General Education
General Education Program
General Education provides a common intellectual experience for all university students. The program develops strong communication and critical thinking skills, a broad understanding of disciplinary areas, and the knowledge and skills necessary for responsible citizenship in an interconnected world. General Education is the foundation of all undergraduate degree programs at The University of Akron.
Program Learning Outcomes
Academic Foundations
Students will gain a foundation of intellectual skills including oral and written communication, information literacy and logical or quantitative reasoning. Student will practice these skills in increasingly challenging contexts throughout the general education program and the major.
Breadth of Knowledge
Students will gain broad knowledge and practice disciplinary methods of inquiry in the Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.
Diversity
Students will gain skills and knowledge required for responsible citizenship through the analysis of diversity within domestic and global contexts.
Integrated and Applied Learning
Students will apply and integrate knowledge gained throughout the undergraduate curriculum. This will be demonstrated through completion of either a capstone in the major or an upper-level course applying interdisciplinary perspectives to a complex social issue.
Integration with Major
The UA General Education program is designed to support and enhance the major course of study. Majors may require particular General Education coursework, and some major courses may fulfill General Education requirements. Students should consult their program curriculum guides and Degree Progress Reports, as well as meet with an advisor, for the recommended General Education courses to take.
Transfer and Alternative Credit Options
Student may fulfill General Education requirements through appropriate transfer coursework from accredited institutions of higher education, external credit-conferring testing programs such as the College Board Advanced Placement and College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and other programs. For more information, see the transfer policies.
Students who plan to transfer to or from another Ohio public college or university should select coursework from the Ohio Transfer 36. This set of coursework will satisfy specified General Education requirements at any public institution.
Requirements for Bachelor's Degrees
Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree must complete the following General Education coursework. Diversity courses may also fulfill major or Breadth of Knowledge requirements. Integrated and Applied Learning courses may also fulfill requirements in the major.
Academic Foundations - 12 credits
Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic - 3 credit hours
Students who successfully complete a mathematics or statistics course with a prerequisite on the list below satisfy the Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic requirement.
Speaking - 3 credit hours
| Course | Fulfills Requirements For | Ohio Transfer 36 |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 105 Introduction to Public Speaking | Speaking | YES |
| COMM 106 Effective Oral Communication | Speaking | YES |
| COMM 263 Professional Communications and Presentations | Speaking | YES |
Writing - 6 credit hours
First Course
| Course | Fulfills Requirements For | Ohio Transfer 36 |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 110 English Composition I + Workshop | Writing First Course | YES |
| ENGL 111 English Composition I | Writing First Course | YES |
Second Course - Students who are placed in the second writing course and successfully complete it satisfy the Writing requirement.
| Course | Fulfills Requirements For | Ohio Transfer 36 |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 112 English Composition II | Writing Second Course | YES |
| ENGL 222 Technical Report Writing | Writing Second Course | YES |
Breadth of Knowledge - 22 credits
Fine Arts and Humanities - 9 credit hours
Students must take at least one Arts course and at least one Humanities course. The second Arts or Humanities course may be in the same department or in a different one.
Fine Arts - at least one course
Note: MUSIC 155 Music Literature II must be completed sequentially with MUSIC 154 Music Literature I to satisfy the Fine Arts requirement.
| Course | Fulfills Requirements For | Ohio Transfer 36 |
|---|---|---|
| ART 101 Survey of Global Art 1: Prehistory to 1250 CE | Arts, Global Diversity | YES |
| ART 102 History of Global Art 2: 1250 CE - 1850 CE | Arts | YES |
| ART 210 Visual Arts Awareness | Arts | YES |
| DNCE 265 Viewing Dance | Arts | YES |
| ENGL 283 Film Appreciation | Arts | YES |
| MUSIC 155 Music Literature II | Arts, Domestic Diversity | |
| MUSIC 201 Exploring Music: Bach to Rock | Arts | YES |
| THEA 100 Experiencing Theatre | Arts | |
| THEA 264 Playscript & Performance Analysis | Arts |
Humanities - at least one course
| Course | Fulfills Requirements For | Ohio Transfer 36 |
|---|---|---|
| ARAB 210 Arabic Culture through Film | Humanities | YES |
| CHIN 210 Chinese Culture Through Film | Humanities | |
| CLAS 230 Sports & Society in Ancient Greece and Rome | Humanities | YES |
| CLAS 289 Mythology of Ancient Greece | Humanities | YES |
| ENGL 252 Shakespeare & His World | Humanities | YES |
| ENGL 281 Fiction Appreciation | Humanities | YES |
| FREN 210 French and Francophone Cultures Through Film | Global Diversity, Humanities | |
| HIST 200 Empires of the Ancient World | Global Diversity, Humanities | YES |
| HIST 210 Humanities in the Western Tradition from Ancient Times to 1500 | Humanities | YES |
| HIST 221 Humanities in the World since 1300 | Global Diversity, Humanities | YES |
| IHSC 100 Exploring Campus Arts & Culture | Humanities | |
| JAPN 210 Japanese Culture through Film | Global Diversity, Humanities | YES |
| PHIL 101 Introduction to Philosophy | Humanities | YES |
| PHIL 120 Introduction to Ethics | Humanities | YES |
| PHIL 125 Theory & Evidence | Humanities | YES |
| PHIL 150 Critical Thinking | Humanities | YES |
| PHIL 211 History of Ancient Philosophy | Humanities | YES |
| SPAN 210 Spanish Culture Through Film | Global Diversity, Humanities | |
| SPAN 250 Hispanic Literature in Translation | Humanities | YES |
Natural Science - 7 credit hours, including one lab
A majors-track course in the natural sciences can substitute for a general education natural science course.
Students may fulfill the Natural Sciences requirement with any coursework that adds up to seven credit hours and includes a lab, using courses from the same department or different ones.
| Course | Fulfills Requirements For | Ohio Transfer 36 |
|---|---|---|
| ANAT 206 Applied Human Anatomy & Physiology I | Natural Science | YES |
| ANAT 207 Applied Human Anatomy & Physiology II | Natural Science | YES |
| BIOL 106 Exploring Biology | Natural Science | |
| BIOL 108 Introduction to Biological Aging | Natural Science | |
| BIOL 202 Human Anatomy & Physiology II | Natural Science | YES |
| CHEM 151 Principles of Chemistry I | Natural Science | YES |
| CHEM 153 Principles of Chemistry II | Natural Science | YES |
| GEOL 100 Earth Science | Natural Science | YES |
| GEOL 121 Dinosaurs | Natural Science | |
| GEOL 122 Mass Extinctions & Geology | Natural Science | |
| GEOL 130 Geologic Record of Climate Change | Natural Science | |
| GEOL 133 Caves | Natural Science | |
| GEOL 135 Geology of Energy Resources | Natural Science | |
| GEOL 137 Earth's Atmosphere & Weather | Natural Science | |
| GEOL 171 Introduction to the Oceans | Natural Science | YES |
| GEOL 200 Environmental Geology | Natural Science | YES |
| GEOL 211 Introduction to Environmental Science | Natural Science | YES |
| NUTR 133 Nutrition Fundamentals | Natural Science | YES |
| PHYS 164 Technical Physics: Heat & Light | Natural Science | YES |
| Course | Fulfills Requirements For | Ohio Transfer 36 |
|---|---|---|
| ANAT 210 Applied Human Anatomy & Physiology Lab I | Natural Science with Lab | |
| ANAT 211 Applied Human Anatomy & Physiology Lab II | Natural Science with Lab | |
| ANTH 105 Human Evolution | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| BIOL 103 Natural Science: Biology | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| BIOL 111 Principles of Biology I | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| BIOL 112 Principles of Biology II | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| BIOL 130 Principles of Microbiology | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| BIOL 265 Introductory Human Physiology | Natural Science with Lab | |
| CHEM 101 Chemistry for Everyone | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| CHEM 113 Introduction to General, Organic & Biochemistry II (Laboratory) | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| CHEM 152 Principles of Chemistry I Laboratory | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| GEOL 101 Introductory Physical Geology | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| GEOL 102 Introductory Historical Geology | Natural Science with Lab | |
| GEOL 201 Exercises in Environmental Geology I | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| GEOL 203 Exercises in Environmental Geology II | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| GEOL 230 Mineral Science | Natural Science with Lab | |
| PHYS 130 Descriptive Astronomy | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| PHYS 133 Music, Sound & Physics | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| PHYS 137 Light | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| PHYS 261 College Physics I | Natural Science with Lab | |
| PHYS 262 College Physics II | Natural Science with Lab | |
| PHYS 291 Elementary Classical Physics I | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
| PHYS 292 Elementary Classical Physics II | Natural Science with Lab | YES |
Social Science - 6 credit hours
Students may fulfill the Social Science area requirement using courses from the same department or different ones.
| Course | Fulfills Requirements For | Ohio Transfer 36 |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 101 Human Cultures | Global Diversity, Social Science | YES |
| ANTH 110 Introduction to Archaeology | Social Science | YES |
| ANTH 251 Human Diversity | Global Diversity, Social Science | |
| ECON 100 Introduction to Economics | Social Science | YES |
| ECON 200 Principles of Microeconomics | Social Science | YES |
| ECON 244 Introduction to Economic Analysis | Social Science | YES |
| GEOG 100 Introduction to Geography | Social Science | YES |
| HIST 250 U.S. History to 1877 | Domestic Diversity, Social Science | YES |
| HIST 251 U.S. History since 1877 | Domestic Diversity, Social Science | YES |
| HIST 295 Global Societies: Japan | Global Diversity, Social Science | |
| HIST 296 Global Societies: Latin America | Global Diversity, Social Science | |
| HIST 297 Global Societies: Middle East | Global Diversity, Social Science | |
| PAFS 252 The Black Experience 1619-1918 | Domestic Diversity, Social Science | |
| PAFS 253 The Black Experience 1918-Present | Domestic Diversity, Social Science | |
| PAFS 256 Diversity in American Society | Domestic Diversity, Social Science | YES |
| POLIT 100 Government & Politics in the United States | Social Science | YES |
| POLIT 150 World Politics & Government | Social Science | YES |
| PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology | Social Science | YES |
| SOCIO 100 Introduction to Sociology | Domestic Diversity, Social Science | YES |
| SOCIO 243 Contemporary Global Issues | Global Diversity, Social Science | YES |
| SOWK 230 Human Relations | Social Science | YES |
| SOWK 244 Death & Dying | Domestic Diversity, Social Science | YES |
| SOWK 344 Death & Dying | Domestic Diversity, Social Science |
Diversity - 2 courses
Domestic Diversity - one course
| Course | Fulfills Requirements For |
|---|---|
| ANTH 358 Indians of North America | Domestic Diversity |
| COMM 325 Intercultural Communication | Domestic Diversity |
| ECON 487 Urban Economics:Theory & Policy | Domestic Diversity |
| ENGL 350 Black American Literature | Domestic Diversity |
| GEOG 350 Geography of the United States & Canada | Domestic Diversity |
| GEOG 443 Urban Applications in GIS | Domestic Diversity |
| HIST 250 U.S. History to 1877 | Domestic Diversity, Social Science |
| HIST 251 U.S. History since 1877 | Domestic Diversity, Social Science |
| HIST 350 U.S. Women's History | Domestic Diversity |
| MUSIC 155 Music Literature II | Arts, Domestic Diversity |
| PAFS 201 Introduction to Pan-African Studies | Domestic Diversity |
| PAFS 252 The Black Experience 1619-1918 | Domestic Diversity, Social Science |
| PAFS 253 The Black Experience 1918-Present | Domestic Diversity, Social Science |
| PAFS 256 Diversity in American Society | Domestic Diversity, Social Science |
| PHIL 455 Philosophy of Feminism | Domestic Diversity |
| PHIL 456 Philosophy of Race & Ethnicity | Domestic Diversity |
| PSYC 250 Psychology of Diversity | Domestic Diversity |
| PSYC 435 Cross-Cultural Psychology | Domestic Diversity |
| PSYC 474 Psychology of Women | Domestic Diversity |
| SOCIO 100 Introduction to Sociology | Domestic Diversity, Social Science |
| SOCIO 200 Social Justice | Domestic Diversity |
| SOWK 244 Death & Dying | Domestic Diversity, Social Science |
| SOWK 270 Diversity and Social Work | Domestic Diversity |
| SOWK 344 Death & Dying | Domestic Diversity, Social Science |
| THEA 467 Multi-Cultural Theatre | Domestic Diversity |
| WMST 200 Introduction to Women's Studies | Domestic Diversity |
Global Diversity - one course
| Course | Fulfills Requirements For |
|---|---|
| ANTH 101 Human Cultures | Global Diversity, Social Science |
| ANTH 251 Human Diversity | Global Diversity, Social Science |
| ANTH 416 Anthropology of Sex and Gender | Global Diversity |
| ART 101 Survey of Global Art 1: Prehistory to 1250 CE | Arts, Global Diversity |
| ECON 460 Economics of Developing Countries | Global Diversity |
| ENGL 362 World Literatures | Global Diversity |
| ENGL 367 The Rhetoric of God | Global Diversity |
| FREN 210 French and Francophone Cultures Through Film | Global Diversity, Humanities |
| GEOG 275 Geography of Cultural Diversity | Global Diversity |
| HIST 200 Empires of the Ancient World | Global Diversity, Humanities |
| HIST 221 Humanities in the World since 1300 | Global Diversity, Humanities |
| HIST 292 Global Societies: Africa | Global Diversity |
| HIST 294 Global Societies: India | Global Diversity |
| HIST 295 Global Societies: Japan | Global Diversity, Social Science |
| HIST 296 Global Societies: Latin America | Global Diversity, Social Science |
| HIST 297 Global Societies: Middle East | Global Diversity, Social Science |
| HIST 324 Europe from World War I to the Present | Global Diversity |
| HIST 337 France from Napoleon to De Gaulle | Global Diversity |
| HIST 377 History of Women in Latin America | Global Diversity |
| HIST 378 Spanish Conquest and Colonization of the Americas | Global Diversity |
| HIST 395 Modern Iran | Global Diversity |
| HIST 489 Ottoman State and Society | Global Diversity |
| HIST 499 Women and Gender in Middle Eastern Societies | Global Diversity |
| JAPN 210 Japanese Culture through Film | Global Diversity, Humanities |
| NUTR 474 Cultural Dimensions of Food | Global Diversity |
| PHIL 200 Philosophy of World Religions | Global Diversity |
| PHIL 333 Philosophy of Science and Religion | Global Diversity |
| PHIL 340 Eastern Philosophy | Global Diversity |
| PHIL 350 Philosophy of Art | Global Diversity |
| POLIT 300 Comparative Politics | Global Diversity |
| SOCIO 243 Contemporary Global Issues | Global Diversity, Social Science |
| SOCIO 321 Population, Environment, and Health | Global Diversity |
| SPAN 210 Spanish Culture Through Film | Global Diversity, Humanities |
| SPAN 360 Hispanic Culture through Film | Global Diversity |
| THEA 335 History of Theatre and Dramatic Literature: Origins through 18th Century | Global Diversity |
| THEA 435 History of Theatre and Dramatic Literature: 1800 to Present | Global Diversity |
| WMST 460 Global Feminisms | Global Diversity |
Integrated and Applied Learning - 1 course
Select one course from either of the following categories
Capstone
| Course | Fulfills Requirements For | Ohio Transfer 36 |
|---|---|---|
| AESE 491 Aerospace Design Project I | Capstone | |
| ART 412 Student Teaching Colloquium | Capstone | |
| BAHA 402 Quality Management in Health Care | Capstone | |
| BMEN 491 Biomedical Engineering Design I | Capstone | |
| CHEE 442 Process Design II | Capstone | |
| CISS 451 CIS Senior Design Projects I | Capstone | |
| CIVE 490 Senior Design in Civil Engineering | Capstone | |
| COET 468 Construction Management | Capstone | |
| CORE 441 Corrosion Engineering Design II | Capstone | |
| CPEN 401 Senior Design Project I - Computer Engineering | Capstone | |
| CPSC 490 Senior Seminar in Computer Science | Capstone | |
| EEET 455 Senior Project | Capstone | |
| ELEN 401 Senior Design Project I - Electrical Engineering | Capstone | |
| EMHS 485 Cyber Forensics Capstone | Capstone | |
| GNST 400 Senior Capstone | Capstone | |
| MECE 461 ME Senior Design Project I | Capstone | |
| MGMT 490 Strategic Management | Capstone | |
| MUSIC 492 Student Teaching Colloquium | Capstone | |
| PHYS 491 Capstone Project in Physics A | Capstone | |
| PLYE 499 Senior Design Project II | Capstone | |
| SURV 430 Surveying Project | Capstone |
Complex Issues Facing Society
| Course | Fulfills Requirements For |
|---|---|
| ANTH 320 The Anthropology of Food | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| ANTH 370 Globalization and Culture | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| ANTH 457 Medical Anthropology | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| ANTH 460 Field Methods in Cultural Anthropology | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| CHFD 401 American Families in Poverty | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| ECON 385 Economics of Natural Resources & the Environment | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| ECON 430 Labor Market and Social Policy | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| EDCI 223 Urban Youth Mentoring | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| GEOL 421 Coastal Geology | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| GEOL 443 Rivers | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| GEOL 452 Geology and Environmental Science Service Learning | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| HIST 463 United States Constitutional History | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| HIST 472 Empire, Genocide, and Mass Violence | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| NURS 440 Nursing of Communities | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| NURS 445 Nursing of Communities - RN Only | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| PHIL 207 Food Ethics | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| PHIL 241 Technology & Human Values | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| PHIL 361 Biomedical Ethics | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| PHIL 365 Environmental Ethics | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| PHIL 366 Engineering Ethics | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| PLYS 350 Sustainable Polymers | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| PSPE 310 Impacts of Polymers on Modern Life | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| PSYC 425 Psychology of Hate | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| SOCIO 320 Social Inequalities | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| SOCIO 342 Sociology of Health & Illness | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| SOCIO 433 Sociology of Deviant Behavior | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| SPAN 308 Spanish Composition: Health Professions & First Responders | Complex Issues Facing Society |
| WMST 450 Gender and Popular Culture | Complex Issues Facing Society |
Printable General Education Curriculum Guide
Requirements for Associate Degrees
Students in the Associate of Arts and Associate of Sciences degree programs must complete the following 36 credit-hour set of General Education coursework. Specific courses can be found from the dropdown menus above.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Foundations | ||
| Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic | 3 | |
| Speaking | 3 | |
| Writing | 6 | |
| Breadth of Knowledge | ||
| Arts and Humanities (one course from each) | 9 | |
| Natural Science (including one lab) | 7 | |
| Social Science | 6 | |
| Additional General Education credits to equal 36 credit hours | 2 | |
| Students should meet this requirement by taking a Global Diversity or Domestic Diversity course if they have not already taken a Breadth of Knowledge course that satisfies the Diversity requirement | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Students in applied associate degree programs must complete the following 15 credit-hour set of General Education coursework:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Foundations | ||
| Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic | 3 | |
| Speaking | 3 | |
| Writing | 3 | |
| Breadth of Knowledge | ||
| Natural Science | 3 | |
| Social Science | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 15 | |