Majors Credit Hours: 1
PHYS 221 - Physics with Calculus I Credit Hours: 3 AND
PHYS 271 - Introductory Physics Laboratory I Credit Hours: 1

First-Year Academic Seminar

The Freshman Seminar is a six-credit unit composed of two three-credit classes taken concurrently-FSEM 101 and the thematically-linked writing intensive FSWI 101 . Every first-year student will enroll in this six-credit unit. The individual seminars, all of which focus on important questions or problems, introduce students to the demands of academic work. Student assignments in the seminars are tied to the six essential General Education outcomes (quantitative literacy, written communication, critical thinking, inquiry and analysis, intercultural knowledge, and ethical reasoning). Seminar students begin to do signature work, “synthesizing, analyzing, and applying cumulative knowledge and skills through problem- or inquiry-based assignments or projects.”

Here are the course descriptions of the two three-credit components of the Freshman Seminar:

FSEM 101 - Freshman Seminar Credit Hours: 3
FSWI 101 - Freshman Seminar (Writing Intensive) Credit Hours: 3

Physical Fitness, Resiliency, and Wellness

In keeping with The Citadel’s traditional commitment to developing the whole person, RPED 260 - Physical Fitness, Resiliency, & Wellness is a required General Education class to be taken either in the first or second year.

Professional Communication

All students hone their skills in written communication by enrolling in a class that prepares them for the kinds of writing they will need to do in their careers. The classes will vary depending on the student’s degree program. The classes that fulfil this requirement are the following, unless the student’s major requires an alternative be taken:

COMM 216 - Professional Communications Credit Hours: 3
COMM 260 - Technical Writing and Communication Credit Hours: 3

Modern Languages

All students are required to demonstrate some competence in a modern foreign language (except for those pursuing degrees in the School of Engineering and the School of Education). Most students will enroll in two three-credit classes of language instruction according to the following guidelines.

Students who choose to study the same language that they studied in high school will take a placement test. There are three possible results of this test:
1. Students who demonstrate proficiency in the language will be exempted from the two-class elementary language requirement (102-level) but will be required to take two upper-level language classes instead.
2. Students who place into the elementary level of the language will be required to take 102 and 201.
3. Students who place into the intermediate level of the language will be required to take 201 and 202.

Ultimately, students who place into a level may choose to enroll in course at a lower-level; however, the lower level course will count as an elective and not towards their language requirements. These students must still complete the appropriate two three-credit hour classes for their placement level.

Students who choose to study a different foreign language than the one they studied in high school must pass both semesters of the elementary level of the new language (101 & 102).
Students who wish to enroll in Chinese must contact the Chinese section chief.
For a student whose native language is not English, the language requirement at The Citadel is automatically waived, and the student is allowed to substitute general electives for the waived language courses.

Strands Classes

The strands classes are the heart of The Citadel’s new General Education program. At the end of their first year, all day program students choose to concentrate on one of the following five themes (with associated course prefix in parentheses):

Technology & Innovation
Conflict & Resolution
Citizenship
Wellness
Nature & Sustainability

The students then enroll in a series, or strand, of classes, all organized according to the theme they have chosen. In following the same theme through different classes, students should be able to attain a deep understanding of their strand’s topic. The work that they do for these classes ought to reflect this deepening of understanding as they progress through the strand. Moreover, the students’ progression through the strands classes ought to promote their grasp of the General Education learning outcomes.

Strands classes will be offered every semester. Individual degree plans differ, but, as a rule, students will begin taking these strand classes in the first semester of their second year and will complete them in senior year. The classes may be special topics classes designed to address the strand theme, or they may be existing classes adapted for the theme.

English, History, Natural Science, and Social Science Strand

Each thematic strand contains classes in English, History, Natural Science, and Social Science. Most students will take all four of these strand classes. Students pursuing degrees in the School of Engineering and certain other STEM fields will take English Strand, History Strand, and Social Science Strand but will substitute a lab Science class determined by their major for the Natural Science Strand.

Here are the generic course descriptions for these four strand courses. Note that the final digit of the course number (given in the generic description as X) will refer to the specific strand itself. So strand classes numbered 301 will be in the Technology & Innovation strand; 302 will be Conflict; 303, Citizenship; 304, Wellness; and 305, Nature & Sustainability.

ENGS 30X - English Strand Credit Hours: 3
HISS 30X - History Strand Credit Hours: 3
NTSS 30X - Natural Science Strand Credit Hours: 3-4
SCSS 30X - Social Science Strand Credit Hours: 3

Elective Strand

To go with the classes in English, History, Natural Science, and Social Science, every strand also has a requirement for an elective. Some degree programs have chosen to require LDRS 202 - Principled Leadership in American Government and Society to satisfy the strand elective. Students in degree programs not using LDRS 202 as the strand elective have two ways to fulfill the elective requirement. They may take an Elective Strand class, or they may enroll in an additional ENGS, HISS, NTSS, or SCSS class from their strand.

Here is the generic course description for the Elective Strand class:

ELES 30X - Elective Strand Credit Hours: 3

America’s Constitutional Heritage

The Citadel has created a new three-credit class, LDRS 202 - Principled Leadership in American Government and Society , which will be required as part of General Education starting in the fall of 2021. This new class will “provide instruction in the essentials of the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Federalist Papers, and the study of American institutions and history, including African-American history, and ideals.” This class meets the criteria established by South Carolina law. Depending on the degree program, this class will replace either a general elective or the required strand elective.

The Third-Year Leadership Seminar (LDRS 371)

The Junior Leadership Seminar (LDRS 371 :Leadership in Organizations) is a required part of General Education. The student signature work assignments in the seminar will deal with leadership issues and will be assessed according to the students’ performance on the essential General Education outcomes (quantitative literacy, intercultural knowledge, and ethical reasoning).

Senior Capstone Class

Before graduating, every student in the undergraduate day program must successfully complete a capstone class in which the six essential General Education outcomes are assessed by means of a signature work project. The capstone class will in many cases be part of the student’s major curriculum. But some degree programs do not require a capstone class, and other degree programs have capstone classes that do not assess the six General Education outcomes. In those cases, students will take capstone classes taught through General Education. These General Education capstone classes will be taught for the first time in the fall of 2022.