A minor consists of a planned sequence of courses in a discipline. The minor shall consist of a minimum of 18 semester credit hours and shall not exceed 21 semester credit hours. A minimum of 12 semester credit hours in the minor shall be above the 100 level.
Some major programs consist of a core program of study within the academic unit as well as required additional study in one or more areas of specialization selected from options within or related to the discipline. The area of specialization shall consist of a minimum of 12 semester credit hours and a maximum of 18 semester credit hours.
A degree program may identify and require courses as are justified for proper completion of the major. Courses may be from within the discipline (pre-majors or prerequisites) or from other disciplines (prerequisites or support courses). Such credits thus required are not included in the requirements for the major, the minor and the specialization as stated previously, but are included in the requirements for the total number of semester credit hours for an associate or baccalaureate degree.
Free electives may be selected by the student from any courses not required in the particular degree program, excluding remedial and non-credit course offerings. Free electives may be used to meet hourly requirements for graduation not specified in those sections of the Catalogue pertaining to the General Education/Liberal Studies Requirements of the student's major or minor.
Kentucky State University is the Commonwealth's unique public liberal studies institution. Liberal studies comprise the traditional subjects of the arts and sciences, such as mathematics, poetry, history, politics, literature, languages, fine arts, philosophy, psychology, chemistry, and economics.
A liberal studies foundation prepares students to think clearly, to argue persuasively, to write with clarity and liveliness, and to gain both a cultural and historical perspective on the human experience as well as an in-depth knowledge in at least one area of human thought. Liberal studies spark curiosity and broaden vision. Liberal studies education provides the tools by which people come to understand the world, one another, and themselves.
The Liberal Studies Requirements Program is distributed across programs in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Each student who enters Kentucky State University with the intention to earn a baccalaureate degree must satisfy the Liberal Studies Requirements. Liberal studies courses serve as a foundation for many other courses. In addition to the requirements of the student's major field of study, Liberal Studies Requirements constitute a carefully designed program of 43-45 semester credit hours of courses to be selected from the various academic offerings of the University. A number of choices are included in these general requirements and students are encouraged to consider carefully the alternatives available to them.
In order to make the goals of liberal studies at Kentucky State University clear and specific, the faculty has adopted a set of four liberal arts learning outcomes. After completing the general education requirements at Kentucky State University, students will be expected to demonstrate:
Through study in the sciences and mathematics, social sciences, humanities, histories, languages, and the arts, the KSU student will engage with big questions, both contemporary and enduring, through study of core texts and primary source material.
The KSU student will develop multiples literacies and skills, including reading comprehensions, inquiry and analysis, critical and creative thinking, written and oral communication, quantitative literacy, information literacy, technological literacy, and teamwork and problem solving. The KSU student will practice these skills extensively, across the curriculum, in the context of progressively more challenging problems, project, and standards for performance. The student will judge reasonably the validity of information gained through the research process, including use of digital resources.
The KSU student will obtain including civic knowledge and readiness for engagement—locally and globally---and become actively involved with diverse communities and real-world challenges
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