Core Curriculum
Every institution in the USG will have a core curriculum (Areas A-E) of precisely 42 semester hours and an Area F of precisely 18 hours for an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or bachelor’s degree. Students working toward an associate or bachelor degree must satisfy the core requirements listed below:
Area | Area Name | Required/Possible Courses | Hours Required |
A-1 | Communication Outcomes | ENGL 1101 & ENGL 1102 | 6 hours |
A-2 | Quantitative Outcomes | MATH 1001, 1101 (eCore), 1111, 1112, 1113, or 2053/1501 (eCore) *Students should work closely with an advisor to select the appropriate math class for their major. Prerequisites must be satisfied where required. | 3 hours |
B | Institutional Options | Required: COMM 1100 or COMM 1110 Institutional Options are located in the catalog & DegreeWorks | 3-6 hours |
C | Humanities, Fine Arts, and Ethics | Required: ENGL 2114, 2114H, 2115, 2115H, 2116, 2116H, 2121, 2122, 2131, or 2132 Fine Arts Elective - such as an appreciation or additional literature course. Options can be found in the catalog & DegreeWorks | 6 hours |
D | Natural Science, Mathematics, and Technology | Options for Non-Science and Science majors can be found in the current catalog & DegreeWorks | 11-12 hours |
E | Social Sciences | Required: HIST 2111 or 2112 & POLS 1101 Social Science Electives can be found in the catalog & DegreeWorks | 9-12 hours |
F | Lower-Division Major Requirements | Lower-division course requirements can be found under each Academic Program in the catalog & DegreeWorks | 18 hours |
Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) and Associate of Nursing (ASN) degree programs follow a prescribed listing of core courses relating to each pathway, which can be found in the current catalog.
Areas A-E must add up to 42 hours - USG Requirement
Hours used in Area B determines the hours needed for Area D and E:
If B = 3, then D = 12 and E = 12
If B = 4, then D = 11 and E= 12
If B = 6, then D = 12 and E = 9
*DegreeWorks has a difficult time with math. A common mistake is using 3 hours in B, 11 in D, and 12 in E. This leaves the student at 41 core hours and unable to graduate. Always double-check the 42-hour counter in DegreeWorks.