Core Curriculum
The University System of Georgia (USG) comprises a diverse array of colleges and universities. A common Core Curriculum for the USG was established over four decades ago to create a coherent set of general education requirements that would facilitate ease of transfer of credit across member institutions of the USG. The design of the USG Core Curriculum generally follows common practice in colleges and universities across the country for the composition of general education coursework, facilitating transfer of credit beyond the USG member institutions as well.
Within the liberal arts tradition, the general education component of a four-year undergraduate degree program is expected to provide students with broad exposure in their freshman and sophomore years to studies in the arts and sciences. The purpose of such studies is to foster the development of foundational knowledge and skills upon which deeper and more specialized studies in the student's chosen major field taken during their junior and senior year can be well-rooted and supported.
The composition and learning objectives of ASU’s Core Curriculum in Areas A through E are outlined below. Note too the links at the top of this page to the three different sets of Core Curriculum requirements for students interested in pursuing majors in STEM areas (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), health professions, and other non-STEM fields of study.
- Area A (Essential Skills): 9 semester hours
- Area A1 Learning Outcome (Communication): Students will communicate effectively by crafting documents that demonstrate adequate content development, clarity of organization, and appropriate style, usage, and documentation. (6 semester hours)
- Area A2 Learning Outcome (Quantitative): Students will demonstrate the ability to express and apply mathematical information symbolically, graphically, numerically, or verbally to solve a variety of problems. (3* semester hours)
- Area B (Institutional Options)
- Area B Learning Outcome: 5 semester hours
- Diversity: Students will demonstrate understanding of diverse peoples, cultures, and perspectives within a global society. (2 semester hours)
- Communication- Students will demonstrate understanding and proficiency of verbal and non-verbal communication through preparation and presentation in a variety of contexts. (3 semester hours)
- Area B Learning Outcome: 5 semester hours
- Area C (Humanities, Fine Arts, and Ethics): 6 semester hours
- Area C Learning Outcome:Students will critically analyze forms of artistic and social expression that reflect values from a cultural or an informed personal perspective.
- Area D (Natural Science, Mathematics, and Technology) (10-11* semester hours)
- Area D Learning Outcome:Students will demonstrate an understanding of the physical or biological perspectives of the universe using the scientific method, mathematical concepts, or logical reasoning.
- Area E (Social Sciences): 12 semester hours
- Area E Learning Outcome: Students will analyze historical, political, social, spatial, psychological processes and how they impact the diversity of the human experience.
- Hours Required Outside the Core: 3 semester hours
- *
STEM majors who take 4 credits in AREA A2 and/or Area D may apply the additional credit(s) in AREA F.
Core Curriculum for STEM majors
Code | Title | Semester Hours |
---|---|---|
Area A1: Communication Skills | ||
Minimum grade of “C” required in each course | ||
Select 6 semester hours from the following: | 6 | |
English Composition I | ||
or ENGL 1101H | English Composition I Honors | |
English Composition II | ||
or ENGL 1102H | English Composition II Honors | |
Area A2: Quantitative Skills | ||
Students who take calculus in Area A2 will have taken 1 extra hour that may be applied in Area F or general/free electives of the degree program. | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Quantitative Reasoning | ||
College Algebra | ||
Trigonometry | ||
Pre-Calculus | ||
Calculus I | ||
Area B: Institutional Options | ||
Select one of the following: | 2 | |
Cultural Diversity in Communication | ||
Introduction to the African Diaspora | ||
Current World Problems | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Communicating in the Business Environment | ||
Human Communications | ||
Public Speaking | ||
Area C: Humanities/Fine Arts | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
World Literature I | ||
or ENGL 2111H | World LIterature I Honors | |
World Literature II | ||
or ENGL 2112H | World Literature II Honors | |
Survey of British Literature I | ||
Survey of British Literature II | ||
Survey/American Literature I | ||
American Literature II | ||
African-American Literature I | ||
African-American Literature II | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Art Appreciation | ||
Dance Appreciation | ||
Elementary French I | ||
Elementary French II | ||
Intermediate French I | ||
Intermediate French II | ||
Elementary Latin I | ||
Elementary Latin II | ||
Intermediate Latin I | ||
Intermediate Latin II | ||
Music Appreciation | ||
Introduction to Japanese I | ||
Introduction to Japanese II | ||
Intermediate Japanese I | ||
Intermediate Japanese II | ||
Elementary Spanish I | ||
Elementary Spanish II | ||
Intermediate Spanish I | ||
Intermediate Spanish II | ||
Theater Appreciation | ||
Area D: Science, Math & Tech | ||
Select one of the following: | 8 | |
Principles of Biology I and Principles of Biology II | ||
Principles of Chemistry I and Principles of Chemistry II | ||
Introductory Physics I and Introductory Physics II | ||
Principles of Physics I and Principles of Physics II | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Students who take a calculus course in Area D will have taken 1 extra hour that may be applied in Area F or general/free electives of the degree program. | ||
Introduction to Computer Science | ||
Calculus I | ||
Calculus II | ||
Calculus III | ||
Introduction to Statistics | ||
Area E: Social Sciences | ||
POLS 1101 | American Government | 3 |
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Survey of World History I | ||
Survey of World History II | ||
Survey of American History I | ||
Survey of American History II | ||
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
Intro to Anthropology | ||
Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
Intro to Human Geography | ||
Survey of World History I | ||
Survey of World History II | ||
Survey of American History I | ||
Survey of American History II | ||
Minorities in America | ||
Introduction to Political Science | ||
General Psychology | ||
Introduction to Sociology | ||
Total Semester Hours | 43 |
Core Curriculum for Non-STEM majors
Code | Title | Semester Hours |
---|---|---|
Area A1: Communication Skills | ||
Minimum grade of “C” required in each course | ||
Select 6 semester hours from the following: | 6 | |
English Composition I | ||
or ENGL 1101H | English Composition I Honors | |
English Composition II | ||
or ENGL 1102H | English Composition II Honors | |
Area A2: Quantitative Skills | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Students who take calculus in Area A2 will have taken 1 extra hour that may be applied in Area F or general/free electives of the degree program. | ||
Quantitative Reasoning | ||
College Algebra | ||
Trigonometry | ||
Pre-Calculus | ||
Calculus I | ||
Area B: Institutional Options | ||
Select one of the following: | 2 | |
Cultural Diversity in Communication | ||
Introduction to the African Diaspora | ||
Current World Problems | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Communicating in the Business Environment | ||
Human Communications | ||
Public Speaking | ||
Area C: Humanities/Fine Arts | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
World Literature I | ||
or ENGL 2111H | World LIterature I Honors | |
World Literature II | ||
or ENGL 2112H | World Literature II Honors | |
Survey of British Literature I | ||
Survey of British Literature II | ||
Survey/American Literature I | ||
American Literature II | ||
African-American Literature I | ||
African-American Literature II | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Art Appreciation | ||
Dance Appreciation | ||
Elementary French I | ||
Elementary French II | ||
Intermediate French I | ||
Intermediate French II | ||
Elementary Latin I | ||
Elementary Latin II | ||
Intermediate Latin I | ||
Intermediate Latin II | ||
Music Appreciation | ||
Introduction to Japanese I | ||
Introduction to Japanese II | ||
Intermediate Japanese I | ||
Intermediate Japanese II | ||
Elementary Spanish I | ||
Elementary Spanish II | ||
Intermediate Spanish I | ||
Intermediate Spanish II | ||
Theater Appreciation | ||
Area D: Science, Math & Tech | ||
Non-STEM majors choose one four-hour lab science course and choose two additional courses from the math/technology area. | 10 | |
Non-sequence lab science courses | ||
Introduction to Environmental Biology 1 | ||
Introduction to Biological Sciences 1 | ||
Intro to Biological Sciences | ||
Physical Science I 1 | ||
Physical Science II 1 | ||
Sequence lab science courses (first course in each sequence is a prerequisite for the second course in the sequence) | ||
Principles of Biology I and Principles of Biology II 1 | ||
Survey of Chemistry I and Survey of Chemistry II 1 | ||
Principles of Chemistry I and Principles of Chemistry II 1 | ||
Introductory Physics I and Introductory Physics II 1 | ||
Principles of Physics I and Principles of Physics II | ||
Math/Technology Courses (select two courses from this list – see footnote for additional options) 2 | ||
Introduction to Computer Science | ||
Pre-Calculus | ||
Calculus I | ||
Calculus II | ||
Calculus III | ||
Introduction to Statistics | ||
Area E: Social Sciences | ||
POLS 1101 | American Government | 3 |
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Survey of World History I | ||
Survey of World History II | ||
Survey of American History I | ||
Survey of American History II | ||
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
Intro to Anthropology | ||
Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
Intro to Human Geography | ||
Survey of World History I | ||
Survey of World History II | ||
Survey of American History I | ||
Survey of American History II | ||
Minorities in America | ||
Introduction to Political Science | ||
General Psychology | ||
Introduction to Sociology | ||
Total Semester Hours | 42 |
- 1
Cannot use the following combinations for completion of Area D: BIOL 1011K and BIOL 1111K; BIOL 2107K, BIOL 1110K, or BIOL 1111K; CHEM 1151K and CHEM 1211K; PHSC 1011K and PHYS 1111K or PHYS 2211K; PHSC 1012K and CHEM 1151K or CHEM 1211K.
- 2
Non-STEM majors may choose to take two courses from the Math/Technology area or one course from the Math/Technology area along with an additional lab science course. Please note that for the lab science courses that are listed as sequences, the first course must be taken before taking the second course in the sequence.
Non-STEM majors who elect to take a second lab science and/or calculus course in Area D will have taken 1 or 2 extra hours that may be applied in Area F or general/free electives of the degree program.
Core Curriculum for Health Sciences
Code | Title | Semester Hours |
---|---|---|
Area A1: Communication Skills | ||
Minimum grade of “C” required in each course | ||
Select 6 semester hours from the following: | 6 | |
English Composition I | ||
or ENGL 1101H | English Composition I Honors | |
English Composition II | ||
or ENGL 1102H | English Composition II Honors | |
Area A2: Quantitative Skills | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Students who take calculus in Area A2 will have taken 1 extra hour that may be applied in Area F or general/free electives of the degree program. | ||
Quantitative Reasoning | ||
College Algebra | ||
Trigonometry | ||
Pre-Calculus | ||
Calculus I | ||
Area B: Institutional Options | ||
Select one of the following: | 2 | |
Cultural Diversity in Communication | ||
Introduction to the African Diaspora | ||
Current World Problems | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Communicating in the Business Environment | ||
Human Communications | ||
Public Speaking | ||
Area C: Humanities/Fine Arts | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
World Literature I | ||
or ENGL 2111H | World LIterature I Honors | |
World Literature II | ||
or ENGL 2112H | World Literature II Honors | |
Survey of British Literature I | ||
Survey of British Literature II | ||
Survey/American Literature I | ||
American Literature II | ||
African-American Literature I | ||
African-American Literature II | ||
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Art Appreciation | ||
Dance Appreciation | ||
Elementary French I | ||
Elementary French II | ||
Intermediate French I | ||
Intermediate French II | ||
Elementary Latin I | ||
Elementary Latin II | ||
Intermediate Latin I | ||
Intermediate Latin II | ||
Music Appreciation | ||
Introduction to Japanese I | ||
Introduction to Japanese II | ||
Intermediate Japanese I | ||
Intermediate Japanese II | ||
Elementary Spanish I | ||
Elementary Spanish II | ||
Intermediate Spanish I | ||
Intermediate Spanish II | ||
Theater Appreciation | ||
Area D: Science, Math & Tech | ||
Select one of the following lab science sequences: | 8 | |
Introduction to Biological Sciences and Intro to Biological Sciences | ||
Principles of Biology I and Principles of Biology II | ||
Survey of Chemistry I and Survey of Chemistry II | ||
Principles of Chemistry I and Principles of Chemistry II | ||
Introductory Physics I and Introductory Physics II | ||
Principles of Physics I and Principles of Physics II | ||
Select one of the following math/technology courses: | 3 | |
Students who take a calculus course in Area D will have taken 1 extra hour that may be applied in Area F or general/free electives of the degree program. | ||
Introduction to Computer Science | ||
Pre-Calculus | ||
Calculus I | ||
Calculus II | ||
Calculus III | ||
Introduction to Statistics | ||
Area E: Social Sciences | ||
POLS 1101 | American Government | 3 |
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
Survey of World History I | ||
Survey of World History II | ||
Survey of American History I | ||
Survey of American History II | ||
Select two of the following: | 6 | |
Intro to Anthropology | ||
Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
Intro to Human Geography | ||
Survey of World History I | ||
Survey of World History II | ||
Survey of American History I | ||
Survey of American History II | ||
Minorities in America | ||
Introduction to Political Science | ||
General Psychology | ||
Introduction to Sociology | ||
Total Semester Hours | 43 |