Dec 11, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

1410 Core Curriculum Requirements



Core Curriculum Requirements


Return to: 1400 University Degree Requirements and Graduation  

Core IMPACTS Curriculum Requirements 

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 IMPACTS 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 IMPACTS curriculum, changes may occur periodically in its configuration. Every attempt will be made to notify students when such changes occur. 

The core IMPACTS curriculum is 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 these areas and select a major before taking courses in the Field of Study. Students who have chosen a major before the completion of core IMPACTS curriculum 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. 

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 this section.

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 this section.

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 this section.

Mathematics & Quantitative Skills (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 the Field of Study 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 . Engineering students are required to take MATH 2211 . It is recommended that all other science and mathematics majors listed above take MATH 1113 . 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 their Mathematics & Quantitative skills courses must enroll in the next course necessary to make progress towards completion 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 towards completion.

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

Political Science and US History (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 )

Arts, Humanities & Ethics (6 Credit Hours)


This section includes course work in Fine Arts, Humanities, World Languages and Cultures. Some foreign language courses are not open to native speakers of that language. Please consult the course description before making a selection in this section. Placement exams in French, German, and Spanish are available. See Placement Testing  for more information.

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

World Languages and Cultures


Communication in Writing (6 Credit Hours)


ENGL 1101   & ENGL 1102  are the standard writing and communications courses at Georgia State. However, students meeting specific eligibility requirements may take ENGL 1103  - Advanced English Composition in the Communicating in Writing section. See your academic advisor for additional information. 

Students who have earned 30 hours but have not completed these courses must enroll in the next course necessary to make progress toward completing them 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 towards completion of the requirement. 

Technology, Mathematics and Sciences (11 Credit Hours)


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 ). Please review the two groups below to make up the course work for this section. 

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 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.

Social Science (6 Credit Hours)


Students must take three credit hours of a standard social science and another 3 credit hours from the Global course grouping - for a total of 6 credit hours of social sciences. 

Field of Study (18 Credit Hours)


Courses in the Field of Study, which constitute the remaining 18 semester hours in the core IMPACTS 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 core IMPACTS curriculum. 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.