According to the mission statement, Northwest Nazarene University offers an undergraduate curriculum that "is designed to instill a habit of mind that enables each student to become God's creative and redemptive agent in today's world." This curriculum provides both depth (the student's major field of study) and breadth (the General Education Program) to nurture our students' highest intellectual, physical, and spiritual development.
The General Education Program is the foundation of all undergraduate education at Northwest Nazarene University. It purposely expresses, through curriculum, the mission of the University as a Christian liberal arts institution in the Wesleyan heritage. The objective of the General Education Program is to provide a common experience for the personal and intellectual growth of each student. Students are brought into contact with the great persons, ideas, and movement of human culture and the Christian faith. The curriculum is intellectually challenging and designed to set the tone for all courses at the University.
Standard General Education Requirements at a Glance (50 credits)
When planning a schedule, students should carefully review the detailed requirements following this summary.
Christian Formation - 12 credits
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIBL1100 | Intro to Biblical Studies | 3 |
| THEO2100 | Intro to Christian Theology | 3 |
| BIBL/THEO | Approved UD Bib Lit or Theology Elective | 3 |
| PHIL | Approved Philosophy Elective | 3 |
Humanities - 14 Credits
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HUMN1020 | Cornerstone | 1 |
| ENGL | Approved Literature Elective | 3 |
| ARDE/MUSC | Approved Art History or Music History Elective | 3 |
| HIST | Approved U.S. History Elective | 3 |
| HIST | Approved non-U.S. History Elective | 3 |
| Capstone (see list below) | 1 |
Intellectual/Practical - 9 Credits
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL1040 | Introduction to Academic Writing | 3 |
| ENGL course with a 'W' designation | Studies in Composition and Rhetoric (or other ENGL course with a W designation) | 3 |
| COMM | Approved Speech Course | 3 |
| Math Proficiency | Satisfactory score on the mathematics portion of the ACT, SAT, or Accuplacer tests | 0 |
| 0 |
Sciences - 15 Credits
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| KINE1000 | Fundamentals of Wellness | 1 |
| KINE | Approved Kinesiology Activity Elective | 1 |
| Natural Science | Approved Natural Science Lecture Elective | 3 |
| Natural Science | Approved Natural Science Lab Elective | 1 |
| Social Science | Approved Social Science Elective | 3 |
| Additional Electives | Electives from two of the following areas to equal 6 credits:
|
Cultural Competency - 0 credits
Students are required to complete the NNU Cultural Competency Requirement. Requirements are explained in the detailed requirements following this summary.
To complete the General Education Program at Northwest Nazarene University, the student must take 50 semester credits of courses distributed in five categories. The categories with the number of credits required in each are:
I. Christian Formation (12 credits)
BIBL1100 Introduction to Biblical Studies (3)
To be completed during the first three semesters of residence, must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
THEO2100 Introduction to Christian Theology (3)
To be completed by end of the fifth semester of residence, must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
Upper-division Bible Literature or Theology (3)
Select one course from:
- BIBL3220 Psalms (3)
- BIBL3230 Wisdom Literature (3)
- BIBL3260 Life and Teachings of Jesus (3)
- BIBL3270 Johannine Writings (3)
- BIBL3810 The Bible and the Holy Lands (3)
- THEO3410 Philosophy and Literature of Existentialism (3)
- THEO3540 Christian Holiness (3)
- THEO3560 Theological Explorations of Evangelism (3)
- THEO3580 Love (3)
- THEO3590 Theology of the Church (3)
- THEO3620 Science and Christian Faith (3)
- THEO3630 Exploring Western World Religious Traditions (3)
- THEO3640 Exploring Eastern World Religious Traditions (3)
- THEO3710 Church, Culture, and Christian Living (3)
- THEO3730 Theology and Practice of Compassion (3)
- THEO3740 Theology and Practice of Spiritual Formation (3)
- THEO4530 Christian Theology I (3)
- THEO4540 Christian Theology II (3)
Philosophy Elective (3)
Select one course from:
- PHIL2010 Introduction to Philosophy (3)
- PHIL2020 Ethics (3)
- PHIL2030 Quest for the Good Life (3)
- PHIL3010 Deconstructing the Western Mind (3)
- PHIL3080 Critical Reasoning (3)
- PHIL3520 Philosophy of Science (3)
- PHIL3600 Clinical Ethics (3)
- PHIL3620 Science and Christian Faith (3)
II. Humanities (14 credits)
HUMN1020 Cornerstone (1)
To be completed during the first semester of residence, must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
Literature Elective (3)
Select one course from:
- ENGL2210 American Literature: Colonial Period to the Civil War (3)
- ENGL2220 American Literature: Civil War to the Present (3)
- ENGL2310 British Literature: Beowulf through the Age of Reason (3)
- ENGL2320 British Literature: The Romantic Age to the Present (3)
- ENGL2410 Major Literature of the Western World (3)
- ENGL2420 World Literature: The Ancient World to the Renaissance (3)
- ENGL2430 World Literature: The Enlightenment to the Modern Era (3)
- ENGL3210 Major Authors in American Literature (3)
- ENGL3250 The American Novel (3)
- ENGL3310 Major Authors in British Literature (3)
- ENGL3350 The British Novel (3)
- ENGL3410 Greek and Roman Classics (3)
- ENGL3420 Literature in Translation (3)
- ENGL3510 Contemporary Poetry (3)
- ENGL3520 Contemporary Drama (3)
- ENGL3750 Children's and Young Adult Literature (3)
- ENGL4340 Major Romantics and Victorians (3)
- ENGL4350 Major British Authors to the Restoration (3)
Art History/Music History Elective (3)
Select one course:
- ARDE2020 Survey of Visual Art (3)
- ARDE3250 Art History 1 (3)
- ARDE3340 Design History: Industrial Revolution to Contemporary Design (3)
- ARDE3750 Art History 2 (3)
- ARDE3950 Modern and Contemporary Art History (3)
- MUSC1010 A Survey of Art and Music (3)
- MUSC2020 Survey of Performing Arts (3)
- MUSC3260 Music History: Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque (3)
- MUSC3270 Music History: Classic, Romantic and Modern (3)
History Electives (one U. S. and one non-U.S.) (6)
Select one U.S. history course from:
- HIST1070 United States History Survey (3)
- HIST2030 United States History to 1877 (3)
- HIST2040 United States History since 1877 (3)
- HIST3010 Recent America (3)
Select one non-U.S. history course from:
- HIST1030 The World and the West I (3)
- HIST1040 The World and the West II (3)
- HIST3020 Modern Europe (1800-Present) (3)
Capstone: Completion of one of the following capstone courses approved by the General Education Council (1-6)
- ARDE4950 Art Capstone: Engaging Art and Faith (3)
- BIOL4970 Pre-Physical Therapy Capstone (1)
- BIOL4980 Senior Seminar/Capstone (1)
- BSNS4980 Senior Seminar In Business (3)
- CHEM4980 Senior Seminar/Capstone (1)
- COMM4980 Senior Capstone Seminar in Communication (1)
- COMP4980 Senior Seminar/Capstone (1)
- CRIM4010 Capstone (1)
- EDUC4950 Seminar/Capstone (1)
- ENGL4980 Senior Seminar (1)
- ENGR4972 Senior Design Project II/Capstone (2)
- HIST4970 Senior Thesis and Capstone (4)
- HUMN4010 Capstone (1)
- KINE4970 Kinesiology Senior Capstone (1)
- MATH4100 History of Mathematics/Capstone (1)
- MUSC4000 Music Capstone Seminar (1)
- NURS4040 Transition to Professional Nursing Practice/Capstone (6)
- PHIL4900 Philosophy Capstone (1)
- PHYS4980 Senior Seminar/Capstone (1)
- POLS4970 Senior Thesis and Capstone (4)
- PSYC4010 Capstone (1)
- SOWK4981 Senior Field Seminar (1)
- SPAN4010 Capstone (1)
- THEO4900 Religion Capstone (1)
III. Sciences (15 credits)
Activities (2)
Select Fundamentals of Wellness and Fundamentals of Wellness Lab
KINE1000 Fundamentals of Wellness (1)
KINE1000L Fundamentals of Wellness Lab (0)
Select one Activity course from:
- KINE1010 Adapted Physical Education (1)
- KINE1020 Heart Healthy Activity
- KINE1030 Lifetime Sport Activity
- KINE2640 Kinesiology Majors Activity Laboratory (1)
(This course is only open to kinesiology majors.) - MILS2500 Military Style Fitness (1)
Natural Science Elective to include a laboratory (4)
Select one natural science lecture and corresponding laboratory course from:
BIOL1010 and BIOL1010L Introduction to Biology
BIOL1030 and BIOL1030L Earth Science
BIOL1040 and BIOL1040L Environmental Science
BIOL1060 and BIOL1060L Human Biology
BIOL2010 and BIOL2010L Human Anatomy and Physiology I
BIOL2030 and BIOL2030L Human Anatomy and Physiology II
BIOL2220 and BIOL2220L General Biology I
BIOL2230 and BIOL2230L General Biology II
BIOL2300 Idaho Amphibians
BIOL2320 Idaho Birds of Prey
BIOL3250 and BIOL3250L Tropical Ecology
CHEM1210 and CHEM1210L Principles of Organic and Biochemistry
CHEM2210 and CHEM2210L General Chemistry I
CHEM2220 and CHEM2220L General Chemistry II
COMP3230 Introduction to Spatial Analysis
INTD3550 Science and Science Fiction
PHYS1010 and PHYS1010L Introduction to Physical Science
PHYS1060 and PHYS1060L Descriptive Astronomy
PHYS1110 and PHYS1110L College Physics I
PHYS1120 and PHYS1120L College Physics II
PHYS2110 and PHYS2110L Physics for Science and Engineering I
PHYS2120 and PHYS2120L Physics for Science and Engineering II
PSYC3850 and PSYC3850L Biological Foundations of Behavior
Social Science Elective (3)
Select one course from:
CLTA1550 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3)
CLTA3180 Race, Class, and Gender (3)
COMM2030 Interpersonal Communication (3)
COMM3200 Intercultural Communication (3)
ECON1050 Analysis of Economic Issues (3)
ECON2010 Principles of Economics (3)
ECON2410 Principles of Microeconomics (3)
ECON2420 Principles of Macroeconomics (3)
ECON3010 Personal Finance and Stewardship (3)
EDUC2110 Educational Psychology (3)
ENGR3410 Engineering Economics and Ethics (3)
GEOG1050 Introduction to Geography (3)
POLS1010 American National Politics (3)
POLS1030 The Foundations of Politics: The Quest for Peace and Justice (3)
POLS1050 Introduction to International Relations (3)
PSYC1550 Introduction to Psychology (3)
PSYC2100 Lifespan Development (3)
PSYC2110 Educational Psychology (3)
Additional Science Electives (6)
Select two additional courses from two of the following three areas:
- Mathematics
One of the following approved mathematics courses:- BSNS2330 Business Statistics (3)
- COMP1220 Introduction to Computer Science (3)
- KINE4520 Tests and Measurements in Physical Education (3)
- MATH1100 Liberal Arts Math (3)
- MATH1300 College Algebra (3)
- MATH1400 Trigonometry (3)
- MATH2010 Fundamentals of Mathematical Structures I (3)
- MATH2240 Elementary Statistics (3)
- MATH2310 Discrete Mathematics (3)
- MATH2510 Calculus I (4)
- PSYC3640 Experimental Design and Statistical Analysis (3)
- Natural Science
- Approved natural science course from the list above
- Social Science
- Approved social science course from the list above
IV. Intellectual and Practical Skills (9 credits)
ENGL1040 Introduction to Academic Writing (3)
To be completed by end of first year of residence. Must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
Any ENGL course with a W designation (3)
Must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
COMM1210 Introduction to Public Speaking (3) or COMM3211 Technical Communication for Scientists and Engineers (3)
Must be completed with a grade of C- or higher.
Mathematics Proficiency (0)*
One of the following minimum test scores. Test scores must have been obtained within the previous five years.
- ACT Math Score of 21 or higher
- SAT Math Score of 570 or higher
- Accuplacer QRAS Score of 250 or higher
- Completion of an approved college level math course with a grade of C- or higher
*Must be completed by the end of the fourth semester in residence.
V. Cultural Competency Requirement
Students are required to complete the Cultural Competency Requirement. This may be accomplished through one of the three following pathways:
-
Participating in an international study program outlined at nnu.edu/studyabroad.
-
Completing one course with a Cultural Competency Experience (CE) designation.
ARDE3960 Art and Architecture of Europe (3)
BIBL3810 The Bible and the Holy Lands (3)
BIOL3250L Tropical Ecology Lab (1)
COMM3200 Intercultural Communication (3)
HUMN1060 University-sponsored Travel (0-1) -
Completing two courses with Cultural Competency (CC) designation.
The following courses have been approved for the CC designation:
BIOL1030 Earth Science (3)
BSNS4600 Global Business Strategies (3)
CLTA1550 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
CLTA3180 Race, Class and Gender (3)
COMM1050 Nonverbal Communication in Culture (1)
EDUC2250 Cultural Diversity in Education (2)
EDUC3175 Teaching Diverse Learners (3) (see GPS catalog)
EDUC3310 Teaching English Language Learners (1)
EDUC3410 English Language Learners and Content Literacy in Secondary Classrooms (3)
ENGL3015WA TP in Writing: Pop Culture (3)
ENGL3015WJ TP in Writing: Voices from the Margins; African American Slave Narratives (3)
ENGL4270 or ENGL4270W Minority Voices in American Literature (3)
HIST3840 The Holocaust (3)
MILS3900 Military Science Practicum (3-6)
NURS4010 Nursing of Diverse Populations in the Community (4)
PRTH2420 Missional Church I: Intercultural and Global Perspectives (3)
PSYC4112 Human Diversity (3)
SOWK2851 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II: Issues of Diversity (3)
SOWK2970 Urban Field Experience (1)
SPAN1010 Elementary Spanish I (4)
SPAN1020 Elementary Spanish II (4)
SPAN2010 Intermediate Spanish I (4)
SPAN2020 Intermediate Spanish II (4)
SPAN3010 Advanced Conversation and Composition (3)
SPAN3310 Hispanic Civilizations (3)
THEO3630 Exploring Western World Religious Traditions (3)
THEO3640 Exploring Eastern World Religious Traditions (3)
THEO3730 Theology and Practice of Compassion (3)
Courses will be added as they are approved
Additional Cultural Competency information:
- Students that transfer to NNU with a minimum of 60 credits will be required to complete only one course (CC or CE).
- If a student grew up in a Bi-Cultural/Bi-Lingual home or spent time overseas after the age of 7, life experience may be considered as part of the Cultural Competency requirement. For consideration, students may fill out a request with the General Education Council.
- Concurrent credit or transfer courses will not be considered for CC or CE credit.
- A faculty-directed research or internship course may receive the CC or CE designation. For consideration, students should work with their major advisor.
Additional General Education Note:
Interdisciplinary courses may be offered periodically which will satisfy two general education requirements with one course. Completion of interdisciplinary courses will reduce the number of credits required to satisfy the general education requirements. However, the student must still complete 124 overall credits and 32 upper division credits to satisfy graduation requirements.