Principles of Liberal Learning | Printer Friendly (pdf)

The program of study at Christopher Newport University invites students to participate in a rich, multi-faceted tradition of intellectual exploration grounded in the common principles of liberal learning. Our ultimate aim is to produce empowered, informed, and responsible learners, whose key intellectual and personal attributes are enumerated below. All coursework at CNU--whether in the Liberal Learning Core, in the major, or in the advanced program of integrated study--seeks to develop, reinforce, and advance student aptitude in these primary domains. 

Goals of Liberal Learning

To be empowered intellectually and practically, CNU students should be able to:

• effectively communicate orally, visually, in writing
• demonstrate communicative competency in a second language
• solve problems using quantitative and qualitative tools
• interpret and evaluate information from a variety of sources
• understand and work with diverse groups
• transform knowledge and beliefs into action
• engage in the creative process and cultivate one's imaginative powers
• develop the habits of mind that are part of a lifelong pursuit of knowledge

To be aware of the world in which they exist, CNU students should seek to understand:

• the historical and philosophical traditions that have shaped the world
• the interrelations within and among global and cross-cultural communities
• the means of modeling the natural, social, and technical worlds
• the principles and histories of liberal democracies
• the depth of knowledge that allows one to make a significant contribution to society
• [the variety of] ways of using appropriate media to present knowledge gained from the synthesis of critical research and critical thinking.

To be responsible for the world in which they exist, CNU students should value:

• intellectual honesty, social justice, and the discernment of the ethical consequences of actions
• active participation as an ethical and engaged citizen of a diverse society
• an understanding of one's self [and] recognition of the complex identities of others, their histories, and their cultures
• their own physical and emotional well being

The Faculty Council on Liberal Learning thanks the Association of American Colleges and Universities for Greater Expectations, the document that inspired and shaped these goals.