Dec 11, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

1410 Core Curriculum Requirements



Core Curriculum Requirements


Return to: 1400 University Degree Requirements and Graduation  

Georgia State University requires all students seeking an associate’s or bachelor’s degree to satisfactorily complete a basic core of general education subjects. Georgia State’s core curriculum provides students with a broad background in general education and reflects the special mission of this university as an urban research institution with an international, multi-ethnic, and multi-cultural focus. Because of ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of the core curriculum, changes may occur periodically in its configuration. Every attempt will be made to notify students when such changes occur.

Areas A through E of the core curriculum are designed to provide students with a wide array of courses as a means of gaining a basic education in the liberal arts and assisting students in their choice of a major. Students should normally choose among the courses in areas A to E and select a major before taking courses in Area F. Students who have chosen a major before the completion of Areas A through E should review the departmental sections of the catalog to see specific recommendations for course selection. Some programs, such as art, music, and nursing, require students to begin major-related coursework in their freshman year to meet course sequencing requirements.

There are restricted choices for some majors in Areas A and D. Students must follow the degree-specific requirements listed in Areas A and D for the programs they are pursuing.

Students who are planning to transfer to Georgia State from other institutions in the University System of Georgia should note that this is Georgia State’s core curriculum and is to be followed by students who choose to complete the core curriculum at this university. The core curriculum at a student’s current University System of Georgia (USG) institution may contain different courses. However, Georgia State will grant credit for any approved core curriculum course taken at a student’s current University System of Georgia home institution even if it is different from the course offered at Georgia State.

The core curriculum completed at one USG institution is fully transferable to another system institution for the same major. However, specific situations may result in minor exceptions to this general rule. Students seeking credit for USG core curriculum courses that were not accepted during Georgia State’s admissions process or who believe that the system rules of transferability of the core curriculum are not being honored can make an appeal. Appeals should be initiated by filling out a form available in the University Advisement Center, 25 Park Place, Suites 400 and 500.

Area A1: Written Communication (6 Credit Hours)


Students meeting specific eligibility requirements may take ENGL 1103 - Advanced English Composition  in Area A1. See your academic advisor for additional information.

Students who have earned 30 hours but have not completed Area A1 must enroll in the next course necessary to make progress toward completing this Area in every semester in which they take classes. For students with Learning Support requirements in writing, taking the required Learning Support course(s) counts as making progress toward completing Area A1.

Area A2: Mathematics (3-4 Credit Hours)


Beginning Fall 2019, students may only take MATH 1111 , MATH 1113 , and MATH 2211  twice without special approval. All attempts prior to Fall 2019 will count in the two attempt limit.

If a 4 hour course is selected, the additional hour will be counted in Area F or as an elective (for bachelor’s students).

Students should select mathematics courses that are appropriate for their preferred degree program. Students are strongly advised to consult with an academic advisor before selecting a mathematics course. Specific recommendations may also be listed in the catalog section for the degree program.

Majors in sciences and mathematics programs (i.e., biology, computer science, chemistry, geology A.S., geoscience B.S., mathematics, medical technology, neuroscience, physics, radiologic sciences, and sciences/math education) are required to take either MATH 1113  or MATH 2211  in Area A2. Engineering students are required to take MATH 2211  in Area A2. It is recommended that all other science and mathematics majors listed above take MATH 1113  in Area A2. Special sections of MATH 1113  are available for majors in computer science, mathematics, neuroscience, and physics, as well as for majors in biology, chemistry, geology A.S., geoscience B.S., medical technology, radiologic sciences, and sciences/math education.

Students who have earned 30 hours but have not completed Area A2 must enroll in the next course necessary to make progress toward completing this Area in every semester in which they take classes. For students with Learning Support requirements in mathematics, taking the required Learning Support course counts as making progress toward completing Area A2.

Note: A math placement test is recommended for all students who do not have credit for an Area A math course and is required for students who wish to take MATH 1111 , College Algebra, or higher. See counselingcenter.gsu.edu/testing/ for more information.

Area B: Institutional Foundations (4 Credit Hours)


PERS 2001  is a group of interdisciplinary courses that provides a better understanding of the contemporary world through the study of different cultures. Only one course from this group may be used to fulfill requirements in Area B.

PERS 2002  is a group of interdisciplinary courses that deals with scientific approaches to important issues on the environment, public health, or technology. Only one course from this group may be used to fulfill requirements in Area B.

PERS 2003  is a group of interdisciplinary courses that focus on the human condition, how people have expressed themselves through the arts and humanities, and how such representations have had broad historical and/or contemporary impact. Only one course in this group may be used to fulfill requirements in Area B.

Additional information about institutional options is available online at advisement.gsu.edu/self-service/core-curriculum/institutional-options/.

Select two courses from the following:

Area C: Humanities, Fine Arts, and World Languages (6 Credit Hours)


Some foreign language courses are not open to native speakers of that language. Please consult the course description before making a selection in this area.

Placement exams in French, German, and Spanish are available. See Placement Testing  for more information.

Select two courses from groups 1, 2, and 3 below. The two courses may not come from the same group.

World Languages and Cultures


Area D: Natural and Computational Sciences (11 Credit Hours)


Complete the section below appropriate for your major.

Courses with a laboratory component may be offered in two different but equivalent formats: As separate lecture and lab courses (e.g., BIOL 1103  and BIOL 1103L ) or as a single course that includes both lecture and lab sections (e.g., BIOL 1103K ).

Majors Other Than Sciences, Mathematics, and Health Professions


Select one two-course sequence (8 Credit Hours)


Select one course (3-4 Credit Hours)


(must be from a discipline different from one selected in group 1 above)

If a 4 hour course is selected in this section, the additional hour will be counted in Area F or as an elective (for bachelor’s programs).

Students should select mathematics courses that are appropriate for their preferred degree program. Students are strongly advised to consult with an academic advisor before selecting a mathematics course.

Specific recommendations may also be listed in the catalog section for the degree program.

Majors in Sciences and Mathematics


(Biology, Computer Science, Chemistry, Geology A.S., Geoscience B.S., Mathematics, Medical Technology, Neuroscience, Physics, Radiologic Sciences, Sciences/Math Education)

It is recommended that students select a sequence appropriate to the major.

Select one two-course sequence (8 Credit Hours)


Select an initial calculus course


(MATH 2211 - Calculus of One Variable I  or MATH 2201 - Calculus for the Life Sciences I ) or a course with a higher number, or one that is appropriate to the major (see individual departmental degree requirements). Engineering students must take MATH 2212 - Calculus of One Variable II .

Majors in Health Professions


(Dental Hygiene, Nursing, Nutrition, Respiratory Therapy)

Select one two-course sequence (8 Credit Hours)


Note: Nutrition majors concentrating in Nutrition Science must choose CHEM 1211K  (CHEM 1211  and CHEM 1211L ) or CHEM 1212K  (or CHEM 1212  and CHEM 1212L ). Nutrition majors concentrating in Nutrition and Wellness must choose CHEM 1151K  (or CHEM 1151  and CHEM 1151L ) and CHEM 1152K  (or CHEM 1152  and CHEM 1152L ). Respiratory Therapy majors must choose CHEM 1151 /CHEM 1151L  and CHEM 1152 /CHEM 1152L  (or CHEM 1151K  and CHEM 1152K ).

Select one mathematics course from the following


Note: MATH 1401 - Elementary Statistics  (3) is recommended for all health professions majors except those in the Health Sciences A.S. in Medical Technology or Radiologic Sciences.

Area E: Social Science (12 Credit Hours)


Students who satisfy the requirements of Section 1, United States Politics and History, by examination and choose not to take HIST 2110  and POLS 1101  must select two additional courses from Section 3, Social Science Foundations. No student may take more than six hours in Area E from any one department.

United States Politics and History - Legislative Requirement (0-6 Credit Hours)


Georgia law requires all students to pass examinations on (a) the history of the United States and the history of Georgia and (b) the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Georgia. Students may satisfy these requirements by earning passing grades in HIST 2110  and POLS 1101 . (See 1425 Federal and State Constitution and History Requirements )

Global Economics, Global Politics, and World History (3 Credit Hours)


Requirement: Select one course

Area F: Lower Division Major Requirements (18 Credit Hours)


Courses in Area F, which constitute the remaining 18 semester hours in the core curriculum, may be found in the college sections on degree requirements. These listings should also be consulted to see if there are any courses recommended from among the offerings in areas A to E. Students seeking a B.S. in mathematics and secondary school teaching will be required to take an additional nine semester hours of introductory education courses above the general requirement of 18 semester hours.