Nov 25, 2024  
2014-2015 Catalog 
    
2014-2015 Catalog ARCHIVED CATALOG: Content may no longer be accurate.

Weber State University General Education Requirements


Click for PDF version of the GE Requirements

General education at Weber State University provides students with a foundation in the arts and sciences that transcends and complements their academic emphases.  This exposure to diverse fields of study enables students to make intellectually honest and ethical decisions that reflect a knowledge of and respect for diverse people, ideas, and cultures.  Such breadth of education also cultivates skills critical to student success in academic, personal, professional and community endeavors both within and beyond the university.

Students completing the general education program can:

  • Communicate, understand and interpret ideas and information using written, oral and visual media
  • Think critically and creatively to construct well-reasoned arguments supported by documented research
  • Use quantitative, mathematical relationships, operations and reasoning
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the history, foundational principles, economics, and politics of the United States
  • Demonstrate proficiency in computer and information literacy
  • Demonstrate an understanding of how the biological and physical sciences describe and explain the natural world
  • Demonstrate an understanding of humans, their behavior, and their interaction with and within their physical, social, local and global environments
  • Demonstrate an understanding of diverse forms of aesthetic and intellectual expression

Before selecting general education courses, students should consult with an academic advisor (weber.edu/advisors) and review their CatTracks degree evaluation accessed through the eWeber student portal.

CORE GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS


The core requirements listed below apply to all Bachelor’s degrees and AA/AS degrees. It is recommended that students complete these requirements within the first 60 credit hours. General education requirements for AAS degrees vary and are specified by each program.

 

COMPOSITION (EN) 3 credit hours


Complete ENGL 2010 EN - Intermediate College Writing  (3) and earn a “C” grade or better.

Entrance into ENGL 2010  requires one of the following:  Passing ENGL 1010  with a grade of “C” or better, passing the AP Language and Composition or Literature and Composition examination with a score of 3 or better, achieving an ACT English and Reading score of 29 or better, a CLEP with essay test with a score of 50 or better, or an articulated transfer credit from another regionally accredited college or university.

 

QUANTITATIVE LITERACY (QL) 3-5 credit hours


Select one of the following options and earn a “C” grade or better:

To enroll in MATH 1030 , 1040 , 1050 , or 1080 , you must have either earned an ACT Math score of 23 or higher, completed MATH 1010  with a “C” grade or better, or earned an appropriate Accuplacer score.

If you earned a “C” grade or better in PHIL 2200  between Spring 2007 and Spring 2013 and you are declared in a catalog year between Spring 2007 and Spring 2013, your QL requirement is also met.  Some departments may not accept PHIL 2200  toward program requirements.

 

MATH & ENGLISH PLACEMENT


Upon admission to Weber State University, Math and English course placement is determined based on students’ prior academic performance and test results. Fees may be charged for assessment tests and/or tutoring. Students may enroll in courses for which they meet the prerequisites. Individuals placed into developmental courses should complete these classes as soon as possible since they provide foundational skills for success in higher-level courses. Changes to this document are effective beginning the first day of summer semester, May 5, 2014. Placement for students admitted to the university prior to this day will be based on the current Assessment and Placement Standards document.
 

MATH COURSE PLACEMENT
Your Math course placement is based on a weighted rubric of your high school GPA and Math ACT* scores. If you do not have a high school GPA and/or ACT* score, or if you wish to challenge your course placement, you should take the Math Mastery Exam**. Students desiring to test out of Quantitative Literacy (QL) or place into a higher-level math course should take the Math ACCUPLACER◊ exam. A Math ACCUPLACER◊ score of College Level Math (CLM) 70 or higher fulfills the QL requirement; a score of CLM 90 or higher places one into Math 1210 (Calculus).
 

Placement Rubric Criterion WSU Course Placement
Level One MATH 0950 
Level Two MATH 0810  or 0990 
Level Three MATH 1010 
Math ACT 23 or higher^
Or ACCUPLACER◊ CLM score of 50 to 69
MATH 1030 , 1040 , 1050 , or 1080  - these courses satisfy the Quantitative Literacy (QL) requirement


ENGLISH COURSE PLACEMENT
Your English course placement is based on your ACT* or ACCUPLACER◊ scores. If you did not take the ACT*, you should take the Reading Comprehension and Sentence Skills ACCUPLACER◊ exams to obtain your placement. Non-native English speakers should contact the Learning English for Academic Purposes (LEAP) Program (801-626-6028) for placement testing.

 

English & Reading ACT* Scores Reading Comprehension & Sentence Skills      
ACCUPLACER Scores (expire after 24 months)
WSU Course Placement
Score of 12 or lower in either English or Reading Score of 39 or lower in either Reading Comprehension (RC)
or Sentence Skills (SS)
ENGL 0900 
Score of 13-16 in either English or Reading Score of 40-89 in either Reading Comprehension (RC)
or Sentence Skills (SS)
ENGL 0955 
Score of 17 or higher in both English and Reading Score of 90 or higher in both Reading Comprehension (RC)
and Sentence Skills (SS)
ENGL 1010 
Score of 29 or higher in both English and Reading N/A ENGL 2010 

                            

 HELPFUL RESOURCES FOR PLACEMENT QUESTIONS

  • Visit weber.edu/TestingCenter/math-mastery.html for Math Mastery Exam testing information.
  • Visit weber.edu/accuplacer for WSU ACCUPLACER testing information (including a Distance ACCUPLACER Request form if you are more than 50 miles away from WSU).
  • Contact the Developmental Math Advisor, Tes Yadete, devmath@weber.edu, (801-626-7451) regarding placement into Math 0950, 0810, 0990, and 1010.
  • Contact the Math Department Office (801-626-6095) regarding placement into Quantitative Literacy (QL) courses.
  • Contact the English Department (801-626-6251) regarding English course placement.
  • Review course descriptions for Math and English courses in the WSU catalog at catalog.weber.edu.
  • Find contact information for WSU’s academic advisors at weber.edu/advisors.

*If you took the SAT, rather than the ACT, contact Admissions at 801-626-6743 for your placement.
**You may take the Math Mastery Exam once in a 12 month period. This test will allow you to place up to, but not out of, QL.
^For placement into Math 1030, 1040, 1050, or 1080 the Math ACT score expires after 24 months.
◊You may take each ACCUPLACER exam up to 2 times within a 12 month period. ACCUPLACER scores expire after 24 months.


COMPLETING YOUR QUANTITATIVE LITERACY AND COMPOSITION GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
Because Math and English skills are necessary to succeed in many other courses, it is important to begin the courses you placed into and work towards completing the Quantitative Literacy (QL) and Composition requirements for your program of study early in your studies. Information about completing these requirements can be found below and in the WSU Catalog (catalog.weber.edu).
 

QUANTITATIVE LITERACY
There are five ways to fulfill your QL requirement:

  • Earn “C” or better in MATH 1030, 1040, 1050, or 1080 or
  • Earn “C” or better in any math course for which either MATH 1050 or 1080 is a prerequisite or
  • Score 3 or higher on AP Calculus exam or
  • Score 3 or higher on AP Statistics exam or
  • Score 70 or higher on Accuplacer College Level Math (CLM)

Before choosing one of these options, consult the WSU Catalog (catalog.weber.edu) or your major advisor (weber.edu/advisors). Many programs require you to take a specific QL course to fulfill their program requirements.

Depending on your placement, you may need to take one or more prerequisite courses before enrolling in a QL course. Your placement indicates where you need to begin in one of the following QL prerequisite course sequences:

  • MATH 0950 → MATH 0990 → MATH 1010 → MATH QL course
  • MATH 0950 → MATH 0810 → MATH 1030

Important note: Once you pass a prerequisite math course, the course is valid for 24 months before it expires as a prerequisite.

If you earned a “C” or better in PHIL 2200  between Spring 2007 and Spring 2013 and you are declared in a catalog year between Spring 2007 and Spring 2013, your QL requirement is also met.
 

COMPOSITION
To fulfill your Composition requirement, complete English 2010 with a “C” grade or better. An Associate of Applied Science degree (AAS) only requires successful completion of English 1010.

Depending on your placement, you may need to take one or more prerequisite courses before enrolling in ENGL 2010. Your placement indicates where you need to begin in the following composition prerequisite course sequence:

  • ENGL 0900 → ENGL 0955 → ENGL 1010 → ENGL 2010 or
  • ESL courses → ENGL 1010 → ENGL 2010 (for non-native English speakers)

 

AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS (AI) 3-6 credit hours


Select one of the following options and earn a “C” or better:

 

COMPUTER & INFORMATION LITERACY (CIL) 2-5 credit hours


Successful completion of approved four-part (A, B, C, D) requirement. Can be met by receiving a credit grade on each proficiency exam or taking courses with a “C” grade or better, or a combination of the two.  Completion of one three-credit NTM 1700 TE - Introduction to Computer Applications  course and/or one one-credit IST 2010 TE - Business Computer Skills  will meet Parts A, B, and C of the requirement.  Exams are credit/no credit, courses vary.  Students should check with the advisor for their Major to determine the best way to meet the computer literacy requirement. More information is also available at: http://programs.weber.edu/cil/.

 

 Emphasis Area

 Part A: Document Creation

 Part B: Content, Internet Identity,
 and Device Management

 Part C:  Data Manipulation,
 Visualization, and Presentation

 Part D: Information Literacy

 Exam Options: See
 programs.weber.edu/cil for

 practice problems and tutorials

 NTM 1501
 
Document Creation Competency
 exam (.5)

 NTM 1502
 Content, Internet Identity, and Device
 Management Competency exam (.5)

 NTM 1503
 Data Manipulation, Visualization,
 and Presentation Competency 
 exam (.5)

 NTM 1504
 Information Literacy Competency
 exam (.5)

 Course Options

NTM 1700 Introduction to Computer Applications (3)
Fulfills parts A, B & C

 LIBS 1704  Information Navigator (1)
- O R -
 
LIBS 2504 Information Resources in
 History (1)

- O R -
 LIBS/EDUC 2604  Information
 Resources in Education (1)
- O R -
 LIBS/BSAD 2704  Information
 Resources in the Business
 Disciplines (1)
- O R -
 LIBS 2804 Information Resources in
 the Social Sciences (1)
 - O R -
 LIBS/HTHS 2904 Information
 Resources in the Health Professions
 (1)

 NTM 1701
 Document Creation (1)

 

 NTM 1702
 Content, Internet Identity, and Device

 Management (1)

 

 NTM 1703
 Data Manipulation, Visualization,
 and Presentation (1)

 

Note: Computer and Information Literacy (CIL) transfer credit that does not automatically transfer from another college or university will be evaluated on an individual basis. Transfer credit must meet the current WSU CIL requirements, have been taken within the last seven years, and passed with a grade of “C” or above. The Network Technology and Business Multimedia Department offers testing options for those who have transfer credit over the seven-year limit.

 

BREADTH GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS


DO NOT DUPLICATE DEPARTMENTS: Courses selected to fulfill breadth requirements must each be from a different program, with the exception of Honors.

HUMANITIES & CREATIVE ARTS


Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Fine Arts, or Bachelor of Integrated Studies: Select nine (9) credit hours - at least three (3) credit hours from Humanities and at least three (3) credit hours from Creative Arts and earn a passing grade.

Associate of Applied Science: Select three (3) credit hours from Humanities or Creative Arts and earn a passing grade

 

HUMANITIES


Anthropology

CREATIVE ARTS


SOCIAL SCIENCES


Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Fine Arts, or Bachelor of Integrated Studies: Select six (6) credit hours in addition to the American Institutions requirement and earn a passing grade.

Associate of Applied Science: Select three (3) credit hours and earn a passing grade.

SOCIAL SCIENCES


Child and Family Studies

Health Education

Information Systems & Technologies

Women’s Studies

PHYSICAL SCIENCES & LIFE SCIENCES


Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Fine Arts, or Bachelor of Integrated Studies: Select nine (9) credit hours - at least three (3) credit hours from Physical Sciences and at least three (3) credit hours from Life Sciences and earn a passing grade.

Associate of Applied Science: Select three (3) credit hours from Physical or Life Sciences and earn a passing grade

PHYSICAL SCIENCES


Physics

LIFE SCIENCES


AP, CLEP and Transfer Credit


General education requirements may also be satisfied by:

AP Credit

Students who have completed advanced placement courses in high school and passed the Education Testing Service examination with acceptable scores (3, 4, or 5) may be granted WSU credit hours for each, and will be given general education credit in the appropriate category. (Refer to the Credit by Examination or Petition  section and/or contact the Admissions Office for more information.)

International Baccalaureate Credit (IB)

Students who have completed International Baccalaureate courses in high school and passed the corresponding Higher-Level or Diploma examinations may be granted WSU credit hours for each, and will be given general education credit in the appropriate category. (Refer to the Credit by Examination or Petition  section and/or contact the Admissions Office for more information.)

CLEP Credit

All students are eligible to take the CLEP (College Level Examination Program) battery which, if passed satisfactorily, may satisfy most of the general area requirements. (Refer to the Credit by Examination or Petition  section and/or contact the Admissions Office for more information.)

Transfer Credit

Weber State University accepts transfer credit from regionally accredited colleges and universities. Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degrees earned at any higher education institution accredited by one of the following six regional accrediting associations (recognized by the U.S. Department of Education) will satisfy all general education core and breadth requirements provided the granting institution was regionally accredited at the time the degree was awarded.

  • North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement
  • New England Association of Schools and Colleges
  • Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges
  • Southern Association of Schools and Colleges
  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges
  • Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges

For students who are transferring from a non-regionally accredited institution, please refer to Credit by Examination or Petition .

Contact the Transfer Admissions Advisement Office for more information (see Transfer Advisement ).