UNDERGRADUAGE CATALOG 2002–2003
 Brigham Young University
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General Education Program | Undergraduate Education at BYU | Ways to Complete GE Requirements Other Than by Course Work


Undergraduate Education Office
302 MSRB, (801) 422-3038

Dean: George S. Tate, Professor, Humanities and Comparative Literature
Associate Dean—General Education: John D. Lamb, Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Associate Dean—Honors: J. Scott Miller, Professor, Japanese and Comparative Literature
Associate Dean—University Writing: Kristine Hansen, Professor, English
Associate Dean—Freshman Year: Clark D. Webb, Professor, Education
Assistant Dean: Carolyn Tuitupou



Undergraduate Education

The dean of Undergraduate Education (formerly General Education and Honors) and his associates supervise and foster essential university-wide elements of the baccalaureate: General Education, Honors, University Writing, and Freshman Year (including Freshman Academy and New Student Orientation). These interrelated programs together promote and champion teaching and learning within an integrated university education. They aim to enhance the educational experience and to benefit the life of each undergraduate student.

The BYU Baccalaureate: Integration

There are three formal components to the baccalaureate at Brigham Young University: general education, religious education, and education in a major. General education is intended to provide students with intellectual breadth and the capacity to make connections among fields of knowledge. It is the foundation of the "broad university education" spoken of in the Mission Statement, of which the "arts, letters, and sciences provide the core." Although all disciplines at BYU are, in varying degrees, considered in light of the gospel of Jesus Christ, religion courses, which focus on careful study of the scriptures and the teachings of living prophets, assist students to grow in their religious understanding and convictions, keeping apace with their intellectual development. Education in the major provides students with competence that can only come from sustained, systematic engagement with a particular academic discipline. It develops in them the skills, tools, and critical understanding that prepare them for a career or further study in graduate or professional programs.
Each of these areas complements the others, and, as The Aims of a BYU Education imply, the ideal of the BYU baccalaureate is integration. Religion is not isolated under "spiritually strengthening" but appears under "intellectually enlarging," related both to "breadth" and "depth." Skills are developed in general education as well as in the major. General education per se is not directly mentioned under breadth, which suggests that breadth should also encompass the major, providing "historical perspective, including perspective on one's own discipline." Depth is addressed not only in the major but also in "advanced" requirements under general education. In short, a BYU education is an invitation to wholeness.

Why General Education?

General education is at the heart of a university education; it is what makes university education different from specialized vocational training, and it should be pursued and savored with the same dedication devoted to the major. There are sound practical agruments for general education: most graduates, five years after completing their degrees, are not employed in the areas of their majors; and studies show that those who do best in the long term are usually those whose breadth of education, rather than specialized training, has given them versatility. But the value of general education lies beyond its utility. It provides a foundation for intellectual development; it increases our understanding of civilization—of humankind's most valuable knowledge and achievements in the arts, letters, and sciences. General education teaches us the importance of critical thinking, an awareness of the past, aesthetic sensibility, and moral judgment. These, together with the training that general education provides in verbal and quantitative skills—in manipulating symbolic systems—help prepare us for a lifetime of learning, effective communication, responsible action, forming and judging arguments, and appreciating the good and the beautiful.

Students who benefit most from the best BYU has to offer are able to take the university with them because they have been changed by their experience; they have developed educated habits of mind; they have deepened their faith; they have learned to integrate the sacred and the secular; and they have learned that the craving for knowledge is not fully capable of satisfaction within a lifetime. They become lifelong learners, engaged in service to their fellow human beings.

Modifications of the GE Program in 1995

The general education (GE) program was revised in 1995. Students who entered the university before fall 1995 have the option to continue with their original GE program or to switch to the newer program. Students enrolled before fall 1995 should visit their college advisement center to discuss the optimal program, given their current status.
Modifications to the 1988 GE program are:

Students who entered BYU fall 1995 or thereafter are automatically on the GE program described on the following pages.

Description of the GE Program

The GE Program comprises three categories called Languages of Learning, the Liberal Arts Core, and Arts and Sciences Electives.

The objectives for each of the three areas are explained below. Brief statements of the ways to satisfy GE requirements are provided in the accompanying table. Detailed information concerning the options available to complete each requirement is given in the General Education Courses section of the current class schedule.



General Education Program

Note: This list is subject to change each semester. Some classes listed here have approval on a trial basis and may be removed from the list at a later date. Students should consult a current class schedule each semester/term to ensure that the class they take is still approved for GE. Some requirements can also be satisfied via AP or IB credit. Check with the Academic Advisement Office, B-238 ASB, telephone (801) 422-3641, for the current mapping of AP/IB exams to GE requirements.

Requirement Options
LANGUAGES OF LEARNING
Precollege Math ACT math subscore of 22 or above; SAT math subscore of 500 or above; or Math 97, 110, 111, or any higher college-level calculus course.
First-Year Writing Engl 115, 200, 200H, HonP 200, Phil 105, or Phil 105H
Advanced Writing Prerequisite is First-Year Writing or its equivalent. See the list of approved courses in the current class schedule. Some majors require a specific course. Recommended to be taken during junior year.
Advanced Languages
Four options: Advanced Math, Statistics, Foreign Language, or Advanced Music 		Requirement to be satisfied either in mathematics, statistics, in one of three music tracks, or in a foreign language. See the current class schedule for approved math, statistics, music, and foreign language classes.
*LIBERAL ARTS CORE (Check with your college advisement center to know which courses you should take.)
Civilization One 201 and one 202 course from the approved list in the current class schedule
Option A
Option B
American Heritage One course:
AHtg 100, 100H, or HonP 240 		One of the following two-course combinations:
Hist 120 and PlSc 110;
or Hist 120 and Econ 110;
or PlSc 110 and Econ 110;
or Hist 121 and PlSc 110
Biology One course: Biol 100; 100H; Mcbio 130; HonP 260; or Zool 101 and 102 One course each from two of the three groups:
Group 1: Biol 150, Botny 125
Group 2: Biol 276, Zool 205, 260, 276
Group 3: Mcbio 221
Physical Science One course:
PhyS 100, 100H; or PhyS 110A and 110B; or HonP 259 		One course each from two of the three different departments:
Chem 101, 105, 111, 111H, 152
Geol 101, 101H, 103, 111, 330
Phscs 101, 105, 121, 127, 127H, 220
Wellness HEPE 129 Three physical education or dance activity courses (see detailed information in the current class schedule)
*ARTS AND SCIENCES ELECTIVES
Natural Sciences Choose one course from the approved list in the current class schedule.
Social and Behavioral Sciences Choose one course from the approved list in the current class schedule.
Arts and Letters Choose one course from the approved list in the current class schedule.
* Classes in the Liberal Arts Core under Option B cannot be used to satisfy both the Liberal Arts Core and then Natural Sciences or Social and Behavioral Sciences electives; one course or combination of courses cannot fulfill more than one requirement.


Languages of Learning

In our modern, complex society, the ability to communicate effectively is deemed a critical skill. Under the Languages of Learning category are grouped the areas of writing, mathematics, foreign languages, and music theory, each of which represents an important way to convey information and understanding. Because writing at the college level is considered essential to success at the university, students are asked to complete the First-Year Writing course. Later, once students have identified an area for major study, they are provided with an opportunity to develop writing skills in that discipline. To function in a technological society, a basic knowledge of mathematics as a means of communication and problem solving is essential. All students, upon admission, are asked to certify a basic level of numeracy, either with an appropriately high score on the Mathematics section of the ACT or SAT exams or by completion of a BYU course. We then ask that students exhibit a mastery of either mathematics, music theory, or a foreign language at an advanced level. At this level students achieve an exposure to cultures and to the ways in which practitioners of the language structure their knowledge.

Liberal Arts Core

University education is built upon a core of essential knowledge in the liberal arts, which encompass the arts, letters, and sciences. The Liberal Arts Core comprises a civilization sequence, which provides a historical framework and a consideration of important works and themes; American Heritage, an introduction to the political and economic foundations of the American democratic system; the biological and physical sciences, with emphasis on their underlying principles and on scientific reasoning; and wellness, based upon the ideal, both classical and religious, of cultivating "a sound mind in a sound body."

For every requirement in the core, with the exception of Civilization, there are two pathways to complete the requirement—a one-course option and a multiple (two or three)-course option. The multiple-course options are structured to cover much of the same material that is included in the one-course options but in greater depth (see table).
The options for different core requirements are independent of each other. That is, one may choose the multiple-course option to satisfy the Biological Science core requirement but choose the one-course option for the Physical Science, American Heritage, and Wellness requirements. In general, students will find it most efficient to take the one-course options for a given requirement. However, students in some majors will find that a particular core requirement can be satisfied using the multiple-course pathway with courses they are already taking for their major. Students with career or personal interests outside their major may find that the multiple-course options better serve their needs. For example, the philosophy or language major who hopes to become a physician may satisfy the Physical or Biological Science core requirement by virtue of the science courses required for admission to medical school.
Both the Languages of Learning and the Liberal Arts Core provide for multiple ways to satisfy individual requirements. The number of courses and credit hours needed to satisfy a requirement will vary with the particular option chosen and/or the student's previous preparation.

Arts and Sciences Electives

The Arts and Sciences Electives are divided into three categories: Arts and Letters, Natural Sciences, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. These three divisions encompass the spectrum of human endeavors. The objective of these elective courses is to build upon the foundation of the core, extending and deepening the student's understanding of the arts and sciences through more focused study of specific disciplines. Students must take one course from each of the three areas. Unless the major program dictates a specific course, students are free to select from a large list of approved courses. These courses are certified for approval by a faculty council, and students are encouraged to check a current class schedule for an up-to-date list of approved courses.

Some courses are approved as both Arts and Sciences electives and as one of the multiple-course options to the Liberal Arts Core requirements. The same course cannot be used for both the elective requirement and to partially complete the core requirement.
Because a significant objective of general education is to provide breadth to the student's education, we recommend that elective courses be taken outside the major. However, once a course certified to satisfy an elective is completed, the GE requirement will be considered satisfied. Changes in majors will not affect the student's progress toward completion of the GE program. Nevertheless, the new major may impose additional requirements, such as a particular Advanced Writing course.
Where variable numbers of courses or credit hours are indicated, the effort required to complete the requirement depends upon the student's level of preparation. The complete list of courses currently certified to satisfy a particular requirement and additional details of how to complete the requirements are given in the General Education Courses section of the current class schedule.

GE and the Honors Program

The BYU Honors Program offers a number of courses that satisfy both GE and honors requirements. These courses provide a deeper, more intense exposure to the subject matter for the student who is interested in a challenging experience. Additional information concerning these courses may be obtained from 102A MSRB, telephone (801) 378-5497, or by consulting the Honors Program Course Guide.

Selection and Timing of GE Classes

To gain approval to meet a GE requirement, a course is subjected to a rigorous evaluation. Such approval is not granted lightly, and students should ensure that the courses they select are, in fact, approved for GE credit. This information is updated each semester/term and published in the current class schedule.

Although the time to complete GE requirements varies according to the major, all new students are required to complete the First-Year Writing, American Heritage, and two Book of Mormon classes during their freshman year. If these requirements are not completed by the end of their freshman year, students will be prevented from subsequent registrations until they meet with an academic advisor. It is recommended that new freshmen complete the first part of the Book of Mormon and either First-Year Writing or American Heritage their first semester, and the second part of the Book of Mormon and either First-Year Writing or American Heritage (whichever they have not already completed) their second semester.
Students planning to satisfy the Biological Science, Physical Science, and Precollege Mathematics requirements with the one-course options (e.g., Biol 100, PhyS 100, and Math 110) should also complete these during their freshman year. Civilization courses are designed as sophomore-level courses, although some programs include them during the freshman year. Advice as to when to complete the other GE requirements can be obtained at college advisement centers or department offices.



Ways to Complete GE Requirements Other Than by Course Work

In addition to completing approved courses, there are several options by which students may satisfy the components of the GE program: transferring acceptable credit from other academic institutions; receiving credit from Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations or from the College Level Examination Program (CLEP); or passing special examinations at the university.

Transfer Credit

The application of transfer credit to GE requirements is handled by the Transfer Evaluation Office (B-238 ASB, [801] 422-3641). Consortium agreements have been reached with several junior and community colleges to facilitate the transfer process for students who have completed certain associate degrees. The Transfer Evaluation Office can be contacted for up-to-date information regarding the status of those agreements with a particular junior or community college.

Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Credit

The results of some Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams may be used to waive certain GE requirements and to obtain general university credit. AP or IB credit posted to a transfer institution will be evaluated upon BYU's standards and not those of the transfer institution. The Academic Advisement Office (B-238 ASB, [801] 422-3641) can be contacted for details regarding credit hours and exemption from GE requirements for both AP and IB exams.

College Level Examination Program

BYU will grant credit for the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). For each general examination on which a student scores 610 or higher, the university will grant 3 hours of credit. Students can contact the Admissions Office (A-153 ASB, [801] 378-2507) for additional information.

Exemption and Challenge Examinations

Some GE requirements can be accomplished by successful completion of an examination. Two types of examinations are available, the exemption exam and the challenge exam. A student may only take an exemption or challenge exam once during each exam period. Students do not have to be enrolled in a course to take an exemption or challenge exam. However, some of the exams are given early enough each semester/term so that students who are enrolled and pass the exam may drop the course. Students not enrolled in a course have an opportunity to take the challenge or exemption exams offered at the Testing Center. Students should contact the appropriate academic department for specific exam information before going to the Testing Center.

Exemption and Challenge Examinations Given in the Testing Center

Course Exemption Exam
(No Credit or Grade) 		Challenge Exam
(Graded Credit) 		Fee
(Pay at Testing Center) 		Department to Contact
Precollege Math (Math 97) X
(score of 64% and above) 		  $10 Math Lab
60 KMB, (801) 378-4695
Biological Sciences
(Biol 100) 		  X $20 Biol 100 Office
2276 SFLC, (801) 378-4339
Physical Science
(PhyS 100) 		X
(score of 75% and above) 		X
(score of 60% to 74%) 		$10 PhyS 100 Office
N252 ESC, (801) 378-3307
American Heritage
(AHtg 100) 		  X $20 AHtg Office
166 SWKT, (801) 378-6076
For First-Year Writing (Engl 115) go to http://english.byu.edu/composition/115/challenge.htm.

For information regarding all other challenge examinations, please contact the department that offers the course.



How Do You Get Help with Specific Questions Concerning General Education?

The essential information concerning general education is found in this catalog. Sources of additional information include the following:

College Advisement Centers. The recommended source of information and advice about general education requirements is your college advisement center. The ten college advisement centers, together with the Open Major Advisement Center, 2500 WSC, provide assistance with registration, graduation requirements, policies and procedures, fields of study, changes of major, and many other aspects of academic life. Computer terminals are available in the advisement centers and other locations on campus to provide you with an up-to-date report of your academic status. To access an Advisement by Computer (ABC) Report, do so through Route Y on the BYU home page.






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