General Education

In this first-semester seminar, students develop a foundation for critical and humane inquiry while learning to take responsibility for their education. Each year’s sections center on a shared Big Question, explored through an interdisciplinary lens that draws from multiple academic fields and perspectives. Students examine complex issues by making connections across disciplines and considering how ideas apply in academic, professional, and personal contexts. Throughout the course, students engage in questions such as: “Who am I, and what is my responsibility to myself and others?” and “How do I determine what information is accurate, relevant, and trustworthy?” As a culminating experience, students complete a final reflection that addresses their Big Question. Three semester hours.

This toolkit course explores the distinguishing characteristics of scientific inquiry including emphasis on empirical evidence, experimental methodology, hypothesis evaluation, data-informed problem solving, and dissemination of scientific discoveries. These are introduced through a variety of real-world scientific issues. Three semester hours.

This toolkit course explores a topic or subject through the lens of artistic and humanistic works created in relation to it. Through the study of works of art and humanities across a variety of modalities, students will discover how artists and humanists use the tools of their disciplines to create meaning and to reflect their social, cultural, and historical contexts, including engaging with difference. Students will develop research skills by engaging with credible primary and secondary sources and will respond to or create their own original works of art, articulating their choices in written or oral formats. Three semester hours.

This toolkit course introduces students to how social scientists formulate and answer questions about the relationships among individuals, societies, and institutions. Students learn to use evidence-based reasoning, including both qualitative and quantitative reasoning and methods, to evaluate social phenomena. The course emphasizes building and assessing arguments that draw on data to support well-reasoned conclusions. Three semester hours.

This course develops students’ quantitative reasoning and data literacy skills through the analysis of real-world financial, social, and ethical problems. Students learn to apply basic quantitative methods and mathematical modeling to estimate costs, evaluate outcomes, and support informed decision-making. Students gain hands-on experience managing data, performing calculations, and communicating findings clearly to diverse audiences. The course also focuses on critical evaluation of quantitative information, helping students identify limitations, bias, and misleading uses of data, as well as assess the credibility and ethical use of data sources. Students will use data effectively to analyze real-world issues, support reasoned conclusions, and engage as informed citizens. Three semester hours.

This interdisciplinary course equips students with practical and creative strategies to manage stress, cultivate resilience, practice self-compassion, and build sustainable habits that support well-being, adaptability, and lifelong learning. Drawing on research in emotional regulation, self-compassion, the arts, mindfulness, stress management, and healthy lifestyle practices, students develop skills they can apply immediately and adapt over time. Emphasis is placed on personalized goal setting and reflective practice to strengthen persistence and flexibility. Through reflection, discussion, and application, students recognize how their personal well-being strategies and individual habits influence the health of the organizations, communities, and societies to which they belong. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to navigate challenges, sustain personal growth, and contribute positively to the collective well-being of the environments in which they learn, work, and live. Three semester hours.

This course develops students’ academic skills and abilities to investigate, create, and communicate ideas clearly and persuasively. Whether in writing, speech, or digital media, effective communication is at the heart of praxis, leadership, and collaboration. Three semester hours.

This course explores how culture shapes who we are and how we connect with others in our communities and in the broader world. Students will critically examine how culture influences communication practices, value systems, relationships, identity formation, and social behavior. Drawing from a range of disciplines, the course encourages students to think carefully about how cultural experiences inform perspectives and interactions in everyday life. The course emphasizes respectful conversation, active listening, and thoughtful engagement across differences. Through discussion, reflection, presentations and collaborative activities students will gain a deeper understanding of their own cultural backgrounds, assumptions, and viewpoints, and understanding of how culture affects individuals and communities. By the end of the course, students will have strengthened their critical thinking, intercultural communication, and teamwork skills, all of which are practical abilities that support personal growth and effective participation in diverse professional and social environments. Three semester hours.

Drawing from major ethical traditions and leadership frameworks, in this course students learn to analyze complex dilemmas, consider multiple perspectives, and articulate reasoned judgments. Students and faculty together will explore questions surrounding the responsibilities of leaders to their organizations/communities and consider topics such as the tensions between ethics and leadership and the culture of influence on ethics and leadership. Through applied exercises and discussion, students build practical ethical reasoning skills that can be transferred across disciplines. Three semester hours.

This course prepares students for applied, community-engaged capstone work by strengthening collaboration, disciplinary ways of thinking, and project design skills. Framed by the idea that regional challenges reflect global issues, the course helps students connect their academic expertise to real-world problems. Students work in broadly-designated disciplinary groups to refine their disciplinary lens. Under faculty mentorship and through guided inquiry, these groups identify root causes, analyze stakeholders, and build research. Disciplinary knowledge informs real-world action plans and prepares students for multidisciplinary collaboration in the capstone. Three semester hours.

This course engages students in multidisciplinary teamwork and community-informed projects anchored in Southwest Virginia. Grounded in regional needs and partnerships, students develop potential solutions that can benefit the communities and businesses where we live and work. These local efforts reflect global challenges. Students work in small teams composed of diverse disciplines to develop a coherent, communicable proposal with clear outcomes. Faculty serve as facilitators, guiding students in integrating disciplinary expertise and interfacing with community partners. The Capstone highlights the enduring relevance of multidisciplinary approaches to solving problems while preparing graduates for meaningful participation in a global workforce and civic life. Three semester hours.