Kentucky State University serves many ends and many needs, but the true test of an institution’s quality is whether its graduates have learned to think for themselves. Every baccalaureate degree program at the University is designed to provide students with a sound liberal studies education and the more specialized skills derived from disciplined study of individual subject matter. Together, the University’s General Education Requirements and specific academic degree requirements provide students with an exceptional comprehensive education so they may excel in their chosen endeavors.

General Education Common Core

Each student who enters Kentucky State University with the intention to earn a baccalaureate degree must satisfy the General Education/Liberal Studies Requirements. Liberal studies courses serve as a foundation for many other courses. In addition to the requirements of the student’s major field of study, General Education/Liberal Studies Requirements constitute a carefully designed program of courses to be selected from the various academic offerings of the University. A number of choices are included in these general requirements and students are encouraged to carefully consider the alternatives available to them.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Kentucky State University is part of the Council on Post-Secondary Education's Kentucky Graduate Profile Academy, and as such is legislated to adopt and assess scholars' mastery of the Kentucky Graduate Profile 10 Essential Skills - KSU's Thoro 10.

Indicators of Mastery

Essential Skill 1: Communicate effectively

Graduates will communicate effectively by listening, weighing influencing factors, and responding accurately and professionally. They will express their thoughts coherently in writing, orally, and in formal presentations.

Essential Skill 2: Think critically in order to solve problems and create new ideas and solutions.

Graduates will think critically by evaluating assumptions and assessing information to make informed conclusions. They will also think creatively by combining ideas in original ways or developing new ways of addressing issues.

Essential Skill 3: Apply quantitative reasoning skills to analyze and solve numerical problems.

Graduates will hone their ability to provide solutions guided by data and choose the best methodologies for arriving at informed conclusions.

Essential Skill 4: Interact effectively with people from different backgrounds.

Graduates will reflect on their own cultural identities, appreciate cultural and intellectual differences, and effectively interact with people from different backgrounds. They will collaborate, communicate, and work respectfully with people with different perspectives, ideas, and cultural beliefs.

Essential Skill 5: Adapt to changing circumstances while leading and supporting others.

Graduates will accept change and find effective ways to work and thrive in different settings. They will motivate others in the pursuit of a common goal and coach others in the pursuit of this goal.

Essential Skill 6: Perform professionally within their chosen field of study or occupation.

Graduates will adhere to the code of ethics in their chosen profession and act with honesty and fairness. They will prioritize their tasks, manage their time, take initiative, and demonstrate accountability and reliability.

Essential skill 7: Engage in civic life to improve society.

Graduates will engage in political, social, and other activities to address issues that benefit society.

Essential Skill 8: Collaborate and work in teams.

Graduates will collaborate with colleagues, become effective team members, and manage conflict.

Essential skill 9: Apply academic knowledge, skills, and abilities to their chosen career.

Graduates will articulate and apply the theoretical content of their academic preparation with relevant knowledge and abilities essential to their chosen career.

Essential Skill 10: Use information for decision making.

Graduates will identify, evaluate, and responsibly use information needed for decision making.

The following definitions are to be considered University norms for evaluation and approval of doctoral, master’s, baccalaureate, and associate degree programs. The definitions and the limitations that accompany them are based upon the University’s policy of emphasizing breadth of study in the basic disciplines with emphasis on the liberal arts in fulfillment of Kentucky State University’s mission. Course content shall be appropriate for university-level courses. Departures from these norms must be justified by the nature of the program and must have the recommendation of the Faculty Senate and approval of the Board of Regents.

Baccalaureate Degree Program

A baccalaureate degree program is a planned and approved program of study leading to graduation with a baccalaureate degree. It should be possible to complete a baccalaureate degree program in eight semesters of normal full-time study (15 credit hours). The minimum semester credit hour requirement shall be 120, and no program should require more than 144 semester credit hours. A student may elect to exceed this maximum in meeting personal education objectives.

Each baccalaureate degree program shall include the General Education Requirements of the University (unless specific courses have been officially substituted or waived). Tracks, pre-major, prerequisites, and support courses may be required. Individual students may elect to take a second major to meet personal education objectives. Unless otherwise specified, any course taken to satisfy a requirement (including electives) for one program may be used to satisfy a requirement for another program. A minimum of 42 semester credit hours in upper-level courses is required for graduation.

Certificate Programs

A certificate program includes a minimum of twelve credit hours, not to exceed a year’s worth of course work.

Tracks - the Area of Specialization

Some major programs consist of a core program of study within the academic unit as well as required additional study in one or more tracks selected from options within or related to the discipline. These tracks shall consist of a minimum of 12 semester credit hours and a maximum of 18 semester credit hours.

Pre-majors, Prerequisites, and Support Courses

A degree program may identify and require courses as are justified for proper completion of the major. Courses may be from within the discipline (pre-majors or prerequisites) or from other disciplines (prerequisites or support courses). Such credits thus required are not included in the requirements for the major, the minor and the specialization as stated previously, but are included in the requirements for the total number of semester credit hours for an associate or baccalaureate degree.

Free Electives

Free electives may be selected by the student from any courses not required in the particular degree program, excluding non-credit course offerings. Free electives may be used to meet hourly requirements for graduation not specified in those sections of the Catalog pertaining to the General Education Requirements of the student’s major.

General Education Required Courses

---

Communication: Written and Oral (3 Courses - 9 Credit Hours)

ENG 101 English Comp I (3 credit hours)

ENG 102 English Comp II (3 credit hours)

COM 103 Interpersonal Communication (3 credit hours)

---

Quantitative Reasoning: (1 course - 3 Credit Hours)

MAT 111 Acceler. Contemp. Mathematics OR higher (3 credit hours)

---

Arts and Humanities: (2 Courses - 6 Credit Hours)

Choose 1 Arts 

ART 130 Introduction to Art (3 credit hours) OR 

MUS 130 Introduction to Music (3 credit hours) OR 

THE 130 Introduction to Theatre (3 credit hours) OR 

ENG 211 Intro to Literature (3 credit hours) 

Choose 1 Humanities 

EDU 204 (3 credit hours) OR 

BUA 120 Business and Society (3 credit hours) OR 

HIS 103 Western Civilization (3 credit hours) OR 

HIS 108 Intro to African American Hist (3 credit hours) 

---

Natural Sciences: (1 Course - 3 or 4 Credit Hours) – courses specific to major

BIO 101 Life Science (3 credit hours) OR

CHE 109 Chemistry in Context (3 credit hours) OR

BIO 111 Principles of Biology (4 credit hours) OR

CHE 101 General Chemistry I and CHE 110 General Chem I Laboratory (3/1 credit hours) OR

CHE 209 Survey Gen/Organic/Biochemi (4 credit hours) OR

PHS 201 Physical Sciences I Lecture and Lab (3 credit hours) 

---

Social and Behavioral Sciences: (2 Courses from different disciplines - 6 Credit Hours)

FIN 101 Financial Literacy (3 credit hours) OR

ECO 201 Prin of Economics I (3 credit hours) OR

PSY 200 General Psychology (3 credit hours) OR

SOC 203 Principles of Sociology (3 credit hours) 

---

Global/Civic (1 Course - 3 Credit Hours)