In this course, students will be introduced to college-level writing. Assignments will move from first-person essay to more traditional academic writing such as rhetorical analysis and persuasive essays. The course also examines visual texts and focuses on revision and reflective writing. The course promotes as learning outcomes an understanding of rhetorical foundations such as audience, voice, and genre; development of effective writing process that includes scaffolding and peer review; demonstration of research skills and accurate citation of sources; and participation in academic conversations that produce polished, final writings in a portfolio.
Wesleyan Studies
Wesleyan Studies is the general education curriculum at IW. By completing general education coursework, you will have gained skills and knowledge in arts, humanities, written and oral communication, social science, mathematics and applied reasoning, natural sciences, global awareness, and service learning. This level of knowledge helps you to enhance your skills as an effective leader, creative thinker, responsible local and global citizen, and ethical decision maker.
Rhetorical Foundations
In this course, students will be introduced to college-level research. Assignments will focus on researching and creating knowledge about one’s field or major through reflective writing, professional and scholarly resources, interviews with members of one’s field. Essays will move from an initial sketch of the student’s interests in the field to a report on the current job market to a research-driven essay examining a problem in the field and eventual revision and expansion with more scholarly sources. The course promotes as learning outcomes an understanding of discourse communities and professional networking; demonstration of thorough research techniques, knowledge gathering, implementation, and accurate citation of sources; and participation in professional conversations that produce work approaching those of incoming experts in the field.
This course teaches effective presentational skills through the performance of speeches and literary interpretations. Students develop key public speaking skills such as audience analysis, exigency analysis, critical and interpretive analysis of content, organization of content in appropriate presentational formats, and the effective use of voice, diction, pacing, and emphasis.
Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning
MATH 171 Elementary Statistics
An introduction to probability and statistics. Students satisfactorily completing this course will demonstrate skills in assignment of probability using permutations and combinations, distributions of random variables and statistics, and large sample theory, introduction to estimation and tests of significance. Includes Excel lab.
Select one course from the following list:
BIO 211 General Zoology
A survey course, including laboratory, designed to acquaint the student in the fundamental principles of animal life, with emphasis on the structure and function of selected cells, tissues, organs, systems, and organisms. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to describe basic principles of zoology, the structure and functions of cells and organelles, and the concepts of animal life.
BIO 241 Human Anatomy and Physiology I
This lecture/laboratory course introduces the student to the basic cell processes. It will also cover the anatomy and physiology of the tissues, integumentary, skeletal, muscular, and nervous system. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to describe the fundamental principles of anatomy and physiology at the chemical, cellular, tissue, organ, system and organismal levels. Prerequisites: 4 hrs of Chemistry.
CHEM 175 General Chemistry I with Laboratory
A mathematically based introductory course in chemistry. Topics include atomic and molecular structure, chemical relationships, quantitative relationships, and gas theories. Laboratory will emphasize concepts covered in lecture. Upon successful completion, students will be able to solve qualitative and quantitative problems involving stoichiometric relationships, will have an understanding of kinetic molecular theory and how it applies to the behavior of gases, and will possess the basic conceptual vocabulary necessary to understand chemical information.
Creativity
Select one course from the following list:
ART 203 Art Appreciation
A topical and historical approach to understanding fundamental aesthetic principles as apparent in great works of painting, drawing, sculpture and architecture. Recommended for nonmajors who wish to broaden understanding of the field. Students will gain a vocabulary of design and art terms. Application of this knowledge will then be applied to visual elements of art and architecture as they related to world culture. Prerequisite: ENG 109 and ENG 110.
MUS 225 Survey of Musical Literature
The study of music for the liberal arts student. The course is designed to acquaint the student with the structure and application of the most important musical forms and the major periods of music history. No previous musical experience is necessary.
Select one course from the following list:
DMD 109 Survey of Multimedia
This course is an introduction to the broad field of multimedia. Students will learn problem-solving skills and design principles using the tools and resources implemented in this field. This class gives hands-on experience in five media: graphic design, image processing, sound design, video production and Web design. This an active-learning course focusing on creative assignments and online publishing. At the conclusion of this course, students will display their work on a personal Website designed by each student.
ENG 247 Imaginative Writing: Prose and Poetry
Work in forms such as short story, lyric poem, and creative nonfiction. Students will demonstrate originality and craft in at least one creative genre through a portfolio of writing.
Understanding Self and Society
Religion/Philosophy/History/English/Economics Pool
Complete two (2) of the following (Limit of one (1) from a single group):
REL 300 Religion in Western Civilization
Presents an historical survey of religious practices, beliefs, and narratives in western civilization. Examines the major ways in which Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have responded to important historical crises, with special focus on how sacred stories have shaped these responses. As a result of this course, students will be able to identify the characteristics that all world religions share, explain the impact of social and scientific developments on the study of religion, compare and critique the major practices and beliefs of the Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and trace the historical development of each.
PHIL 215 Ethics for Life and Career
This course explores the ethical dimensions of human experience, especially with respect to work, professions, careers, and vocations. What is demanded of us as we enter into various careers? What would excellence in these fields require? Are there basic rules governing each profession, and if so, what broader goals do these rules serve? Are there basic rules or principles guiding human life in general? In all of these spheres of life, what does it mean to be good? Prerequisite: ENG 109 and ENG 110
HIST 126 U.S. History Survey, 1877-present
Topical survey of American history from the Gilded Age to the present. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to define, describe, and explain the rise and effects of big business and industrial capitalism, the outlines of racial segregation and discrimination, the world wars and other military conflicts, economic issues related to the Great Depression and New Deal, and political controversies surrounding the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War.
ECN 101 Microeconomics
Topics in this course include the behavior of individual households and firms, supply and demand analysis, and the various structures of a market economy. Students successfully completing this course will be able to identify and explain the major economic forces faced by a single firm in a capitalistic setting.
ECN 102 Macroeconomics
This course is designed for the general student as well as for the student considering further study in business administration, accounting or economics. This course develops basic economic theory to explain unemployment, inflation and economic growth and considers the role of governmental economic stabilization policy. Students successfully completing this course will be able to identify and explain the major economic forces faced by groups of firms in a capitalistic setting.
Individuals and Society/Groups Pool
Complete one (1) of the following:
An introduction to the basic fields of anthropology with emphasis on cultural anthropology. A comparative study of human cultures with special attention to such topics as the origins of human culture, culture and human survival, sex and marriage, religion, family and household, political and economic organization, religion, art, and cultural change. Students successfully completing the course will be able to explain the issues related to these topics, and to analyze and critique the theories of the origin/evolution of cultural and religious beliefs and cultural traits.
This course examines the basic dynamics of family relationships from both psychological and sociological perspectives. By completing this course, students should be able to explain the major family structures and the family life cycle, identify typical patterns that develop within families, show proficiency in the practical skills for handling family conflict and describe the reciprocal influence of family life, culture and society. Cross listed at PSYC 205 The Family.
This course is designed to present an enlightened analytical review, understanding, and interpretation of contemporary social problems within the context of broad social and structural forces that make America what it is today. Emphasis is on the links between specific modern social problems and broader structural issues of inequality and the economic priorities in the United States today. Strategies for dealing with or solving social problems will be explored. Those who successfully complete the course will be able to identify and analyze the elements of most of the major social problems, especially in the United States.
This course will discuss the concepts of race, ethnicity, dominant group vs. the minority group status, human diversity as well as the concepts of discrimination, racism, attitudes, prejudice and stereotyping in this concept. It will also discuss various racial, ethnic, religious, nationality, linguistic, and cultural groups in the U.S. in particular, and the human diversity all over the world in general.
This course provides a broad overview of the science of psychology including its main sub-disciplines, such as abnormal psychology, motivation, personality, memory, learning, emotions, therapy and biopsychology. By completing this course, students should be able to demonstrate an increased understanding of themselves and others, show appreciation for the nature and range of the science of psychology, identify the career possibilities that are available in the field of psychology and show themselves proficient in the scientific methods employed in psychological research.
Global Awareness
Upon satisfactory completion of this course, students will have a variety of perspectives on global events and issues and will understand the impact of their actions or inaction as global citizens.
Service Learning
Through this 8-week, online course, students will be paired with a non-profit organization in their local, regional, or global community to examine leadership issues within the organization and offer their assistance as a model of servant-leadership. Purposeful reflection exercises will explore connections between leadership theories and their experiential service activities. Students completing this course will understand leadership theory, identify the impact of service upon diverse stakeholders, and analyze the connection between service and leadership.
Writing Intensive Courses
The goals of Writing Intensive Courses (identified in University documents as “WI”) are to aid students’ understanding of how to establish an effective writing process and to support student writing as it develops within courses and majors. Students are required to complete WI courses with a grade of C- or higher to graduate. Writing Intensive Courses will require a minimum of ten pages of formal academic writing as defined by the relevant discipline. This writing may be produced through one or more assignments. Some Writing Intensive Courses are included in the Wesleyan Studies requirements, including English 109 and English 110. The Writing Intensive Course requirement is tiered as follows:
| A student entering IW as a… | …with this many earned hours… | …must complete this many WI courses. |
| Freshman | 0 – 24 | 4 |
| Sophomore | 24 – 55 | 3 |
| Junior | 56 – 87 | 2 |
| Senior | 88 or more | 1 |
Academic Service Learning Courses
IW Online students are required to complete a single SL course, WS 320 Leadership and Service , to meet this requirement.
Transfer credits
An Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree will fulfill the IW-wide Wesleyan Studies course requirements, as well as confer junior status upon the student; however, a student with such a degree who has not earned the equivalent of a grade of C- or higher in a second-semester composition course must fulfill this requirement as determined by review of application materials and/or a placement test. Additionally, any course taken as a result of such review will fulfill the requirement only if it includes a significant research component. Wesleyan Studies Global Awareness course WS 300 Global Issues course, Service Learning hours (tiered), 30 upper level university credit, and Writing Intensive courses (tiered) are not satisfied by an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree.