USG General Education Refresh

KSU's Core IMPACTS Curriculum

Kennesaw State University’s Core Curriculum is designed to help students succeed through exploration, collaboration, and rigor. The curriculum engages students from diverse backgrounds and talents to produce meaningful change. KSU believes that general education serves to support students becoming productive members of a democratic society and be well-prepared to enter the workplace. Students learn through exploration of big questions that guide learning and develop skills and competencies critical for future success.

Kennesaw State offers a new Core IMPACTS curriculum for students enrolling for Fall 2024 semester. Each IMPACTS area is guided by an orienting question and learning outcomes, along with a set of career-ready competencies. The table below provides further detail about the IMPACTS areas.  

I: Institutional Priority (Formerly Area B)- 5 Credit Hours
- Orienting Question
  
  Learning Outcome
  
  Career-Ready Competencies
- How does my institution help me to navigate the world?
  
  Students will demonstrate the ability to think critically and solve problems related to priorities at their institution.
  - Critical Thinking
  - Teamwork
  - Time Management
Courses in Institution area:
- ECON 1000
- AMST 1102
- ASIA 1102
- BLCK 1102
- COMM 1100
- GWST 1102
- LALS 1102
- LDRS 2300
- PAX 1102
- POLS 2401
- RELS 1102
M: Mathematics and Quantitative Skills (Formerly Area A2 )- 3-4 Credit Hours
- Orienting Question
  
  Learning Outcome
  
  Career-Ready Competencies
- How do I measure the world?
  
  Students will apply mathematical and computational knowledge to interpret, evaluate, and communicate quantitative information using verbal, numerical, graphical, or symbolic forms.  
  - Information Literacy
  - Inquiry and Analysis 
  - Problem-Solving 
Courses in Mathematics area:
- MATH 1001
- MATH 1111
- MATH 1113
- MATH 1190
- STAT 1401
P: Political Science and U.S. History (Formerly Areas E1 and E2)- 6 Credit Hours
- Orienting Question
  
  Learning Outcomes
  
  Career-Ready Competencies
- How do I prepare for my responsibilities as an engaged citizen?  
  
  Students will demonstrate knowledge of the provisions and principles of the United States Constitution and the Constitution of Georgia.
  
  Students will demonstrate knowledge of the history of the United States and the history of Georgia. 
  - Critical Thinking
  - Intercultural Competence
  - Persuasion
Courses in Political Science:
- POLS 1101
Courses in U.S. History:
- HIST 2111
- HIST 2112
A: Arts, Humanities & Ethics (Formerly Area C)- 6 Credit Hours
- Orienting Question
  
  Learning Outcomes
  
  Career-Ready Competencies
- How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic, and philosophical works? 
  
  Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance, and ethical implications of literary/ philosophical texts.
  
  Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance, and ethical implications of works in the visual/performing arts.
  - Ethical Reasoning  
  - Information Literacy  
  - Intercultural Competence  
Courses in Humanities:
- ENGL 2110
- ENGL 2120
- ENGL 2130
- ENGL 2140
- PHIL 2010
- CHIN 1001, CHIN 1002
- FREN 1001, FREN 1002
- GRMN 1001, GRMN 1002
- HEBR 1001, HEBR 1002
- ITAL 1001, ITAL 1002
- JAPN 1001, JAPN 1002
- KOR 1001, KOR 1002
- LATN 1001, LATN 1002
- PORT 1001, PORT 1002
- RUSS 1001, RUSS 1002
- SPAN 1001, SPAN 1002
- WLC 1002
- WLC 2209
Courses in Fine Arts:
- ART 1107
- DANC 1107
- MUSI 1107
- TPS 1107
C: Communicating in Writing (Formerly Area A1)- 6 Credit Hours
- Orienting Question
  
  Learning Outcomes
  
  Career-Ready Competencies
- How do I write effectively in different contexts?  
  
  Students will communicate effectively in writing, demonstrating clear organization and structure, using appropriate grammar and writing conventions. 
  
  Students will appropriately acknowledge the use of materials from original sources. 
  
   
  Students will adapt their written communications to purpose and audience. 
  
  Students will analyze and draw inferences from written texts.  
  - Critical Thinking
  - Information Literacy
  - Persuasion
Courses in Writing area:
- ENGL 1101
- ENGL 1102
T: Technology, Mathematics & Sciences (Formerly Area D)- 10-12 Credit Hours
- Orienting Question
  
  Learning Outcomes
  
  Career-Ready Competencies
- How do I ask scientific questions or use data, mathematics, or technology to understand the universe?  
  
  Students will use mathematical and computational methods to analyze data, solve problems, and explain natural phenomena.  
  
  Students will use the scientific method and laboratory procedures to analyze data, solve problems and explain natural phenomena.
  - Inquiry and Analysis  
  - Problem-Solving  
  - Teamwork 
Courses in Applied Mathematics:
- DATA 1501
- MATH 1113
- MATH 1160
- MATH 1179
- MATH 1190
- MATH 2202
- STAT 1401
Courses in Natural Sciences:
- ANTH 1105
- BIOL 1107, BIOL 1107L
- BIOL 1108, BIOL 1108L
- CHEM 1151, CHEM 1151L
- CHEM 1152, CHEM 1152L
- CHEM 1211, CHEM 1211L
- CHEM 1212, CHEM 1212L
- GEOG 1112K
- GEOG 1113K
- GEOG 1125
- PHYS 1111, PHYS 1111L
- PHYS 1112, PHYS 1112L
- PHYS 2211, PHYS 2211L
- PHYS 2212, PHYS 2212L
- SCI 1101
- SCI 1102
S: Social Sciences (Formerly Areas E3 and E4)- 6 Credit Hours
- Orienting Question
  
  Learning Outcomes
  
  Career-Ready Competencies
- How do I understand human experiences and connections?  
  
  Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical relationships develop, persist, or change.  
  
  Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how economic, political, social or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change.
  - Intercultural Competence  
  - Perspective-Taking  
  - Persuasion
Courses in World History:
- HIST 1100
- HIST 1111
- HIST 1112
Courses in Social Sciences:
- ANTH 1102
- CRJU 1101
- ECON 2106
- GEOG 1101
- PSYC 1101
- SOCI 1101
- STS 1101

Students will take 42 credit hours of IMPACTS core courses, and an additional 18 hours of Field of Study (formerly Area F) requirements.

NOTE: The IMPACTS core curriculum is for students enrolling at Kennesaw State University for the Fall 2024 semester and after, or those who change their major. All current KSU students continue in their current core curriculum, which can be found in the undergraduate catalog.

Advances of Core IMPACTS include:

Using meaningful (as opposed to alphabetical) names for Core IMPACTS areas. 
Specify more clearly system-wide Learning Outcomes for each Core IMPACTS area. 
Establishing system-wide Career-Ready Competencies for each Core IMPACTS area. For more information visit HERE.

Core IMPACTS provides students with a broad foundation in the humanities, natural sciences, and the arts along with the practical career-ready skills needed to engage in society and the workforce.

Resources for faculty
Academic Affairs and Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) will partner to support faculty tasked with teaching Core IMPACTS courses. Please check CETL’s website for more information as it becomes available.