Microsoft Word MU 2009-2010.doc - Methodist University

INTRODUCTION TO THE UNIVERSITYMission StatementMethodist University, historically supported by the North Carolina Annual Conference of the UnitedMethodist Church, owes its origin and values to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The University iscommitted to an ecumenical spirit, respects diversity, and recognizes the dignity and worth of all humanbeings. The University’s programs are based on the conviction that a liberally-educated person is sensitiveto the needs and rights of others. Methodist University affirms the importance of intellectual values andethical principles such as truth, virtue, justice, and love. The University community seeks to develop wholepersons who will contribute substantially and creatively to the professions and to civic life. Therefore,Methodist University provides opportunities for spiritual, academic, and social growth, to the end thatstudents may acquire enlightened minds and responsible spirits, as well as a continuing thirst forknowledge.The purpose of Methodist University is to provide an undergraduate and graduate education firmlygrounded in the liberal arts tradition that nurtures moral values and ethical decision making; to providedistinctive professional and graduate programs that complement the undergraduate programs; to provideeducational and cultural services and resources to the community; and to prepare students for a variety ofcareers and educational pursuits.General Goals of the UniversityStudent-Oriented Goals1. To be immersed in an environment in which they are encouraged to develop good moral values,practice ethical decision making, and to have an opportunity to enhance their spiritual development.2. To attain an understanding of themselves and their social and physical world through a broad study ofthe liberal arts and an in-depth study of an academic discipline.3. To live meaningfully in the world, as reflected in satisfaction with their career development andsocial relations, through the understanding they have attained of themselves and the world.4. To acquire competence in written and oral communication and in critical thinking.5. To acquire proficiency in common uses of personal computers.Graduate Level Goals1. To graduate master’s level students who are competent in their academic discipline.2. To graduate master’s level students who are ready for the job market and/or are equipped to pursuefurther graduate training.Other Goals1. To attract, develop, and retain a faculty that strives for excellence in teaching, scholarship,professional service to the community, and service to the University outside the classroom.2. To provide significant services and facilities to groups within the community and state.3. To engage in ongoing, integrated, and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluationprocesses that incorporate a systematic review of programs and services that result in continuingimprovement and demonstrate that the University is effectively accomplishing its mission.General Education/Core Curriculum GoalsStudents who complete the General Education core will be able to demonstrate:1. the skills needed for advanced studies: in written and oral communication, mathematical reasoning,and the use of computers;2. basic knowledge of the fine arts, fitness and wellness, humanities, mathematics, natural science, andsocial science; and3. the ability to think critically about complex subjects.11