General Education Core Curriculum
Note: The following is a general list of core curriculum requirements for a baccalaureate degree at CSU. Refer to undergraduate degrees for specific requirements for each baccalaureate program.
Area A - Essential Skills
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Written Communication. Take the following 2 courses: | ||
| ENGL 1101 | English Composition I | 3 |
| ENGL 1102 | English Composition II | 3 |
| Quantitative Skills. Select one of the following (see major program exceptions below): 1 | 3-4 | |
| Quantitative Skills and Reasoning | ||
| Introduction to Mathematical Modeling | ||
| College Algebra | ||
| Pre-Calculus | ||
| Applied Calculus | ||
| Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 9 | |
- 1
If taking a 4-hour course, the extra hour may be used as an elective if it doesn't fit elsewhere in the program of study.
Major Program Exceptions. See the undergraduate degrees menu for specific requirements or recommendations for the following programs: Accounting (BBA), Biology (BA), Biology (BS), Biology and Secondary Education (BA), Chemistry (BA), Chemistry (BS), Chemistry and Secondary Education (BA), Computer Science (BS), Finance (BBA), General Business (BBA), Earth and Space Science - Astrophysics and Planetary Geology track, (BS), Earth and Space Science - Environmental Science track (BS), Earth and Space Science - Geology track (BS), Earth and Space Science - Secondary Education track (BS), Management (BBA), Management Information Systems (BBA), Marketing (BBA), Mathematics (BA), Mathematics (BS), and Mathematics and Secondary Education (BA).
Area B – Institutional Options
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| B1 - Communication. Select 3 hours of following courses: | 3 | |
| Public Speaking | ||
Any Foreign Language 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002 | ||
| B2 - Problem Solving. Select 1 or 2 hours in the following courses: 2 | 1-2 | |
| Scholarship Across the Disciplines | ||
| Introduction to Servant Leadership | ||
| Perspectives 1-hour | ||
| Perspectives 2-hour | ||
| Area B Total | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 4-5 | |
- 2
The following programs require 1 credit hour in Area B2. If a 2-hour course is taken for this area in these majors, the extra hour may be used in General Electives.
Biology (BA), Biology (BS), Biology and Secondary Education (BA), Chemistry (BA), Chemistry (BS), Chemistry and Secondary Education (BA), Computer Science (BS), Earth and Space Science - Astrophysics and Planetary Geology track, (BS), Earth and Space Science - Environmental Science track (BS), Earth and Space Science - Geology track (BS), Earth and Space Science - Secondary Education track (BS), Health Science (BS), Mathematics (BA), Mathematics (BS), and Nursing (BSN). See the undergraduate degrees menu for specific requirements.
Area C – Humanities/Fine Arts/Ethics
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Humanities. Select one of the following courses: | 3 | |
| World Literature I | ||
| World Literature II | ||
| Comparative Arts 1 | ||
| The Western Intellectual Tradition | ||
ITDS 1774 Introduction to Digital Humanities | ||
| Historical Perspectives on the Philosophy of Science and Mathematics | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Fine Arts. Select one of the following courses: | 3 | |
| Art Appreciation | ||
| Introduction to the History of Art I– Prehistoric through Gothic | ||
| Introduction to the History of Art II– Renaissance through Modern | ||
| Comparative Arts 1 | ||
| Music Appreciation | ||
| Theatre Appreciation | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 6 | |
- 1
ITDS 1145 Comparative Arts, though listed under both humanities and fine arts, may only be taken once.
Area D – Science/Math/Technology
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| D1 - Natural Sciences. Non-science majors should select one science course with a lab; the other course may be lab or non-lab (see list below for specific requirements for science majors): | 7-8 | |
| Human Origins (no lab) | ||
| Descriptive Astronomy: The Solar System and Descriptive Astronomy Lab 1 | ||
| Descriptive Astronomy: Stars and Galaxies and Descriptive Astronomy Lab 1 | ||
| Understanding the Weather and Understanding the Weather Lab 1 | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Biology Non-Lab | ||
| Principles of Biology | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Biology with Lab | ||
| Survey of Chemistry I and Survey of Chemistry I Lab 2 | ||
| Survey of Chemistry II and Survey of Chemistry II Lab 2 | ||
| Principles of Chemistry I and Principles of Chemistry I Lab 2 | ||
| Principles of Chemistry II and Principles of Chemistry II Lab 2 | ||
| Environmental Studies and Environmental Studies Laboratory 1 | ||
| Sustainability and the Environment (lab included) | ||
| Natural Disasters: Our Hazardous Environment (no lab) | ||
| Introductory Geoscience I: Physical Geology and Introductory Geoscience I: Physical Geology Lab 1 | ||
| Introductory Geo-sciences II: Historical Geology and Introductory Geo-sciences II: Historical Geology Lab 1 | ||
| The Fossil Record (lab included) | ||
| Introductory Physics I and Introductory Physics I Lab 2 | ||
| Introductory Physics II and Introductory Physics II Lab 2 | ||
| Physics of Color and Sound and Physics of Color and Sound Lab 1 | ||
| Principles of Physics I and Principles of Physics I Lab 2 | ||
| Principles of Physics II and Principles of Physics II Lab 2 | ||
| D2 - Math/Science/Technology. Select one of the following courses or a science course from above: | 3-4 | |
| Introduction to Computing Principles and Technology | ||
| Computer Science I | ||
| Introduction to Data Science | ||
| Introduction to the Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Pre-Calculus | ||
| Applied Calculus | ||
| Calculus with Analytic Geometry I | ||
| Calculus with Analytic Geometry II | ||
| Computer-Assisted Problem Solving | ||
| Introduction to Discrete Mathematics | ||
| Formal Logic | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 10-11 | |
- 1
Lab optional
- 2
Lab required
See the undergraduate degrees menu for specific requirements or recommendations for the following programs: Biology (BA), Biology (BS), Biology and Secondary Education (BA), Chemistry (BA), Chemistry (BS), Chemistry and Secondary Education (BA), Computer Science (BS), Earth and Space Science - Astrophysics and Planetary Geology track, (BS), Earth and Space Science - Environmental Science track (BS), Earth and Space Science - Geology track (BS), Earth and Space Science - Secondary Education track (BS), Health Science (BS), Mathematics (BA), Mathematics (BS), Mathematics and Secondary Education (BA), and Nursing (BSN).
Area E – Social Sciences
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. History. Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| U. S. History to 1865 | ||
| U. S. History since 1865 | ||
| American Government. Take the following course: | ||
| POLS 1101 | American Government | 3 |
| Behavioral Science. Select one of the following courses: | 3 | |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| Moral Philosophy | ||
| Introduction to General Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Sociology | ||
| World Cultures. Select one of the following courses: | 3 | |
| Cultural Anthropology | ||
| Discovering Archaeology | ||
| Ancient World Civilizations | ||
| Language and Culture | ||
| Language and Culture | ||
| World Regional Geography | ||
| World History to 1500 | ||
| World History since 1500 | ||
| Understanding Non-Western Cultures | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |