A Liberal Arts Foundation
What exactly is a liberal arts foundation, and why should it matter? If an education is
based in the liberal arts, it emphasizes not only what subjects you study but how you go
about learning. You will take classes in many different disciplines philosophy,
science, art, literature and mathematics. You will also discover a whole new philosophy
of learning: one that encourages the continuous process of reflection and self-knowledge;
one that emphasizes extracurricular and experiential education in addition to learning in
the classroom. By giving you an opportunity to explore different subject areas, a liberal
arts foundation helps you to recognize the relationships between and among them, to
explore the connections between your experiences in the classroom and in life, and
encourages you to appreciate the value of lifelong learning.
The General Education Curriculum
We drew upon the goals of a liberal arts foundation when we developed the sequence of
courses that comprise the general education curriculum, these courses are designed to
help you develop the skills and competencies you will require for success in college and
throughout your lives.
Every Marymount Manhattan student completes the fundamental skills courses and is
expected to make progress toward the achievement of the following learning goals:
- Communicate effectively as a reader, a speaker, a writer;
- Exhibit critical thinking and problem solving skills;
- Research, analyze, and synthesize information;
- Apply quantitative reasoning skills.
The fundamental skills courses form the foundation of all MMC degrees.
DISCIPLINARY STUDIES
By taking courses across the liberal arts disciplines, MMC students acquire a
foundation that broadens their education beyond their chosen majors and prepares them
for interdisciplinary study at the advanced level.
Students complete one course at the 100- or 200-level in each of the following groups.
Students may select any liberal arts courses offered in a particular discipline, except
for those courses that are identified as "for majors only."
Studies in Creative Expression
Select from courses in Art, Communication Arts, Creative Writing, Dance, Journalism,
Music, and Theater Arts
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Learning Goals
- Students will engage as informed observers or active participants in the visual,
spatial, performing or creative arts.
- Students will describe processes by which works of art, media, performance and
creative writing are created individually, and collaboratively.
- Students will demonstrate critical listening, reading, seeing and writing skills,
and the ability to articulate aesthetic responses.
Studies in Literature and Language
Select from courses in English, French, Spanish, and Speech-Language
Pathology/Audiology.
Learning Goals
- Students will articulate their understanding of the role language plays as a system
of communication and as a marker of cultural expression and identity.
- Students will produce formal analyses of how oral or written language reflects the
socio-historical conditions that produce it.
- Students will apply a variety of theoretical frameworks to their analysis of
written oral language.
Studies in Natural Science and Mathematics
Select from courses in Biology, Chemistry, General Science, Mathematics, and Physics.
Learning Goals
- Students will identify ethical issues and controversies in various contexts.
- Students will analyze and articulate multiple perspectives on ethical issues.
- Students will construct arguments that are grounded in ethical and other analytical
or scholarly perspectives in support of their own judgments.
Studies in Psychology, Philosophy, and Religious Studies
Select from courses in Philosophy, Psychology, and Religious Studies
Learning Goals
- Students will identify, describe, and explain key terms, concepts, and distinctions
central to the discipline of psychology, philosophy, or religious studies.
- Students will reconstruct and explain (in speaking and writing) various arguments
concerning the foundations and applications of theories of human nature, knowledge or
value.
- Students will critically evaluate in speaking and writing) various arguments
(including one's own) concerning the foundations and applications of theories of human
nature, knowledge, and/or value.
Studies in Social Science, Business, and History
Select from courses in Business Management, Economics, Education, Gender and Sexuality
Studies, History, International Studies, Political Science, and Sociology.
Learning Goals
- Students will critically consume discipline-specific knowledge of social science,
business, or history.
- Students will discriminate between a variety of research methods, and demonstrate
an understanding of their advantages and limitations.
- Students will identify the economic, historical, political, or social factors
shaping the procedures, practices, and policies of collective existence.
ADVANCED DISCIPLINARY STUDIES
As students transition to advanced-level study in General Education, they move from
courses that are discipline-based courses that are organized around various
interdisciplinary perspectives. This transition requires students utilize the
knowledge and skills they have already acquired as they hone their ability to think
across and between disciplines. These courses are also designed to reinforce the
critical skills that students developed in their lower-level courses.
Some of these courses are offered through specific departments, reflecting the shift
towards an interdisciplinary approach that occurred in many disciplines. Other courses
are identified as Interdisciplinary Studies Courses. Such courses may explore their
topics through a variety of disciplinary lenses or they may adopt an entirely new
approach as they cross-disciplinary boundaries. Students are required to complete six
courses at the 300- or 400-level, at least one from each of the following perspectives:
Cultural Perspectives
This perspective investigates the practices that allow for the production and
reproduction of the system of meaning (e.g., art, ritual, and beliefs) through which
groups and individuals define and express themselves.
Learning goals
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of the ways through which culture is produced.
- Students will demonstrate knowledge of how people participate in and are influenced
by individual, group, and social action.
- Students will demonstrate recognize their contribution to the production
consumption and reproduction of culture.
Ethical Perspectives
This category examines the beliefs and values that underlie human responses to moral
issues.
Learning goals
- Students will identify ethical issues and controversies in various contexts.
- Students will analyze and articulate multiple perspectives on ethical issues.
- Students will construct arguments that are grounded in ethical and other analytical
or scholarly perspectives in support of their own judgments.
Natural Science Perspective
This category studies the natural and physical world through the methods of scientific
inquiry.
Learning Goals
- Students will articulate and recognize the contributions of scientific development
to human endeavors.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method as it applies
to the natural and physical world.
- Students will identify the relevant key aspects of the evolution of scientific
thought.
- Students will gain experience working with empirical data.
International Perspectives
This category has comparative focus on nations and peoples outside the United States to
promote understanding of and sensitivity to international communities and perspectives.
Learning Goals
- Students will demonstrate a comparative understanding of communities outside the
United States.
- Students will identify and evaluate contemporary or historical issues from global
perspectives.
- Students will demonstrate an awareness of international communities and
perspectives to encourage engagement with the world and its citizens.
Natural Science Perspective
This category studies the natural and physical world through methods of scientific
inquiry.
Learning Goals
- Students will articulate and recognize the contributions of scientific developments
to human endeavors.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method as it applies
to the natural and physical world.
- Students will identify the relevant key aspects of the evolution of scientific
thought
- Students will gain experience working with empirical data.
U.S. Perspectives
This category focuses on issues central to the United States experience. Students will
articulate and analyze the plurality of experiences in the United States.
*Sophomore, junior & senior students following an earlier catalogue may, if
they wish, opt to follow these new requirements.
*For descriptions of courses that fulfill General Education requirements,
please see the course descriptions under Academic Programs
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