CORE Curriculum of the University System of Georgia

The Core Curriculum of the University System of Georgia has been established for the general purpose of providing a basic, broad-based, general education in essential academic skills, in different perspectives on the common culture, in humanities, fine arts, science, mathematics, technology, social sciences, and other academic courses which are appropriate for preparation for the student’s major.

The Core Curriculum facilitates the educational progress of students as they pursue baccalaureate degrees within and among the various units of the University System of Georgia. It represents an effort to deal effectively with students’ curricular problems resulting from increased enrollments, increased numbers of students enrolled in two-year colleges, increased mobility of student populations, increasing numbers, and complexity of major fields of study offered in four-year schools and universities, and the transfer of credit among units of the University System of Georgia.

The Core Curriculum is composed of 60 required semester hours in several areas of study:

Area A	Essential Skills	9 semester hours
Area B	Institutional Options	4 semester hours (at VSU, Perspectives)
Area C	Humanities and Fine Arts	6 semester hours
Area D	Science, Mathematics, and Technology	11 semester hours
Area E	Social Sciences	12 semester hours*
Area F	Courses Appropriate to the Major	18 semester hours

*In the 2000-2001 VSU Undergraduate Catalogue, PSYC 2700, Human Growth and Development, was incorrectly listed as an acceptable course for Area E (Social Sciences) of the core curriculum. Because of this error, the Office for Academic Affairs has been allowing course substitutions for PSYC 2700 in Area E. Effective Fall 2004, Academic Affairs will not sign any further substitutions except for those students who entered under the 2000-2001 catalogue.