The degree requirements for all of the undergraduate programs at AUD include a category called the Arts and Sciences Core, which is a set of courses designed to provide a broad based general education for all AUD students at the undergraduate level. This core is the responsibility of the School of Arts and Sciences which represents the tradition that a college education provides the foundation for success by inspiring intellectual discourse and contributing to self-directed behaviors.

The entire general education program has been designed with respect to a set of specific learning outcomes which are applicable across a wide spectrum of academic disciplines. These learning outcomes are as follows:

Students will:

• Demonstrate effective communication skills in reading, writing, and speaking (Language & Communication);
• Demonstrate an ability to identify and find information, evaluate its validity and relevance, and effectively and responsibly apply and disseminate information to address an issue (Information Literacy);
• Recognize global cultural diversity and demonstrate an understanding of and respect for human values, perspectives and practices across different societies (Global Learning);
• Demonstrate and value individual thinking, self-awareness, and ethical behavior for responsible global citizenship (Ethical Reasoning);
• Demonstrate appropriate technological literacy and skills for personal and professional use (Technological Literacy);
• Demonstrate an ability to integrate ideas grounded in an understanding of historical, philosophical, cultural and/or scientific knowledge that results in creative and/ or innovative thinking (Creative Thinking);
• Demonstrate an ability to analyze and synthesize issues, ideas, concepts, sources, data or events in formulating conclusions and solving problems (Critical Thinking); and
• Demonstrate an ability to reason and solve quantitative problems as well as use quantitative and scientific methods and evidence to support arguments (Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning).

Thus, student completion of the Arts and Sciences Core is designed to ensure development of broad knowledge, skills and competencies that provide students with the essential foundation for success in their selected area of specialization.

Category Distribution for Arts and Sciences Core:

This core, which is composed of seven categories of courses, requires the completion of 36 semester credit hours. The categories are further detailed in the Core Requirements:

*Unless Exempted

• English Division
• Humanities & Social Sciences Division
• Mathematics Division