Liberal Education | UMN Duluth

UMD Liberal Education

UMD’s Liberal Education Program (“Lib Ed”) is the common educational experience for all undergraduate degree programs. Our Lib Ed prepares students to lead productive and socially responsible lives in a diverse and rapidly changing world; helps students develop competencies that can be adapted to any occupation or situation; and offers students the kind of broad education needed to thrive as lifelong learners and globally engaged citizens.

UMD Lib Ed courses are often woven through a student’s course of study. Along with major and elective coursework plus co-curricular educational experiences, Lib Ed courses directly support UMD’s goals to develop broadly educated students who are “Prepared, Informed, and Committed” through specific ways, highlighted below.

Lib Ed Courses

UMD Lib Ed courses specifically address student skills and knowledge through:

Identifying, analyzing and solving problems; demonstrating critical and analytical thinking competency within and across various fields of knowledge
Communicating effectively through writing and speaking
Accessing, evaluating, and making use of information gathered through multiple methodologies
Developing foundations of knowledge and inquiry about nature, culture and society
Learning about the past and its relevance to the present and the future
Examining controversies and unanswered questions in multiple domains of knowledge

Lib Ed Courses + Majors + Electives + Co-Curriculars

Through the multitude of curricular and co-curricular experiences, UMD graduates students who:

Think creatively
Demonstrate intellectual curiosity, imagination and flexibility
Work productively independently and through collaboration
Are committed to:
- Life-long learning
- Civic engagement and social responsibility
- Knowledge and competence across cultures
- Considering ethical implications of ideas and actions
- Understanding contemporary global issues