The School of Liberal Education offers two courses specially designed to introduce students to Liberal Education, and to help them with their transition to university studies.
Liberal Education 1000: Knowledge in Liberal Education
Not sure what to take at University? Start your university education off right with Liberal Education 1000, a course that offers a general introduction to the academic study of knowledge. What is knowledge? How can we know something? How reliable is our knowledge? What is different between knowledge and belief? How is knowledge created, evaluated and used in different disciplines? The lectures provide a critical examination of knowledge across the disciplines of Science, Social Science, Fine Arts and Humanities. The weekly tutorials offer small group discussions, to develop and practice your own critical thinking and evaluation skills. In the weekly lab you will learn and practice various "good student" skills, such as study skills, summarizing readings, editing essays, and using the Library databases to do research. These skills will help you in all your university courses!
Liberal Education 1500: The First Year Experience: Mapping our Communities
This course uses mapping as a metaphor to help students with the transition to university life. Students will map the physical campus and the resources available to help them succeed; learn about the campus and local communities, traditions and history; reflect on their own goals, skills and social networks; and listen to the University's best professors talk about how knowledge and information are mapped or organized in their disciplines.
Additionally, the School of Liberal Education offers courses such as:
LIBERAL EDUCATION 2850: The Core Brain Story Course
Lifelong health is determined by many factors, including genes, experiences and social environment. Experiences at sensitive periods of development change the brain in ways that increase or decrease risk for later physical and mental illness, including addiction. This course is based on the Core Story of Brain Development offered by the Alberta Family Wellness Initiative (AFWI) and is designed for and relevant to students from multiple disciplines seeking a deeper understanding of early brain development and its consequences for lifelong health, executive function development and recovery from trauma. This course will also consider Indigenous perspectives on recovery from trauma and lifelong health.
Here's what one student had to say about this course: "This should be a mandatory class. The information this class has given me means so much and has opened my eyes to the world of how crucial proper child development is. This class is important for teachers, health care workers, future parents, and basically anyone interacting with a child. I would highly recommend this course."
Liberal Education 3010: Liberal Education (Series)
Liberal Education 3010 offers a critical examination of significant contemporary themes from a multidisciplinary and integrative perspective. It includes the broad integration of the Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts. Content varies from year to year. Offerings may include, for example: Genocide, Food, Activism, Land, Progress, or Friendship and Family.