Doane Core Connections

Philosophy of the Undergraduate Core at Doane

The undergraduate experience at Doane is an immersive, collaborative environment, a community of students, faculty, and staff, that motivates students to take responsibility for their ongoing academic and personal growth. It is a defining experience that serves as a catalyst for students to develop intellectual skills, to build connections among diverse sources of knowledge, and to adapt their liberal education to serve and to lead at all levels of social, civic, and professional citizenship.

Essential Student Learning Outcomes of the Undergraduate Core through the liberal arts, students will

Understand foundational areas of knowledge. Students will learn to

• analyze how identity is formed through the interaction of the individual and society;
• apply basic strategies of mathematical thought to solve problems;
• communicate purposefully, effectively, and precisely;
• analyze the foundations of the contemporary world and the interconnectedness of cultures;
• apply scientific methodologies to and articulate the scientific context of issues they will confront as citizens;
• explore the complexities of the creative process; and
• evaluate the ways in which humans understand the meanings of existence.

Develop crucial intellectual skills. Students will learn to

• engage in discovery;
• gather and evaluate facts and assumptions;
• support conclusions with relevant evidence; and
• practice effective communication.

Build connections of knowledge across various disciplines. Students will learn to

• synthesize knowledge across foundational areas and specialized studies;
• develop creative and imaginative insights and expressions; and
• apply and integrate knowledge collaboratively to solve complex problems.

Adapt their liberal education to serve and to lead at all levels of citizenship. Students will learn to

• pursue a refined, empathetic understanding of a multifaceted world;
• orient their own ethical compasses to act accordingly; and
• engage with people of varying perspectives to build just societies.

Important complementary habits of an intellectual and balanced life will be developed through the depth and breadth of their entire collegiate experience - curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular. Specifically, students will learn to

Communicate effectively

• practice effective oral communication in order to increase knowledge, foster understanding, and/or promote change in the listener’s attitudes, values, beliefs, and behaviors;
• practice effective reading in order to extract and construct meaning through interaction and involvement with written language; and
• practice effective writing that is context appropriate in order to develop and express ideas to convey meaning to an intended audience.

Use information wisely

• use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively to support individual and group learning;
• demonstrate insightful thinking to ask questions and construct knowledge, using information resources and techniques to conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, or make informed decisions; and
• understand the cultural, ethical, and societal issues related to the creation and use of information.

Pursue a healthy lifestyle

• examine the factors that promote or inhibit a healthy lifestyle to maximize individual potential;
• engage in a self-examination of their own behaviors and attitudes; and 
• develop and apply insights and skills to live a healthy, balanced, and impactful life.

Components of the Undergraduate Core 33 credit minimum

General Requirement

The level of teaching and learning at Doane requires that students have certain basic skills. All students must demonstrate competencies in each of the following areas during their first year at Doane by one of the methods listed below. (Individual academic majors may require particular competencies.)

Additional Graduation Requirements

1. Completion of a minimum of 123 credits, with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or above. NOTE: Students who take DLC 090  or DSS 090  are required to complete a minimum of 126 credits.
2. Completion of an academic major in which the grade point average is 2.00 or above in all major coursework including cognates, which may be outside the students primary discipline.
3. Completion of an optional minor or additional major(s) or minor(s) also requires a grade point average in that major or minor of 2.00 or above.

Stipulations

1. The following credit maximums apply toward graduation:
   1. A total of 48 credits in the major prefix discipline with these exceptions: 59 credits in the music major, public school music emphasis; 52 credits in the art major, public school art emphasis; 55 credits in the art major, professional emphasis; and 60 credits in the information systems and technology major.
      NOTE: The 48-credit limit does not apply to the interdisciplinary majors.
   2. A total of four physical education credits in HHP-101 and HHP-104.
   3. Six semester credits of technical electives or activity electives. These credits may be awarded in transfer for those courses which are not taught at a traditional four-year liberal arts college. If a student has completed a professional competency (i.e., an associate degree, diploma, or certificate in a particular technical competency from a two-year school, community college, or approved proprietary school), the six-credit maximum does not apply. Within the six-credit limit, the following courses in transfer may also be used: intercollegiate sports and journalistic and forensic activities.
2. Students who have been full-time students at Doane for at least two terms (excluding summer session) and are in good academic standing may earn internship credit through work experience. A maximum of 12 combined internship credits may count toward graduation.
3. The last 30 credits immediately preceding graduation will normally be in residence.
4. Requirements for a major or minor must be met by following a catalog in effect during the student’s year of entry or a subsequent term of enrollment at Doane University.
5. Any course added to a Doane Core Connection category may be used as an additional option for that category, regardless of the catalog of entry.
6. A student who chooses to complete more than one major, minor, emphasis, or endorsement may fulfill the requirements of each by using common courses, unless otherwise specified.
7. A student can not declare a minor in the same discipline as their major (example a History major can not also declare a History minor).
8. A course used to fulfill a requirement for the Doane Core Connections may also be used to fulfill a requirement for a major, minor, emphasis, or endorsement, unless otherwise specified.
9. Each student is responsible for making certain all degree requirements are met. Advisors or faculty advisors, student advising guides, and the program evaluations available on WebAdvisor help students monitor their progress toward graduation.
10. Graduation requirements are reviewed on a case-by-case basis for students who return to Doane after an extended absence.
11. All other academic policies and regulations as stated in this catalog must be followed.