General Education Requirements

University General Education Requirements (for students entering the University Fall 2023 or after)  

In 2022, the Faculty Senate approved a University-Wide General Education Curriculum which reduced the General Education requirements from 48-54 credits to 40 credits (42 including first-year seminar courses) and replaced the 10 university-wide learning outcomes with 7 general education learning outcomes. These changes are intended to provide students with greater flexibility and the opportunity to enhance their undergraduate studies with Minors, Internships, Study Abroad, and more.  This page also includes approved alternatives to UNIV 2001 and 2002, the Cultural and Global Understanding courses in Requirement 4 below.

Some exceptions to the University’s General Education requirements may exist for accredited programs within the School of Nursing and Allied Health (accredited by CCNE) and School of Computer Sciences and Engineering (accredited by ABET). All students should consult with an academic advisor about recommended and/or approved course options for fulfilling General Education requirements within their Major.

General Education Requirements (42 credits)

1. Written and Oral Communication (9 credits)

FDU graduates will demonstrate the ability to:

  • Research and write documents that evaluate information and opinion in a logical and analytical manner using appropriate style, grammar, and mechanics. 
  • Prepare and deliver effective oral presentations using relevant technology and rhetorical style.

Written Communication (6 credits) 

This requirement consists of six credits in College Writing (WRIT1002 and WRIT1003). Based on placement exam scores, some students may be required to complete developmental course(s) WRIT 1000 and/or WRIT 1001 (credits earned are placed in the free elective area) to achieve prerequisite skills before enrolling in WRIT 1002.  

Oral/Professional Communication (3 credits) 

Select SPCH 1155, COMM 2099, or other approved course. Please consult with your academic advisor when selecting a course to fulfill this requirement. 

2. Information and Technological Literacy (3 credits)

FDU graduates will demonstrate the ability to: 

  • Identify and parse information sources in a variety of physical, print, digital, and online formats.
  • Use this collected information to conduct research and analyze data for professional purposes.

Please consult with your academic advisor when selecting a course to fulfill this requirement. 

3. Ethical Reasoning (3 credits)

FDU graduates will demonstrate the ability to:

  • Identify ethical issues in case-based scenarios. 
  • Analyze and interpret the processes by which various claims are made and  reliable conclusions may be reached.

Please consult with your academic advisor when selecting a course to fulfill this requirement. 

4. Global and Cultural Understanding (6 credits)

FDU graduates will demonstrate the ability to:

  • Analyze global issues from multiple viewpoints with an understanding of why  and how these issues matter and interconnect.
  • Recognize, appreciate, and mediate cultural differences. 

Cross Cultural Understanding (3 credits)

Select UNIV 2001 or approved alternative. [See Approved Alternatives to UNIV 2001 and UNIV 2002 below.]

Global Understanding (3 credits)

Select UNIV 2002 or approved alternative [See Approved Alternatives to UNIV 2001 and UNIV 2002 below.]

5. Scientific and Quantitative Analysis (7 credits)

FDU graduates will demonstrate the ability to:

  • Use the scientific method of inquiry to explain the nature of the scientific  enterprise specific to one natural sciences discipline.
  • Apply mathematical methods to analyze and interpret quantitative information in solving problems and making decisions within their professions.

Lab Science (4 credits)

Choose one four credit course with a mandatory lab component from the following disciplines Biology (BIOL), Chemistry (CHEM), Environmental Science (ENVR), Marine Biology (MBIO), or Physics (PHYS).

College Math (3 credits) 

Take 3 credits from among the following course options: MATH 1101, 1105, 1107, 1126, 1128, 1201, or 1203. The course selected will depend on home campus, Accuplacer test scores, and program of study. Those with placement scores below the standards for these courses must complete courses to improve prerequisite skills. These include MATH 1000 and/or MATH 1100 (credits placed in the free elective area).

6. Social and Behavioral Scientific Analysis (6 credits)

FDU graduates will demonstrate ability to: 

  • Comprehend and analyze human behavioral actions. 
  • Comprehend and analyze social relationships within human society. 
  • Interpret information with an awareness of how data is presented and identify potential bias.

Social Science (3 credits)

Take 3 credits from the following disciplines: Anthropology (ANTH), Communication Studies (COMM), Economics (ECON), Environmental Studies (ENVS), Geography (GEOG), Government and Politics (GOVT), Sociology (SOCI), or Sustainability (SUST).

Behavioral Science (3 credits)

Take 3 credits from the following disciplines: Criminal Justice (CRIM), Criminology (CMLGY), or Psychology (PSYC).

7. Inquiry in the Arts and Humanities (6 credits)

FDU graduates will demonstrate ability to:

  • Identify, describe, and appreciate aesthetic, linguistic, and/or literary materials produced by human thought and imagination.
  • Conduct critical inquiry, analysis, and interpretation of these materials.

Creative and Expressive Arts (3 credits)

Choose one course from the following disciplines: Animation (ANIM), Animation Humanities (ANIMH), Art (ART), Art History (ARTH), Graphic Design (CGD), Graphic Design Humanities (CGDH), Cinema Studies (CINE), Creative Writing (CREW), Dance (DAN), Dance Humanities (DANH), Filmmaking (FILM), Music (MUSIC), Music Humanities (MUSIH), Theater (THEA), or Theater Humanities (THEAH). 

Humanities (3 credits)

Choose one course from the following disciplines: African American Studies (AFAM), English (ENGL) History (HIST), Humanities (HUMN), Literature (LITS), Philosophy (PHIL), or Religion (RELI). 

First Year Seminar courses (2 credits) 

  1. UNIV 1001 Transitioning to University Life (1 credit)
  2. UNIV 1002 Preparing for Professional Life (1 credit)

Transfer students entering the University with 30 or more credits will be exempted from taking Transitioning to University Life (UNIV 1001). Transfer students entering the University with 45 or more credits will be exempted from taking Preparing for Professional Life (UNIV 1002). 

Approved Alternatives to UNIV 2001 and UNIV 2002

UNIV 2001 and UNIV 2002 remain available to ALL students, regardless of catalog year. UNIV alternatives are not available to those students who entered the University in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Alternatives to UNIV 2001

For students entering Fall 2021 or later, the following courses are approved alternatives to UNIV 2001:

For students entering Fall 2023 or later, these courses are also alternatives to UNIV 2001

For students entering Fall 2024 or later, these courses are also alternatives to UNIV 2001

  • LANG 2023 and SOCI 2023 (cross-listed course) – Language and Discrimination
  • LITS 2002 – Literature and Popular Culture
<h3Alternatives to UNIV 2002

For students entering Fall 2021 or later, the following courses are approved alternatives to UNIV 2002:

For students entering Fall 2023 or later, these courses are also alternatives to UNIV 2002

For students entering Fall 2024 or later, these courses are also alternatives to UNIV 2002