A liberal arts education consists of three components: the core curriculum, which provides a structured breadth of knowledge and development of skills; the major, which promotes specialized, in-depth knowledge and hones and expands the skills necessary to use that knowledge; and the free electives, which broaden areas of personal interest. Potsdam Pathways is SUNY Potsdam’s signature core curriculum.The following General Education requirements apply to all students matriculating in Fall 2020 or later.
Potsdam Pathways Mission Statement
The Potsdam Pathways core curriculum provides our graduates with competencies, literacies, and experiences that enrich students’ lives. The Potsdam Pathways develops our students’ potential so that they graduate from SUNY Potsdam as active lifelong learners and problem solvers. Working through a series of purposeful and incremental requirements that connect and integrate knowledge from major programs and across disciplines, students will develop:
Competencies in Critical Thinking, Writing, Speaking & Information Literacy
Potsdam graduates will generate well-reasoned and creative approaches to historical and contemporary issues, problems, and challenges by locating, evaluating, synthesizing and contextualizing relevant sources of information. They will articulate ideas in a coherent, logical, and compelling manner in written, oral, and/or visual forms.
Literacies in the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, & Natural Sciences
Potsdam graduates will demonstrate a familiarity with the methods, concepts, processes, and creative and cultural expressions of the liberal arts and sciences adequate to make relevant and informed decisions.
Connections Between the Classroom and the World
Potsdam graduates will demonstrate an understanding of multiple worldviews and perspectives. In addition, they will apply their learning by integrating abilities, theories, and methodologies to grapple with complex problems. They will identify possible solutions and communicate their findings in forms appropriate to their disciplines. More information about the Pathways Program can be found here.
Ways of Beginning: 3 courses (9 credits) required
First-year students will complete the Ways of Beginning requirements (WAYS 101 , WAYS 102 , and WAYS 103 ) in their first year. Most students will take two WAYS classes in the fall, one of which must be WAYS 101 . Students who do not feel prepared for WAYS 102 should take a Core Writing (CW) course in the fall semester and WAYS 102 in the spring. Registration in WAYS 101 , WAYS 102 , and WAYS 103 is restricted to first-year students.
For students who earn less than a 1.0 in WAYS:
Students who receive less than 1.0 in any of the Ways of Beginning courses must retake the course in the following semester. The last opportunity to retake Ways of Beginning courses is the third semester at SUNY Potsdam. In the third semester, students will need special permission from the Director of Potsdam Pathways to enroll in a Ways of Beginning course. If the student does not earn a 1.0 or higher in the course by the end of the third semester, these substitution options will apply:
For WAYS 101 : the student will have to take an additional Thinking Foundationally (TF) course (i.e., 6 credits in TF rather than 3). Because WAYS 101 is a pre-requisite for TF, the student will need special permission from the Director of Potsdam Pathways to enroll.
ForWAYS 102 : Students must successfully complete WAYS 102. However, if they do not pass WAYS 102 after two attempts, they must complete COMP 201.
Students may take a Core Writing (CW) course in preparation for WAYS 102. A student who passes the CW course must also pass WAYS 102. A student who does not earn a 1.0 or higher in the CW course after two attempts will satisfy the WAYS 102 requirement by completing COMP 101 and COMP 201.
For WAYS 103 : students who do not successfully complete WAYS 103 after two attempts must complete both COMM 106 and one course that carries the Diversity Attribute.
WAYS 101 : Critical Thinking Seminar (3 cr.)
(SUNY Critical Thinking/SUNY Information Management)
WAYS 101 will be a “Big Ideas” course focusing on “wicked problems” and the contexts in which those problems occur. The courses focus on significant and messy issues with which the faculty experts are deeply engaged. They feature explicit instruction in critical thinking-the ability to think clearly and rationally about what to do and what to believe-as well as oral and written applications of those abilities. Critical Thinking has been characterized as “… the awakening of the intellect to the study of itself.” This is important, as it implies a high degree of self-consciousness about and reflection on one’s thinking processes. Wicked problems seminars are specifically designed to introduce students to a rigorous and demanding liberal arts curriculum, to provide the opportunity for students to work closely with a faculty mentor, and to establish a sense of community among participants.
WAYS 102 : College Writing Seminar (3 cr.)
(SUNY Basic Communication/SUNY Information Management)
WAYS 102 helps students develop skills as critical readers, compelling writers, and thoughtful participants in the academic community. This course is designed to help students write effectively in other university courses; develop critical thinking and writing fluency; and find, critically evaluate, and incorporate source materials. Each WAYS 102 seminar will have a particular framing question/issue that provides a focused context within which students will approach texts and assignments. Students will read, discuss, and write about a variety of texts, identifying underlying assumptions, evidence, and points of view, drawing inferences, and reaching independent conclusions. They will begin to work with resources-evaluating, incorporating, and acknowledging them-with increasing sophistication.
WAYS 103 : Talking about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Seminar (3 cr.)
(SUNY Basic Communication/SUNY Information Management)
WAYS 103 is a speaking class that exposes students to concepts necessary to live, work, and create in the diverse populations and social identities that characterize the U.S., including but not limited to the following: race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, disability status, socioeconomic status, religion, gender, gender identity and expression, and age. Students will explore personal and societal assumptions about differences, and will examine systemic cultural, political, and economic imbalances. Students will model civil and respectful discussions about difficult topics and charged issues.
Ways of Thinking: 6 courses (19 credits) required
Thinking Aesthetically (TA-3 cr.)
(SUNY The Arts or SUNY Humanities)
Thinking Aesthetically courses will develop students’ reflective engagement with the creative process by engaging them in a variety of forms of artistic creativity-developing their ability to identify, understand, and appreciate the processes through which works of art are produced, analyzed, and interpreted. TA courses can be devoted to one of the following:
- producing forms of artistic creativity (such as painting, acting, poetry writing, dancing, singing, scenic design, music, etc.),
- analyzing, interpreting, and critically discussing forms of artistic creativity, or
- combining the production (doing), analysis, interpretation, and critical discussion of forms of artistic creativity.
Thinking Foundationally (TF- 3 cr.)
(SUNY Humanities or other)
Thinking Foundationally courses are designed to uncover and critically (i.e., skeptically and argumentatively) examine foundational assumptions. Foundational assumptions occur in every subject area: i.e., every subject area is grounded in theoretical/foundational assumptions that guide inquiry in that subject area. Thinking Foundationally courses will build upon the basic critical thinking skills introduced and exercised in the WAYS 101 seminars. Students will be required to develop and practice higher-order argumentation skills. Thinking Foundationally courses will require a significant amount of writing in which students demonstrate their ability to understand and explicate arguments, and to anticipate, appreciate, and respond to objections.
Thinking Historically (TH- 3 cr.)
(SUNY American History or SUNY Western Civilizations or SUNY Other World Civilizations)
Thinking Historically courses explore some of the sources, arguments, and methodologies used to understand the past. Why does the past matter? How do we know what we know about the past? How do we move beyond the idea that how we know things now is the only way we need to know them? Our understanding of the past is constructed from individual stories that are themselves shaped by larger cultural contexts. These courses are designed to help students become critical consumers of historical knowledge to assist their navigation through contemporary concerns that are themselves rooted in history.
Thinking Mathematically (TM- 3 cr.)
(SUNY Mathematics)
Thinking Mathematically courses build proficiency with fundamental tools of mathematics, such as arithmetic, algebra, geometry, functions, graphs, and statistics. They teach students precise quantitative logical reasoning and applications of mathematical problem-solving skills in abstract and real-world problems. They engage students in oral and written communication of mathematical ideas.
Thinking Scientifically (TS- 7 cr: (1) NW- 4 cr. Includes Lab; (1) SW - 3 cr.)
(SUNY Natural Sciences/SUNY Social Sciences)
Courses that fulfill the Thinking Scientifically requirements (Natural World-NW and Social World-SW) engage students in the basic methods and goals of the natural and social sciences with the aim of making them scientifically literate and able to make reasonable and well-founded judgments on matters concerning the natural and social worlds.
Thinking Scientifically: Natural World (NW-4 cr. Includes lab) (SUNY Natural Sciences)
Thinking Scientifically: Social World (SW-3 cr.) (SUNY Social Sciences)
Ways of Connecting: 3 courses (9 credits) plus 2 requriements fulfilled in major
WAYS 301: Connecting the Ways of Thinking (3 cr.)
(SUNY Information Management)
WAYS 301 courses are meant to enhance students’ ability to make connections across academic disciplines and to provide the opportunity for self-assessment of this cross disciplinary approach to problem shaping. Led by two faculty members from different disciplines, students will examine a central issue from multiple perspectives. The course critically examines information from diverse sources, shapes the issue through creative questioning, and explores and evaluates a range of solutions.
Connecting through Language Other than English (CL- 3 cr.)
(SUNY Foreign Language)
These courses examine salient structural linguistic components of a language other than English as well as key cultural features of other-than-English language communities. Courses will develop effective ways to communicate in that language and will significantly increase students’ understanding and appreciation of a diverse range of non-English language communities and their creative contributions.
Connecting Globally (CG- 3 cr.)
(SUNY Western Civilizations or SUNY Other World Civilizations)
This requirement engages students in the study of ideas, peoples, places, and/or life in specific global context(s) (not derived primarily from the United States) with a focus on the societies, civilizations, and/or cultural traditions in Africa, Asia, Oceania, the Americas, and/or Europe.
Connecting Clearly: Communication in the Major (CC- credits count in major)
(SUNY Information Management)
This requirement adopts a “communicating in the disciplines” model that transmits the skills required to both learn and create knowledge within the chosen academic field, and to develop a professional voice through opportunities to write and speak on substantive issues arising from the major. This requirement may be met by a single course covering both writing and speaking in the major, or by separate courses, one focusing on writing and the other on speaking, to be determined by the major department.
Connecting Theory to Practice through Applied Learning (CT- credits count in major)
(SUNY Applied Learning)
Connecting Theory to Practice through Applied Learning, which counts in the major, is a credit-bearing experience in which students learn by engaging in direct application of skills, theories, and models. Students apply knowledge and skills gained from traditional classroom learning to hands-on and/or real- world settings, creative projects or research, and then apply what they gained from their applied experience to their academic learning. The activity can be embedded as part of a course or can occur outside of the classroom.
Potsdam Pathways Transfer Credit Policies
SUNY Potsdam’s Transfer Coordinator in the Office of Admissions, determines and approves undergraduate transfer credit for satisfaction of Pathways requirements. Credits will be accepted for course work completed with a final grade of 1.0/D or higher at regionally accredited institutions of higher education (community colleges, four-year colleges/universities and foreign universities), as well as successful completion of AP, CLEP, IB and military education.
Students transferring directly to Potsdam with a CUNY or SUNY associate degree, having completed 30 semester hours of general education including seven out of ten SUNY General Education requirements, will be exempt from any additional Potsdam Pathways requirements not already satisfied. As defined by SUNY the seven out of ten General Education requirements must include Basic Communication and Mathematics.
Transfer students entering SUNY Potsdam without having earned an associate degree, or transferring from a four-year college/university, will have their transfer work evaluated for satisfaction of Pathways requirements on a course-by-course basis. Transfer students will not be required to repeat courses with essentially the same content, objectives and outcomes as courses contained within the Pathways requirements.
Questions concerning the evaluation of transferred Pathways credit can be directed to the Transfer Coordinator, Office of Admissions, Raymond 120.
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