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 UNIV 2002, the Cultural and Global Understanding courses in Requirement 4 below.

FDU’s General Education committee was established in Spring 2023 by the Academic Policies and Research Committee (APRC) of the Faculty Senate. The committee provides oversight of FDU’s General Education program and collaborates with and collects information from various constituencies involved in gen ed in order to review and make appropriate recommendations and reports to the APRC and other relevant decision-making bodies.  Current members of the General Education Committee are listed here.

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 Perspectives (3 credits)

Select UNIV 2001 or select an approved course [See “Cross-Cultural Understanding Courses” list below].

Global Issues (3 credits)

Select UNIV 2002 or select an approved course [See “Global Issues Courses” list 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, MATH 1105, MATH 1107, MATH 1126, MATH 1128, MATH 1201, or MATH 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)

  • Creative & Expressive Arts – FDU graduates will demonstrate ability to
    • Make or execute some form of visual, performing, or linguistic art; and
    • refine their art through an iterative process of feedback and revision.
  • Humanities – FDU graduates will demonstrate ability to (not necessarily in this order):
    • Critically investigate (identify, describe, appreciate, analyze and/or interpret) materials belonging to the artistic, literary, historical, and/or philosophical record;
    • Make informed generalizations about (draw informed conclusions about and/or situate primary materials usefully within) the artistic, literary, historical, and/or philosophical record.

Creative and Expressive Arts (3 credits)

Choose one course from the following disciplines: Animation (ANIM), Art (ART), Graphic Design (CGD), Creative Writing (CREW), Dance (DAN), Filmmaking (FILM), Music (MUSIC), or Theater (THEA).

Humanities (3 credits)

Choose one course from the following disciplines: African American Studies (AFAM), Animation Humanities (ANIMH), Art History (ARTH), Cinema Studies (CINE), Creative Writing Humanities (CREWH), Dance Humanities (DANH), English (ENGL), Graphic Design Humanities (CGDH), History (HIST), Humanities (HUMN), Literature (LITS), Music Humanities (MUSIH),Philosophy (PHIL), Religion (RELI), or Theater Humanities (THEAH).

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).

* Courses in this category can count toward satisfying both the General Education and Program requirements whenever possible. Please make sure to register for courses that share a prefix with your chosen major to take advantage of the double-dipping rule.

Additional Courses for the Cross-Cultural Perspectives Category

For students entering Fall 2021 or later

For students entering Fall 2023 or later

For students entering Fall 2024 or later

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

For students entering Fall 2025 or later

Additional Courses for the Global Issues Category

For students entering Fall 2021 or later

For students entering Fall 2023 or later

For students entering Fall 2024 or later

For students entering Fall 2025 or later

  • LIST3323: Fighting for Freedom: Colonial and Postcolonial Literature