I. Oral, Written and Creative Expression
a. Requirements: Six credit hours of First Year English
All students must demonstrate achievement of general goals for ENG 111 and ENG 112 regardless of where First Year English is taken. General Goal information may be accessed at the Language, Literature and Communication (LLC) webpage available through the McKendree University website.
b. -McKendree Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE)
and Continuing Writing Check (CWC) Continuing Writing Check
Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE)
Every student must pass a Writing Proficiency Examination (WPE) in order to graduate from McKendree University. Students taking the WPE are given up to three hours to write an essay. This allows sufficient time to write a rough draft and a final copy for grading.
Students who are enrolled in or have completed English II (ENG 112) are eligible to take the WPE. All students are required to take the WPE within one semester of completing ENG 112 (unless an extension has been granted by the WPE coordinator). Students who do not fulfill this requirement are subject to restrictions on registration for other courses.
Grades are assigned by the Writing Proficiency Committee as pass, fail, or recommend. A pass satisfies the writing proficiency requirement. A recommend satisfies the requirement but may include a referral for a continuing writing check (CWC). A student referred for a CWC is required to work further on his or her writing through the Learning Resource Center or Writing Resource Center until the Director, in consultation with the WPE coordinator, determines that the student has adequately overcome the designated problem(s) in writing.
A student who has completed both required semesters of English composition (ENG 111 and ENG 112) but fails the Writing Proficiency Examination must register for a two credit-hour course, ENG 114 (or an approved equivalent), in the next semester of enrollment, or registration will be restricted. English 114 is designed to give the student further practice in the basic writing skills required to pass the WPE. Upon completing ENG 114 or equivalent, the student must retake the WPE. Should the student fail the examination a second time, he or she would not be required to enroll again in ENG 114 (unless the student fails ENG 114, in which case he or she would be required to take that course as a repeat-delete). Instead, the student would be required to get extensive tutoring (verified by the Learning Resource Center) before taking the examination for the third (and final) time. A student who fails the WPE a second time must take the exam a third time within one calendar year of the second failure. A third failure of the WPE will entail dismissal from McKendree.
All students applying for transfer credit equivalent to ENG 111 and ENG 112 must take the WPE within the first semester of enrollment. Students failing to do so will be restricted in registering for courses until the requirement is met. Transfer students who fail the WPE must follow the procedure outlined above. Any student within 32 credit hours of graduation who has not passed the WPE would be classified as a non-degree student until the proficiency requirement is met.
The purpose of the evaluation of the writing proficiency examination is to provide the college at large and the individual student the assurance that those students who have received credit for the English requirement at McKendree have at least a basic command of written English. In other words, the committee, in evaluating examination papers, will not fail those that have an occasional flaw or a minor weakness but only those which, taken as a whole, show that the writers need additional study and practice in order to achieve the minimum proficiency in writing expected of college students and of college graduates. Each examination will be rated on a scale of one to four by each reader; thus, the total scores for each paper, ranging from two through eight, will fall into the following categories:
1. -Papers with a score of 5 (3 + 2) or higher with a differential of only one:
automatic pass.
2. -Papers with a score of 4 (2 + 2): student is strongly recommended, but not required, to take ENG 114. The student has only marginally acceptable skills and should have additional training in writing.
3. -Papers with a score of 3 or papers with a score of 5 or less, with a differential of 2 or more (e.g., 3 + 1): paper will be read by a third reader to determine the outcome.
4. -Papers with a score of 2: failing paper; the student is required to take ENG 114 or its equivalent and to take the WPE again. The student has failed to demonstrate that he or she has acceptable command of standard written English and the principles of written composition.
To view the Descriptive Scale used in grading the WPE and samples of essays, visit: www.mckendree.edu/writing_center/default.htm.
Continuing Writing Check (CWC)
All McKendree students are subject to continuing writing checks by the faculty. A faculty member who judges a student’s writing to be below the standard acceptable for a McKendree graduate may refer the student to the Learning Resource Center for either assistance only or a Continuing Writing Check (CWC). This is accomplished by completing the referral form available in the faculty secretaries’ offices.
A student who is referred to the Learning Resource Center will be tutored to correct writing deficiencies. Referral for assistance only does not affect the student’s status for graduation. A referral for a CWC, however, will be noted by the faculty member on the midterm or final grade sheet. The student cannot graduate until the referral has been cleared. A referral may be cleared only by the Writing Proficiency Committee after evaluation of samples of the student’s writing. A student cleared of a previous referral remains subject to future referrals.
c. -Completion of two “writing-intensive” courses (designated with a “W”).
These courses are to be completed after successful completion of six hours of first year english (students must successfully pass the WPE prior to enrollment in a 2nd writing-intensive course). The purpose of a writing-intensive requirement is to insure that students continue to practice and develop the writing, reading, and critical thinking skills they learned in the first-year composition courses, and to insure that they learn to use the conventions of discourse and research methodologies of their major discipline.
To meet this requirement, a course should include at least the following elements:
• - -A minimum of 5,000 words (around twenty typed pages) of assigned writing over the course of the semester.
• - -A mix of formal and informal writing exercises. Formal writing would include research papers, essays, position papers, and reports that have gone through more than one draft before being presented in the finished form. Informal writing would include study questions, in-class responses, journals, heuristic exercises, and essay examinations.
• - -A process-oriented approach to the teaching of writing. Simply defined, this means that the writing of a finished product is divided into stages, with oral or written feedback at each stage.
• - -Additional recommendations may be located at:
www.mckendree.edu/writing_center/default.htm
d. Speech: Three credit hours of Speech
Students will develop public speaking skills, applying critical thinking to the processes of researching, organizing and delivering speeches.
Approved Courses
SPC 100
SPC 210
SPC 220
SPC 310
SPC 391 |
FUNDAMENTALS OF SPEECH COMMUNICATION
ARGUMENTATIVE COMMUNICATION
PUBLIC SPEAKING
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS
PERSUASION
|
e. -Aesthetic Expression: Three credit-hours of Art, Music, Theater,
Fine Arts or Creative Writing
Students will develop an appreciation of the processes and be able to apply aesthetic principles of artistic creation either through the study of historic developments in an arts discipline or through acquiring the creative skills of an arts discipline. Students will understand and use the basic vocabulary of art, music, theater or creative writing. Students will exercise individual perception and judgment in evaluating creative works, either their own or those of recognized masters. Finally, students will demonstrate an awareness of the role of creative expression in the social development of individuals and cultural groups.
Approved Courses
Any ART, MUS, THE, or FA except education methods courses, THE 215 (Theater Practicum), THE 250 (Dramatic Literature), and MUS 210 (Rhythms and Dance). In addition, the following creative writing courses may be taken for core credit: ENG 205 (Introduction to Writing Poetry), ENG 206 (Introduction to Writing Fiction and Drama), ENG 305 (Advanced Writing of Poetry), ENG 306 (Advanced Writing of Fiction and Drama).
II. Analytical Reasoning and Scientific Exploration
a. -Mathematical Reasoning: Three credit hours of Mathematics
Students will develop the basic analytical skills that relate to solving practical mathematical problems, and gain skills in the use of mathematics common to work in areas where mathematical methods are employed.
Approved Courses
MTH 142, 210, 220, or 310
b. -Computer Competency: Courses from CSI 115-125 (inclusive)
for a total of three credit hours
Students will gain familiarity with the basics of computer terminology and operation. Through learning the use of certain specialized software packages having wide applicability in the modern work place the student will develop the confidence to master other software tools necessary for his/her personal and professional growth.
Approved Courses
CSI 120
CSI 121 |
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS
INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION
|
AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
c. -Science and Nature: Seven credit hours of Science
(preferably from two different departments),
including at least one course with a laboratory requirement
Students will gain familiarity with the language and terminology of science, the use of the scientific method, and be exposed to various techniques used in data collection. Their skills in problem solving and forming critical judgments will be enhanced by a variety of means including the examination of experimental data, identifying the path between cause and effect, and the manipulation of basic theoretical principles. In this way students will gain in understanding and appreciation of the living universe and the forces underlying it.
Approved Courses
Any combination of BIO, CHE, ES, or PHY courses
III. Awareness of Diverse Individuals and Cultures
a. -Philosophy or Religion: Three credit hours
of Philosophy or Religious Studies
Students who take a course in Philosophy or Religious Studies will learn more about the diverse beliefs and value systems held by individuals and societies. Students will come to understand why others hold beliefs or values different from their own, and will be encouraged to evaluate their own beliefs and values. Students will also become familiar with the methods used by modern scholars to investigate human beliefs and values. Finally, students will have numerous opportunities to improve their skills in reading, writing, and critical thinking.
Approved Courses
Any PHI or REL course except PHI and REL courses which satisfy the Ethics requirement and which are listed below and REL 367 (Music of the Church).
b. History: Three credit hours of History
Students will develop skills in using historical methodologies to understand historical developments. By studying History students will be able to think chronologically, and use historical categories (political, economic, social, cultural), in analyzing causes or outcomes of historical events. Students will develop skills in interpreting primary source documents, and in interpreting historical problems from multiple perspectives, while developing sensitivity to human values in their own and other cultures.
Approved Courses
HIS 161
HIS 162
HIS 163
HIS 261
HIS 262
HIS 272/371
HIS 276/376
HIS 277/377
HIS 311 |
WORLD CIVILIZATION TO 1450
WORLD CIVILIZATION SINCE 1450
TWENTIETH CENTURY WORLD HISTORY
UNITED STATES HISTORY TO 1865
UNITED STATES HISTORY SINCE 1865
UNITED STATES WOMEN’S HISTORY
MINORITIES IN THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY
ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
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c. Cross Cultural Studies: Three credit hours of Cross Cultural Studies
Cross Cultural studies provide students with an opportunity to investigate non-Western cultures and societies in a comparative manner with either other non-Western societies or with Western society. Students will examine either historical or contemporary cultural diversity in order to better understand our increasingly interdependent world.
Approved Courses
|
ANT 149
ANT 305
ANT 345
ENG 253
ENG 309
ENG 310
FRE 351
FRE 380-389
GER 351
GER 380-389
HIS 161
HIS 162
HIS 163
HIS 241
HIS 242
HIS 343
HIS 363
MGT 340
MKT 340
MUS 265
NSG 345
PSI 202
PSI 203
PSI 402
REL 320
SOC 240
SPA 351
SPA 380-389
SPC 353
|
INTRODUCTION TO CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
MENTAL ILLNESS – CROSS CULTURALLY
MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY – CROSS CULTURALLY
LITERATURE OF POST – COLONIAL CULTURES
WORLD LITERATURE I
WORLD LITERATURE II
LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE IN FRANCE
TOPICS IN FRENCH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE IN GERMANY
TOPICS IN GERMAN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
WORLD CIVILIZATION TO 1450
WORLD CIVILIZATION SINCE 1450
TWENTIETH CENTURY WORLD HISTORY
ASIAN CIVILIZATIONS
AFRICAN CIVILIZATIONS
HISTORY OF LATIN AMERICA
HISTORY OF THE MIDDLE EAST
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
MUSIC IN WORLD CULTURES
TRANSCULTURAL ASPECTS OF HEALTHCARE
POLITICAL THEORY: ANCIENT TO PRESENT
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT
RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD
CROSS CULTURAL PRACTICUM
LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE IN SPAIN
TOPICS IN SPANISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
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d. Literature: Three credit hours of Literature
The study of literature speaks both to the knowledge and understanding of the Western Tradition and to Global Awareness, or the understanding of other cultures. In addition, literature courses focus on critical analysis and reasoning. All literature Courses require a prerequisite of Eng 111 and Eng 112 (or equivalents).
Students must take one literature course from either the Literature and Culture cluster or the Literary Genres and Topics cluster.
Literature and Culture (Choose one of the following courses)
ENG 235
ENG 252
ENG 253
ENG 309
ENG 310
ENG 280-289
ENG 380-389 |
GENDER IN LITERATURE
ETHNIC LITERATURE
LITERATURE OF POSTCOLONIAL CULTURES
WORLD LITERATURE I
WORLD LITERATURE II
TOPICS IN LITERATURE
TOPICS IN LITERATURE
|
or
Literary Genres and Topics (Choose one of the following courses)
ENG 247
ENG 250
ENG 261
ENG 271
ENG 301
ENG 302
ENG 280-289
ENG 380-389 |
THE MODERN NOVEL
DRAMATIC LITERATURE
POETRY
SHORT FICTION
SHAKESPEARE’S COMEDIES AND HISTORIES
SHAKESPEARE’S TRAGEDIES AND ROMANCES
TOPICS IN LITERATURE
TOPICS IN LITERATURE
|
Students who are not English majors, English minors, or Elementary Education majors (with English concentration) must obtain the permission of the instructor to take English 390 Major Authors. Other 300 level literature courses require the consent of the instructor and the student’s adviser to be taken for the General Education Core requirement. Note: ENG 301, 302, 309, 310 will have some English majors in them, but they are not designed exclusively for English majors.
IV. Personal, Social, Ethical and Civic Understanding
a. -Recreational Activities: Two different activity courses
(one to two credit hours)
The recreational activities requirement affords students the opportunity to recognize the importance of the role of physical activity in maintaining an optimal level of physical and emotional wellness. By engaging in a variety of recreational activities, students develop skills needed to participate in recreational activities over a lifetime and learn ways to incorporate physical activities into their lifestyle.
Recreational activity courses are required of on-campus students who have not yet reached their 23rd birthday as of their matriculation at McKendree and all students in the Teacher Education Program.
Approved Courses
PED 105
PED 107
PED 109
PED 114
PED 115
PED 116
PED 117
PED 118
PED 119
PED 120
PED 121
PED 122
PED 123
PED 124
PED 130
PED 141 |
BEGINNING RIDING
BEGINNING TUMBLING
YOGA
GOLF
BOWLING
BADMINTON
TENNIS
VOLLEYBALL
SOFTBALL
ARCHERY
PHYSICAL FITNESS
SOCCER
BASKETBALL
AEROBICS
SELECTED RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES
BASIC SCUBA SKILLS
|
Students who have been advised by a licensed health care provider that they should not participate in the available recreational activities courses may substitute HPE 158 (Health) for this requirement. Participation in varsity sports does not fulfill the recreational activities requirement. Recreational activities courses may not be completed by way of independent studies or directed studies courses or proficiency examination.
b. Ethics: Three credit hours of Ethics
Students who take a course in Ethics can expect to become more sensitive to the ethical implications of human actions. Students will learn to recognize the diversity of approaches to moral decision-making, including the similarities and differences among these approaches, and to apply ethical theories to a variety of practical problems. Students will also be challenged to critically evaluate their own approaches to moral and ethical issues. Finally, students will have numerous opportunities to improve their skills in reading, writing, and critical thinking.
Approved Courses
CSI 369
MGT 424
MKT 424
NSG 405
PHI 206
PHI 332
PHI 390
PHI 391
REL 205
REL 335 |
SOCIAL, LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES OF COMPUTING
BUSINESS ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
BUSINESS ETHICS AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
ETHICAL/LEGAL ISSUES IN NURSING
INTRODUCTION TO ETHICS
ETHICAL THEORY
ETHICS AND PUBLIC POLICY
BIO-MEDICAL ETHICS
ETHICS IN THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS
CHRISTIAN ETHICS
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c. -Economics/Psychology/Sociology/Political Science:
Nine credit hours divided among three of the four disciplines Economics, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology
By completing this section, students will become more aware of how they influence and are influenced by other individuals and the larger society. Students will also develop the skills to critically analyze themselves and the society of which they are a part.
Approved Courses
ECO 211
NSG 385
PSI 101
PSI 102
PSY 153
SOC 150
SOC 270 |
PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS
HEALTH POLICIES AND ECONOMICS
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT – NATIONAL
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY
PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY
SOCIAL PROBLEMS
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Only teacher education majors who leave the Education program may substitute EDU 210, Foundations of American Public Education, for one of the above.