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Jul 07, 2025
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2025-2026 Lakeland University Undergraduate Catalog
Interdisciplinary Studies
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 Return to: Undergraduate Academic Programs by Degree
Lakeland’s Interdisciplinary Studies requirements ensure that all Lakeland students have secure and enhanced abilities in writing, reading, and mathematics- skills that are needed not only to succeed in college coursework, but also to remain in highest demand by employers. However, proven positive habits that support student success will also be developed. Flexible thinking, respecting diverse perspectives, working towards common goals, and developing a growth mindset are all important learning outcomes of the college skills coursework. The ultimate goal of working towards fostering a passion of continuous learning, intellectual curiosity, and the interest in seeking out new knowledge and skills independently.
The skill-based requirements come in four types (Developmental, College, Rhetorical, and Quantitative), and placement in or exemption from these courses is primarily determined by high school performance and confirmed by on-site assessment.
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Developmental Skills
If required, the Developmental Skills are designed to ensure that all Lakeland students possess the foundational abilities required for academic and professional success. Note:
No more than six semester hours of Fundamental Skills courses may be applied toward the completion of a Lakeland associate or bachelor’s degree. All courses, however, contribute to a student’s full- or part-time status. College Skills
This component in Lakeland’s Interdisciplinary Studies Program is a set of classes that help to develop a thriving student. The discussion focused activities will help to build a supportive community through flexible thinking, build confidence in navigating university systems, and develop positive habits to support student success. GEN 130 - First Year Seminar I
GEN 300 level - Seminar II
These courses help students engage in information from diverse sources to make informed decisions. A thematic approach allows students to select a theme that helps foster a passion of learning and intellectual curiosity. Further, by focusing on a single “central theme,” students note how such topics have been addressed and readdressed throughout history, across cultures, and within different fields of knowledge. Through collaborative class discussions and presentations, this class will develop information literacy, thinking flexibility, and promote positive ethical and social responsibility. GEN 400 level - Seminar III (WI)
These courses ask upper-level students to apply their understanding of individuals and the human condition to a contemporary societal problem. This course looks to the future, using current events and cross-cultural challenges as a springboard for discussing the costs and benefits of potential policies, decisions, and choices. As a “writing-intensive” (WI) course, these sections of Senior Seminar focus on the ability to research and revise one’s ideas and require students to explore and communicate ethical proposals for change. Note:
Most Lakeland students are required to complete all levels of the Fundamental Skills Sequence. Intermediate and upper-level transfer students, however, are exempt from some requirements. Students entering with 30-74 semester hours in transfer credit must complete a Seminar II (GEN 300 level) course and a Seminar III (GEN 400 level) course. Students entering with 75 or more semester hours in transfer are only required to complete a Seminar III course (GEN 400 level). Students may satisfy the Seminar II or III requirement with any special topic offering of GEN 380 or GEN 480. Rhetorical Skills
Lakeland’s written communication sequence develops and reinforces students’ capacity for writing clearly, coherently, and correctly, while enhancing students’ abilities to use writing as a tool for thinking and analysis. Lakeland’s Rhetorical Skills requirement includes the following: Quantitative Skills
Lakeland students develop quantitative literacy through courses designed to establish basic mathematical and statistical reasoning, allowing students to think about their world and themselves through a numerical lens. To complete this requirement, students must earn an ACT mathematics score of 24 or above or pass one of the following courses: Distributional Studies
As our mission statement indicates, Lakeland University and its curriculum are rooted deeply in the liberal arts tradition. At Lakeland, we believe a college education should not just prepare students for a specific job or field of study but should encourage all students to explore the breadth of human achievement and inquiry. Lakeland’s Distributional Studies requirement facilitates that kind of exploration by leading students through areas of knowledge associated with the traditional liberal arts and exposing them to each area’s essential modes and methods of thought. Taken together, these distinct disciplinary perspectives offer new ways of seeing and understanding the world. These “ways of seeing” help students to appreciate how culture and language, history and society, nature and numbers, art and ideas all interact in their lives- enhancing each student’s particular path of learning. To complete this requirement, students must take at least three semester hours of coursework within any seven of the following eight categories. Although listed course prerequisites still apply, all courses with the parenthetic program designations are acceptable unless specifically excluded below: Note: Distributional Studies requirements differ for Education and Nursing majors. - Art, Music, and Theatre (ART, GDN, MUS, THE)
- History and Political Science (HIS, POL)
- Literature and Writing (CRW, ENG, WRT) - (Excluded courses: WRT 211, 212, 213)
- Mathematics (MAT) - (met with MAT 162 or higher courses)
- Natural Sciences (BIO, CHM, PHY) - (Excluded course: CHM 140 )
- Philosophy, Religion, and Social Justice Studies (PHI, REL, SJS)
- Social Sciences (ANT, CRJ, DVS, ECN, PSY, SOC)
- World Languages (CHI, GER, JPS, SPA)
Distributional Studies Requirements for Education Majors
- Art, Music, and Theatre (ART, GDN, MUS, THE)
- Elementary and Middle School Education (K-9) majors should select ART 312 /EDU 312 and MUS 317 /EDU 317 .
- Middle and High School Education (4-12) majors and Kindergarten through Grade 12 Education (K-12) majors must complete three (3) credits of ART, MUS, or THE coursework.
- History and Political Science (HIS, POL)
Education majors must take HIS 111 or HIS 112 . - Literature and Writing (CRW, ENG, WRT)
(Excluded course: WRT 211, 212, 213)
Education majors must take one 3-credit ENG course. - Mathematics (MAT) - (met with MAT 132 or higher courses)
- Elementary and Middle School Education (K-9) majors should select MAT 210 .
- Middle and High School Education (4-12) majors and Kindergarten through Grade 12 Education (K-12) majors must select MAT 162 , MAT 220 , MAT 230 , MAT 231 or MAT 250 .
- Natural Sciences (BIO, CHM, PHY)
- Elementary and Middle School Education (K-9), Middle and High School (4-12) Science, and Middle and High School (4-12) Social Studies majors should select BIO 101 to fulfill this requirement. All other Education majors must take one BIO, CHM, or PHY course. (Excluded course: CHM 140).
- Social Sciences (ANT, CRJ, DVS, ECN, PSY, SOC)
Education majors must take EDU 230 /PSY 230 . - Education majors must also take a minimum of three (3) semester hours from one of the following areas: humanities, world languages, philosophy, or religion.
Distributional Studies Requirements for Nursing Majors
Three (3) semester hours of coursework from three of the four categories: - Art, Music, and Theatre (ART, GDN, MUS, THE)
- Literature and Writing (CRW, ENG, WRT) (Excluded courses: WRT 211, 212, 213)
- Mathematics (MAT) - (met with MAT 162 or higher courses)
- World Languages (CHI, GER, JPS, SPA)
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