The Certificate in Humanistic Inquiry in the Liberal Arts and Sciences provides pathways for completing 12-16 General Education credits across multiple required General Education designations. The certificate is intended for students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program who need to complete General Education (GE) credits in specific designations such as Humanities, Social Science, Global Studies, Health and Well-Being, Fine Arts, and/or Natural Sciences and who wish those courses to be grouped by a theme relevant to personal interests and goals.
Courses in the program utilize humanities-oriented perspectives to encourage new understandings of self and the world, and are informed by a call to empathy and an imperative to look deeply and beyond oneself in making meaning of the world. Methodologies such as analysis, interpretation, synthesis, evaluation, consideration of context, problem solving, and working from multiple perspectives will be central to courses in the certificate. These are skills desired by employers and essential to meaningful civic engagement. The inclusion of an ePortfolio encourages development of critical thinking, metacognition, and the ability to communicate learning.
Students will explore big questions within a theme using transformative texts and intentional reflection to connect courses to one other, the major, and beyond. As a result of the specific pedagogical design of courses included in the certificate, at least 12 credits must come from eligible courses taken at UM-Flint; equivalent transfer courses may not be applied to the certificate.
The certificate offers four themed pathways. Students are required to complete four courses within a chosen pathway and submit a portfolio that includes reflective assignments from elected courses within the pathway. The certificate will appear on a student’s official transcript. Courses should be elected in consultation with an advisor and as part of the completion of university General Education requirements.
Themed pathways include:
• Humans and Robots
• Envisioning Just Worlds
• Building Sustainable Worlds
• Leading by Living an Examined Life
The certificate may be earned in conjunction with a degree program or as a stand-alone credential. (Students pursuing a stand-alone credential are not eligible for federal financial aid and may not participate in Commencement.) After the student applies for graduation, the certificate is posted to the student’s official transcript and an official diploma stating the area of the certificate is issued.
