Essential skills
Regardless of your major, liberal studies courses are the foundation of your education. Find your passion, purpose, and potential as you deepen your understanding of the global community and develop wide-ranging skills that will help you succeed academically, professionally, and personally.
Critical thinking Accordion Closed
Critical thinking includes the skills – particularly as applied to one’s own work – of articulating the meaning of statement, judging the truth of a statement while keeping in mind possible biases, and determining whether a conclusion is warranted by the evidence provided.
Effective writing Accordion Closed
Effective writing conveys information or argues a point of view using organizational structures, supporting materials, and language appropriate for the topic, purpose, and audience.
Effective oral communication Accordion Closed
Effective oral communication influences, informs, and/or connects with others by using organizational structures, supporting materials and delivery skills suitable to the topic, occasion and audience.
Scientific inquiry Accordion Closed
Scientific inquiry includes the skills of formulating hypotheses on the basis of observations, obtaining and analyzing data to test (i.e., refute or confirm) hypotheses, and explaining phenomena by means of accepted principle, theories or laws.
Quantitative reasoning Accordion Closed
Quantitative reasoning is the application of numerical, visual or symbolic reasoning for the purposes of drawing inferences, understanding phenomena or making predictions.
Creative or aesthetic thinking Accordion Closed
Creative or Aesthetic Thinking includes the skills of (1) artistic expression characteristic of the works of the fine, performing and literary arts, (2) analyzing and interpreting works of the artistic expression in systematic detail, or (3) processes of generating and evaluating innovative approaches to problem solving regardless of discipline.