A general education should help you makes sense of the world by analyzing observable facts. Both within and beyond the university, you will encounter claims about the natural and social worlds and be confronted with situations that require you to evaluate and make decisions based on evidence. We will explore how questions and hypotheses are formulated and evaluated based on evidence. Empirical and Scientific Engagement courses will help you:

• Develop a framework of knowledge to discern what is empirical in the natural, physical and social worlds;
• Evaluate empirically supported claims by framing empirical questions and interpreting the claims in the context of new data;
• Recognize that empirical methods are a crucial component to addressing and answering a broad range of essential questions;
• Articulate the limitations of using empirical, data based inquiry to describe complex phenomena.