Welcome to Essential Studies

Students are members of a broader society dependent on their meaningful contributions for its success. The Essential Studies Program at Chadron State provides an integrated, coherent learning experience to prepare students for a life of responsible inquiry.

To learn more about the Essential Studies Program at Chadron State College, please navigate to our menu items on the left.

Why Essential Studies

The Essential Studies Program at Chadron State provides an integrated, coherent learning experience to prepare students for a life of responsible inquiry.  ESP is built on student learning outcomes (SLOs) that answer the fundamental question, "what should all undergraduate students - irrespective of their majors and career aspirations - know or be able to do upon graduation?"

Key Components

The Essential Studies program is comprised of 39 hours distributed across twelve key areas:

  • FIRST YEAR INQUIRY (FYI): At the beginning of the program, for all entering first year students, six hours of inquiry-guided learning offered among a wide variety of topics. (Student Learning Outcome 1)
  • SKILLS: Twelve credit hours focused on building skills in written and oral communication, math and logic, and practice in the creative arts. (Student Learning Outcomes 2-5)
  • MODES OF INQUIRY: Nine credit hours focused on exploring the humanities and the physical and social sciences. (Student Learning Outcomes 6-8)
  • PERSONAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: Nine credit hours focused on the practice of ethics, civic engagement, diversity and wellness. (Student Learning Outcomes 9-11 )
  • CAPSTONE INTEGRATION (CAP): A three-credit-hour course at the end of the program, junior or senior year, featuring a culminating experience that seeks to integrate what has been learned throughout the essential studies courses into a final project or presentation.
News

ESP Contact