A Glossary of Important Terms and Guiding Principles

The American Association of Colleges & Universities offers this excellent set of definitions for "often-confused terms". For more information visit: www.aacu.org/leap/what-is-a-liberal-education

Liberal Education: An approach to college learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change. This approach emphasizes broad knowledge of the wider world (e.g., science, culture, and society) as well as in-depth achievement in a specific field of interest. It helps students develop a sense of social responsibility; strong intellectual and practical skills that span all major fields of study, such as communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills; and the demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings.1

Liberal Arts: Specific disciplines (i.e., the humanities, sciences, and social sciences).

General Education: That part of a liberal education curriculum that is shared by all students. It provides broad exposure to multiple disciplines and forms the basis for developing essential intellectual, civic, and practical capacities. General education can take many forms, and increasingly includes introductory, advanced, and integrative forms of learning.

General Education at FHSU

FHSU's current 55-hour General Education Curriculum (or click here for the pdf version)

Transfer Agreement and Articulation Guide (for student with an associates degree or 45 transferable hours from accredited colleges and universities)

Bachelor of General Studies General Education Requirements

Keeping Up with Revision of the Liberal and General Education Program

FHSU's Liberal Education Committee looks to both American Association of Colleges and Universities' Essential Learning Outcomes and VALUE rubrics and the Degree Qualifications Profile as guiding frameworks for revision of the Liberal and General Education Program.

Liberal Education Resource Links
The Work of Revising the FHSU Liberal Education Program: Learning Goals and Objectives

The working model for a new program is linked here.

The May 2, 2017 Faculty Senate Update is available here.

To Learn More

FHSU's Liberal Education Committee looks to the American Association of Colleges and Universities' Essential Learning Outcomes and VALUE rubrics as well as the Degree Qualifications Profile as guiding frameworks for revision of the Liberal and General Education Program. For more information, visit: