Kennesaw State University is among a select group of 23 colleges and universities that scored an “A” for its high-quality core curriculum in a nationwide study on the state of general education released this week by the American Council ofTrustees and Alumni.
This is the fourth year that Kennesaw State earned an “A” in the annual “What Will They Learn?” report. In this year’s study, KSU was one of five schools in Georgia – Clark Atlanta University, Georgia Southern University, Morehouse College and University of Georgia – to receive a top score, according to the Washington, D.C.-based American Council of Trustees and Alumni, an independent, nonprofit organization committed to academic freedom, excellence and accountability at America’s colleges and universities.
Schools are assigned a letter grade ranging from “A” to “F” based on how many of the seven core subjects they require: composition, U.S. government or history, economics, literature, math, natural or physical science and foreign language. “A” schools were those that require a course in at least six out of the seven academic subjects.
“This is an honor for Kennesaw State’s core curriculum to be recognized among the top 2 percent of the nation’s higher education institutions,” said Ken Harmon, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “Our core curriculum was designed to provide a broadly based, strong and coherent program that offers a well-rounded educational outcome for every KSU graduate. This award recognizes that our students are acquiring the knowledge and skills to thrive in today’s diverse, global society.”
According to the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, more than 60 percent of all institutions received a “C” or worse for requiring three or fewer subjects, allowing students to graduate with major gaps in their academic skills and knowledge. Fewer than 20 percent of institutions require U.S. government or history, and 30 percent do not require college-level mathematics.
