The goal of the Young Harris College core curriculum is to enable each student, through rigorous study in the liberal arts, to do the following. Please see the notes that follow the categories and credit-hour requirements for important information about course options and course credit.
Communicate Effectively (9 hours)
Students complete three courses that challenge them to develop written and spoken skills fundamental to responsible communication.
“The medium is the message. This is merely to say that the personal and social consequences of any medium—that is, of any extension of ourselves—result from the new scale that is introduced into our affairs by each extension of ourselves, or by any new technology.” Marshall McLuhan
Investigate Nature (7 hours)
Students complete two courses that challenge them to develop their skills and knowledge in the natural sciences. At least one course must include a lab component and challenge students to apply their skills and knowledge in laboratory and experimental settings.
“Natural science does not simply describe and explain nature; it is part of the interplay between nature and ourselves.” Werner Heisenberg
Selections can be made from any 1000/2000 level courses in the natural sciences.
Explore Mathematics (3 hours)
Students complete one MATH-prefixed course that challenges them to develop their abilities to solve problems by analyzing properties of functions and investigating relationships among functions. Course is determined by placement.
“Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.” Albert Einstein
Interpret Texts (6 hours)
Students complete two courses that challenge them to develop their ability to interpret and analyze difficult texts. Courses in this category include substantial reading assignments and require close analysis of challenging primary or secondary texts.
“All meanings, we know, depend on the key of interpretation.” George Eliot
Selections must be made from
these courses. Students may not take more than one course in a given discipline to fulfill this area of the core. A discipline is defined as a distinct body of academic study, regardless of departmental designation. (For example, Religious Studies is a separate discipline from Philosophy.) Therefore, students may not take two ENGL courses, two RELI courses, or two PHIL courses in this area. Additionally, if ARTS, PHIL, RELI or THEA courses are taken in this area they cannot be taken in another area of the core.
Analyze Societies (6 hours)
Students complete two courses that challenge them to develop their comprehension of historical and social powers and effects. All students must take at least one course that fulfills the Georgia Board of Regents’ mandate that all graduates successfully complete coursework in U. S. and GA history and the U. S. and GA Constitution*.
“Even if one is interested only in one’s own society, which is one’s prerogative, one can understand that society much better by comparing it with others.” Peter L. Berger
Selections must be made from these courses. Students may not take more than one course in a given discipline to fulfill this area of the core. A discipline is defined as a distinct body of academic study, regardless of departmental designation. (For example, Religious Studies is a separate discipline from Philosophy.) Therefore, students may not take two HIST courses, two RELI courses, or two SOCI courses in this area. Additionally, if RELI courses are taken in this area they cannot be taken in another area of the core.
Know Oneself (3 hours)
Students complete one course that develops their proficiency in self-analysis.
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates
Selections must be made from these courses. Students taking a PHIL or RELI course in this area cannot use a PHIL or RELI course in another area of the core.
Engage Art (3 hours)
Students complete one course that challenges them to develop their creativity and understanding of fine or performing arts.
“Interpretation is the revenge of the intellectual upon art.” Susan Sontag
Students taking an ARTS or THEA course in this area cannot take an ARTS or THEA course in another area of the core.
Expand Horizons (6 hours)
Students complete courses that challenge them to develop their familiarity and fluency in diverse cultures through the study of foreign language.
“No matter how far a person can go, the horizon is still way beyond you.” Zora Neale Hurston
Foreign Language - Students begin study of foreign language in FREN or SPAN 1101 and demonstrate competency by successfully completing FREN/SPAN 1102.
Exceptions to the foreign language requirement are as follows:
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, Business & Public Policy, Chemistry, Education, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Psychology, or Outdoor Leadership, a Bachelor of Music Education degree, or a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theatre are not required to complete studies in a foreign language.
Students whose French or Spanish skills are sufficiently developed may elect to take the Foreign Language Placement Test to assess their skill level. Students who place into FREN/SPAN 1102 will satisfy the foreign language requirement by successfully completing this course. Students who place above FREN/SPAN 1102 will confirm competency through an interview with the Foreign Language faculty. Students who do not demonstrate competency through this interview will be placed in the appropriate FREN/SPAN course.
Heritage speakers (students who speak French or Spanish and earned their high school diploma in the U.S.) fulfill the foreign language requirement by taking one three-hour course, either FREN 2600 French for the Heritage Speaker or SPAN 2600 Spanish for the Heritage Speaker.
Native speakers (students who earned their high school diploma in a country whose official language is not English) may exempt the foreign language requirement.
THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE PLACEMENT TEST
The Foreign Language Placement Test is offered during START orientation and at least once in each fall and spring semester. The test requires a small fee, which is published in the YHC Catalog in the section on the Business Office. Students may take the placement test only once. Students who plan to take the Foreign Language Placement Test are encouraged to do so early in their college careers, particularly if they will pursue a language in college that they studied in high school.
Note: Students required to take fewer than six hours of foreign language coursework may elect to take six hours in Foreign Language if they wish. Otherwise, students must take the necessary hours as additional general electives.
Total General Education Hours: 37-43
Notes:
Course Options- To encourage students to take courses in a variety of disciplines while still allowing choice in selecting the courses used to fulfill core requirements, students may take no more than one course in a given discipline to complete core requirements. A discipline is defined as a distinct body of academic study, regardless of departmental designation. (For example, Religious Studies is a separate discipline from Philosophy.) The one course per discipline includes the following exceptions.
(1) Students can take one additional 2000-level course in English beyond the two-course composition sequence (ENGL 1101 and 1102).
(2) Students can take one additional Communication Studies course beyond the course used to fulfill the speaking requirement (COMM 1000 or 1100).
(3) Students pursuing certain professional degrees with discipline-specific accreditation may be allowed to take more than one course in the area of focus.
(4) Students can take two courses in the same foreign language.
(5) Students can take two courses in the same discipline in natural sciences.
Course Credit- A single course cannot be used to complete requirements for more than one category. For example, a student taking Art History I could apply this course to either the “Interpret Texts” or “Analyze Art” category, but not both.
Cross-listed Courses- Courses listed in more than one discipline can be counted in one discipline or the other, but not both. For example, a course listed as SOCI/PSYC could be counted as a SOCI or PSYC course, but not both.
