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Anchor Plan Requirements

Anchor Plan courses are a core component of your liberal arts education.

Starting in the fall 2023 semester, a revised set of general education requirements, called the Anchor Plan, went into effect. New and continuing students (must be enrolled in the fall 2023 semester) will need to complete a minimum of 120 credits to complete a Â鶹ÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø degree. December 2023 will be the first degree date where this new rule applies.

In fall 2023, the college is also implemented a course credit shift; four-credit courses that used to meet three hours per week will now meet three hours per week and change to three credits. More information about the credit shift is in this .

The Anchor Plan furthers the mission of Â鶹ÊÓƵ¹ÙÍø by equipping students to engage in informed critical reflection concerning themselves and the world, and preparing them for further study and for a life of learning, service and productive activity.

The college has developed transition plans (, , ) so that no current student will be prohibited from completing their degree on time. The transition plans are also listed below, under Transition for Current Students.

ANCHOR PLAN REQUIREMENTS

In effect for students who started at Hope in fall 2023 or after.

To graduate from Hope, you must do the following:

  • Complete Anchor Plan requirements for your degree (see below)
  • Complete requirements for at least one major
  • Earn 120 credits (150 credits for public accounting majors)
  • Receive at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA (may vary by major)

Some Anchor Plan requirements are fulfilled by completing one specific course. Some requirements are fulfilled by 2–3 courses with certain attributes, and you may choose which of those courses to take based on your major and interests. Attributes are codes that can be used to search the for courses that fulfill that requirement. Attributes are also listed in the course descriptions in the .

The U.S. Diversities, Global Perspectives, and Senior Seminar requirements must be completed at Hope or on a Hope-approved program.

BACHELOR OF ARTS OR BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

If you are an elementary education major, some of the general education requirements are fulfilled through your major requirements. Check the for more information.

REQUIREMENT RULE ATTRIBUTE(S)
First Year Seminar One IDS 100 course FYS
Expository Writing One ENGL 113 course EW
Health Dynamics 2 credits in KIN 140 HD
Arts 2–3 credits of Arts in Practice ART
Humanities One Human Creative Perspectives course; one Philosophical Perspectives course; and one Historical Perspectives course. The first course taken in the series must be at the 100-level, and the next two courses must be at the 200-level. HCP, PHL, HST
Mathematics and Natural Science 10 credits total: One Math course; and, one Natural Science with Lab course (GEMS recommended for non-science majors); and, the remaining credits may be any math or science course. MA, NSL, MNS
Religion One Religion 100-Level course and one Religion 200-Level course. One of the courses must be Christian Tenets RL1, RL2, TEN
Social Science Two Social Science courses in different subjects/disciplines SS
Senior Seminar One Senior Seminar course SRS
Human Diversities One Global Language course at the second-semester level or higher; One United States Diversities course; and one Global Perspectives course GL2, USD, GLP
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING
REQUIREMENT RULE ATTRIBUTE(S)
First Year Seminar One IDS 100 course FYS
Expository Writing One ENGL 113 course EW
Health Dynamics 2 credits in KIN 140 HD
Arts 2–3 credits of Arts in Practice ART
Humanities One Human Creative Perspectives course; one Philosophical Perspectives course; and one Historical Perspectives course. The first course taken in the series must be at the 100-level, and the next two courses must be at the 200-level. HCP, PHL, HST
Mathematics and Natural Science Fulfilled with courses required for the nursing major MA, NSL, MNS
Religion One Religion 200-Level course that is also Christian Tenets RL2, TEN
Social Science Fulfilled with courses required for the nursing major SS
Senior Seminar One Senior Seminar course SRS
Human Diversities One Global Language course at the second-semester level or higher; One United States Diversities course; and one Global Perspectives course GL2, USD, GLP
BACHELOR OF MUSIC
REQUIREMENT RULE ATTRIBUTE(S)
First Year Seminar One IDS 100 course FYS
Expository Writing One ENGL 113 course EW
Health Dynamics 2 credits in KIN 140 HD
Arts Fulfilled with courses required for BMU music majors ART
Humanities One Human Creative Perspectives course and one Historical Perspectives course. The first course taken in the series must be at the 100-level, and the second course must be at the 200-level. HCP, HST
Mathematics and Natural Science 6-7 credits total: One Math course and one Natural Science with Lab course (GEMS recommended) MA, NSL
Religion One Religion 100-Level course and one Religion 200-Level course. One of the courses must be Christian Tenets RL1, RL2, TEN
Social Science One Social Science course SS
Senior Seminar One Senior Seminar course SRS
Human Diversities One Global Language course at the second-semester level or higher; One United States Diversities course; and one Global Perspectives course GL2, USD, GLP

TRANSITION FOR CURRENT STUDENTS

In effect for continuing students who began at Hope prior to fall 2023. Requirements can be met with attributes from the Anchor Plan and/or the former general education program.

BACHELOR OF ARTS OR BACHELOR OF SCIENCE

If you are an elementary education major, some of the general education requirements are fulfilled through your major requirements. Check the for more information.

REQUIREMENT RULE FORMER ATTRIBUTE(S) ANCHOR PLAN ATTRIBUTE(S)
First Year Seminar One Ids 100 course FYS FYS
Expository Writing One Engl 113 course EW EW
Health Dynamics 2 credits of Kin 140 HD HD
Human Creative Perspectives (fulfills Arts I) One Human Creative Perspectives course or one Arts I course FA1 HCP
Arts in Practice (fulfills Arts II) 2–3 credits of Arts in Practice or Arts II FA2 ART
Humanities (fulfills Cultural Heritage)

Two courses from different subjects/disciplines with any of the following flags: Cultural Heritage I, Cultural Heritage II, Historical Perspectives, Philosophical Perspectives.

Example: If you took any CH1 or CH2 course, you can complete the requirement by taking any HST or PHL in a different subject/discipline.

CH1, CH2 HST, PHL
Mathematics and Natural Science 10 credits total: One Math course; and, one Natural Science with Lab course (Gems recommended for non-science majors); and, the remaining credits may be any math or science course. MA1, MA2, NSL, NS2 MA, NSL, MNS
Religious Studies One Religion 100-Level course and one Religion 200-Level course RL1, RL2 RL1, RL2
Second Language One Second/Global Language course at the second-semester level or higher FL2 GL2
Social Sciences Two Social Science courses in different subjects/disciplines SS1, SS2 SS
Senior Seminar One Senior Seminar course SRS SRS
United States Diversities (fulfills Global Learning Domestic) One U.S. Diversities course or one Global Learning Domestic course GLD USD
Global Perspectives (fulfills Global Learning International) One Global Perspectives course or one Global Learning International Course GLI GLP
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING
REQUIREMENT RULE FORMER ATTRIBUTE(S) ANCHOR PLAN ATTRIBUTE(S)
First Year Seminar One Ids 100 course FYS FYS
Expository Writing One Engl 113 course EW EW
Health Dynamics 2 credits of Kin 140 HD HD
Human Creative Perspectives (fulfills Arts I) One Human Creative Perspectives course or one Arts I course HCP FA1
Humanities (fulfills Cultural Heritage)

Two courses from different subjects/disciplines with any of the following flags: Cultural Heritage I, Cultural Heritage II, Historical Perspectives, Philosophical Perspectives.

Example: If you took any CH1 or CH2 course, you can complete the requirement by taking any HST or PHL in a different subject/discipline.

CH1, CH2 HST, PHL
Mathematics and Natural Science Fulfilled with courses required for the nursing major MA1, MA2, NSL, NS2 MA, NSL, MNS
Religious Studies One Religion 100-Level course RL1 RL1
Second Language One Second/Global Language course at the second-semester level or higher FL2 GL2
Social Sciences Fulfilled with courses required for the nursing major SS1, SS2 SS
Senior Seminar One Senior Seminar course SRS SRS
United States Diversities (fulfills Global Learning Domestic) One U.S. Diversities course or one Global Learning Domestic course GLD USD
Global Perspectives (fulfills Global Learning International) One Global Perspectives course or one Global Learning International Course GLI GLP
BACHELOR OF MUSIC
REQUIREMENT RULE FORMER ATTRIBUTE(S) ANCHOR PLAN ATTRIBUTE(S)
First Year Seminar One Ids 100 course FYS FYS
Expository Writing One Engl 113 course EW EW
Health Dynamics 2 credits of Kin 140 HD HD
Human Creative Perspectives/Arts in Practice (fulfills Fine Arts I/II) Fulfilled with courses required for BMU music majors HCP, ART FA1, FA2
Cultural Heritage

Music performance majors: One Cultural Heritage I, Cultural Heritage II, Historical Perspectives, or Philosophical Perspectives course; and, Mus 321 and Mus 323.

Music education majors: Mus 321 and Mus 323.

CH1, CH2

HST, PHL
Mathematics and Natural Science 6–8 credits total: One Math course; and, one Natural Science with Lab course (Gems recommended) MA1, MA2, NSL, NS2 MA, NSL, MNS
Religious Studies One Religion 100-Level course and one Religion 200-Level course RL1, RL2 RL1, RL2
Second Language One Second/Global Language course at the second-semester level or higher FL2 GL2
Social Sciences

Music performance majors: One Social Science course

Music education majors: Fulfilled with courses required for the major

SS1

SS
Senior Seminar One Senior Seminar course SRS SRS
United States Diversities (fulfills Global Learning Domestic) One U.S. Diversities course or one Global Learning Domestic course GLD USD
Global Perspectives (fulfills Global Learning International) One Global Perspectives course or one Global Learning International Course GLI GLP