Lenoir-Rhyne University’s core curriculum is an innovative, comprehensive, and flexible introduction to the liberal arts and sciences, and is the common foundation of a Lenoir-Rhyne education. It is designed around ways of knowing the world, big questions both enduring and current, and the growth of a healthy, reflective, and articulate self.
The Core has three primary parts:
- The First Year Experience is a topical, year-long course that introduces students to the college-level work, to college social and cultural life, and to the college world view.
- Foundations focus on essential skills, broader cultural and interpersonal understanding, and a Christian perspective.
- The Liberal Arts and Sciences (Humanities, Human Society and Behavior, the Natural World, and the Fine Arts) courses are built around ways of knowing, both within and between, the traditional disciplines. Students take introductory courses in all of these areas and then two upper-level, intensive seminars. Students complete a Capstone presentation in one of the seminars.
The core curriculum at Lenoir-Rhyne includes these components:
- The First-Year Experience
- The Foundations courses
- Liberal Arts and Sciences courses (Level 1)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences seminars (Level 2)
- The Core Capstone Project
- Global Learning
- Career/transition Preparation
Core Curriculum Requirements (55-63 Hours)
The First-year Experience
The First-Year Experience consists of two 3-hour courses spanning the first two semesters.
- FYE 191 - First Year Experience Hours: 3
- FYE 192 - First Year Experience Hours: 3
Transfer students entering Lenoir-Rhyne University with at least 26 hours of earned college-level credit beyond high school (i.e. not including early college or AP credit) will be exempt from the FYE requirement, but will be required to take LRU 101 or LRU 102 , a course designed specifically for adult and traditional transfer students that will orient and acculturate them to the University. Transfer students who enter LR with 26 hours or more and have been out of school for 5 years or longer should enroll in LRU 101 . This course is also recommended for all returning LR students who have been away from LR for more than 5 years. This course is designed to help transfer students make the transition to and be successful at LR, with particular attention to the needs of returning students. Transfer students who enter LR with 26 hours or more and have attended another college or university within the last 5 years should enroll in LRU 102 . This course is designed to help transfer students make the adjustment to and be successful at LR.
The Foundations Courses
Students must complete FAC 101 and 102 or ENG 131 within their first two semesters.
Remaining Foundations Courses
Students must complete their remaining Foundations courses in their first 64 credit hours.
Foreign Language
Students meet the foreign language requirement through successful completion of six hours of courses in the same area or through satisfactory completion of a program-implemented proficiency examination in a second (non-native) language.
Health and Exercise Science Components
The Liberal Arts and Sciences (Level I)
Students will take 27-29 hours of Liberal Arts and Sciences courses from four categories: Humanities (HUM), Human Society and Behavior (HSB), Natural World (NAT), and Fine Arts (FIN). Courses are taken at two levels (I and II).
Level I
Students take two courses each in the Humanities, Human Society and Behavior, and Natural Science with different prefixes; 188s may be repeated with different titles.
Human Society and Behavior (6 Hours)
Natural Science (6-8 Hours)
Fine Arts (3 Hours)
Students take 3 credit hours total from the following options:
The Liberal Arts and Sciences (Level II) (6 Hours)
Level II
At Level II, student take two courses designed around a rigorous exploration of a “Big Question” in a
way that pushes disciplinary boundaries. Students in liberal arts and science majors must take courses
in categories outside of the category containing their major. Students with two majors must select one
Level II course in a category not containing either of those majors. Students in professional majors
may select two of the seminars. Students may choose a GLS course as a “wild card” for ONE of the
required Level II courses, but not for a Level II required for a specific major. Global Learning Studies (3 Hours)
Human Society and Behavior (3 Hours)
Natural Science (3 Hours)
The Core Capstone
As their Core Capstone, students will select one of their Level II culminating projects for public presentation. Although the capstone experience carries no credit hours, it must be completed successfully to fulfill graduation requirements.
Global Learning
The Core Curriculum requires Global Learning experiences, which build upon the multicultural foundation formed through taking the Core-required foreign language classes and integrate international knowledge from different disciplines to prepare students to become informed citizens of the world. This requirement can be met through study abroad or through taking classes on campus. A student must complete a full semester of study abroad, or at least five credit hours of Global Learning-designated courses, or a short-term study abroad experience and at least two credit hours in a GL course. GL courses may count toward the Core, a student’s major, or elective hours.
The courses listed below count toward the Global Learning requirement; in addition to this list, individual courses may be approved on a semester-by-semester basis (these will be indicated by a “G” on the course schedule). Foreign language classes beyond the Core requirement (additional work in the Core language or work in another language) also count toward this requirement.
Career/Transition Preparation
All students are required to complete a course designed to help them transition to life after graduation- whether that be entering the working world or attending graduate school. Most students will take a one-credit hour course, LRU 410 , unless their major requires a course that meets the goals of LRU 410 these include
Academic Service Learning
Additionally, all students must complete an Academic Service Learning project. ASL is an endeavor in which
a service experience is integrated into a course curriculum. This is a supplemental service project through
which students apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to focus on problem-solving in the
community. Students must address a specific community problem or need, establish contact with a relevant
organization, create goals for the project, complete 15 hours of service over the semester, and reflect on and
evaluate the experience. Foreign Language Requirements for the Deaf and Hard-ofhearing or Learning Disabled Students
Students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and/or with a diagnosed learning disabled can satisfy the foreign language requirements by completing one of the following:
- Take semesters of a second language (as described above), OR
- Take six credits, in addition to other core requirements, that pertain to the past and present cultural heritage of other countries, (see the list of approved Cultural Enrichment courses below).
Approved List of Cultural Enrichment Courses
Various courses below can satisfy the foreign language core requirement for students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing and/or who have a diagnosed learning disability. The purpose is to expose students to the past and/or present cultural heritage of countries other than the United States in order to partially counteract the limitations that the communications barrier of hearing loss or learning disability may cause. To qualify for the cultural enrichment course option, students must have a documented, specific learning/language based disability in either written or oral processing deficits. Specific documentation must be provided to the Director of Services for Students with Disabilities for consideration. The documentation must be provided on letterhead and identify the specific learning disability provided by a qualified professional (e.g., psychologist, psychiatrist, school psychologist). The Director of Services for Students with Disabilities will review the documentation and a recommendation will be made to the Provost. The Provost determines whether the cultural enrichment options will be allowed on a case-by-case basis. Written notice of the determination will be made within 30 days of the request:
Human and Community Service
Note
Students who need to be considered for the Cultural Enrichment course option to satisfy the foreign language requirement must contact the Disability Services Office or the Office of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Student Services.
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