General Education Courses
Division of Arts and Sciences
Essential Undergraduate Learning Outcomes
Intercultural Competence: Learners will demonstrate the ability to engage effectively in a local and global society and apply civic knowledge to real-world situations.
Ethics: Learners will demonstrate ethical reasoning by making sound decisions, taking appropriate actions with awareness of the rights and well-being of others, and identifying the impact of personal and professional behavior.
Personal and Social Responsibility: Learners will make personal and professional decisions with respect for human diversity, equality, and inclusion, and develop self and social awareness by understanding personal strengths and limitations.
Relationship Building: Learners will demonstrate the teamwork skills necessary to effectively work with others, establish new networks, and cultivate existing networks.
Problem Solving: Learners will identity and frame problems, explore big questions and ideas, and create effective, ethical, and evidence-based solutions.
Critical Thinking: Learners will develop the thinking skills necessary to think independently, initiate action, integrate differing points of view, and develop a process of reasoning.
Innovative Thinking: Learners will develop the creative thinking skills necessary to create innovative solutions and the agility to embrace and adapt to change.
Quantitative Reasoning: Learners will apply basic mathematical skills to interpret quantitative information in a results-driven context.
Scientific and Evidence-Based Inquiry: Learners will use research and empirical evidence to further develop questions, propose explanations to problems or scenarios, and to use a scientific lens to describe the world around them.
Information Literacy: Learners will apply inquiry and analysis skills to the ability to locate, analyze, and use knowledge and resources appropriately. Learners will act ethically by providing credit to original authors and sources.
Communication: Learners will develop the skills necessary to articulate ideas effectively in a variety of written, oral, and visual formats using an appropriate tone and purpose for the intended audience.
Integrative Learning: Learners will use multi-disciplinary and multi-contextual lenses to address complex ideas and questions, synthesize transferable skills and concepts across disciplines, and apply transferable knowledge to professional disciplines.
Capella University’s general education curriculum works in concert with the coursework in a learner’s field of study to develop reflective-practitioners at the bachelor’s level. Reflective-practitioners learn to use analytical and relational skills to improve their professional practices through action, reflection, and adaptation.
At Capella University, the general education curriculum is structured around the development of knowledge and skills within four major distribution areas:
- Communication: Capella learners develop the communication skills necessary to effectively use the English language to communicate both verbally and in written form. They develop the thinking skills necessary to critically evaluate information, integrate differing points of view, and establish a reasoned course of action for effectively solving problems. These critical thinking skills are reinforced throughout the program and through reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
- Humanities: Capella learners develop an understanding of the arts and humanities as an expression of human culture, and through the critical analysis of works of art, literature, and philosophy, they develop the ability to form their own aesthetic judgments. Through reflection on their own values and positions, as well as those of others, they learn what it means to be a socially responsible citizen in today’s world and develop the ability to appropriately exercise that citizenship.
- Natural Science and Mathematics: Capella learners develop an understanding of the scientific methods used to study the natural sciences phenomena and an appreciation of the role scientific inquiry plays in addressing the critical issues facing today’s world. They develop an understanding of mathematical and logical reasoning and the ability to use mathematics and logic to address problems in their personal and professional lives.
- Social Science: Capella learners develop an understanding of the scientific methods used to study human behavior and interaction and acquire knowledge of the predominant social science theories.
General Education Courses†
Choose a minimum of 45 quarter credits from the general education courses listed below, with a minimum of 4 quarter credits from each individual category.
Communication
| COM-H4005 | Communicating and Integrating Solutions in the Professional World | 6 |
| COM1150 | Introduction to Digital and Information Literacy | 6 |
| COM1250 | Workplace Communication | 6 |
| COM2000 | Intercultural Communication | 6 |
| COM3700 | Conflict Resolution | 6 |
| COM4100 | Media and Culture | 6 |
| ENG1000 | English Composition | 6 |
| ENG1001 | Essential Writing Skills | 6 |
| ENG1250 | Introduction to Technical and Business Writing | 6 |
| ENG2250 | Academic Research and Writing | 6 |
Humanities
| HUM1150 | Cultural Understanding in a Global World | 6 |
| HUM1200 | Philosophy of Work | 6 |
| PHI-H2005 | Honors Seminar: Critical Thinking for the Professional World | 3 |
| PHI1200 | Philosophy of Problem Solving | 6 |
| PHI2000 | Ethics | 6 |
| PHI3200 | Ethics in Health Care | 6 |
Natural Science and Mathematics
Social Science
| BHA4002 | History of the United States Health Care System | 3 |
| ECO1150 | Personal Economics: Introduction to Financial Planning | 6 |
| HIS1150 | U.S. History: How the Past Informs the Present | 6 |
| POL1100 | Introduction to American Government and Politics | 6 |
| PSYC1000 | Introduction to Psychology | 6 |
| SOC-H3005 | Honors Professional Seminar | 6 |
| SOC1150 | How Society Works: Diversity, Collaboration, and Problem Solving | 6 |
| SOC2000 | Cultural Diversity | 6 |
| SOC2400 | Health and Illness in Social Context | 6 |
General Education Courses, FlexPath option†
Choose a minimum of 22.5 program points from the general education courses listed below, with a minimum of 2 program points from each individual category.
Communication
Humanities
Natural Science and Mathematics
Social Science
| BHA-FPX4002 | History of the United States Health Care System | 1.5 |
| ECO-FPX1150 | Personal Economics: Introduction to Financial Planning | 3 |
| HIS-FPX1150 | U.S. History: How the Past Informs the Present | 3 |
| POL-FPX1100 | Introduction to American Government and Politics | 3 |
| PSYC-FPX1000 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| SOC-FPX1150 | How Society Works: Diversity, Collaboration, and Problem Solving | 3 |
| SOC-FPX2000 | Cultural Diversity | 3 |
One or more courses in this program may require a prerequisite(s). Refer to the course descriptions for details.
† Some Capella degree programs and specializations require specific courses as part of their curriculum. Learners should refer to their program requirements.
GuidedPath courses and FlexPath courses fulfill the program requirements and prerequisites for each delivery model.