The Simmons General Education Program: PLAN (Purpose Leadership ActioN)

PLAN Requirements for On-Campus Students

Year One

WRI 101: Writing Boston

Fall or Spring Semester, 4 credits

In this writing-intensive first-year course, students will utilize Boston as the theme to hone their college level writing skills. Through engagement with readings about the City, this course develops writing, critical analysis, and information literacy skills.

SIM 100: Explore

Fall Semester, 2 credits

Explore is designed to provide students with Simmons-specific resources that can be utilized to foster personal and academic success. It will also give students the opportunity to connect with their classmates and reflect on key issues and situations they will face as college students while transitioning to the Simmons community.

Sophomore or Junior Year

SIM 200: Extend

Fall or Spring Semester, 2 credits

This course will focus on academic, co-curricular, and career planning. In addition to assignments related to resume and interview preparation, internship preparation, and an exploration of graduate school opportunities, the course includes units on the development of competencies in financial literacy, digital literacy, and cybersecurity, as well as an exploration of what it means to be AI-literate in a specific field. SIM 200 will be cohorted by discipline (Humanities, Social Sciences, STEM, Health Professions), so students are advised to take this class after they declare their major.

PLAN Requirements for Online Degree Completion Students

Courses are listed in the order recommended they be taken.

CNCT 101CD: Simmons Connect

3 credits
This course is highly recommended to be taken in a student's first term. Simmons Connect is designed to connect students to their new Simmons community, to discipline-specific writing skills and strategies, and to tools and resources to ensure your success at Simmons and in their career post-graduation. This class is required of all Online Degree Completion students who matriculate without an AA/AS degree and highly recommended for all Online Degree Completion students.

LDR 201CD: Gender and Leadership

4 credits
The study of leadership in American higher education has traditionally centered cis-gendered white men and their socialized masculine behaviors. This course seeks to counteract that by exploring women leaders in the United States, both leaders in history as well as present day to support students’ development of their own leadership identity. The course will identify trends common to cis-gender women leaders as well as the unique and authentic leadership practices that successful cis-gender women leaders have enacted that contributed to the social, economic, political and personal successes they achieved. The course will be gender inclusive where possible, though more scholarship is needed that is inclusive of multiple gender identities.

CDA 201CD: Cross-Disciplinary Approaches to Public Issues

6 credits
Problem solving, critical thinking skills, and integrative techniques for researching an issue are important for all students to learn no matter their major or their future job aspirations. This course will introduce students to multiple ways of looking at an issue within their chosen discipline; students will gain knowledge to analyze common themes, communicate effectively, and use interdisciplinary perspectives to provide solutions to a potential employee and/or mentor. Students will use techniques from information science and public policy, for example, to formulate and answer questions with quantitative and qualitative techniques while enhancing their academic search skills.
Recommended prerequisite: CNCT 101CD

CNCT 201CD: Pathways to Career and Leadership

1 credit
Pathways to Career and Leadership focuses on career and life planning. It represents a culmination of a two-course sequence that foregrounds the concepts of metacognition and self-directed learning. The course also focuses on the development of competencies in diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the refinement of leadership skills.

3D (Design Across Diverse Disciplines)

Included in CNCT 201CD
For this graduation requirement, students will design and propose a cluster of three courses they have taken and plan to take that addresses a topic, problem, or issue from various disciplinary perspectives. Students will explain the rationale for their selection of these courses, focusing on the intellectual coherence of the courses they have chosen.

The Capstone

4-8 credits
All students will complete a Capstone experience in their major, which will be designed by individual departments. Regardless of discipline, Capstone experiences will address career and graduate school preparation. (One Capstone in a student’s major is required to fulfill PLAN requirements; students with multiple majors may be required to fulfill Capstones in each major, depending on major requirements.)

Graduation Requirements for On-Campus Students

PLAN Requirements, Purpose, and Double Counting (for On-Campus Students) 

	PLAN REQUIREMENT	PURPOSE	DOUBLE COUNTING
Year 1	WRI 101: Writing Boston fall or Spring semester, 4 credits SIM 100: Explore fall semester, 2 credits	Communication essential capability Engagement with Simmons Communities and with Boston; academic skill-building
Sophomore or Junior Year	SIM 200: Extend Fall or spring semester, 2 credits	Discipline-specific career education; academic skill-building; post-graduation support/planning; careers, graduate school
Any year	Key Content Areas (3 courses) • Artistic, Literary Aesthetic (ALA) • Global Historical (GH) •Scientific Inquiry (SCI)	Exposure to content across disciplines	Each KCA may be fulfilled through major/minor course of study (if applicable)
Any year	KeySkills Areas (5 courses) •Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) •Integrative Learning (IL) •Leadership (LDR) •Quantitative Literacy (QL) •Writing Intensive (WI)	Application of skills and knowledge toward social engagement and change	At least two KSA courses must be taken outside of the student's major

Exemptions/Alternate Requirement

As of May 2021, all students entering with an AA/AS degree are exempt from all PLAN requirements.

Note: All students must complete a capstone in their major. Capstones are not part of PLAN but are requirements for all majors.

Language Requirement

For incoming students as of Fall 2024 and thereafter:

Incoming undergraduate students are not required to take a language course. The language placement exam is optional and available only to students who are interested in taking Spanish at the undergraduate level.

For students whose first semester was prior to Fall 2024:

All on-the-ground undergraduate students must satisfy the PLAN Language Requirement that was in place at the time of their enrollment. Language exams are still available to students in that category who have not yet taken one and require a placement.

The language requirement is met by one of the following:

The successful completion of the 102 level* in Spanish or French at Simmons University or in any modern language taken through the COF or at another institution with preapproval from the Associate Provost for Curriculum, Assessment, and Accreditation.
(*Completion of the 101 level [or its equivalent] is a prerequisite of the 102 level.)
OR
The successful completion of one GH KCA course AND one DEIJ KSA course taken specifically to fulfill the language requirement.

Students whose first semester was prior to Fall 2024 have already met the Language requirement if:

They have completed the 102 level in any modern language at Simmons University or another accredited academic institution with preapproval.
OR
They have received a 3 or higher on an Advanced Placement modern language exam and transferred that credit to Simmons.
OR
They have placed above the 102 level on their placement exam administered by the Office of Undergraduate Advising.

If students who entered before Fall 2024 have taken or wish to take other equivalent exams, they should consult with Undergraduate Advising (advising@simmons.edu).

The following students (who entered before Fall 2024) are exempt from the PLAN Language Requirement:

• F-1 Visa international students from non-English-speaking countries

• Dix Scholars

• Students with specific accommodations through the Office of Accessibility Services

Please note the following policies, which apply only to students who entered before Fall 2024:

Students who have taken a language at the 101 level must also take the 102 level in the same language to complete the requirement unless they can demonstrate proficiency at the 102 level in another language through one of the methods listed above. Once students have enrolled in a 101 or 102 level course, they cannot opt to test out of that language.

Students are allowed to take only one placement exam. Students may not retake an exam they have previously taken. If a student takes more than one exam they will be charged for multiple attempts ($15-$30).

The Office of Accessibility Services will continue to work with students with documented disabilities (access@simmons.edu).

Use of translation devices and additional materials is a violation of the Academic Honor Policy. If any major discrepancies are identified between a student’s previous experience in the language and their placement, the student will need to meet with the Program Director of Applied Spanish, who is trained to identify what students are capable of expressing at any given level.

The Program Director of Applied Spanish reserves the right to make final decisions about placement and whether or not a student has fulfilled the requirement.

Math Competency Requirement

Students will be required to demonstrate competency in mathematics in one of the following ways before they may take a Quantitative Literacy course and certain other courses: 

• Place out of MATH 101 by taking the Math Placement Exam administered by the Office of Undergraduate Advising no later than the start of their first semester at Simmons;

• The exam must be taken either in-person while supervised by a member of the Simmons faculty or staff or through the online proctoring system.
• Students may take the placement exam no more than 3 times.
• Successfully complete MATH 101 or a higher level mathematics course at Simmons. (Note: enrolling in a higher level course at Simmons without taking the placement exam will require the consent of the instructor and may require other proof of mathematical achievement - e.g. AP exam scores.)

• Present evidence of satisfactory completion at another accredited college of a mathematics course at the level of MATH 101 or above to the Registrar's Office.

Students must satisfy the math competency requirement during their first year at Simmons. Students who are placed into a pre-MATH 101 cohort must attend additional workshops during their fall semester to help them prepare for MATH 101, which they will take in their spring semester. Students who are placed into MATH 101 at orientation or who do not meet the math competency requirement in one of the other ways described above must take MATH 101 in the first semester it is available.

Key Content Area (KCA) Requirements

The key content area courses draw upon three broad areas of knowledge to emphasize a multidisciplinary approach to ways of knowing. They engage phenomena as objects of study through approaches rooted in various disciplines tied to the sciences, the arts and broad frames of historical and cultural understanding. Students must complete one course from each of the following three areas:

1] Aesthetic, Literary, and Artistic (ALA)

Courses in this area focus on phenomena in art and literature as well as ways of knowing or creating original works or aesthetic approaches to these phenomena. This requirement can be met by courses in any of the creative and performing arts as well as in any course in the study of literature, art, and music. Courses in other disciplines that provide perspectives of aesthetic, literary, and artistic phenomena as defined above also meet this requirement. For example, a course that studies the digital or computational aspects of artistic creation would meet this requirement.

2] Global Historical (GH)

Global Historical courses provide perspectives on contemporary or historical phenomena as they present themselves socially. They may foreground the perspective of a particular community or person or a specific interpretive frame or historical moment in time ,or they may include comparative ways of knowing phenomena across cultures of the globe, within and beyond the US, past and present. 

Courses in this area offer students the opportunity to study societal topics closely and to appreciate cultural and historical differences as they have manifested for humankind. 

3] Scientific Inquiry (SCI)

Courses in this area focus on phenomena in the natural and physical world and on ways of knowing these phenomena, particularly through experimental approaches. This requirement is primarily met by courses in the sciences and psychology; the requirement may also be met by courses in other disciplines providing perspectives on scientific phenomena. All courses meeting this requirement include a “hands on” component providing students the opportunity to understand and appreciate the scientific method.

Key Skills Area (KSA) Requirements

While the Key Content Areas focus on knowledge of content, the Key Skills Areas emphasize skills acquired or applied in courses. This category spans skills that are essential for student’s success in and beyond academia. It extends to opportunities for students to apply their developing skills and knowledge toward social engagement and change. Students must complete one course from each of the below areas. Note: At least two KSA courses must be taken outside of the student’s major.

1] Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ)

Courses with a DEIJ designation provide students opportunities to build skills in the areas of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice that can be deployed in organizations, professions and society. Students in these courses critically analyze social forces and systems and learn how to take some form of action to respond to these forces and systems. A DEIJ course allows explicit knowledge about DEI–Diversity, Equity and Inclusion– through examination of power and privilege as they pertain to gender, race, dis/ability, sexuality, immigration status, socioeconomic status, etc. And it also focuses on application of this knowledge toward the creation of change aimed at Justice–not just DEI, but also DEIJ. The ultimate goal of these courses is to–through a combination of analysis and action, or praxis–help students develop agency around understanding and challenging existent forces and systems.

2] Integrative Learning (IL)

The Integrative Learning KSA allows students to study a topic or question that cannot be fully understood without its examination through the lenses of subfields within or between disciplines. This integrative approach to learning aims at helping students develop the habits of mind needed to meaningfully explore topics and issues that require movement across different perspectives. The KSA is filled by courses that root their approach in any set of disciplines and/or subfields. A central topic or question guides the course, and students learn about content specific to the course topic, but the course is most centrally an opportunity for students to understand what they can and cannot know in the absence of employing multiple perspectives.

3] Leadership (LDR)

The Leadership courses help students expand their ideas of what leadership is and who can lead. These courses support students’ ability to envision opportunities to lead, formally or informally, in their careers, their communities and their lives. Each course focuses on the relationship between leadership and social identities and allows students to develop and demonstrate leadership skills related to both working in teams and public speaking. Students engage such topics as conflict resolution and advocacy on meaningful issues.  Leadership courses typically study successful leaders and/or organizations, or specific theories or best practices, in order to help students envision their own ideas of leadership.

4] Quantitative Literacy (QL)

Quantitative Literacy (QL) is a “habit of mind,” competency, and comfort in working with numerical data. Courses in this area will develop a student’s ability to reason and solve quantitative problems from a wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations. QL courses will develop the skills necessary to understand and create sophisticated arguments supported by quantitative evidence, and to clearly communicate those arguments in a variety of formats (using words, tables, graphs, mathematical equations, etc., as appropriate)

5] Writing Intensive (WI)

Writing-Intensive courses further develop the competencies introduced to students in the first year writing course, Writing Boston. They encourage more advanced writing proficiency and centralize at least two of the following skills: awareness of audience and context, formulation of arguments and conclusions, evaluation and utilization of researched sources. Writing-Intensive courses also typically include frequent (usually weekly) writing assignments, some informal and ungraded writing, and at least one paper that is examined in draft form by the instructor and then revised by the student. This requirement is filled by courses in multiple departments, and courses are often rooted in the research and methods of the department’s particular academic discipline.

Please refer to the PLAN Core Curriculum website for a list of courses with KCA and KSA designations. 

Graduation Requirements for Online Degree Completion Students

PLAN Requirements, Purpose, and Double Counting

(for Online Degree Completion Program Students) 

Note that CNCT 101CD is recommended for all students to take in their first semester, but other PLAN requirements can be taken any year during the student's time at Simmons.

Plan Requirement	Purpose	Double Counting
CNCT 101CD,  credits LDR 201CD, 4 credits	Communication essential capability Engagement with Simmons Communities; academic skill-building Leadership, teamwork
CDA 201CD, 6 credits CNCT 201CD, 1 credit	Interdisciplinary and integrative learning Post-graduation support/ planning; careers, graduate school Academic skill-building; 3D planning
3D (Design Across Diverse Disciplines)	Interdisciplinary and integrative learning 3 courses that are topically connected	Each 3D course may count as a KCA. One 3D course may count in each major/minor course of study. 3D courses must be drawn from different disciplines. Two 3D courses may have been taken during the first or second year.
Capstone	Expertise in student’s field of study	The Capstone is in the major.
Key Content Areas (4 courses) Social/Historical Artistic, Literary Aesthetic Scientific	Exposure to content across disciplines	Each KCA may be fulfilled in a major/ minor course of study (if applicable).
Quantitative Literacy (1 course)	Critical thinking and problem solving; literacy in numeric systems	The QL requirement may be fulfilled through a course in a student's major/minor course of study (if applicable).
Language and Culture Requirement (2 additional GC KCA courses)	Cultural skill development

Math Competency Requirement

Students will be required to demonstrate competency in mathematics in one of the following ways before they are able to take a Quantitative Literacy course:

• Pass the mathematics competency exam administered by the Office of Undergraduate Advising no later than the end of their first term at Simmons;
• Successfully complete MATH 101 or a higher level mathematics course at Simmons;
• Present evidence of satisfactory completion at another accredited college of a mathematics course at the level of MATH 101 or above to the Registrar's Office.

Students must satisfy the math competency requirement during their first semester at Simmons. Students who do not pass the mathematics competency exam by orientation or who do not meet the math competency requirement in one of the other ways described above, must take MATH 101 in the first semester it is available. 

Language and Culture Requirement 

Online Degree Completion students must take two additional Global/Cultural KCA courses to satisfy this PLAN requirement.

Quantitative Literacy Requirement (QL)

Quantitative Literacy (QL) is a “habit of mind,” competency, and comfort in working with numerical data. Courses in this area will develop a student’s ability to reason and solve quantitative problems from a wide array of authentic contexts and everyday life situations. QL courses will develop the skills necessary to understand and create sophisticated arguments supported by quantitative evidence, and to clearly communicate those arguments in a variety of formats (using words, tables, graphs, mathematical equations, etc., as appropriate).

Key Content Area (KCA) Requirements

The key content areas pertain to phenomena as objects of study across the disciplines, rather than modes of inquiry defined by a particular discipline or set of disciplines.
Indeed, these categories describe areas of knowledge from multidisciplinary perspectives. The phenomena included under each of the four areas listed below thus admit of a wide variety of ways of knowing or disciplinary approaches. Students must complete one course from each of the following areas:

1] Aesthetic, Literary, and Artistic (ALA)

Courses in this area focus on phenomena in art and literature as well as ways of knowing or creating original works or aesthetic approaches to these phenomena. This requirement can be met by courses in any of the creative and performing arts as well as in any course in the study of literature, art, and music. Courses in other disciplines that provide perspectives of aesthetic, literary, and artistic phenomena as defined above also meet this requirement. For example, a course that studies the digital or computational aspects of artistic creation would meet this requirement.

2] Global Cultural (GC)

The term “global cultural” is broadly construed; it includes all cultures, past and present, within and beyond the U. S., and in their multiple forms of manifestation. Courses in this area offer our students the opportunity to understand and learn to appreciate cultural differences as they have made themselves manifest in humankind. This requirement can be met by courses in any discipline—from the liberal arts to the sciences and the professions—that provide a multicultural perspective of the world. For example, courses that focus on cross-cultural practices, or on minority cultures in the U. S., or on non-European cultures, or that provide world surveys of cultures would all meet this requirement.

3] Scientific Inquiry (SCI)

Courses in this area focus on phenomena in the natural and physical world and on ways of knowing these phenomena, particularly through experimental approaches. This requirement is primarily met by courses in the sciences and psychology; the requirement may also be met by courses in other disciplines providing perspectives on scientific phenomena. All courses meeting this requirement include a “hands on” component providing students the opportunity to understand and appreciate the scientific method.

4] Social and Historical (SH)

Courses in this area focus on phenomena in society and history as well as ways of knowing these phenomena. This requirement can be met by courses in the social sciences, including economics, political science, sociology, social psychology, social work, and history. Courses in other disciplines that provide perspectives of social and historical phenomena as defined above also meet this requirement. For example, a course that focuses on the social applications of management principles would provide such perspectives.

Please refer to the PLAN Core Curriculum website for a list of Online Degree Completion courses with KCA and QL designations.