Current General Education Graduation Requirements
Distribution Requirements: The student must earn 1 Kenyon unit in at least four departments
that together cover all four academic divisions of the College. Thus, by the time he or she
graduates, the student will have completed at least 1 unit, within at least one department, in each
of the four divisions.
Students may earn 1 unit in a division by combining a course from an interdisciplinary program
with an appropriate departmental course—but only if the interdisciplinary course is "cross-listed"
in a department in this catalog.
Second Language: Kenyon considers achievement of language proficiency important for many
reasons, among them:
Language study forms part of the traditional foundation to the liberal arts because it leads
to the rigorous study of texts in the original across many disciplines.
Language study increases understanding of one's native language and of language in
general.
Language study provides insight into other cultures and cultural differences.
Language study enables students to function in a global context.
Knowledge of a foreign language increases one's desirability as a job candidate,
particularly for leadership positions.
Foreign language study requires structured learning and can therefore improve study
skills.
Students must demonstrate a level of proficiency in a second language equivalent to one full year
of college study. This course may be fulfilled by taking courses or by establishing proficiency
through examination. (There are additional technical details which we omit here.)
Quantitative Reasoning: The student must earn a minimum of .5 Kenyon unit of credit in a
course, or courses, designated as meeting the quantitative-reasoning requirement. These courses
are marked "QR" in the course catalog. Advanced Placement courses will not satisfy this
requirement. (There are additional technical details which we omit here.)
Quantitative-reasoning courses may focus on the organization, analysis, and implementation of
numerical and graphical data; or they may involve learning mathematical ideas, understanding
their application to the world, and employing them to solve problems. In QR courses, students
will learn some or all of the following:
To use statistical methods to analyze and interpret data.
To make inferences and decisions based on quantitative data--for example, by developing
and testing hypotheses.
To critically assess quantitative information--for example, by reading and critiquing
journal articles with quantitative information and analysis.
To design experiments, and learn and apply data-collection methods--for example, by
developing data in laboratory exercises.
To use mathematical reasoning and the axiomatic method--for example, by using systems
of symbolic logic.
To develop and use mathematical models--for example, to predict the behavior of
physical, economic, or biological systems.
To learn and apply the basic ideas of probability, chance, and uncertainty.
To understand and apply concepts in algorithms and computer programming.
To communicate quantitative information and mathematical ideas--for example, by
constructing and interpreting graphical displays.
A given QR course probably will not include all of these abilities, but every QR course will
engage students in some of them. In courses identified with the QR tag, the use of quantitative
reasoning is a major and continuing theme. Although the subject matter of QR courses will vary
by department and discipline, the quantitative knowledge and skills developed will be applicable
in a wide variety of settings.
