General Studies (B.A.)

Description

The General Studies program provides an interdisciplinary approach to academic learning that has grown in popularity and influence over the last hundred years as the Academy has matured to embrace a view of human knowledge as integrated, as related to experience and inseparable into fundamentally different spheres. Pursuit of the B.A. in General Studies provides students with the opportunity to attain skills and knowledge at the intersection of different academic disciplines in an integrated, coherent program of study. General studies students develop well-trained minds while honing critical thinking and writing skills. General Studies students also enjoy the flexibility to choose focal areas according to their interests and experience. An undergraduate degree in General Studies prepares students for many post-degree paths, including employment in the helping professions, human resources, public relations, public policy, and government related fields as well as post graduate degrees in these areas or in general studies, law or business.

An excellent degree completion program for students with transfer credits in a variety of different disciplines, Trinity’s Bachelor of Arts in General Studies allows students to specialize in humanities or to create an individualized degree program.

Major Requirements

The BA in General Studies requires the completion of the General Education Core and 42 credit hours in concentration courses, which include two required seminars. Students interested in a humanities concentration take at least 15 credit hours from that concentraion area, which is detailed below.  Prospective General Studies majors should contact their academic advisor to develop a curriculum plan.

Required Courses

These 6 credits are required of all General Studies majors:

• Integrating Seminar: taken at the start of major coursework
  GST 301 TELL SeminarThe integrating seminar, which students should take at the start of major coursework, engages students in reflection on the academic value of their own life experiences through a close study of challenging interdisciplinary material. The course hones critical thinking and writing skills while preparing students to apply for experiential learning credits through the development of an experiential learning portfolio. The seminar also consolidates foundational preparation of the Core and prepares students for increasingly demanding major coursework. Students who complete the GST 301 seminar will be prepared and eligible to apply for Experiential Learning (TELL) credits. Formerly LST 301.
  3 credits
• Senior Seminar: taken at the completion of major coursework
  GST 400 Senior Seminar in the HumanitiesThe Senior Seminar in the Humanities provides students with a capstone experience. Through analysis of texts and their own writing students focus on a project that demonstrates how work in the Humanities enlarges the meaning of human existence. Student is expected to retain a portfolio of their work in the Humanities concentration for use in this seminar. Formerly LST 400.
  3 credits

Humanities Concentration

The humanities concentration introduces students to philosophy, art, literature, history, and theology and religious studies. Study of the humanities encourages deep reflection on life and helps students make sense of personal and work experiences as they are situated within the larger context of the meaning of human existence. The humanities concentration is recommended for students interested in graduate study in humanities-related fields and law school or employment in fields requiring analytical thinking, writing, and communication skills, such as business, government, and public service.

These 15 credits are required for the humanities concentration:

• GST 100 Humanity and CultureThe Introductory Seminar in the Humanities Concentration fosters an appreciation of the diversity among world cultures as well as the commonalities of human experience as reflected in cultural expression in art, language, and principles of conduct. Formerly LST 100.
  3 credits
• FNAR 101 Survey: History of Art IExamines the development of painting, sculpture, and architecture from prehistoric times to the end of the Middle Ages. It is recommended that the two survey courses (101 and 102) be taken before advanced courses and, if possible, in chronological order. Formerly ART 101 Survey: History of Art I.
  3 credits
  General Education: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
  FLC Area II
  Core Area II: Understanding Self and Society
• FNAR 102 Survey: History of Art IISurveys the development of painting, sculpture, and architecture from the Renaissance to the present. Formerly ART 102 Survey: History of Art II.
  3 credits
  General Education: Knowledge and Inquiry Area
  FLC Area II
  Core Area II: Understanding Self and Society
• PHIL 365 Readings in the Philosophy of ScienceAddresses the structure of scientific knowledge, the nature of explanation, the nature of the standards for acquiring knowledge of the physical world, and especially the problems raised by biology. Formerly PHI 303 Readings in the Philosophy of Science.
  3 credits
• ENGL 271 Literature of the African DiasporaIntroduces students to the study of literature written by authors of African descent in Europe and the Americas and explores the development of an international and multicultural consciousness with Africa and the Diaspora as its referents. Formerly ENG 204 Literature of the African Diaspora.
  3 credits
  Prerequisites: None
  General Education Requirement: Knowledge and Inquiry

Students should take 21 additional elective credits to fulfill this concentration.

Program Policies

Advanced Placement:
Credits earned through AP examinations do not fulfill requirements of the general studies major.

CLEP Policy:
Credits earned through CLEP examinations do not fulfill requirements of the general studies major.

Grades in Major Courses:
Students are required to earn a grade of “C” or better in all courses counted to fulfill requirements for the major.

Pass/No Pass:
Courses fulfilling major requirements may not be taken pass/no pass.

TELL Policy: 
Students applying for credit in experiential learning should consult with the program faculty.

Transfer Credits:
Credits in courses equivalent to those required for the major from a similar institution may be accepted toward a major. Students majoring in general studies must take a minimum of four general studies courses at Trinity, including both the integrating seminar and the senior seminar.

Course Descriptions

As an interdisciplinary degree, General Studies includes coursework in many academic disciplines. Descriptions of courses designed for the program with GST designation follow; all other courses in the General Studies degree program can be found in the Catalog listed by their disciplinary prefix or on the Supporting Courses for the School of Professional Studies page of this Catalog.

GST 100 Humanity and CultureThe Introductory Seminar in the Humanities Concentration fosters an appreciation of the diversity among world cultures as well as the commonalities of human experience as reflected in cultural expression in art, language, and principles of conduct. Formerly LST 100.
3 credits
GST 101 Fundamentals of EconomicsDesigned as an overview of economics for non-business majors, students review the essential theories in macroeconomics and microeconomics through lectures, case studies, team exercises, and problem sets, learning how economists apply economic analysis in dealing with a variety of everyday problems.  Students study markets and firms, the allocation of resources for the economy as a whole, and the linkages between world economies.
3 credits
GST 212 Fundementals of AccountingAccounting is the language that is used to communicate financial information about an organization to those who wish to use that information to make optimal decisions. The external users of financial information are investors, lenders, and government regulatory agencies such as the federal, state, and local tax administration. They use the output of the financial accounting system, namely, the income statement and the balance sheet. The internal users of accounting information, the managers, need information about the relationship between expenses, volume of sales, and profit in order to manage revenues and costs efficiently. They depend on accurate and timely information that is generated by the managerial accounting system within the firm. This course provides an overview of these two important branches of accounting.  Formerly ACCT 210.
3 credits
GST 301 TELL SeminarThe integrating seminar, which students should take at the start of major coursework, engages students in reflection on the academic value of their own life experiences through a close study of challenging interdisciplinary material. The course hones critical thinking and writing skills while preparing students to apply for experiential learning credits through the development of an experiential learning portfolio. The seminar also consolidates foundational preparation of the Core and prepares students for increasingly demanding major coursework. Students who complete the GST 301 seminar will be prepared and eligible to apply for Experiential Learning (TELL) credits. Formerly LST 301.
3 credits
GST 400 Senior Seminar in the HumanitiesThe Senior Seminar in the Humanities provides students with a capstone experience. Through analysis of texts and their own writing students focus on a project that demonstrates how work in the Humanities enlarges the meaning of human existence. Student is expected to retain a portfolio of their work in the Humanities concentration for use in this seminar. Formerly LST 400.
3 credits
GST 401 Transforming Education into ActionThe capstone seminar provides an intellectual experience that allows students to integrate their concentration coursework and to build a bridge from coursework to the next life goal, whether that is graduate or professional school or a new professional challenge. Part of the product of the capstone seminar will be a portfolio of writing and reflection on each student's academic and life journey that can be shared with employers or used as the basis for graduate school admissions essays. Formerly LST 401.
3 credits