Connect your elective coursework to your overall goals as a Loras College student…

The Loras College mission seeks to develop active learners, reflective thinkers, ethical decision makers and responsible contributors to society and professions. The General Education curriculum and your major will provide a part of that education. Your elective coursework will help you complete this process in an individually-tailored manner. In addition to choosing electives that enhance your major, you and your adviser should plan for at least one elective course (or co-curricular experience) to help you further develop in each of the four major dispositions.

1. “Active learners” develop broad areas of interest, discuss, use respected resources to research issues or problems, collaborate as scholars with instructors and peers, and communicate effectively what they have learned. The general education curriculum is taught with active learning methods that help you learn how to develop and communicate your own knowledge. Use your electives to strengthen this area to

• Broaden your education across the curriculum, in cultural as well as professional studies.
• Seek out areas, whether geographic or intellectual, in which you have little or no experience or basic knowledge.
• Develop a functional understanding of the scientific basis of the environment in which we live.
• Broaden your understanding of the history and current state of the “Arts,” whether music, art, literature, or others.

2. “Reflective thinkers” think critically and insightfully. They think creatively when they interpret information in new ways, formulate fresh hypotheses, and pose original questions. They express their own sense of identity and values. The general education curriculum helps develop reflective thinkers. You can use your electives to

·  Strengthen your creative skills as a writer, actor, musician, painter, sculptor, or dancer.

·  Develop a critical understanding of the psychological and sociological forces which construct human identity.

·  Seek out courses from other disciplines that will give you a different perspective on your own chosen major. If, for example, your major is in science, find out how poets or artists have viewed nature, or investigate the political ramifications of scientific research. If your major is in business, for example, seek to explore the human and ethical problems raised by economic decisions.

3. “Ethical decision makers” discern religious, cultural, and personal values in order to act with justice and compassion. Loras students demonstrate their ability to decide matters ethically. They understand and value the Catholic Christian tradition, and know when and how to be leaders. The general education courses seek to introduce you to the nature of the Catholic Christian tradition, the issues at play in the development of democratic cultures, and the means of reasoning about ethical values. You can extend your knowledge in these areas through elective courses or co-curricular experiences:

• Ensure a sound understanding of your own religion.
• Enhance your understanding of contemporary moral, ethical, and social issues.
• Provide a solid basis of knowledge of American history and politics, as well as a basic understanding of its roots in other cultures.
• Engage in co-curricular activities that provide opportunities for leadership, service, and community-building.

4. “Responsible contributors to professions, societies, and religious communities” develop their talents and share them with others in ways that respect a global environment and are sensitive to cultural differences. They participate in service and professional organizations and develop habits of lifelong learning. You can further enhance these dispositions through elective courses or co-curricular experiences:

• Expand your awareness of domestic or global cultures through historical, literary, political, spiritual, philosophical, or sociological perspectives.
• Take advantage of experiential learning opportunities to travel to another country or experience another culture within the United States.
• Become involved in extra- and co-curricular activities that will prepare you for engagement in service, civic, or professional organizations.
• Develop your own lifelong learning interests in the arts, history, literature, global culture, etc..

Only you, working with your adviser and using your portfolio as a tool to explore your broader interests and goals can determine what those special interests outside your major are, and then utilize your electives to build a foundation for life-long learning and contributions.