Gannon University Undergraduate Catalog 2013-2014

Page 180

180

understanding, and stimulate curiosity. Students come to regard books and professional journals as tools for their continued learning after graduation. It is important to note that they learn to read and understand publications based on sophisticated research methodologies and quantitative analyses. While the English Department has special responsibilities in the teaching of writing and our Communications Program offers work in introductory and advanced speech, all departments and programs make extensive use of writing assignments as well as formal and informal opportunities for the refinement of oral communications. Essay examinations, research papers, journals, speeches and debates enhance students' abilities to "think on their feet" and communicate well. Many classes make use of sophisticated electronic audio and video equipment and integrate modern computer technology into the curriculum. Increasingly, students and faculty enjoy connectivity with one another and the world outside the classroom through the use of the Internet, e-mail, list serves and the like. Equally important are the skills of analysis and synthesis, as well as the power to think critically and independently and to make sound ethical decisions and judgments. Courses in the Humanities and Social Sciences complement the University's Liberal Studies Core to help our students hone these abilities. Quantitative as well as qualitative reasoning is encouraged, and all curricula in the Humanities require at least one math course. The typical class size permits discussions in which students have the opportunity to express their ideas. Group work, class discussion, and other means of interactive learning encourage students to take responsibility, learn teamwork, and become active rather than passive learners. International Education Our students will have to live in a world community and compete in a global economy. Thus Humanities is committed to the notion that we are all international students; that we must know and appreciate our culture as well as those of others; and that we must learn to speak and understand a foreign language. The Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures is the heart of international education at Gannon, and every humanities student in a four-year major must take a minimum of six credits of a foreign language. This requirement must be fulfilled no later than the fall semester of the junior year. International education is additionally enhanced by courses in history, political science, anthropology, sociology, geography, philosophy and literature. Fields of Specialization In addition to career preparation through a comprehensive, international education, the Humanities offers several majors through which students develop the specialized skills of particular professions. The Department of Theatre and Communication Arts prepares students for careers in radio and television, while English majors may explore career options in journalism and other types of professional writing. Through programs in political science, sociology, social work, psychology and criminal justice, students may develop careers in public service or the private sector. The legal profession is served by the Pre-Law and Paralegal Programs, while the International Studies Program, based in the Department of Foreign Languages, leads to careers in government, business and industry. Future teachers participate in these programs, since students pursuing careers in secondary education major in the subjects they wish to teach. Integration of Knowledge One of the hallmarks of the Humanities education is a commitment to the integration of knowledge, and a focus on the interrelationships of the various subject areas. The Departments of Philosophy and Theology play a central role in the synthesizing effort, and


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