Ways of Knowing
Seven Ways of Knowing (WOK), Eight Courses – All Eight Courses Required
Individual course may be approved to satisfy one Way of Knowing (WoK). No single course will be approved to satisfy more than one WoK. Each course counts only once in the earned-credit minimum needed to graduate (either within the major, or 20 outside of major requirement).
Applied Disciplines
Applied disciplines focus on the practical implementation of theoretical knowledge and theories to solve real-world problems, often involving professional or technical training. They bridge academic concepts with hands-on practice in fields such as engineering, education, and health sciences. These disciplines emphasize experiential learning and skill development for specific careers.
Creative Arts
Creative Arts encompass the practice of artistic expression, including visual arts, music, theater, dance, and creative writing. They encourage innovation, imagination, and critical engagement with aesthetic forms. Students explore both the technical skills and conceptual frameworks behind artistic creation. These disciplines emphasize imagination, aesthetics, and cultural interpretation.
Cultural & Ethnic Studies
Cultural & Ethnic studies examine the histories, experiences, and contributions of racially and ethnically diverse communities, with a focus on those historically marginalized, as well as peoples disenfranchised based on gender, sexuality, and/or ability. The field emphasizes critical inquiry into systems of power, identity, culture, resistance, and social justice. Students engage with interdisciplinary perspectives to better understand and challenge structural inequalities while fostering inclusive and culturally responsive knowledge.
Humanities
Humanities explore the human experience through the study of language, literature, art history, philosophy, history, and religion. They emphasize critical thinking, interpretation, and the understanding of human values and ethics across time and cultures. Humanities foster analytical and reflective skills grounded in textual, material, and cultural analysis.
Natural Science – Two courses are taken one of which must be a lab class.
Natural science investigates the physical and biological world through observation, experimentation, and empirical evidence. It includes disciplines such as biology, chemistry, geology, and physics. These fields seek to explain natural phenomena and advance scientific understanding.
Quantitative Disciplines
Quantitative Disciplines involve the study and application of numerical, mathematical, and statistical methods to analyze data, model systems, and solve problems. These fields emphasize logical reasoning, precision, and the ability to draw conclusions from quantitative evidence. Disciplines such as mathematics, statistics, and data science provide essential tools for research, decision-making, and innovation across a wide range of fields.
Social Science
Social Science explores human behavior, social structures, and cultural dynamics through systematic research and analysis. It encompasses disciplines such as anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, and sociology, which use both qualitative and quantitative methods to understand individuals, groups, and institutions. Social scientists seek to understand individual and collective behavior, institutions, and cultural norms.