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This area introduces students to writing as a process-based approach to producing texts for different rhetorical occasions that emerge in academic and public contexts. ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s learn to situate an original argument within the framework of other speakers, practice critical inquiry, and understand conventions associated with a range of genres. A major goal of this area is to help students understand how their prior writing knowledge informs their work and how to transfer the writing knowledge and skills they’ve learned to future writing projects. 

BY THE END OF TAKING A COURSE IN THIS AREA:  

• Writing Process: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s learn and practice the various stages of the writing process, including brainstorming prewriting; posing effective research questions; researching; drafting; providing, receiving, and implementing feedback; enacting substantial revision; editing; and proofreading. 
• Rhetorical Occasion: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s develop an understanding of rhetorical occasions both as readers and creators of texts and practice composing for a variety of purposes, in a variety of genres and modes, while appealing to a variety of audiences. 
• Metacognitive Reflection: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s develop metacognitive reflection abilities that work to promote transfer of writing knowledge, skills, and the process of producing and accessing information. 
• Reflective Discovery and Analysis of Information: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s locate, generate, identify, interpret, and critically evaluate information, evidence, arguments and ideas, recognizing that authority is constructed and contextual. ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s analyze their own and others' assumptions and incorporate reliable and valid information effectively and ethically for an intended purpose.

ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s will discover how and why logical, mathematical, and computational ideas, concepts, and reasoning empower them to use and understand pattern, structure, data, shape and form in the world around us. In order to meet the commonwealth’s equity agenda this will be a college level math class designated by course identifier MATH01XX.

BY THE END OF TAKING A COURSE IN THIS AREA: 

• Active Sense-Making: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s (a) demonstrate the mathematical skills and abilities to solve problems, collect and analyze data, model, compute, reason, and (b) explain why the tools, methods and ways of thinking they use make sense.
• Critical Thinking: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s identify problems, questions and beliefs; create and gather relevant information, data and evidence; use inquiry, observation and innovation to generate solutions, arguments and explanations which provide meaningful conclusions, decisions and evaluations which are based on logical, causal, inferential or other appropriate forms of reasoning. 
• Mathematical Structures: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s (a) use mathematical methods of inquiry and analysis; (b) structure logical, mathematical, and/or computational arguments and proofs; and, (c) build, test, and evaluate mathematical models.
• Perceptions: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s reflect on mathematics’ role in society, its place in their educational programs and its potential to provide them with access and agency in their personal, professional, financial, creative and/or civic lives.
• Communication: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s disseminate knowledge and share results using effective and appropriate communication, technical, qualitative, and quantitative skills. 

ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s will engage in the arts and the practice of creative arts with the goals of understanding the discipline, developing their unique voice, and becoming active citizens of the arts community on campus and beyond. Through course selection students will have the opportunity to select from the many ways to participate in an artistic experience.

BY THE END OF TAKING A COURSE IN THIS AREA: 

• Engagement: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s engage in arts or creative practice, drawing on models from the discipline and/or historical and genre contexts. 
• Creative Expression: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s engage with others in the arts/creative expression through group endeavors, audience participation, public presentations and/or exchange of feedback on work in development. 
• Creativity: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s demonstrate innovative thought, and imagine new or alternative concepts and expressions in original ways.
• Critique: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s critically evaluate artistic and creative expressions, learn to look with attention to study the connections between the creative process and the creation of a piece of artwork, and learn to professionally give and receive feedback.

• Artistic Process: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s practice the technical skill, process, and improvement involved in the generation of creative work.

ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s will explore scientific inquiry as a way of knowing the natural world, which includes but is not limited to fields such as, physics, biology, chemistry, ecology, geology, astronomy, geography, and their interrelationships.

BY THE END OF TAKING A COURSE IN THIS AREA: 

• Process of Science: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s use the methods employed by scientists to explore natural phenomena. They make observations, develop hypotheses, propose experiments, measure and collect data, and evaluate evidence.
• Disciplinary Concepts: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s describe the major concepts, methods, and theories of the discipline, make connections among concepts, and use disciplinary concepts and models to explain natural phenomena.
• Roles of Science in Society: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s examine the potential contributions and limits of scientific endeavors in human society, critique science-related content in popular discourse and daily life, and evaluate the influence of society on science.
• Reflective Discovery and Analysis of Information: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s locate, generate, identify, interpret, and critically evaluate information, evidence, arguments and ideas, recognizing that authority is constructed and contextual. ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s analyze their own and others' assumptions and incorporate reliable and valid information effectively and ethically for an intended purpose.
• Communication: ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s disseminate knowledge and share results using effective and appropriate communication, technical, qualitative, and quantitative skills. 

ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s will be introduced to the discourse of the discipline/field either in English 204 or a course offered by the major department. This course will build on the skills students learn in Rhetoric and Composition and in Writing Infused courses. ÎÞÓÇ´«Ã½ÍøÕ¾s learn strategies to locate, analyze, synthesize and generate research in rhetorically effective, genre- or discipline-specific ways.