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University Studies Guidelines

BREADTH COURSES

All students must take an American Institutions breadth course.
Students must take one breadth course from each of the six areas.
Two of the six breadth courses must be University Studies integrated courses (e.g., USU 1300). Integrated courses should not be cross-listed as departmental courses. SCH generated by integrated courses will be credited to the department which provides the instructor.
Except for the basic quantitative literacy courses (Math 1030 and 1050, and Stat 1040), breadth courses cannot have prerequisites.
In addition to integrated and approved courses, some course sequences may be used to satisfy breadth requirements (e.g., Chem 1210 and 1220 as physical sciences for biology majors).
Departments propose breadth courses by submitting an approval form to the General Education Subcommittee. The approval process is ongoing.

CI courses may be at any undergraduate level.
CI courses can also be depth and/or quantitative intensive courses.
CI courses cannot be breadth courses.
CI courses may involve oral communications, but must involve a substantial writing component.
CI courses should build on skills developed in English 1010 and English 2010.
Students must take two CI courses. The intent is that most students should be able to meet the CI requirement by taking courses that are part of their major. This may not be possible in every case, but departments should consider each major emphasis and try to identify CI courses within each emphasis.
Based on #6, it should not be necessary for most departments to designate a large number of CI courses.
Departments propose CI courses by submitting an approval form to the General Education Subcommittee. The approval process is ongoing.

QI courses may be at any undergraduate level.
QI courses can also be depth and/or communications intensive courses.
QI courses cannot be breadth courses.
QI courses should build on Math 1030, Stat 1040, Math 1050, or other courses that students use to meet the basic quantitative literacy requirement.
Students must take one QI course. The intent is that most students should be able to meet the QI requirement by taking a course that is part of their major. This may not be possible in every case, but departments should consider each major emphasis and try to identify a QI course within each emphasis.
Based on #5, it should not be necessary for most departments to designate a large number of QI courses.
Departments propose QI courses by submitting an approval form to the General Education Subcommittee. The approval process is ongoing.

Students must take two depth courses--one from each of the two "triads" (e.g., Life and Physical Sciences, Humanities and Creative Arts, and Social Sciences) outside of their major.
Depth courses must be at the 3000 level or above.
Depth courses can also be communications and/or quantitative intensive courses.
Depth courses may have prerequisites, but, hopefully, many will not. Prerequisites do not have to be approved breadth courses, but this is encouraged.
Departments propose depth courses by submitting an approval form to the General Education Subcommittee. The approval process is ongoing.

Students who transfer to USU with an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree or who have completed their general education requirements at another institution with which USU has an articulation agreement, will be certified as having completed their General Education requirements for graduation from USU. However, transfer students must still complete the Depth Education requirements (Communications Intensive, Quantitative Intensive, and Depth Courses) if an equivalent course was not taken at a previous institution.
Students who do not meet the criteria of #1 will:
- Be required to complete all of the University Studies requirements.
- Be allowed, on a course-by-course basis, to transfer courses to meet University Studies competency, breadth, and depth requirements.
State law requires that all students must fulfill the American Institutions requirement in order to receive a baccalaureate degree.

Students who attended USU for the first time during Fall 1998 or later are required to complete the University Studies program. Students who attended USU prior to Fall 1998 will have the option of completing the Quarter General Education program or the University Studies requirements. Students who transfer to USU Fall 2000 or later must satisfy the University Studies requirements.
Students needing semester courses to complete the former Quarter General Education requirements can use:
- Semester courses approved for University Studies,
- Semester courses which are directly equivalent to quarter courses approved for General Education, or
- Semester courses which their advisor determines to be generally equivalent to quarter courses approved for General Education.

General Education requirements for applied associate degrees offered by USU are as follows: