General Education Program

General education at Lesley is organized according to outcomes designed to define what it means to be an educated person in the 21st century. These outcomes encompass faculty’s shared vision of what students will gain through their coursework. As students progress through the program, they develop skills and perspectives to shape a more just, humane, and sustainable world.  The general education program at Lesley is divided into 3 components.

The four Foundations outcomes are intended to strengthen students’ bedrock academic skills.  For many learners, these outcomes are associated with required first-year courses.   In their first-year seminar courses, students build Collaboration skills to investigate contemporary issues.  Through literature, writing, and math courses, students will improve their skills in Analysis, Communication, and Quantitative Reasoning.

In the Breadth & Perspectives component of the program, students will take courses aligned with the five Perspectives outcomes while also working to satisfy their Breadth of Inquiry requirement. In this way students will gain experience in the outcomes, while also experiencing the different ways of asking questions and gaining knowledge that are fundamental to each liberal arts discipline.  Every course within this part of the general education program also builds upon one or more Foundations outcomes to ensure students continue to develop these fundamental skills.

A student’s general education experience culminates with the completion of an Applications course.  These are transdisciplinary, project-based courses that will require students to apply knowledge and skills from the general education program to a social problem of critical importance.  In addition, students will be asked to reflect upon their experience in general education at Lesley and its applicability to their personal and career goals.