Illustration of the variety of subject areas included in General Education
Welcome to the General Education Guide. This Guide introduces the primary disciplines of general education taught at Rasmussen University, defines and explains their relevance to the institution and education, and offers important information about and resources that supplement these specific areas: Communication, English Composition, Humanities, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.
While these disciplines may appear unrelated at first, they are more closely aligned than one might think. Communication in speaking, writing (Composition), and through nonverbal expressions scaffolds the delivery and learning required in all the other disciplines. The Humanities promote critical thinking with real-world applications that inform how we understand and express ourselves in the world. Both Natural and Social Sciences investigate what it means to be human in body and thought. Mathematics provides a framework for knowing the world, exploring the situations we encounter, and predicting life patterns. In these ways, general education curricula expand knowledge, engage critical thinking, hone communication, and enhance skills that transfer meaningfully to the workplace.
As such, each of these disciplines extend their relevance to specific areas of programmatic study at the institution. The Nurse benefits not only from the body systems described in Natural Sciences courses, but learns the value of culture when engaging patients, a skill taught in both Social Sciences and the Humanities. The Network Systems Administrator learns that interaction with stakeholders through clear communication is as crucial to job success as knowing computer languages.
The tabs within this Guide will further illustrate major topics and themes important to studying General Education and how the disciplines extend, expand, and enhance learning and life.
General Education courses at Rasmussen University enhance and support a student’s chosen field of study and teach universal skills that can be applied to any career or life experience. General Education courses foster lifelong learning and curiosity. Exposure to diverse perspectives helps students find their place in the context of the larger world.
