2017-2018 College Catalog 
    
    Mar 19, 2024  
2017-2018 College Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

General Education Program


College of the Ozark’s Quest: The General Education Program


At College of the Ozarks the General Education Program plays a vital role in the full restoration of students to what it truly means to be a human being created in the image of God. Students will be taught to recognize and pursue key virtues in the Christian and Western traditions by faculty and staff who understand and order their lives by a Christian worldview and join their students in the quest, which includes academic courses, Christian life on campus, the Work Education Program, travel opportunities, convocations, and special activities. The General Education Program integrates the entirety of a student’s education and purposefully unites the students and the College community in a quest directed by the five-fold mission and the vision statement. More specifically, through this program the College seeks to fulfill the following objectives and learning outcomes, which primarily relate to the College’s Academic Goal of providing a sound education, based in the liberal arts. 

  1. Students will understand, recognize the value of, and critically assess the Judeo-Christian and Western liberal arts traditions.
    1. Students will demonstrate competency in the core subject matter of the General Education curriculum, which provides the foundation for future learning and a life of flourishing in God’s creation. 
    2. Students will develop and apply a Christian worldview to their academic learning while cultivating Christ-like character and an appreciation for truth, goodness, and beauty.
  2. Students will exhibit essential skills and abilities that mark a person as being well-educated and equip them to live out their vocations in family, church, and community.
    1. Students will communicate effectively in writing, speaking, and other creative endeavors;
    2. Students will think critically in solving problems;
    3. Students will gather, evaluate, interpret, and use information.

General Education Requirements:


Historical and Theological Foundations (18 credit hours)


The Created Order (10-12 credit hours)


Mathematics: 3-5 credit hours

  • Any Mathematics course in catalog except MAT 013 *.
Natural Science: 4 credit hours

  • Any Biology BIO, Chemistry CHE, or Physics PHY course in the catalog.
Social Science: 3 credit hours

Human Creativity and Flourishing (6 credit hours)


Physical Education: 1 credit hour


Essential Skills (10-13 credit hours)


New Student Orientation: 1 credit hour

Speech: 3 credit hours

Information Management: 0-3 credit hours **

Note:

* Students enrolled in ENG 013 , ENG 103 , or MAT 013  may not drop the course. They will be allowed a maximum of two opportunities to pass these courses and demonstrate the required level of competency.

** A proficiency test may be taken to meet this General Education requirement; however, passing a proficiency test will not result in credit for any of the courses. (EXCEPTION: Nursing majors must enroll in CSC 253 , Engineering majors must enroll in ENR 123 , and Agriculture majors must enroll in AGR 123 , and may not complete this requirement by passing the proficiency test).

Total General Education Program: 49-54 Credit Hours


BA/BS Distinctions: 6-8 credit hours


In addition to the above requirements, candidates for the B.S. degree will select one course from two of the following areas (6-8 total hours): Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Science, Mathematics (excludes MAT 013 ), Computer Science (excludes CSC 113 , CSC 123  or CSC 253 ) and/or Agriculture (AGR 103  or AGR 213  or AGH 133  only).

B.A. degree candidates will take two courses in one foreign language (Chinese, Greek, Hebrew or Spanish, as available): 6 hours. SPA 113 , SPA 123 , or SPA 143  may count for only one of these two courses. Students completing one of these courses should then take SPA 153 . Students beginning with SPA 153  should then take SPA 203 ; those beginning with SPA 203  should then take SPA 213 .

Minimum GPA for General Education program, including the BA/BS Distinction, must be 2.0

Required Placement in Writing


Transfer equivalency is not guaranteed for college composition courses. Students who desire to transfer in writing courses to meet College of the Ozarks’ composition requirements (ENG 103 College Composition  and ENG 253 American Rhetoric ) must take the College’s Writing Test to determine whether they receive credit for those required composition classes or elective credit. This test is offered by appointment through The Writing Center.

The Keeter Center for Character Education:


Founded in 1997, The Keeter Center for Character Education at College of the Ozarks was created to provide programs and activities to enhance the development of character and good citizenship. In so doing, the Center reflects the principle upon which the College was established: that character in young people is best developed from an education of the head, the heart, and the hands.

The Center serves as the programmatic arm of The Keeter Center facility on campus. Both students and community members benefit from the wide variety of programs. The Gittinger Community Convocation Series has brought noted speakers to campus including Margaret Thatcher, Colin Powell, Franklin Graham, Benjamin Netanyahu, Sarah Palin, Laura Bush, Dave Ramsey, Ben Carson, Charles Krauthammer, and Tim Tebow.

The Center hosts a forum each year with a theme that rotates among the topics of character, citizenship, and the work ethic. In addition to a group of the College’s students and those of visiting colleges and universities, cadets and staff from each of the U.S. Military Academies benefit from small group discussions and a question and answer session with each distinguished speaker. Forum speakers have included Tommy Franks, Bob Dole, J. C. Watts, Newt Gingrich, and George W. Bush, Louis Zamperini, Harris Faulkner, and KT McFarland.

The Center developed and oversees a leadership character education initiative called First PLACE! (Partners in Leadership & Character Education). First PLACE! is a partnership among the homes, school, and communities of Stone and Taney Counties and focuses on intentionally teaching and modeling leadership and good character. Over 500 First PLACE! community partners support the initiative, which is being used as a model around the region. The Center hosts a leadership and character education conference each year.

The S. Truett Cathy Poverty Summit provides an opportunity for the College and the greater community to learn about the issue of poverty and gain valuable tools for helping people in poverty learn how to transition effectively into the middle class.

Another important facet of The Keeter Center for Character Education is School of the Ozarks, a K-12 laboratory school located on the campus of College of the Ozarks.

School of the Ozarks


A Laboratory School of the College of the Ozarks

As a department of the College, School of the Ozarks plays an important role in the mission of the College of the Ozarks. It exists to encourage excellence and creativity with a distinctly Christian worldview in a K-12 setting. As a member of the International Association of Laboratory Schools, the School seeks to be a leader and an example of what is best for American education. Traditionally, a laboratory school’s commitment has been to assist in preparing teachers while delivering quality instructional programs for students in the classroom. These schools are affiliated with a college or university for specific purposes that go beyond the scope of traditional public and private institutions. Over the years, the laboratory schools have changed to reflect the diverse needs of the teaching professional and have often led the way in improving the science and art of teaching. Operating under the Keeter Center for Character Education, the School provides numerous opportunities for faculty and students from various departments to interface with the School on a regular basis.