Liberal Arts Curriculum

All students who are pursuing the Bachelor’s degree must complete the requirements of the Liberal Arts Curriculum (described below) and the requirements for a major program of study.

Liberal Arts Curriculum

A liberal arts education is essential to prepare each student to achieve the mission of the University: to “…think and act critically, creatively, and ethically as productive members of society committed to transforming the world” (2003). Seton Hill University views a liberal arts education as the essential foundation that provides every student with a common body of knowledge, prepares all students to engage with other people and their diverse ways of being, thinking, and relating to others in organizational, entrepreneurial, and other settings, and prepares for a lifetime of learning and action, both professionally and personally. At Seton Hill, students are prepared for professional success in two ways: by knowing about the theory and practice of a chosen field of study, and equally important, by knowing how to think, learn, and relate effectively to others.

The University reserves the right to change the Liberal Arts Curriculum as experience dictates, to require the completion as a partial basis for graduation, and to waive particular requirements in favor of comparable components when it deems such action advisable for the good of the student or the University.

The Liberal Arts Curriculum is the part of a Seton Hill degree which all students, regardless of their major, have in common; it is based on a broad intellectual experience which is the starting point for a distinctive and lifelong education.

Guiding Principles

• The Seton Hill University mission statement is the basis of the Liberal Arts Curriculum.
• The Liberal Arts Curriculum fosters the development of communication and problem-solving skills, historical and global awareness, the use of multiple modes of inquiry, reflection, and assessment.
• Each course in the Liberal Arts Curriculum specifies learning goals that help the student meet one or more of the University learning objectives. The Liberal Arts Curriculum complements and augments study in the major.
• Learning occurs both in and out of the classroom. The Liberal Arts Curriculum is designed to integrate academic work with student exploration and learning in interaction with each other, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community, through experiences such as volunteering, student government, athletics, study away, and, in some majors, service learning and internships.

Students enrolled in the undergraduate program will meet the following Liberal Arts Curriculum requirements:

1. Communication and Problem Solving

Emphasizes the acquisition and development of essential communication skills, critical thinking, reflection, and creativity. Requires students to identify their personal strengths, areas of growth, and personal/professional goals.

1. Artistic Expression

Courses that fulfill the Artistic Expression requirement are offered in the disciplines of art, dance, English, music, and theatre. These courses vary in topic, theme, and emphasis. Students engage in study that taps their imagination and promotes acquisition of basic skills in artistic expression. This component of the Liberal Arts Curriculum reaffirms the breadth and richness of students’ skills in communication, self-awareness, and reflection, and offers opportunities to develop their creativity using words, music, dance, performance, and the visual arts. While the study presumes no previous training in the chosen artistic medium, students are provided with the opportunity to learn about and experience the awareness, richness, and discipline of the artistic process.

Approved courses are designated in the course descriptions in this catalog and by the letters AE in the course schedule. 3 credits are required.

2. Connections

SLA 102  provides all entering traditional students with an orientation to university life in general and Seton Hill University in particular. The course focuses on the resources available to students at Seton Hill, and the development of specific skills and strategies for academic success, including development of interpersonal and entrepreneurial skills, reflection, and commitment. 1 credit is required. Traditional program students only. 

3. Writing

Writing is the primary content of Composition and Culture. By “writing” the faculty mean not just mastery of grammatical or rhetorical conventions (though these are essential), but also engagement in a complex intellectual activity that both prompts and is prompted by critical thinking. In all delivery formats, Composition and Culture asks students to engage in critical thinking by interpreting, questioning, analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing texts and ideas about critical identities through reading, writing, research, and discussion.

Composition and Culture is offered in two delivery formats: as a one-semester accelerated course (SEL 107 ) or over two semesters (as SEL 105  and SEL 106 ). The content and rigor of the courses are the same; the only difference between them is the pacing. Students select the appropriate course(s) for them using the results of the electronic Directed Self-Placement tool (DSP) prior to Setonian Day or meeting with an advisor. The DSP helps students gauge their needs and experiences in relationship to the objectives of the curriculum.

Students who elect to take SEL 107  complete the work of Composition and Culture in a single semester. In this accelerated format, students learn how to read critically as writers, compose multiple essay projects related to culture and literacy, become familiar with the steps of the research process and produce a substantial research project, practice oral communication in discussion and other more formal settings such as the Celebration of Writing, engage in self-assessment, and use their technology and growing rhetorical expertise to craft multimodal texts that integrate writing alongside other modalities. For students who opt to take SEL 105  and then SEL 106  over the course of an entire academic year, the work of the course is more distributed, with the research and formal oral presentation components not occurring until the second semester (SEL 106 ).

All students (traditional and adult degree programs) must satisfy the Liberal Arts Writing requirement. This can be accomplished in two different ways: completion of SEL 107  in one semester (3 credits) or completion of both SEL 105  and SEL 106  over two semesters (6 credits). 

     E. Information Fluency

Seton Hill University defines information fluent students as those who, upon graduation, will possess the ability to combine all forms of literacy in order to master a chosen topic. Students are expected to develop a sense of curiosity and to exhibit a proven ability to locate and evaluate information sources, not only in the classroom, but also in every area of their lives. This sense of curiosity and competence is strengthened during their college years and used throughout their future lives.

Key information fluency concepts are introduced to students in the first year as part of Composition and Culture. Further information fluency skill development occurs in other courses within the liberal arts curriculum, as well as courses within each major, as assignments and activities require students to utilize these skills within the context of research, information creation, and presentation.

Information fluency proficiency is further enhanced by collaboration among faculty, professional staff, and students. Upon faculty request, librarians conduct instructional sessions that are designed to meet the specific needs of the students in each course. For online and hybrid courses, librarians also create informational pages and modules that facilitate skill development without the need for in-person instruction. The Writing Center also offers assistance and resources to help students incorporate their research as they produce scholarship in a variety of formats.

2. Historical, Cultural, and Global Awareness

Explores the history and context of the world from multiple perspectives.

1. Language Study

The study of language is essential to become a citizen of the world. It broadens the student’s awareness of another culture, since language and culture are interdependent, and enhances the student’s cultural diversity. Students are required to demonstrate proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing a modern language different from the student’s native language. In order to meet this Liberal Arts Curriculum requirement, study in Spanish, French, and Italian is predominantly offered at Seton Hill. However, other modern languages are available online at Seton Hill including Arabic, Chinese, German, Japanese, and Russian. Students must achieve college-level introductory proficiency. Students may study modern languages at other institutions or through study abroad or transfer credits. American Sign Language also fulfills the Language Study requirement.

SES 105 - Intro English Language & Culture II (English as 2nd Language)  is recommended for students whose native language is not English. ESL students are permitted to meet the language requirement by taking a college-level course in a language different from their native language. ESL students cannot fulfill the language requirement in their native language.

Approved courses are designated in the course descriptions in this catalog and by the letters ML in the course schedule. 3-6 credits are required.

2. Western Cultures

The Western Cultures component is a two-semester sequence, normally taken in the sophomore year, which introduces students to the rich heritage of western civilization. The beliefs and customs of western civilization are a result of a viewpoint centered in specific times and places. The student learns to understand the viewpoint of western culture and tradition, including assumptions of what is right or wrong, significant or trivial, through learning more about how those who came from a western heritage and world view discovered and created meaning in their own lives.

These chronological studies begin in antiquity and continue through present. Western Cultures differs from a traditional western civilization approach in that students explore history through one or more cultural and historical lenses, including art, music, literature, philosophy, and theology. Students understand works of music, art, and architecture as documents which are reflective or representative of the peoples of western civilization in the context of specific times and places. Although much of the focus is on the cultures of Western Europe, the roots of Western European culture are found in Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Eurasia, and areas also connected to the Americas. Students may augment their class studies with field work and travel abroad.

Approved courses are designated in the course descriptions in this catalog and by the letters WE in the course schedule. 6 credits are required.

3. U.S. Cultures

The U.S. Cultures requirement of the Liberal Arts Curriculum may be met through a variety of courses housed in various disciplines. While these courses vary in topic, theme, and emphasis, all provide the student with the opportunity to explore and learn about American culture. The various courses focus on one or more aspects of race, class, ethnicity, religion, and gender in the United States, with attention to past and present struggles to achieve the democratic ideals of liberty, equality, and justice.

In the U.S. Cultures courses, students have the opportunity to develop a historical perspective through the use of primary historical documents and other sources. Using primary sources helps students understand the origin and development of U.S. democratic principles relevant to the theme of the course. While some courses concentrate on understanding particular time periods or aspects of U.S. history and their impact on the present, others engage in contemporary analysis of present issues or conflicts within U.S. society.

Students in a U.S. Cultures course complete an independent research project. The course may also utilize experiential learning or learning outside the classroom.

Approved courses are designated in the course descriptions in this catalog and by the letters US in the course schedule. 3 credits are required.

4. Global Perspectives

Courses that fulfill the Global Perspectives requirement are offered in various disciplines. Each of these courses addresses the learning objectives identified for the Global Perspectives component. They vary in theme, topic, and emphasis.

In the Global Perspectives courses, students study cultural traditions different from those typically encountered in the United States and other Western cultures. Global Perspectives include cultures of Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia; the cultures of indigenous peoples of the world; and cultures in which there is significant interaction between East and West, such as Eastern European cultures. Students may augment their class studies with field work and travel abroad.

Approved courses are designated in the course descriptions in this catalog and by the letters GP in the course schedule. 3 credits are required.

3. Multiple Modes of Inquiry, Reasoning, and Expression

Encourages the development of quantitative reasoning and scientific discovery.

1. Mathematics and Quantitative Skills

The ability to understand mathematics and the ability to effectively learn and use quantitative skills help students both personally and in their careers. New knowledge, tools, and ways of understanding and using mathematics continue to emerge and change.

Students at Seton Hill develop or enhance their ability to interpret and reason with quantitative information, which involves mathematical ideas and numbers, and to apply these ideas to topics in various disciplines.

Courses that fulfill the Mathematics and Quantitative Skills requirement are designated in the course descriptions in this catalog and by the letters MA in the course schedule. 3-4 credits are required.

2. Science

Study in science furthers a student’s understanding of the process of scientific inquiry and ability to carry out research. Aspects of scientific inquiry include formulation of a hypothesis, experimental design, analysis of data, and reporting findings based on evidence. Students also learn how research findings are reported in peer-reviewed publications and how research is funded, and explore some of the many applications of science in various disciplines.

Distinguishing between scientific and pseudoscientific approaches, students develop an understanding for both the use and misuse of science in modern society. Three broad aspects of science are included: content and language of science, practice of science, and applications of science in modern society.

For some science courses, students must register for both a lecture and corresponding laboratory course in order to fulfill the Liberal Arts science requirement.

Approved courses are designated in the course descriptions in this catalog and by the letters SC in the course schedule. 3-4 credits are required.

4. Reflection and Self-­Assessment

These courses invite students to wonder and make meaning of the essentials of the human experience and provide a forum for understanding the relation of faith and reason, ambiguity and absolutes, and the development of personal and community value systems.

1. Faith, Religion, and Society

This component of the Liberal Arts Curriculum is satisfied through SLA 150 . This course gives students the opportunity to explore the foundational roles of faith and spirituality in human growth and development and in the shaping of human societies and cultures. 3 credits are required.

2. Philosophy

The philosophy component of the Liberal Arts Curriculum helps the students to develop proficiency in critical and creative thinking. In philosophy, students learn to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate texts and also the thinking of fellow students. They are encouraged to think in terms of options, rather than in a linear fashion, to initiate speculative reflection, and to think in unusual directions. Students are better prepared to decide when to use their critical skills, when to engage in creative thinking, and when both together are more useful. Through the philosophy component, students also work on developing a coherent, consistent, and comprehensive system of values upon which they can make critical life decisions.

Approved courses are designated in the course descriptions in this catalog and by the letters PL in the course schedule. 3 credits are required.

3. Theology

In the theology component of the Liberal Arts Curriculum, students have the opportunity to explore faith tradition. Students learn the basic methods of critical theological inquiry and historical critical analysis. These methods are applied to a deeper study of some essential area of the Christian tradition. Students may choose foundational courses in the scriptures or Christology. They can study the historical development of the Christian tradition and its expression in contemporary Catholic and Protestant forms or focus on liturgical/sacramental life. Women’s spirituality, contemporary ethics, and special topics courses are available as well.

The variety of courses offered in this area gives students a choice from over a dozen options at the 200 level. Since these are academic courses, no background in a religious tradition is necessary for success. However, students are encouraged to choose areas which match their interest and experience or courses which can enhance their major and professional preparation.

In theology courses, students are encouraged to place course material into dialogue with their own experience and explore the socio-political dimensions of Christian faith in light of social privilege and oppression. When possible, student work includes out-of-classroom field visits.

Theology courses that satisfy this requirement are identified in the course descriptions in this catalog and in the course schedule by the letters TH. 3 credits are required.

4. Senior Integrative Seminar

Senior Integrative Seminar, SLA 400 , is a capstone, cross-disciplinary seminar providing students the opportunity to assess and integrate their learning achievements in disciplinary, liberal arts, and co-curricular endeavors as a foundation for career readiness, civic engagement, and lifelong learning.

Through reflection on their learning, skill development, and personal accomplishments, students demonstrate that they have fulfilled the University Learning Objectives. Students are challenged to use their skills for active participation in transforming the world and to strategize about creating a world of justice and mercy through their own families, professions, and community engagement.  3 credits are required. 

Liberal Arts Curriculum