The general education requirements for each degree are presented in the table following the explanation of the Core and Distributed requirements. The table indicates that there are different requirements for students seeking B.A., B.S., and B.M.E. degrees. There are also different requirements for students who come to Greenville College’s campus with less than 60 hours of college credit, those with 60 or more hours of credit, and those with an Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Science (A.S.), or Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T) degree1. (Transfer students with an Associate of Arts in Teaching degree must have completed a general education core consisting of 40-45 credits.) Because different students will have different requirements, they are advised to study the table and read this section carefully. They should also speak with their advisors about their specific general education requirements.
When specific courses are required of students they are listed in the table. For example, the specific course CORE 401 Capstone Seminar: Advanced Integrative Studies is listed in the table. The “X” in each column of the table indicates that this specific course must be taken by all students who seek to graduate from Greenville College, regardless of their status when they enter and regardless of the degree that they seek. Detailed descriptions of these and all courses offered at the College are listed alphabetically in the Undergraduate Course Listings later in the Catalog.
Sometimes specific courses are not required. For example, the table shows that a Cross Cultural Course or Experience is required of all students who seek a degree from GC. Students are not required to take one specific course that satisfies the requirement; many courses can. These are explained in the section below.
Students majoring in education are exempt from completing a few general education requirements. However, if a student elects to complete two or more majors where only one is in education, the student must complete the general education requirements that are standard for both majors. For example, a student majoring in secondary education and youth ministries would need to fulfill the sociology general education requirement even though it is waived for a student majoring solely in secondary education.
Core Requirements:
Core courses are fundamental to the Christian liberal arts focus of Greenville College. Most students are required to take four Core courses.
These include:
Transfer students who arrive at Greenville College with 60 or more credits or an A.A., A.S., or A.A.T. degree are exempt from taking CORE 101 and CORE 102. However, these transfer students still must take CORE 302 and CORE 401. Their first fall semester on campus they must also take CORE 301: Liberal Arts and Christian Thought (3 credits). The exception is students who have an Associate’s degree and have graduated from high school within nine months of being enrolled at GC will be scheduled to take CORE 101T their first term, and will proceed to complete the CORE sequence listed above including CORE 102, CORE 302, and CORE 401 in subsequent terms. Any transfer student beginning at GC in the spring semester will complete all four CORE courses listed above.
Distributed Requirements:
Distributed courses help students develop skills such as critical thinking and provide students with introductions to the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and physical fitness.
Required Courses:
The faculty requires most students to take four specific general education courses in addition to the Core. These include:
Students arriving on campus with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.T. degree are not required to take these courses. B.M.E. students are not required to take PHED 102 but must take all others.
English Proficiency and Developmental English
All first time freshmen must demonstrate proficiency in high school English in order to enroll in ENGL 105 Research and Writing, a graduation requirement. Students may demonstrate proficiency by:
- Scoring above the 30th percentile on the English portion of the ACT or SAT, or
- Completing ENGL 100 (Developmental English) with a grade of C or better or
- Completing a course deemed equivalent to ENGL 100 at another institution and transferring the credits to Greenville College
Credits earned for successfully completing ENGL 100 count toward graduation credits.
Required Areas of Study
Students are required to study in a number of additional areas in order to complete their general education requirements. These are areas of study as opposed to specifically required courses. In each of these areas, students may choose among a number of different course options. These are listed by area below.
Activity
Most students pursuing B.A. or B.S. degrees must complete two ACTY credits in order to graduate. ACTY courses are usually 0.5 credit courses offered for seven weeks of each semester. Students may choose from a variety of Individual and Team Sports. Any course with the prefix of ACTY will fulfill the requirement.
Students who enter with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.T. degree are not required to complete the ACTY requirement. Those students pursuing a B.S. in any of the education programs are only required to complete one credit of HPRA. Students completing a B.M.E. only need to complete one half credit of HPRA.
Students participating in a varsity sport, cheerleading, dance team, or marching band for a complete season may waive a half (.5) activity credit per season up to a maximum of one credit of the activity requirement. Varsity athletes, cheerleaders, and dance team members do not earn ACTY course credit for their athletic participation; they waive the activity requirement. In other words, participation cannot help students accumulate credits towards graduation but can help them fulfill this requirement. The waiver applies only to ACTY credits, not PHED 101 or PHED 102 requirements.
Veterans or students over 25 years of age when entering Greenville College for the first time may also waive the ACTY credits. The PHED 101 and PHED 102 requirements still must be completed.
Students are not permitted to take more than two credits of ACTY.
Biblical Studies
All students, except those entering with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.T degree, must complete the Biblical Studies requirement. They may do so by taking any three credit course designated as a Biblical Studies course, (a course that focuses on a particular Biblical genre, book, or testament of the Bible). The prerequisite for Biblical Studies courses is CORE 102. Currently, the following courses can meet this requirement:
Other courses (such as BIBL 199 or BIBL 399 open titled courses) may also fulfill the Biblical Studies requirement. Students interested in these alternative courses should check with the chair of the Records Office to ensure that proposed courses will fulfill the Biblical Studies requirement.
Cross Cultural Course or Experience
All students must complete a cross cultural (CC) course or experience. Either a CC course or an approved CC experience will meet the graduation requirement. Greenville offers more than 15 courses during the academic year that meet the CC requirement. Students may also gain CC credit through participation in off-campus programs such those offered by the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities.
Ideally, CC courses:
- Focus on a cultural group or groups other than the predominant culture group of the United States.
- Provide a significant knowledge base regarding a different culture or cultures and, in so doing, emphasize the importance of developing a comprehensive worldview.
- Explain ethnocentrism and its role in the development of perceptions and reality.
- Focus on the alternative views of reality and perceptions of the cultural group(s) studied: beliefs, values, customs, language, non-verbal communication, etc.
- Include the study of the accomplishments of the culture(s) being considered.
- Strive to develop empathy toward the group or groups studied.
- Address the issues of cultures in conflict between and within nations.
- Develop an understanding of social and cultural change.
Minimally, a CC course or experience must meet five of the eight criteria. The CC designation for a course is made by the Dean of Multi-Cultural and Cross Cultural Programs in conjunction with the Inter-School Academic Affairs Counsel (ISAAC). Currently, the following courses meet this requirement:
An International student is considered to have met the requirement by studying in the United States. Other students who have lived abroad for significant periods of time (e.g. missionary kids or students with dual citizenship) may choose to meet with the Dean of Multi-Cultural and Cross Cultural Programs to demonstrate competency of the criteria above. Students who wish to transfer a course from another institution should present the course syllabus to the dean for review.
In unusual circumstances a student can meet the CC requirement through an alternative experience (CCE). The objective of the CCE alternative is to encourage formal cross cultural interactions, intentional learning, and engagement. A CCE must take place in an intercultural setting through an approved institution, voluntary service agency, or other approved organization. Completion of the CCE requires at least 100 contact hours with people of a different culture.
CCEs must be approved by the Dean of Multi-Cultural and Cross Cultural Programs and the student’s faculty advisor at least two months before they occur. In no case will CCE approval be granted after an experience has occurred. The CCE alternative is intended for those who plan to participate directly in a cross cultural setting, in service, work, and study activities. It cannot be met through informal travel or extended tourist activities. Students interested in completing a CCE can get a proposal form from the Dean of Multi-Cultrual and Cross Cultural Programs.
Fine Arts
Students seeking a B.A. or B.S. degree are required to complete the fine arts requirement. Students must complete HUMA 211: Fine Arts (3 credits) or any three credits in art, theatre, or music. All fine arts courses must contain a history component. Eligible courses include:
Students who enter with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.T. degree are not required to complete the Fine Arts Requirement. B.M.E. students should take MUSG 309 Music History I to fulfill this requirement.
Foreign Language
Students pursuing a B.A. degree who enter Greenville College without an A.A. or A.S. degree must complete the foreign language requirement. The language requirement may be met either by passing six credit hours of language coursework (courses numbered 101 and 102 at GC, e.g. SPAN 101 and SPAN 102) or by demonstrating intermediate proficiency on a Greenville College approved proficiency examination. Greenville College offers examinations in three languages: Spanish, French, and German. Students wishing to demonstrate proficiency in other languages may make arrangements for an approved examination on their own.
Majors from the Philosophy and Religion department may elect to complete the two elementary Greek courses to fulfill their foreign language requirement. Students completing a major from another department must select a modern foreign language to fulfill the requirement.
Students who have had extensive language training in high school may fulfill their foreign language requirement and receive credit through Advanced Placement (AP) or College Level Examination Program (CLEP). All foreign language exams are accepted, but a minimum score is required to receive credit for both the 101 and 102 levels.
Students whose primary language is not English and who are citizens of countries other than the United States may waive the language requirement upon successful completion of twelve or more credits at Greenville College.
Students should contact the chair of the Language and Culture Department for more information about competency testing. Transfer students who have earned an Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.) degree with a general education core of 40-45 credits are considered to have met the foreign language requirement.
American Sign Language will not fulfill the foreign language requirement.
History
Students seeking a B.A. or B.S. degree are required to complete the history requirement. They may do so by taking any lower division three-credit course offered by the history department with the exception of HIST 201 American History. Only elementary or special education majors may fulfill their history requirement with HIST 201 American History. Eligible courses include:
Students who enter with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.T. degrees are not required to complete the History Requirement.
Literature
Most students pursuing B.A. or B.S. degrees must complete the English literature requirement by successfully completing a three-credit multi-genre literature course. Students who transfer to Greenville College with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.T. degree are exempt from this requirement. Students pursuing a B.M.E. degree can meet the Literature requirement in conjunction with the Biblical Studies requirement described earlier.
Courses that fulfill the literature requirement include ENGL 201 Introduction to Literary Studies, ENGL 240 Voices in American Literature, ENGL 243 Global Literature, ENGL 244 Voices in British Literature, and ENGL 246 Contemporary Cross Cultural Studies in Literature. Students majoring in elementary and/or special education may take ENGL 350 Children’s Literature to meet the literature requirement. Students pursuing B.S. degrees in one of eight secondary education programs may fulfill this requirement by completing ENGL 351 Teaching and Reading for Adolescents. Other approved multi-genre literature courses, such as Literary Visions and Fantasy Literature, not listed here may also fulfill the literature requirement; contact the chair of the English Department for more information.
Mathematics or Quantitative Reasoning
All students except those entering Greenville College with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.T. degree must complete the mathematics or quantitative reasoning requirement. Any mathematics course numbered 101 or higher offered for three or four hours of credit will meet the requirement, as will PSYC 202 Statistics or SOCI 202 Statistics (both three credits). Both MATH 143 Mathematics for Elementary Teachers and MATH 144 Geometry for Teachers are required in order to fulfill the mathematics general education requirement. MATH 145 Algebra and Statistics does not fulfill the quantitative reasoning requirement.
Mathematics Proficiency and Developmental Mathematics
Students must demonstrate high school mathematics proficiency in order to complete a college level mathematics course, a graduation requirement. Students may demonstrate proficiency in any of the following ways:
- Scoring above the 30th percentile on the mathematics portion of the ACT or SAT,
- Passing a mathematics proficiency exam (normally offered during orientation in the fall semester),
- Completing MATH 090 (Developmental Mathematics) with a grade of C or better, or
- For students entering GC with transfer credit, completing a college intermediate algebra course or a higher level mathematics course with a grade of C or better. (Greenville College will accept in transfer college algebra or a higher level mathematics course.)
Credits earned for successfully completing MATH 090 do not count towards the 126 credits needed to graduate. However, the credits do count towards the full time status of students registered for MATH 090 during a semester that may allow the student to be eligible for financial aid, participate in athletics, and earn semester honors. The grade received for MATH 090 is included in the cumulative GPA.
Natural Science
Most students at Greenville College must complete one natural science laboratory courses. Natural science courses are those taught in Biology (BIOL), Chemistry (CHEM), and Physics (PHYS). Courses that have laboratory components all require students to sign up for separate laboratory sections.
Some students are exempt from some or the entire natural science requirement. Those entering GC with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.T. degrees do not have to take natural science classes to fulfill the general education requirements.
Philosophy
All students except those entering with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.T. degree must complete the philosophy requirement. They may do so by taking any three-credit course in philosophy. All philosophy courses are designated by the prefix PHIL. Typically, students will take PHIL 201 Major Issues in Philosophy.
Psychology
All students except those entering with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.T. degree must complete the psychology requirement. They may do so by taking any three credit psychology course except PSYC 202 Statistics. Often students take either PSYC 101 General Psychology or PSYC 220 Psychology for Living to complete this requirement. Education majors should take EDUC 282 Educational Psychology Application.
Sociology
Students completing a B.A. or B.S degree in an area other than elementary, special, or secondary education must fulfill the sociology requirement unless they enter Greenville College with an A.A., A.S., or A.A.T. degree. This requirement can be fulfilled by the successful completion of any three credit sociology course except SOCI 202 Statistics. Students typically take SOCI 101 Principles of Sociology, SOCI 103 Social Problems, or SOCI 112 Introduction to Anthropology to complete this requirement.
Upper Division Writing Intensive Course within a Major
All students must complete an upper division writing intensive (WI) course within their major field of study. These courses fulfill the general education requirement for a Writing Intensive course, but because they fulfill major requirements as well, do not increase the required credit hours for general education.
In order for a course to be designated a WI course, the course must possess the following characteristics:
- Students write to learn. The course uses writing to promote the learning of course materials. Instructors assign formal and informal writing, both in class and out, to increase students' understanding of course material as well as to improve writing skills.
- The course should distribute writing throughout the semester rather than concentrate the writing assignments at the end. If writing is being used as a mode of instruction, then it is clearly not appropriate to have written assignments concentrated at the end of the semester. The best WI courses tend to contain a series of short papers distributed through the semester rather than one or two major projects.
- The course provides interaction between teacher and students while students do assigned writing; in effect, the instructor acts as an expert and the student as an apprentice in a community of writers. Types of interaction will vary. For example, a professor who requires the completion of one long project may review sections of the project, write comments on drafts, and be available for conferences. The professor who requires several short papers may demonstrate techniques for drafting and revising in the classroom, give guidance during the composition of the papers, and consult with students after they complete their papers.
- Writing contributes significantly to each student's course grade.
- The course requires students to do a substantial amount of writing--a minimum of 5000 words, or about 20 pages. This may include informal writing. Depending on the course content, students may write analytic essays, critical reviews, journals, lab reports, research reports, or reaction papers, etc.
- To allow for meaningful professor-student interaction on each student's writing, the class is restricted to 20 students. (Any larger enrollments must be justified by other factors related to the instructor's and the department's overall teaching responsibilities.)
The courses listed below are WI courses:
B.A. Bachelor of Arts B.S. Bachelor of Science B.M.E. Bachelor of Music Education
X indicates that a course is required. - indicates that the course is not required.