• Introduction
• Ethos Courses
• General Education
  • Assessment
  • Signature Assessments
  • Time Restrictions

Introduction

In Ancient Greek, “ethos” was the word for an informed citizen’s character. The ideal was to become an individual of courageous aspiration and sound moral judgment. Much later, ethos referred to a speaker’s authority, trustworthiness, and capacity for civic excellence. And today, one of the great aims of a comprehensive liberal education might be said to be the development of student ethos, the disposition and habits of mind essential to living a meaningful life. LaGrange College’s Ethos program endeavors to be the foundation in every student’s search for that meaningful life. Students will refine their intellectual skills​, explore multiple modes of inquiry​, and interrogate the values of thoughtful global citizenship​. Dedicated to LaGrange College’s roots in the Wesleyan tradition and implemented across every year of an undergraduate degree program, the Ethos curriculum values high-impact learning practices and culminates with integrated, project-based senior capstone experiences unique to each student’s major area of study. The Ethos program is the soul of LaGrange College's commitment to the liberal arts tradition. It is our promise to prepare students to be curious and creative global citizens.

Ethos Courses

General Education

The Ethos curriculum comprises the general education at LaGrange College.

Assessment of the Ethos Curriculum

During the first semester and again prior to graduation, students take the college’s assessment exam, designed to determine the extent to which students have achieved the objectives of the Ethos Curriculum. Participation in this testing program is a requirement for graduation with a baccalaureate degree.

All Ethos courses will include authentic assessments that are designed and administered by the courses’ instructors. For the most part, these assessments will be written artifacts, but multimedia artifacts including recorded presentations and/or performances, photography, and sound files may also be appropriate.

While often adequate for assessing student learning within certain courses, student results on standardized  and/or computer scored midterm and final exams are not recommended as authentic assessments. Rather, students are encouraged to design signature assignments that may function as transactional discourse outside of the classroom.

Artifacts must demonstrate gains made within each of the student learning outcomes: creativity, critical thinking, communication, and connection.

The Ethos Council will annually conduct assessment of artifacts associated with a limited number of learning outcomes. This cyclic, systematic process will focus on distinct sets of learning outcomes in succeeding assessment periods until all learning outcomes are evaluated. With some exception, many of these assessments are already being administered across LaGrange College’s curriculum.

In the following table, students may see which courses produce the artifacts that are tied to a cycle of improvement in the general education.

Signature Assessments by Category and Course

Ethos Curriculum: Time Restrictions

There is no time limit on the credit or validity of coursework in the Ethos Curriculum. It should be noted, however, that students who have not been enrolled at LaGrange College for four (4) years, or who transferred from LaGrange College and subsequently return, enter the college under the Bulletin in force at the time of re-entry.