Essential Studies
Essential Studies (ES) is UND's program in general education. Along with your major, it helps form the core of your UND undergraduate education. We focus on more than general coursework, we focus on the essential skills employers are seeking. The heart of ES is its six learning goals. Each learning goal is aligned with the competencies employers report wanting most in employees. Essential Studies helps to set UND students up for a successful career. Every ES course you take at UND will focus on at least one of the six learning goals.
Learning Goals
Critical Inquiry & Analysis (CIA)
Collect and analyze information to reach conclusions based on evidence.
Inquiry is a systematic process of exploring issues, objects or works through the collection and analysis of evidence that results in informed conclusions or judgments. Analysis is the process of breaking complex topics or issues into parts to gain a better understanding of them.
Quantitative Reasoning (Q)
Be competent and comfortable when working with numbers and graphic displays of information based on numbers.
Quantitative Reasoning is competency and comfort in working with numerical data, using it to reason and solve quantitative problems from a wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations, and to create and clearly communicate sophisticated arguments supported by quantitative evidence, such as by using words, tables, graphs, mathematical equations, etc., as appropriate.
Written Communication (WC)
Develop and express ideas in writing or with a mix of words, data and images.
Written Communication is the development and expression of ideas in writing. Written communication involves learning to work in many genres and styles. It can involve working with many different writing technologies, and mixing text, data, and images.
Oral Communication (O)
Present information (formally or informally) in various settings and sizes to achieve some purpose.
Oral communication involves a purposeful verbal presentation designed to increase knowledge, to foster understanding, or to promote change in the listeners' attitudes, values, beliefs, or behaviors.
Information Literacy (IL)
Find necessary information, understand where that information comes from, evaluate and use the information appropriately.
Information literacy is the set of integrated abilities encompassing the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, and the use of information in creating new knowledge and participating ethically in communities of learning.
Intercultural Knowledge & Skills (IKS)
Acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to interact successfully with others from different backgrounds, and apply that understanding to contemporary issues.
Intercultural knowledge and skills foster the capacity to meaningfully engage with the perspectives of people whose cultures and identities are different from one's own. To meaningfully engage with others' perspectives, one must be aware of how those perspectives are shaped by larger social structures, by issues of contemporary importance, and by issues that arise in global society.
Breadth of Knowledge Requirements
Courses must be on the approved list during the semester you complete them in order to count toward your Essential Studies requirements.
Some courses count toward both your Breadth of Knowledge and your Special Emphasis.
You must complete at least 9 credit hours in each of the Breadth of Knowledge areas. Fine Arts & Humanities are combined as one area so that you need a total of 9 credits among them with at least 3 in each:
Special Emphasis areas:
If you are a student who began at UND prior to Fall 2020 and are looking for US Diversity or Global Diversity courses, they can be found here: https://und.edu/academics/essential-studies/courses.html
Special Emphasis Requirements
Courses must be on the approved list during the semester you complete them in order to count toward your Essential Studies requirements. Courses must focus on the goal area for at least 1/3 of the course time and 1/3 of the grade in order to be designated as a special emphasis course. Except for Analyzing Worldviews (W) which must be 1/2 of the course time and grade.
Some courses count toward both your Breadth of Knowledge and your Special Emphasis.
You must complete at least 3 credit hours in each of the Special Emphasis areas:
Breadth of Knowledge areas:
- Communication (Comm)
- Social Science (SS)
- Fine Arts (FA)
- Humanities (Hum)
- Math, Science, & Technology (MST)
Capstone Requirements
Courses must be on the approved list during the semester you complete them in order to count toward your Essential Studies requirements.
Essential Studies Capstone courses are taken at the end of your undergraduate program (within 3 semesters of graduation).
Some courses count toward both your Capstone and the Special Emphasis of Advanced Communication.
Code | Title | Credits | Goals | Special Emphasis |
---|---|---|---|---|
American Indian Studies | ||||
IS 410 | Indigenous Identities (Open to all majors) | 3 | CIA, IKS | |
Anthropology | ||||
ANTH 480 | Senior Seminar | 3 | CIA, IKS, WC | A |
Art | ||||
ART 498 | Seminar in Art and Design Capstone | 3 | CIA, O, WC | A |
Atmospheric Sciences | ||||
ATSC 492 | Senior Project I | 1 | CIA, O, WC | A |
ATSC 493 | Senior Project II | 2 | CIA, O, WC | A |
Aviation | ||||
AVIT 485 | Aviation Senior Capstone | 3 | WC, IL | A |
Biology | ||||
BIOL 480 | Senior Capstone Seminar | 3 | WC, IL | A |
BIOL 481 | Fisheries & Wildlife Senior Capstone | 3 | WC, IL | A |
BIOL 489 | Senior Honors Thesis | 1-15 | WC, IL | A |
Chemical Engineering | ||||
CHE 411 | Plant Design I: Process Design and Economics * | 4 | WC | A |
Chemistry | ||||
CHEM 492 | Senior Research | 1-3 | CIA, WC | A |
CHEM 495 | Chemistry Capstone | 3 | CIA, WC, IL | A |
Civil Engineering | ||||
CE 483 | Civil Engineering Design II * | 3 | O, WC, IL | A |
Criminal Justice | ||||
CJ 401 | Administration of Criminal Justice Systems | 3 | CIA, O, WC | A |
Communication | ||||
COMM 410 | Senior Capstone in Communication * | 3 | CIA, Q, O, WC, IL | A |
Communication Sciences & Disorders | ||||
CSD 485 | Clinical Practicum II: Speech Language Pathology | 3 | CIA, WC | |
Computer Science | ||||
CSCI 492 | Senior Project I * | 3 | CIA, Q, O, WC | A |
Electrical Engineering | ||||
EE 480 | Senior Design I * | 3 | CIA, WC | A |
English | ||||
ENGL 415 | Seminar in Literature | 1-4 | CIA, WC | |
Geography | ||||
GEOG 454 | Conservation and Sustainable Use of Natural Resources | 3 | CIA, O, WC, IL | A |
Geological Engineering | ||||
GEOE 484 | Geological Engineering Design * | 3 | CIA, WC | A |
Geology | ||||
GEOL 420 | Geology Capstone | 3 | O, IL | A |
History | ||||
HIST 440 | Research Capstone | 3 | CIA, O, WC | A |
Honors | ||||
HON 489 | Senior Project: Honors Research | 1-8 | O, IL | A |
Humanities | ||||
HUM 408 | Writing Across the Disciplines | 3 | CIA, WC | A |
Interdisciplinary Studies | ||||
IDS 495 | Service and Citizenship (Open to all majors) * | 3 | CIA, WC | A |
Kinesiology | ||||
KIN 491 | Senior Capstone | 3 | WC, IL | A |
Languages | ||||
LANG 480 | Capstone: Global Connections (Open to all majors) * | 3 | WC, IKS | |
Mathematics | ||||
MATH 488 | Senior Capstone | 3 | O, WC | A, L |
Management | ||||
MGMT 475 | Strategic Management * | 3 | WC, IL | |
Mechanical Engineering | ||||
ME 480 | Mechanical Engineering Seminar * | 3 | CIA, WC | A |
Medical Lab Sciences | ||||
MLS 490 | Financial and Quality Management of the Clinical Laboratory | 3 | CIA, WC | A |
Music | ||||
MUSC 441 | Methods and Materials for Middle and Secondary School Music | 3 | CIA, O | A |
MUSC 490 | Seminar in Music | 3 | CIA, O | A |
Nursing | ||||
NURS 450 | Transition to Practice: Seminar | 2 | WC, IL | A |
NURS 453 | Clinical Practicum V: Transition to Practice | 3 | WC, IL | A |
NURS 474 | Leadership & Professional Nursing Development | 3 | WC, IL | A |
Nutrition & Dietetics | ||||
N&D 441 | Nutritional Biochemistry * | 4 | CIA, WC, O | A |
Occupational Therapy | ||||
OT 403 | Research Methods in OT | 4 | CIA, WC, IL | A |
OT 458 | Qualitative Research Methods for Occupational Therapy | 3 | CIA, WC | A |
Petroleum Engineering | ||||
PTRE 485 | Senior Design * | 3 | CIA, WC | A |
Philosophy | ||||
PHIL 480 | Public Philosophy (Open to all majors) | 3 | CIA, WC | A |
Physics | ||||
PHYS 415 | Undergrad Research Experience | 3 | CIA, Q, O, WC | |
Physical Therapy | ||||
PT 402 | Professional Communication and Behavior | 2 | CIA, WC | A |
PT 514 | Case Management I | 2 | CIA, WC | A |
Political Science | ||||
POLS 495 | Senior Colloquium in Political Science and Public Administration | 3 | CIA, WC | A |
Psychology | ||||
PSYC 405 | History and Systems of Psychology * | 3 | IL, O, WC | |
Rehabilitation Services | ||||
RHS 493 | Senior Capstone Seminar | 3 | O, WC | A |
Sociology | ||||
SOC 475 | Sociology Capstone | 3 | CIA, WC | |
Social Work | ||||
SWK 483 | Field Education II | 5 | CIA, O, IL | |
SWK 484 | Field Education Seminar II | 1 | CIA, WC, IL | |
Sports Medicine | ||||
SMED 343 | Organizational Administration of Athletic Training | 3 | WC, IL | A |
Teaching & Learning | ||||
T&L 489 | Senior Capstone: Responsive Teaching | 3 | CIA, WC | A |
Technology | ||||
TECH 499 | Senior Capstone II | 3 | CIA, WC | |
Theatre Arts | ||||
THEA 424 | History of the Theatre: Seventeenth Century to the Present (Open to all majors) | 3 | CIA, WC | A |
*Course offered online |