Utah State University’s General Education (GE) program provides the subject-area knowledge and learning skills foundation for its 2- and 4-year degrees. Core courses make up the general education foundation. Breadth courses give an opportunity to explore various subjects. General education courses are highly advisable for concurrent enrollment students; they are required for college graduation and transferable from one Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) institution to another.
Review Gen Ed Requirements (PDF)
Selecting Classes
- Review the class list below with parents and counselors. Select one class from each category.
- Speak with an expert about your choices.
- Ask a high school counselor which GE classes are available at your school; ask about other ways to fulfill GE requirements (AP, for example).
- Ask a USU academic advisor how course choices fit different certificate or degree programs.
Core
Composition (CL1 and CL2)
Complete 3 credits in each of these courses.
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 1010 | Writing as Inquiry (CL1) | 3 |
| ENGL 2010 | Research and Argument Across Perspectives (CL2) | 3 |
Quantitative Literacy (QL)
Complete 3 credits in one of these courses.
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| STAT 1040 | Intro to Statistics | 3 |
| MATH 1050 | College Algebra | 4 |
| MATH 1210 | Calculus I | 4 |
American Institutions (BAI)
Complete 3 credits in one of these courses.
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ECN 1500 | Intro to Economic Institutions, History, and Principles | 3 |
| HIST 1700 | American Civilization | 3 |
| POLS 1100 | United States Government and Politics | 3 |
Breadth
Breadth Creative Arts (BCA)
Complete 3 credits in one of these courses.
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ART 1010 | Exploring Art | 3 |
| LAEP 1030 | Introduction to Landscape Architecture | 3 |
| MUSC 1010 | Intro to Music | 3 |
| THEA 1013 | Understanding Theater | 3 |
Breadth Humanities (BHU)
Complete 3 credits in one of these courses.
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CMST 1020 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| CMST 2110 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 2200 | Understanding Literature | 3 |
| USU 1320 | Civilization: Humanities | 3 |
Breadth Social Sciences (BSS)
Complete 3 credits in one of these courses.
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 1010 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| ASTE 2900 | Humanity in the Food Web | 3 |
| BUSN 1010 | Business Principles | 3 |
| CJ 1010 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 |
| FCSE 1350 | Financial Literacy | 3 |
| HDFS 1500 | Human Development Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| HDFS 2400 | Couple and Family Relationships | 3 |
| JCOM 1500 | Intro to Mass Communication | 3 |
| PSY 1010 | General Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 1010 | Introductory Sociology | 3 |
Breadth Life Science (BLS)
Complete 3 credits in one of these courses.
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ADVS 1110 | Introduction to Animal Science | 3 |
| BIOL 1010 | Biology and the Citizen | 3 |
| ENVS 1350 | Introduction to Environmental Science | 3 |
| HEAL 1500 | Anatomy and Physiology | 3 |
| NDFS 1020 | Science and Application of Human Nutrition | 3 |
| PSC 1800 | Intro to Horticulture | 3 |
| WILD 2200 | Ecology of Our Changing World | 3 |
Breadth Physical Science (BPS)
Complete 3 credits in one of these courses.
| Course Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| CHEM 1010 | Introduction to Chemistry | 3 |
| CS 1030 | Foundations of Computer Science | 3 |
| GEO 1060 | Introduction to Environmental Geoscience | 3 |
| PHYS 1010 | Elementary Physics | 3 |
| PSC 2040 | Aviation Weather | 3 |
- 30 semester credit hours are required to complete USU General Education.
- USU offers a certificate of completion in General Education.