HELP 2011-2012 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog] Liberal Studies Curriculum Print-Friendly Page

Goals of a Saint Michael’s College Education

Saint Michael’s College embodies the tradition of a liberal arts education in light of the Catholic faith, which emphasizes a concern with ultimate questions within a diverse world, and an attention to the full human and spiritual development of the student. A Saint Michael’s education, consisting of at least one major, the Liberal Studies Curriculum, elective courses, and co-curricular activities, equips students with the ability to express their thoughts with clarity and accuracy, enables them to test the validity of different approaches to reality, and assists them in framing coherent and persuasive discourse.  It prepares them for global citizenship, stewardship of the earth, and a productive career. An individual’s education is not completed in four years, but lasts a lifetime; therefore our curriculum is designed to graduate students with a passion for the intellectual life, a commitment to moral responsibility, and a desire to improve the human condition through socially conscious citizenship. 

Enduring Understandings

Graduates will understand:

1. The value of intellectual inquiry and the search for truth as a life-long habit 
2. The varieties of knowledge, perspectives, traditions, and experiences of the human condition
3. The worthiness of imaginative and creative exploration
4. The power of ideas to shape the worlds in which they live
5. The responsibility of each person to contribute to the common good
6. The value of communities characterized by freedom, social justice, mutual respect, and inclusion
7. The need to relate responsibly to the natural world and develop habits for sustainable living
8. The imperative to act ethically and to be morally responsible and civically engaged
9. The significance and impact of globalization on every facet of society.

Outcomes of the General Education Curriculum

A Saint Michael’s liberal arts education is transformative in many ways, providing the following essential outcomes.

Areas of Knowledge

Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

1. The ways artists, writers, and thinkers from the past and present, in both one’s own culture and others, have found and created meaning, value, conflict, and beauty in the world
2. Texts and beliefs that shape the Catholic and wider Christian traditions, and the importance of religion and spirituality in human experience
3. Key concepts and theories underlying different modes of thought as well as the assumptions on which they are based
4. The ways that societies have developed through complex socio-economic, religious, political, cultural, or other factors
5. The physical and natural world and modes of inquiry utilized by the sciences
6. Theories that explain human behavior, institutions, or social systems
7. Methods, approaches, and tools for making ethical decisions in personal, professional and social contexts
8. Global issues that impact the common good.

Intellectual and Practical Skills

Students will be able to:

1. Think critically, analytically, and creatively, integrating demanding texts and other media within and across disciplines
2. Communicate ideas clearly and effectively in oral and in written form
3. Use quantitative reasoning to evaluate and solve problems
4. Demonstrate skill in a second language
5. Engage in artistic expression
6. Conduct research by identifying, evaluating, documenting, and synthesizing information from diverse and reliable sources
7. Work collaboratively as a member of a team to advance the understanding of a topic or to solve problems
8. Critically reflect upon their personal and cultural assumptions and examine how these affect their values and behavior
9. Participate intelligently and respectfully in written and spoken discourse with people of similar and differing beliefs.