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Core curriculum

VSU Semester Core Curriculum 60 SEMESTER HOURS REQUIRED
  • Any additional hours selected in the Core Curriculum by the student may be counted as electives in the major program, if allowed by the major program.
AREA A (9 SEMESTER Hrs) BOTH REQUIRED:
  • ENGL 1101 Composition I (3 hours)
  • ENGL 1102 Composition II (3 hours)
ONE REQUIRED FROM THE FOLLOWING:
  • MATH 1101 Introduction to Mathematical Modeling (3 hours)
  • MATH 1111 College Algebra (3 hours)
  • MATH 1113 Precalculus (3 hours)
  • MATH 2261 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (4 hours)
  • MATH 2262 Analytic Geometry and Calculus II (4 hours)
NOTE: MATH 1113 (or higher) is required of all students majoring in (or intending to transfer within the University System with a major in) architecture, astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering technology, mathematics, physical therapy, or physics. MATH 2261 (or higher) is required of all students intending to transfer within the University System with a major in engineering.
AREA B (4 SEMESTER Hrs) TWO COURSES (Required in different perspectives; e.g. one each from levels numbered 21##, 22##, 23##, 24##, 25##, or 26##).  Course offerings listed are not complete.  Students should check the current catalog for current course availability.

1. Perspectives on Ethics/Values

  • PERS 2110 Ethical Concepts in Technology (2 hours)
  • PERS 2120 Ethics and the News Media (2 hours)
2. Perspectives on Tradition and Change
  • PERS 2210 Women's Voices (2 hours)
  • PERS 2220 Georgia, A Spanish Borderland (2 hours)
  • PERS 2230 Culture and Politics of the South (2 hours)
3. Perspectives on Human Expression
  • PERS 2300 Stimulating Creative Behavior (2 hours)
  • PERS 2310 Literature and Journalism (2 hours)
  • PERS 2320 Cultural Representations in the Press (2 hours)
  • PERS 2330 Women in the Visual Arts (2 hours)
  • PERS 2340 Female Heroes in Religion & the Arts (2 hours)
  • PERS 2350 Religion and Culture (2 hours)
  • PERS 2360 The Development of Fr, Eng, & Am. Theatre (2 hours)
  • PERS 2370 American Film (2 hours)
  • PERS 2380 Arts Perspective (2 hours)
  • PERS 2381 Arts Perspective II (2 hours)
  • PERS 2390 Communication Systems (2 hours)
  • PERS 2391 Experiences in Communication Arts (2 hours)
4. Perspectives on the Environment/Physical World
  • PERS 2410 History of Space Flight (2 hours)
  • PERS 2420 Scientific Dimensions of Environmental Change (2 hours)
  • PERS 2430 Nutrition (2 hours)
  • PERS 2440 The Built Environment (2 hours)
  • PERS 2450 The New Millennium (2 hours)
  • PERS 2460 Science and Humanities, Exploring the World (2 hours)
  • PERS 2470 Reading the Earth (2 hours)
  • PERS 2480 Infectious Diseases and History (2 hours)
5. Perspectives on Race/Gender
  • PERS 2510 African American Art and Culture (2 hours)
  • PERS 2520 Women and the Press (2 hours)
  • PERS 2530 Gender, Justice, and the Family (2 hours)
  • PERS 2540 The Myth of Southern Womanhood (2 hours)
6. Perspectives on Cross-Cultural Understanding/Expression
  • PERS 2610 Tradition and Identity (2 hours)
  • PERS 2620 Literature & History of the Vietnam War (2 hours)
  • PERS 2630 Racism in Retreat (2 hours)
  • PERS 2640 Law and Justice Around the World (2 hours)
  • PERS 2650 Christianity and Islam (2 hours)
  • PERS 2660 Culture, Context, & Communication (2 hours)
  • PERS 2670 Latin American Studies (2 hours)
  • PERS 2680 Crossroads, Cross Cultures - Exploring the Global Village (2 hours)
  • PERS 2690 Multicultural America (2 hours)
AREA C HUMANITIES/FINE ARTS (6 SEMESTER Hrs) ONE REQUIRED FROM THE FOLLOWING:
  • ENGL 2110 World Literature l: The Ancient World (3 hours)
  • ENGL 2120 World Literature II: The Age of Discovery (3 hours)
  • ENGL 2130 World Literature III: The Develop. of Modern Thought (3 hours)
  • ENGL 2140 World Literature IV: Genres of World Literature (3 hours)
ONE REQUIRED FROM THE FOLLOWING (Course listings are not complete!):
Note:  Biology students are advised to choose a foreign language course in this core area to start to fulfill their College of Arts and Sciences language requirement for graduation.  Taking this course to fulfill this requirement now will increase biology students free elective offerings in their upper division work.
  • ARAP 1100 Intro to the Visual Arts (3 hours)
  • COMM 1100 Human Communication (3 hours)
  • DANC 1500 Introduction to Dance (3 hours)
  • MUSC 2400 Introduction to Music (3 hours)
  • MUSC 2450 Introduction to World Music (3 hours)
  • TELE 2000 Introduction to Mass Media (3 hours)
  • THEA 1100 Theatre Appreciation (3 hours)
  • PHIL 2010 Fundamentals of Philosophy (3 hours)
  • PHIL 2020 Principles of Logic & Argumentation (3 hours)
  • WMST 2010 Women in the Humanities (3 hours)
  • ENGL 2110 World Literature l: The Ancient World (3 hours)
  • ENGL 2120 World Literature II: The Age of Discovery (3 hours)
  • ENGL 2130 World Literature III: The Develop. of Modern Thought (3 hours)
  • ENGL 2140 World Literature IV: The Genres of World Literature (3 hours)
  • FREN 1001 Beg. French Lang./Intro. to Francophone Cultures I (3 hours)
  • FREN 1002 Beg. French Lang./Intro. to Francophone Cultures II (3 hours)
  • FREN 1111 Intensive French Lang. & Francophone Cultures (3 hours)
  • FREN 2001 Intermediate French Lang. & Francophone Cultures I (3 hours)
  • FREN 2002 Intermediate French Lang. & Francophone Cultures II (3 hours)
  • GRMN 1001 Beg. German Lang. & Intro. to German Culture I (3 hours)
  • GRMN 1002 Beg. German Lang. & Intro. to German Culture II (3 hours)
  • GRMN 1111 Intensive German Lang. & German Culture (3 hours)
  • GRMN 2001 Intermediate German Lang. & German Culture I (3 hours)
  • GRMN 2002 Intermediate German Lang. & German Culture II (3 hours)
  • JAPN 1001 Beg. Japanese Lang. & Intro. to Japanese Culture I (3 hours)
  • JAPN 1002 Beg. Japanese Lang. & Intro. to Japanese Culture II (3 hours)
  • JAPN 1111 Intensive Japanese Lang. & Japanese Culture (3 hours)
  • JAPN 2001 Intermediate Japanese Lang. & Japanese Culture I (3 hours)
  • JAPN 2002 Intermediate Japanese Lang. & Japanese Culture II (3 hours)
  • LATN 1001 Beg. Latin Lang. & Introduction to Roman Culture I (3 hours)
  • LATN 1002 Beg. Latin Lang. & Introduction to Roman Culture II (3 hours)
  • LATN 1111 Intensive Latin Lang. & Roman Culture (3 hours)
  • LATN 2001 Intermediate Latin Lang. & Roman Culture (3 hours)
  • LATN 2002 Fundamentals of Roman Lit. & Roman Culture (3 hours)
  • RUSS 1001 Beg. Russian Lang. & Intro. to Russian Culture I (3 hours)
  • RUSS 1002 Beg. Russian Lang. & Intro. to Russian Culture II (3 hours)
  • RUSS 1111 Intensive Russian Lang. & Russian Culture (3 hours)
  • RUSS 2001 Intermediate Russian Lang. & Russian Culture I (3 hours)
  • RUSS 2002 Intermediate Russian Lang. & Russian Culture II (3 hours)
  • SPAN 1001 Beg Spanish Lang. & Intro. to Hispanic Cultures I (3 hours)
  • SPAN 1002 Beg. Spanish Lang. & Intro. to Hispanic Cultures II (3 hours)
  • SPAN 1111 Intensive Spanish Lang. &Hispanic Cultures (3 hours)
  • SPAN 2001 Intermediate Spanish Lang. & Hispanic Cultures I (3 hours)
  • SPAN 2002 Intermediate Spanish Lang. & Hispanic Cultures II (3 hours)

AREA D (SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS & TECHNOLOGY) (11 SEMESTER Hrs) 

  • Science and mathematics majors must follow D.ll.a requirements.
  • Nursing majors must follow D.ll.b requirements.
  • All other students may choose D.l., D.ll.a, or D.ll.b.
AREA D.ll.a 

Required of astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer science, environmental geography, mathematics, and physics majors and all students in the pre-engineering program.  Mathematics, above the level taken for Area A (3 hours)

For biology majors (one of the following): 

  • MATH 2261 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (4 hours)
  • MATH 2262 Analytic Geometry and Calculus II (4 hours)
  • MATH 2620 Statistical Methods (3 hours)
For all other science or mathematics majors
  • MATH 2261 Analytic Geometry and Calculus I (4 hours)
  • MATH 2262 Analytic Geometry and Calculus II (4 hours)
The additional hour of calculus counts in Area F or in the upper division major. 

Science (for all students listed above) (8 hours; Biology majors are advised to take their general chemistry or physics sequence here)

  • BIOL 2010 Introductory Biology for Majors (4 hours) 
  • CHEM 1211K Principles of Chemistry I (4 hours)    (Most Bio majors take this for Area D)
  • CHEM 1212K Principles of Chemistry II (4 hours)   (Most Bio majors take this for Area D)
  • PHYS 2211K Principles of Physics I (4 hours)
  • PHYS 2212K Principles of Physics II (4 hours)

AREA E (SOCIAL SCIENCES) (12 SEMESTER Hrs)  ONE REQUIRED FROM THE FOLLOWING TWO: 
  • HIST 2111 United States History to 1865 (3 hours)
  • HIST 2112 United States History Since 1865 (3 hours)
REQUIRED: 
  • POLS 1101 American Government I (3 hours)
TWO REQUIRED FROM THE FOLLOWING: 
  • AFAM/WMST 2020 Race, Class, and Gender (3 hours)
  • ANTH 1102 Fundamentals of Anthropology (3 hours)
  • ECON 1500 Survey of Economics (3 hours)
  • GEOG 1101 Introduction to Human Geography (3 hours)
  • GEOG 1102 World Regional Geography (3 hours)
  • GEOG 1103 Geographic Perspectives on Multiculturalism in the U.S. (3 hours)
  • HIST 1011 History of Civilization I (3 hours)
  • HIST 1012 History of Civilization II (3 hours)
  • HIST 1013 History of Civilization III (3 hours)
  • POLS 2101 Fundamentals of Political Science (3 hours)
  • POLS 2401 Intro to Global Issues (3 hours)
  • POLS 1102 American Government II (3 hours)
  • PSYC 2500 Fundamentals of Psychology (3 hours)
  • SOCI 1101 Fundamentals of Sociology (3 hours)
  • SOCI 1160 Intro to Social Problems (3 hours)

AREA F (COURSES APPROPRIATE TO THE MAJOR) (18 SEMESTER Hrs)

  • Requirements vary according to the major program. 
For Biology Majors: Core Curriculum Area F (18 Hours)
  • BIOL 2010 Introductory Biology (4 Hours)
  • BIOL 2230 General Botany (4 Hours)  OR BIOL 2270 General Zoology (4 Hours)
      (Second course taken in Upper division credit requirements)
  • CHEM 1211 General Chemistry I (4 Hours)     These two courses usually applied to 
  • CHEM 1212 General Chemistry I (4 Hours)      Area DII.a. credit requirements
  • PHYS 1111 Introduction to Physics I (4 Hours)   (Most Bio majors take this for Area F)
  • PHYS 1112 Introduction to Physics II (4 Hours)  (Most Bio majors take this for Area F)
  • Foreign Language (3 Hours)
Between Areas D II and F, biology majors must complete 20 hours of science. All the science course listed for Area F must be taken as part of the major, the exception being physics. To satisfy the 8 hours of required physics, a student has a choice of taking non-calculus based physics in Area F or calculus based physics in Area D II. Any course listed in Area F that is not taken as part of the required 20 hours of science in Areas D II and F must be taken as part of the final 60 hours of the bachelor’s degree.