Students at Keene State College complete two programs of study to earn a degree—the College's General Education Explorations Program and their major program of study.

The General Education Explorations Program aims to give all Keene State College undergraduates a firm foundation for college-level and lifelong learning, as well as essential skills that will prepare them for workplace and life experiences.  Its three central aspects are a grounding in the liberal arts, engagement with three distinctive Keene State College-wide learning outcomes, and flexibility for students to pursue their own interests within the program.  The program’s developmental element is scaffolded in four progressive parts: Foundations, Liberal Arts, Values and Connections, and Electives.  To ensure flexibility and transferability there is, however, no requirement that students complete one area of the program before taking courses in another.  This program is consistent with Keene State College’s mission and values as the public liberal arts college of New Hampshire.

Both Foundations courses are firmly grounded in the central elements of the Inquiry and Communication College-wide learning outcomes.  Courses in the Liberal Arts ensure breadth of knowledge while introducing students to different ways of thinking and problem solving in these general areas.  The Values and Connections courses allow students to engage with the three distinctive College-wide learning outcomes:  Intercultural Perspectives, Civic Engagement, and Sustainability and Well-Being.

Program Objectives and/or Learning Outcomes

Inquiry:

Students will critically evaluate evidence and analyze complex problems. Students will engage in research and creative work to contribute new knowledge, perspective, art, or expression. Students will gain competencies in reading, writing, quantitative reasoning, information literacy, and creative methods.

Communication:

Students will clearly and effectively form, support, and convey an idea with attention to intended audience, purpose, and context through varied forms of communication.

Academic Perspectives:

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the liberal arts domains’ theoretical and methodological approaches to analysis and production of knowledge and to engage in inquiry in these fields.

Intercultural Perspectives:

Students will demonstrate cultural awareness, critically examine diverse perspectives, and gain insight into the social and structural influences that shape self-perception and collective experiences.

Civic Engagement:

Students will demonstrate the skills to critically examine local, national, and global issues including relevant cultural, historical, political and policy contexts; to reflect on the ethical dimensions of civic engagement; and to take action individually or collectively to address issues.

Sustainability and Well-Being:

Students will investigate issues that impact mental health, wellness, and the sustainability of natural and human systems and use their knowledge and skills to build a just, resilient, and thriving world.

General Education Exploration Requirements 

The program’s developmental element is scaffolded in four progressive parts: Foundations, Liberal Arts, Values and Connections, and Electives. To ensure flexibility and transferability there is, however, no requirement that students complete one area of the program before taking courses in another. 

General Education Exploration Requirements 

The program’s developmental element is scaffolded in four progressive parts: Foundations, Liberal Arts, Values and Connections, and Electives. To ensure flexibility and transferability there is, however, no requirement that students complete one area of the program before taking courses in another.