General Education
Trinity College's One Mission, Many Stories curriculum includes an innovative approach to general education that is designed to foster connection, communication, critical thinking, and Christian faithfulness. As part of your general education, you will select from a variety of courses in eight spheres of exploration and discovery. Some general education courses may also fulfill major requirements; students should consult with their faculty advisor and read this catalog carefully.
Purpose
The general education program prepares students for life with tools for thinking and living biblically in the world, and for understanding the world critically and creatively.
As a result of Trinity's general education program, students will:
- explore a broad range of ideas and perspectives, and connect them with a knowledge of God and a biblical worldview.
- communicate effectively in a variety of settings with a diversity of contexts and audiences.
- develop skills in critical thinking and analysis to address contemporary challenges in culture and society.
- grow as integrated individuals who can apply biblical principles to real-world problems and serve both God and others through their vocations.
Chapter One: Tooling Up
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Thinking and Living Biblically in the World 1 | ||
| BI 105 | Understanding the Old Testament | 3 |
| BI 115 | Understanding the New Testament | 3 |
| BI 211 | Ethics and the Bible | 3 |
| IDS 180 | One Mission, Many Stories | 3 |
| Understanding the World Critically and Creatively | ||
| ENG 105 | English Composition 2 | 3 |
| ENG 106 | Critical Thinking and Composition | 3 |
| Presentation Intensive Course, select one | 2-3 | |
| Interpreting and Teaching the Bible | ||
| Speech | ||
| Criminal Courts | ||
| Educational Psychology/Human Development | ||
| IDS 290 | Critical Topics in the 21st Century (Or select one of the following courses outside of your major:) | 3 |
| Introduction to Bioethics | ||
| Topics in Bioethics | ||
| Drugs, Alcohol, and Crime | ||
| Crisis Intervention | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Social Problems | ||
| Total Hours | 23-24 | |
- 1
Students who transfer to Trinity as juniors (minimum 58 hours earned) must take IDS 180 and two of the three Bible classes in the "Thinking & Living Biblically in the World" category (BI 105, BI 115, and BI 211).
- 2
This requirement may be waived for students who have met one of the following requirements.
- ACT "Writing": score at or above the 75 percentile
- SAT "Writing"; composite score of at least 15
- AP English Language and Composition: 3, 4, or 5
- 3
There are several courses, including this one, that can fulfill a requirement in more than one category. However, you may only use the course once in the general education so that you have a total of eight distinct general education courses in chapter 2. Some general education courses may also count for your major.
Chapter Two: Exploring
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Choose 8 courses, with no more than two in any single category, for a minimum of 24 hours. Include at least one course in each of the five categories marked with an asterisk; the other three courses may be from any of the eight categories. | ||
| Diversity, Traditions, and Cultures* | 3-6 | |
What visions and stories form the foundations of people's experiences? How do we interact with others and their view of the world? | ||
| Choose from: | ||
| Survey of Religious Diversity | ||
| Introduction to Intercultural Ministry | ||
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Race, Gender, Ethnicity, and Criminal Justice | ||
| Race and Ethnic Relations | ||
| Transfer coursework in areas of diversity, traditions, and cultures. | ||
| ||
| The World of Ideas * | 3-6 | |
How have we thought and how do we think today? What have we done and what are we likely to do? | ||
| Choose from: | ||
History course without a prerequisite | ||
Philosophy course at the 100 or 200 level | ||
| The World of the Arts * | 3-6 | |
What do the arts teach us? | ||
| Choose from: | ||
| Studies in Fiction | ||
| Music Appreciation | ||
| Transfer coursework in the arts, including courses in art appreciation, literature, poetry, and drama. | ||
| The World of Mathematics * | 3 | |
How do mathematics skills help us navigate the world around us? Why is mathematics important? | ||
| Choose from: | ||
| Mathematics in the Modern World 2 | ||
| Introductory Statistics | ||
| Statistics | ||
| The World of Science and Nature * | 4-8 | |
How do we understand the nature of the physical world? How do we steward God's creation? | ||
| Choose from: | ||
| Introductory Biology | ||
| A college-level laboratory science course taken elsewhere may be used to fulfill this requirement. | ||
| The World of Technology | 0-6 | |
How should we engage effectively and morally with new developments in science and technology? | ||
| Choose from: | ||
| Digital Analytics | ||
| Management Information Systems | ||
| Social and Interactive Media Strategies | ||
| Intermediate Spreadsheets, Databases, and Word Processing | ||
| Transfer coursework in technology, such as computer science, mass communication, graphic design, and analytics. | ||
| The World of Contemporary Social and Political Life | 0-6 | |
What is justice and how can it be best achieved among imperfect human beings? Who are our neighbors and how do we interact with them? | ||
| Choose from: | ||
| Introduction to Bioethics | ||
| Introduction to Economics | ||
| Microeconomics | ||
| Macroeconomics | ||
| Introduction to Criminal Justice | ||
| Criminal Law and Procedure | ||
| World Geography | ||
| American Government | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| Social Problems | ||
| The World of Mental and Physical Wellness | 0-6 | |
How do we live in wellness and learn to flourish mentally and physically in a fallen world? | ||
| Choose from: | ||
| Personal Finance | ||
| Educational Psychology/Human Development | ||
| Introduction to Health and Wellness | ||
| Nutrition | ||
| Introduction to Psychology | ||
| Life Planning | ||
| Human Sexuality | ||
| Psychology of Addiction | ||
| Transfer coursework in areas of mental and physical wellness. Activities courses may not be used for general education in this area. | ||
| Total hours minimum for chapter 2: | 24 | |
- 1
Students who have an ACT math subscore of 25 or higher, or an SAT math subscore above 560, need not take a course in The World of Mathematics category. All others must complete at least three credits in this category. Students who are exempt from The World of Mathematics category will need to complete 8 courses, with no more than two in any single category, to complete "Chapter Two: Exploring."
- 2
Students whose ACT math subscore is lower than 17 (or whose SAT math subscore is lower than 400) and/or who have not successfully completed a high school Algebra II course need to take MA 116 (3 hours) as a prerequisite to the courses listed.