General Education

The Purpose of the General Education Curriculum

As one means of attaining the mission of the University and of providing the student with a basic well-rounded education, all candidates for undergraduate degrees complete prescribed general education courses. The general education curriculum includes courses that introduce and reinforce learning objectives for the following learning goals:

1. Effective Communication
   • Our graduates can communicate effectively. Effective communication embraces oral, visual, and language arts, including the ability to listen, speak, read, and write. It includes the effective use of various resources and technology for personal and professional communication.
     • Our students can write effectively.
     • Our students can effectively deliver an oral presentation.
2. Personal and Social Responsibility
   • Our graduates are prepared to be personally and socially responsible citizens, having the ability to apply knowledge and skills that encourage responsible civic engagement for the advancement of society. This includes an understanding of their own and other cultures and societies and the ability to make informed and ethical decisions.
     • Our students demonstrate an understanding of the diversity of their own and other societies and cultures.
     • Our students demonstrate an understanding of the process of making informed and ethical decisions.
     • Our students demonstrate an understanding of facts within historical and cultural contexts.
3. Critical Thinking
   • Our graduates can think critically, solve problems, and make informed decisions. Critical thinking is the ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information and ideas from multiple perspectives. It includes the accurate use of terminology, information literacy, the application of scholarly and scientific methods, logical argument, and the capability for analysis and problem solving.
     • Our students use appropriate quantitative skills in making decisions.
     • Our students demonstrate an ability to think critically and creatively to analyze and solve problems.

The General Education Curriculum

The courses that comprise SAU’s general education curriculum also constitute the University’s State Minimum Core, established in accordance with ACT 747 of 2011, for implementation the fall semester 2012. ACT 747 requires colleges and universities to identify “a minimum core of courses which shall apply toward the general education core curriculum for baccalaureate degrees at state supported institutions of higher education and which shall be fully transferable between state institutions.”

All degree-seeking students shall complete a minimum of 35 semester hours of general education courses. The number of hours to be completed in each academic area is listed below. (Honors courses with permission):

Double counting with major requirements will be allowed.

English – 6 semester hours fulfilled by completing the following:
ENGL 1113 Composition I (ACTS ENGL 1013)
ENGL 1123 Composition II (ACTS ENGL 1023)

Fine Arts/Humanities – 9 semester hours (see notes 5 and 7 below):
Requirement 1: 3 hours selected from the following:
ENGL 2213 World Literature I (ACTS ENGL 2113)
ENGL 2223 World Literature II (ACTS ENGL 2123)
PHIL 2403 Introduction to Philosophy and Ethics (ACTS PHIL 1103)

Requirement 2: 6 hours selected from the following (can only include 3 hours of ART and 3 hours of Music):
ART 1103 Introduction to Game Development
ART 2013 Art Appreciation (ACTS ARTA 1003)
ENGL 2213 World Literature I (ACTS ENGL 2113)
ENGL 2223 World Literature II (ACTS ENGL 2123)
HUM 2003 Film Appreciation
HUM 2103 Social Media in Society
MUS 2003 History of Rock Music
MUS 2013 Music Appreciation (ACTS MUSC 1003)
MUS 2023 Music and Culture of Africa and Its Diaspora
PHIL 2403 Introduction to Philosophy and Ethics (ACTS PHIL 1103)
THEA 2003 Theatre Appreciation (ACTS DRAM 1003)

3 hours Foreign Language

Mathematics – 3 semester hours selected from the following:
MATH 1053 Mathematical Literacy (see note 4A and 4B below) (ACTS 1113)
MATH 1023 College Algebra (see note 5 below)(ACTS MATH 1103)
MATH 1045 Pre-Calculus Mathematics (ACTS MATH 1305)
MATH 1525 Calculus I (ACTS MATH 2405)
MATH 2123 Applied Calculus for Technology
MATH 2124 Applied Calculus

Science – 8 semester hours

Biological Science – 4 semester hours fulfilled by completing one of the following courses (see note 6 below):
BIOL 1043/1041 Introduction to Biology/Lab (ACTS BIOL 1004)
BIOL 1203/1201 Principles of Biology I

Physical Science – 4 semester hours fulfilled by completing one of the following courses:
CHEM 1013/1011 College Chemistry I/Lab (ACTS CHEM 1214)
CHEM 1023/1021 University Chemistry I/Lab (ACTS CHEM 1414)
CHEM 1133/1131 Chemistry in Society/Lab (ACTS CHEM 1004)
GEOL 1003/1001 Physical Geology/Lab (ACTS GEOL 1114)
PHSC 2023/2021 Physical Sciences/Lab (ACTS PHSC 1004)
PHYS 1133/1131 Physics in Society/Lab
PHYS 2003/2001 College Physics I/Lab (ACTS PHYS 2014)
PHYS 2133/2131 Astronomy/Lab (ACTS PHSC 1204)
PHYS 2203/2201 University Physics I/Lab (ACTS PHYS 2034)

Social Sciences – 9 semester hours fulfilled by completing the following (see notes 1-3, 5, & 7 below):
Requirement 1: 3 hours of history selected from the following:
HIST 1003 World History I (ACTS HIST 1113)
HIST 1013 World History II (ACTS HIST 1123)

Requirement 2: 3 hours selected from the following:
HIST 2013 U.S. History I (ACTS HIST 2113)
HIST 2023 U.S. History II (ACTS HIST 2123)
PSCI 2003 American Government: National (ACTS PLSC 2003)

Requirement 3: 3 hours selected from the following:
ECON 2103 Principles of Microeconomics (ACTS ECON 2203)
FIN 2003 Personal Finance
GEOG 2003 Introduction to Geography (ACTS GEOG 1103)
PSYC 2003 General Psychology (ACTS PSYC 1103)
PSCI 2003 American Government: National (ACTS PLSC 2003)
SOC 1003 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (ACTS ANTH 1013)
SOC 1013 Introduction to Africana Studies
SOC 2003 Introduction to Sociology (ACTS SOC 1013)

Notes

1. Social science requirements may be restricted by your major.
2. All candidates for the associate of arts and bachelor degree programs are required to have three semester hours of world history by taking HIST 1003 World History I, HIST 1013 World History II, or equivalent.
3. All candidates for degrees are required to complete either one three-hour course in United States history or American government.
4. A) MATH 1053, Mathematical Literacy, can only be accepted to fulfill the general education requirements for math if it is a terminal math requirement for a degree. MATH 1053 cannot fulfill the general education requirement for any major that requires, MATH 1023 College Algebra. B) The 3 hour general education math requirement can also be fulfilled with an xxx3 statistics course that has a MATH prefixed or is approved by chair of the department of Mathematics and Dean of Science & Engineering, as long as that statistics course is not used for any major requirement. 
5. Students majoring in Engineering or Engineering – Physics may substitute 3 hours of fine arts/humanities and 3 hours of social sciences with higher math and/or additional science to fulfill the general education requirements.
6. Students majoring in Engineering or Engineering – Physics may satisfy the Biological Science requirement by taking an alternate science course to fulfill the general education requirements. Please see degree plan for requirements.
7. The courses in this category include content that furthers students’ understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion.