This section contains only some of the courses designated "General Education."  The full list is as follows: BRS 12, BRS 16.6, ENG 1, 2*, COM 1, 2, MAT 1*, SCI 1*.  See under Religious Core for BRS 12 and 16.6.  An asterisk indicates the course is not yet ready.

Course Summary

Grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension

The objective of this course is proficiency in the use of written English. The course provides a beginning place for students whose native language is not English. It also offers the native speaker an opportunity to build a stronger foundation for reading, speaking, and writing in the English language. Course components include (1) grammar, (2) vocabulary, and (3) reading comprehension. Required of all students seeking the A.R.S. and B.R.S. degrees. Native English speakers may challenge the course by examination, but they should be alerted to the fact that their exam scores will be assigned a grade and entered on their transcripts. They are therefore encouraged to study the material before taking the exams. Students entering NU with Advanced Placement credit are exempt from this course. Three semester undergraduate credits.

The standard for receiving credit for the course shall be the attainment of the following course competencies:

1. An understanding of the basic structure of the English language.
2. An ability to identify parts of speech within an English composition and know how these elements contribute to communication.
3. Knowledge of the basic vocabulary of the English language.

4. The ability to read popular English compositions.

Credit for the course requires a score of 70% or greater on each of 3 module examinations. The first exam will be over English grammar, the second will cover vocabulary, and the third will test your ability to read basic English material. All exam questions are multiple-choice or true/false. A sample problem is given below:

Mark the response that fits the sentence. Professor Smith warned ___________ a test the following

week. (A) that he gave, (B) that he had given, (C) to give, (D) that he was going to give

Resources

The student will need only the course syllabus.

Course Summary

Described by the author as a course in "Reversing the Tower of Babel: Effective Communication in Today's World," the study has been designed with the world citizen in mind. This introductory course is divided into three modules: (1) The Basic Principles of Communication, (2) Applying Communication Skills, and (3) Special Considerations in Communication. 3 undergraduate semester credits.

This course is a study of the theory, elements, and usage of successful communication. The study will integrate a basic overview of communication theory, the importance of feedback in communication, non-verbal communication, cross-cultural communication, and electronic communication. Credit is given with a score of 70 percent on each of the three module exams, which are a combination of assignments, essays, and multiple choice problems.

Course Goal: Upon completion of this course the student shall be able to communicate more effectively in a variety of circumstances.

Course Objectives: to enable the student to

1.  Think critically about how to interpret communication and how to apply constructive criticism to his/her attempts to communicate.

2.  Understand the basic principles of communication.

3.  Have more confidence in his/her ability to communicate.

4.  Identify obstacles and differences in his/her communication endeavors.

5.  Become aware of his/her non-verbal signals.

6.  Display an ability to communicate effectively through writing.

7.  Develop an awareness of feedback and learn how to use it effectively.

Resources

The course syllabus is the student's major resource.  The syllabus shall be supplemented by resource persons within the student's home environment. 

Your Professor

Dr. Glover Shipp holds a master’s degree in communication. He also holds, among other degrees, a doctorate in urban anthropology, which is a study of cities, their problems and opportunities. He lived and published study materials in Brazil for 18 years and has taught and/or lectured in 51 countries. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, and has studied French, Russian, Hebrew and Greek. He has had more than 40 books published on a wide variety of subjects, including Media for the Millions.

Course Summary

The course examines five forms of human communication: interviewing, public speaking, prayer, idea presentation, and conflict recognition. It is organized in five modules: (1) The Art of Interviewing, (2) The Art of Public Speaking, (3) The Art of Prayer, (4) Casting a Vision, and (5) Communicating in Unique Situations. 5 undergraduate semester credits.

The standard for receiving credit for the course shall be the attainment of the following competencies:

1. Appreciation of various forms of communication

2. Development of an ability to communicate effectively in various situations

The standard for receiving credit for the course shall be the attainment of the following competencies:

1. A basic understanding of the techniques of field interviewing, public speaking, prayer, visionary presentations, and conflict detection.

2. The ability to interview, speak publicly, pray, cast a vision, and detect potential violent situations.

3. Understanding and interpreting non-verbal communication

Credit for the course requires the completion of assignments and appropriate measuring activities. The grade shall be assigned to indicate the report has been judged excellent (A), good (B), or marginal (C).

Resources

Beyond the syllabus, the resources needed for the course will be locally generated.

MAT 1 Math and Technology

A basic understanding of the development and use of mathematics and its modern computer applications.  The course is organized into three modules: (1) The History of Mathematics, (2) Topics in Mathematics, and (3) Mathematics in Our World.  3 semester undergraduate credits will be awarded the student upon successful completion of the course.  Credit is given with a score of 70 percent on each of the three module exams.

RESOURCES

All resources are online and are accessed through links. 

The overall aim of this course is to introduce students to the basic knowledge and principles of life and physical geography. As part of this larger goal, students will be able to describe (1) the major types of plants, (2) the major types of animals, (3) the major types of rocks and the Mohs hardness scale, (4) the different geological structures and landforms, and (5) the major biomes.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to (1) list the major differences between algae, fungi, mosses, ferns, gymnosperms (cone-bearing plants), and angiosperms (flowering plants), (2) list the distinguishing characteristics between arthropods (crustaceans and insects), fishes (cartilaginous fishes, bony fishes), amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders, newts), reptiles (lizards, snakes, turtles, crocodilians), birds, and mammals (monotremes, marsupials, placental mammals), (3) define the terms: latitude, longitude, continental drift, plate tectonics, and sea floor spreading, and (4) list the major distinguishing characteristics of the following biomes: desert, rain-forest, deciduous forest, coniferous (boreal) forest, grasslands, savannas, tundra.

RESOURCES

All resources are online and are accessed through links.