Why Writing Skills Matter: Writing well is essential no matter what you study or plan to do professionally. Getting good at writing takes time, and college is a great place to speed up that learning. The goal is to help you build strong writing skills that will support you in graduate school or your future career.

All students need to take ENGCMP 0200: Seminar in Composition (SC) unless they qualify for an approved exemption.

• You scored 660 or higher on the SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section.
• You received a 5 on the AP English exam.
• If your SAT score is below 560 or your ACT is below 24, you might first need to take ENGCMP 0150: Workshop in Composition before SC.
• Transfer students from Engineering who are moving to CGS can use ENGR 0012: Intro to Engineering Computing instead of SC.

You must pass SC with at least a C- grade by the time you finish 24 credits.

Writing-Intensive Courses, often called W-Courses, focus on writing within your field of study. You need to complete two W-Courses. Try to take at least one W-Course in your major if it is offered. W-Courses cannot be transferred in to fulfill this requirement.

Note: W-Courses can count toward other General Education requirements except Professional Communication.

Every student needs to complete college-level algebra because these math skills help you succeed in other courses.

You do not have to take algebra if you scored:

• 620 or higher on the SAT Math section, or
• 27 or higher on the ACT Math section.

If you do not meet these scores, you must pass one of the following courses with a C- or better:

• MATH 0020
• MATH 0025
• MATH 0031
• CS 0004
• CS 0007

Make sure to finish the algebra requirement by the time you complete 30 credits.

You need to take at least one university-level math course that requires algebra. This can be:

• A math course beyond trigonometry
• An approved statistics course
• A course in mathematical or formal logic

You must earn a C- or better to pass this requirement. If you place into an upper-level math course through a placement test, you are exempt from this requirement.

Diversity courses focus deeply on topics like race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, economic differences, and other important issues. These courses help you develop skills to understand social inequalities and prepare you to engage effectively in today's diverse society.

You need to complete one Diversity course (3 credits). If your major offers one, you can take it there.

Note: Diversity courses can also count toward other General Education requirements, so sometimes this will not add extra credits.

You must choose one of these two options:

Option 1: Two Courses in a Second Language — 6–10 Credits

Take two university-level courses in a language other than English and earn at least a C- in each.

You may be exempt if you can show basic proficiency by:

• Completing three years of high school language study with a B or better in each course
• Passing a special language proficiency exam
• Transferring two or more terms of college-level language courses with a C or better
• Demonstrating that your native language is not English

Note: The second language course can overlap with the Geographic Region requirement, except for American Sign Language.

Option 2: Two Courses in Oral and Professional Communication — 6 Credits

These courses help you develop strong communication skills for work and public settings.

You must take one of these 3-credit courses with a C- or better:

• COMMRC 0520: Public Speaking
• COMMRC 0500: Argument

Then choose a second 3-credit course from an approved list of COMMRC, ENGCMP, THEA, or CS courses in the catalog.

Note: If you pick an ENGCMP course for Option 2, you cannot also use that course to fulfill the Writing requirement.

You will take nine courses, three credits each, that let you explore different cultures, ideas, and knowledge. These courses draw on the unique resources of a research university and help you see the world from many perspectives.

Literature — 3 credits

Read and analyze different kinds of texts to learn how to interpret culture and develop critical thinking skills.

Arts — 3 credits

Explore music, theater, or visual arts through surveys, genres, periods, or specific artists.

Creative Work — 3 credits

Create original work in areas like theater, studio arts, writing, photography, film, music, dance, or new media, while learning techniques to produce it.

Philosophical Thinking or Ethics — 3 credits

Study theories about knowledge, reality, values, morality, human rights, justice, and social responsibilities.

Social Sciences — 3 credits

Learn about topics in social or behavioral sciences, including how experts investigate and analyze social issues.

Historical Analysis — 3 credits

Develop skills to understand important cultural, social, economic, or political events in history and how they have shaped the world.

Natural Sciences — 9 credits

Take three courses that teach scientific principles and concepts. Courses can be interdisciplinary, but no more than two can be from the same department.

You need to complete three courses, three credits each, that help you understand the world and its diverse cultures.

Global Issues — 3 credits

Study important global topics like globalization, climate change, colonialism, health, gender, race, technology, labor, law, or the economy.

Specific Geographic Region — 3 credits

Take a deep dive into the history, culture, and issues of a particular region or place outside the United States.

Cross-Cultural Awareness — 3 credits

Learn about and reflect on the cultures of Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, or Indigenous peoples worldwide to gain a broader perspective beyond North America and Europe.

Courses taken for General Education requirements can also be applied to major requirements, when applicable.

• Diversity courses are allowed to overlap with other General Education requirements.
• Writing ("W") courses are allowed to overlap with other General Education requirements, except for the Professional Communication requirement.
• Students may overlap the second course in their language sequence, taken at the college level, with the Geographic Region requirement, except for American Sign Language.

The language overlap does not apply to students who satisfy the Language requirement through high school study, a proficiency examination, or native proficiency.