General Education

Explore Research and Epistemology

Research and Epistemology is one of five themes around which HPU's general education curriculum is organized. Courses in this theme emphasize inquiry and problem solving. Students engage in library research, laboratory research, and both quantitative and qualitative analysis. They learn how to find sources and evaluate their credibility, design experiments, understand numerical data, and present their results as part of the existing conversation on that particular area of inquiry. They also come to understand the concept of “epistemology.” How do we come to know something, what kind of evidence is valid, how can we test that knowledge, and what are the limits of that knowledge? Students come to recognize that different academic disciplines and traditions have different ways of gathering, organizing, analyzing, and evaluating information in the process of constructing knowledge.

Students take three courses in the Research and Epistemology theme as part of the General Education Common Core, one relating to WEriting, Research and Information Literacy, one relating to Numeracy and Quantitative Reasoning and one related to Research and Epsitemology in the Disciplines. Students also complete an Upper-Division Research and Writing requirement related to this theme. Use the links under "Detailed Course Descriptions" for an in-depth discussion of each category and the applicable courses.

Research and Epistemology A:  Writing, Research and Information Literacy

Courses in this category are second semester composition courses in which students learn to do library and electronic research, produce a term paper and improve their skills in writing academic arguments and incorporating appropriate source material.  Currently only one course that meets this requirement is offered at HPU but another course, emphasizing debate and oral defense as well as research writing is in development and will be introduced  shortly.

COM 1400

Critical Reasoning and Rhetoric  New Option Spring 2011

WRI 1200

Research, Argument and Writing

Research and Epistemology B: Numeracy and Quantitative Reasoning

Courses in this category include the majority of general education math courses through Calculus II as well as two logic courses and a computer programming course. They focus on understanding and analyzing numerical data, problem solving, and critical thinking. 

Take the course or courses listed in your lower division major requirements or choose one course if your major requires none of these

Choose one option:

CSCI 2611

A Gentle Introduction to Computer Programming MATH 1105  and a digital literacy course prerequisites) New in Fall 2011 but offered as CSCI 2811 in spring 2011

MATH 1110

Introduction to Mathematical Logic  (MATH 1105 prerequisite)

MATH 1115

Survey of Mathematics (MATH 1105 prerequisite)

MATH 1130

Pre-Calculus I (MATH 1105 prerequisite)

MATH 1140

Pre-Calculus II (MATH 1130 prerequisite)

MATH 1150

Pre-Calculus I and II Accelerated (MATH 1105 with an A prerequisite)

MATH 2214

Calculus I (Math 1140 or 1150 prerequisite)

MATH 2215

Calculus II (MATH 2214 prerequisite)

PHIL 2090

Principles of Logic (Com. Skills A prerequisite)

Research and Epistemology C: Research and Epistemology in the Disciplines

Courses in this category introduce students to the concept of epistemology as well as to research methods and epistemological assumptions of one or more disciplines.

 Choose one option 

ENG 1500

Ways of Reading (Com. Skills A. prerequisite) New option in Spring 2011

HIST 2900

The Historian’s Craft (HIST 2001 or 2002 corequisite)

MATH 1123

Elementary Statistics (MATH 1105 prerequisite)

PHIL 3731

Philosophy of Social Science (Res. & Epist. A and 2 social science courses prerequisites)

PHYS 2030  

College Physics I (MATH 1140 or 1150 prerequisite)+

PHYS 2050

General Physics I (MATH 2214 prerequisite)+

PSY 1000

Introduction to Psychology

SOC 2100

Fundamentals of Research 

+ Though open to other students, these courses require advanced mathematical skills and are primarily intended for Natural Science and Mathematics majors who will use the chosen course for both this category and a lower division major requirement.