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State Minimum Core Curricula

Bachelor of General Studies

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The Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) degree is designed to enhance interdisciplinary studies and allows for greater curricular flexibility for students who desire to pursue coursework in more than one area of interest. At the same time, it affords students the opportunity to make choices that are geared toward their particular goals and plans for employment or further study. This degree in itself leads to no specific licensure or certification. Students seeking licensure or certification in their chosen field should consult with an academic advisor in that area. The transcript and diploma for this degree read “Bachelor of General Studies” with no major, minor, or emphasis designation. The BGS degree requires a minimum of 120 hours of college credit at the 1000-level or above. At least 40 hours must be at the 3000-4000 level.

Specific Degree Requirements:

  1. Completion of the University’s general education curriculum.
  2. Completion of 3 blocks with at least 18 hours in each block. A student may elect to choose blocks from three emphasis areas (such as one block each from Art, Biology, and Wildlife Management) or may elect to use more than one block from the same emphasis area (such as one block from Art and two from Biology) provided sufficient volume of courses is available in that area; however, no course taken to fulfill a block may be used more than once. Note: Courses completed in a block may not be used to fulfill general education requirements or another block.
  3. Completion of 31 or fewer elective hours to reach the minimum 120 hours required for the degree. Any necessary prerequisites for chosen block courses may be used to fulfill the electives category. The student should consider required prerequisites when making elective course selections.
  4. Achievement of a minimum 2.00 grade point average in each block and overall.
  5. Fulfillment of the University’s residency requirement. To declare a major in Bachelor of General Studies, the student must have completed at least 45 hours at the 1000-level or above and must, at the time of declaring the major, select at least one emphasis area to be included in the degree. The form for changing the major to Bachelor of General Studies may be completed and submitted at the Office of Academic Affairs. Once the form is processed, the student may be assigned an academic advisor from a chosen emphasis area. Any student who declares a major in Bachelor of General Studies and then later decides to opt for a different baccalaureate degree will be required to fulfill all requirements (including major, minor, and identity) for the selected degree. Completion of one or more blocks for the Bachelor of General Studies degree does not necessarily satisfy completion of a major or minor from that emphasis area.

Electives: 31 or fewer hours

An elective is any 1000-level course or higher for which a student has not already received credit. Baccalaureate degree candidates must complete 40 hours of 3000-4000 level courses. You may need to take some 3000-4000 level electives.

General Education Curriculum: 35 hours

ENGL 1013 Comp I
ENGL 1023 Comp II

One of the following courses:
ART 1053 Art Appreciation
MUS 1113 Music Appreciation

One of the following courses:
COMM 1023 Public Speaking
COMM 2283 Business and Professional Speaking
COMM 2203 Interpersonal Communication

One from each of the following pairs:
ENGL 2283 Survey of World Literature I or
ENGL 2293 Survey of World Literature II

One of the following courses:
PSY 1013 Introduction to Psychology
SOC 2213 Introduction to Sociology

One of the following courses:
HIST 2213 American History I
HIST 2223 American History II
PSCI 2213 American National Government

Two courses from two different disciplines from the following:

ANTH 2203 Cultural Anthropology
CJ 1013 Introduction to Criminal Justice
ECON 2203 Principles of Macroeconomics
ECON 2213 Principles of Microeconomics
GEOG 2213 Geography I
GEOG 2223 Geography II
HIST 1013 Survey of Civilization I
HIST 1023 Survey of Civilization II
PSY 1013 Introduction to Psychology
SOC 2213 Introduction to Sociology
SWK 1013 Introduction to Social Work       

One of the following courses:
MATH 1043 College Algebra
MATH 1003 Survey of Mathematics
Any 1000-level or higher mathematics course except technical mathematics or mathematics courses intended for specific audiences

Laboratory Sciences - 8 hours. Select from two 3-hour lecture courses with associated 1-hour labs, or two 4-hour courses with integrated labs, from two of the following areas:
(1) Earth Science
(2) Biology
(3) Chemistry
(4) Physics

Emphasis Areas: 54 hours minimum

Three blocks of at least 18 hours each are to be taken from one or more of the following emphasis areas. Each block must contain at least 9 hours at the 3000-4000 level. No course may be taken more than once, and no course taken to fulfill a block may be used for general education requirements.

School of Agriculture
School of Arts and Humanities
School of Business
School of Computer Information System
School of Education
School of Forest Resources
School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences
Division of Military Science
School of Nursing
School of Social and Behavioral Sciences

SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE

Agri-Business Emphasis Area

One of the following courses:
            AGEC 2273 Agricultural Economics
            ECON 2213 Principles of Macroeconomics
Five of the following courses:
            AGEC 4613 Agricultural Policy
            AGEC 4623 Farm Management
            AGEC 4683 Commodity Marketing
            AGEC 4703 Contract Marketing and Futures Trading
            AGEC 4713 Agricultural Finance
            AGEC 4803 Agribusiness Firm Management
            AGEC 4813 Agricultural Price Analysis
            AGEC 4823 Economics of Environmental Management

Animal Science Emphasis Area

ANSC 1003 Principles of Animal Science
One of the following courses:
            ANSC 2213 Feeds and Feeding
            ANSC 2223 Anatomy and Physiology of Domestic Animals
Four of the following courses:
            ANSC 3413 Livestock Breeding and Genetics
            ANSC 3463 Poultry Production
            ANSC 3474 Beef Production
            ANSC 3493 Swine Production
            ANSC 3523 Horse Production
            ANSC 4633 Animal Metabolism and Nutrition
            ANSC 4643 Diseases of Domesticated Animals
            ANSC 4653 Reproduction of Farm Animals

Plant and Soil Science Emphasis Area

AGRO 1033 Principles of Field Crops
AGRO 2244 Soils
Four of the following courses:
            AGRO 3503 Cereal Crops
            AGRO 3513 Fiber and Oilseed Crops
            AGRO 3533 Introduction to Weed Science
            AGRO 3453 Forage Crops
            AGRO 4743 Soil Fertility
            AGRO 4753 Crop Physiology

SCHOOL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES 

Art Emphasis Area

One of the following courses:
            ART 3403 Art History I Survey: Prehistoric to Renaissance
            ART 3413 Art History II Survey: Renaissance to Present
Fifteen hours from the following courses, at least six hours must be at the 3000-4000 level:
            ART 1013 Drawing I
            ART 1023 Design and Color
            ART 1053 Art Appreciation
            ART 1063 3-D Design
            ART 2203 Watercolor
            ART 2223 Ceramics I
            ART 2243 Painting I
            ART 2263 Ceramics II
            ART 2273 Metals
            ART 2283 Drawing II
            ART 2293 Printmaking
            ART 3313 Advanced Drawing
            ART 3323 Painting II
            ART 3333 Painting III
            ART 3343 Advanced Printmaking
            ART 3423 Advanced Watercolor
            ART 3713 Ceramics III
            ART 4723 Ceramics IV
            ART 4733 Special Topics in Art History
            ART 4743 Painting IV
            ART 468V Art Practicum
            ART 479V Independent Study in Art

Literature Emphasis Area

ENGL 2323 Introduction to Literary Studies
ENGL 3403 American Literature I
ENGL 3413 American Literature II
ENGL 3423 British Literature I
ENGL 3433 British Literature II
Three elective hours in ENGL (must be literature)

Creative Writing Emphasis Area

ENGL 2223 Introduction to Creative Writing
ENGL 2303 Creative Nonfiction
ENGL 2323 Introduction to Literary Studies
ENGL 3333 Foliate Oak Practicum
ENGL 3543 Creative Writing
ENGL 4703 Contemporary Writers

Film Studies Emphasis Area

ART 1023 Design and Color
COMM 2223 Modern Media Literacy
ENGL 2323 Introduction to Literary Studies
ENGL 3353 History and Development of Film
ENGL 4743 Film and Literature
Three hours of electives in ART, COMM, ENGL, or PHIL at the 3000-4000 level

French Emphasis Area

FREN 1013 Elementary French II
FREN 2203 Intermediate French I
FREN 2213 Intermediate French II
Nine hours of French electives at the 3000-4000 level

Media Emphasis Area

COMM 2223 Modern Media Literacy
COMM2211 Journalism Lab (1 credit) (3 hours required)
COMM 3013 Newswriting
COMM 3033 Communication Writing
Two of the following courses:
            COMM 3023 Introduction to Public Relations
            COMM 3043 Feature Writing
            COMM 4033 News Editing
            COMM 4243 Seminar in Journalism (up to 6 hours credit for emphasis area)
            COMM 425V Journalism Internship I (up to 6 hours credit for emphasis area)
            ENGL 3253 Technical Writing

Music Emphasis Area

MUS 1023 Theory I
MUS 1033 Theory II
MUS 1061 Ear Training and Sight Singing I
MUS 1091 Ear Training and Sight Singing II
One of the following courses:
      MUS 3563 History of Music I
      MUS 3573 History of Music II
      MUS 3413 Analysis and Music Literature
Four hours of PMUS electives, with at least three hours at the 3000-4000 level
3 hours of MUS electives at the 3000-4000 level

Performance Emphasis Area

COMM 35123 Introduction to Oral Interpretation
COMM 3523 Acting
COMM 4643 Directing
COMM 4663 Performance Studies
Six hours of CART, COMM, ENGL, or MUS electives

Philosophy Emphasis Area

PHIL 2223 Introduction to Philosophy
PHIL 3523 Logic
PHIL 3623 Ethics
Nine hours from the following, with at least three hours at the 3000-4000 level.
At least three of the nine hours must have a PHIL prefix:
            CIS 2203 Programming Logic and Design
            CIS 4263 Ethics in Information Technology
            C J 2133 Criminal Justice Ethics
            C J 2293/PSCI 2293 Law and Society
            ENGL 3583 Critical Theory and Approaches to Literature
            PHIL 3433 Readings in Philosophy
            PHIL 4603 History of Philosophy
            PHIL 4633 Special Topics in Philosophy
            PHIL 479V Independent Study in Philosophy
            PSCI 3573 Contemporary Political Ideologies
            PSCI 4673 Global Studies
            PSCI 4683 Western Political Theory
            SPCH 4653 Theories of Human Communication

Spanish Emphasis Area

SPAN 1013 Elementary Spanish II
SPAN 2203 Intermediate Spanish I
SPAN 2213 Intermediate Spanish II
SPAN 3503 Conversational Spanish I
Six hours of Spanish electives at the 3000-4000 level

Speech Communication Emphasis Area

COMM 2203 Interpersonal Communication
COMM 2223 Modern Media Literacy
COMM 2273 Argumentation and Debate
One of the following courses:
            COMM 3483 Communication in Small Groups
            COMM 3533 Communication in Organizations
COMM 4653 Theories of Human Communication
COMM 3453 Persuasion

SCHOOL OF COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS  

Computer Information Systems - Productivity Emphasis Area

CIS 1013 Introduction to Computer-based Systems
CIS 2203 Programming Logic and Design
CIS 2223 Microcomputer Applications
CIS 3103 Advanced Microcomputer Applications
Six additional hours of Computer Information Systems courses at the 3000-4000 level

Computer Information Systems - Analysis Emphasis Area

CIS 2193 PC Hardware and Software Maintenance
CIS 3443 Object-Oriented Programming Language
CIS 3523 Structured System Analysis and Design
CIS 4503 Business Data Communications
Six additional hours of Computer Information Systems courses

Computer Information Systems - Programming Emphasis Area

CIS 3243 Introduction to Java Programming
CIS 3423 Business Application Programming Using COBOL
CIS 3433 Introduction to C# Programming
CIS 3553 Advanced COBOL
Six additional hours of Computer Information Systems courses

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Business Emphasis Area

ACCT 2213 Principles of Financial Accounting
ACCT 2223 Principles of Managerial Accounting
One of the following courses:
            ECON 2203 Principles of Macroeconomics
            ECON 2213 Principles of Microeconomics
            G B 2113 Business Statistics I
Nine additional hours of 3000-4000 level courses in Accounting, Finance, General Business, Management or Marketing

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Coaching Emphasis Area

P E 2262 Officiating
P E 2272 First Aid and CPR
P E 2313 Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries
P E 3392 Coaching Track
P E 3422 Coaching Basketball
P E 3472 Coaching Football
P E 4643 Anatomical Kinesiology
P E 4713 Sports Administration

Exercise Science Emphasis Area

EXSC 1012 Concepts of Fitness
EXSC 2163 Sport Entrepreneurship
EXSC 3323 Strength and Conditioning
EXSC 4503 Exercise Prescription
EXSC 4533 Sports Psychology
P E 1081 CVR Fitness
P E 3523 Exercise Physiology

Physical Education Emphasis Area

P E 1443 Team Sports
P E 2203 Health and Wellness Promotions
P E 2703 Theory and Principles of Physical Education and Coaching
P E 3503 Adaptive PE
P E 3553 Child Growth and Motor Development
P E 4663 Methods and Materials of PE

Teaching and Learning

EDUC 2233 Instructional Technology
EDUC 2253 Needs of Diverse Learners in Inclusive Settings
EDUC 3563 Effective Instructional and Management Strategies
EDUC 3573 Classroom Management
EDUC 3583 Assessment Techniques
EDUC 4613 Education Field Study

SCHOOL OF FOREST RESOURCES

Forestry Emphasis Area

FOR 2231 Dendrology Laboratory
FOR 2273 Forest Measurements
FOR 3123 Human Dimensions in Natural Resources
FOR 4003 Natural Resource Policy
One of the following courses:
            AGRO 2244 Soils
            FOR 2033 Forest Soils
One of the following courses:
            BIOL 3484 General Ecology
            FOR 3394 Forest Ecology and Tree Ecophysiology
            One of the following courses:
            FOR 2022 Financial Analysis in Natural Resources
            FOR 3133 Forest Fire and Herbicides
            FOR 3592 Forest Hydrology
            WL F 2112 Introduction to Wildlife Conservation

Natural Resources Emphasis Area

FOR 3123/WL F 3343 Human Dimensions in Natural Resources
One of the following groups of courses:
            AGRO 2244 Soils
            FOR 2033/FOR 2041 Forest Soils and Forest Soils Laboratory
One of the following groups of courses:
            BIOL 2434 Regional Flora
            FOR 2231/FOR 2291 Dendrology Laboratory I and II
One of the following courses:
            AGEN 2263 Soil and Water Conservation
            FOR 3592 Forest Hydrology
One of the following courses:
            AGEC 4823 Economics of Environmental Management
            FOR 4003/WL F 4003 Natural Resource Policy
            PSCI 4613 Public Management
One of the following courses:
            BIOL 3484 General Ecology
            BIOL 3493/ESCI 3493 Environmental Science
            FOR 3394 Forest Ecology and Tree Ecophysiology
One of the following courses:
            WL F 2112 Introduction to Wildlife Conservation
            WL F 4712 Wildlife Management
            WL F 4722 Wildlife Ecology

Spatial Information Systems Emphasis Area

SIS 3814 Introduction to GIS, GPS and Remote Sensing
SIS 3843 Advanced Geographic Information Systems I
11-12 credits from the following courses, with at least 3 hours at the 3000-4000 level:
            CIS 3443 Object-Oriented Programming Languages
            CIS 4623 Database Management Systems
            FOR 3353 Biometrics
            SIS 1001 Introduction to Spatial Information Systems
            SIS 2014 Boundary Surveying
            SIS 2023 Geographic Coordinate systems and Cartography
            SIS 3923 Remote Sensing
            SIS 3933 Spatial Statistics
            SIS 4193 Advanced Global Positioning Systems (GPS)
            SIS 4633 Digital Photogrammetry
            SIS 4713 Advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS II)

Surveying Emphasis Area

SIS 2014 Boundary Surveying
SIS 2114 Plane Surveying
10-11 hours from the following courses, with at least 9 hours at the 3000-4000 level:
            CIS 4623 Database Management Systems
            G B 2113 Business Statistics I
            SIS 3153 Survey Plats and Deeds
            SIS 3264 Route and Construction Surveying
            SIS 3814 Introduction to GIS, GPS and Remote Sensing
            SIS 3843 Advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS) I
            SIS 3923 Remote Sensing
            SIS 4183 Law and Professionalism in Geomatics
            SIS 4454 Advanced Surveying

Wildlife Management Emphasis Area

BIOL 3434 Regional Flora
BIOL 3484 General Ecology
WL F 3831 Wildlife Techniques I
WL F 3841 Wildlife Techniques II
One of the following courses:
            BIOL 3384 Herpetology
            BIOL 3394 Ichthyology
            BIOL 3413/BIOL 3451 Mammalogy and Mammalology Laboratory
Two of the following courses:
            WL F 2112 Introduction to Wildlife Conservation
            WL F 4712 Wildlife Management
            WL F 4722 Wildlife Ecology

Interdisciplinary Emphasis Area

An individualized interdisciplinary block requires completion of a “Bachelor of General Studies Interdisciplinary Block Plan” and the approval of the student’s academic advisor, unit head, and Provost. The plan must include courses from at least 3 academic units and must have a minimum of 9 hours at the 3000-4000 level. Only one interdisciplinary block may be used to satisfy the Bachelor of General Studies degree.

SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICAL AND NATURAL SCIENCES

Biology Emphasis Area

One of the following groups of courses:
            Group I
                        BIOL 1053 Principles of Biology I
                        BIOL 1041 Principles of Biology I Lab
                        BIOL 1083 Principles of Biology II
                        BIOL 1091 Principles of Biology II Lab
            Group II
                        BIOL 1143 General Botany
                        BIOL 1153 General Zoology
                        BIOL 1171 General Botany Laboratory
                        BIOL 1161 General Zoology Lab
Ten hours of BIOL electives at the 3000-4000 level

Chemistry Emphasis Area

CHEM 1103 General Chemistry I
CHEM 1121 General Chemistry I Laboratory
CHEM 1113 General Chemistry II
CHEM 1131 General Chemistry II Laboratory
Ten hours of CHEM electives at the 3000-4000 level with a maximum of three hours of CHEM 469V

Mathematics Emphasis Area 

MATH 2255 Calculus I
Thirteen hours of MATH electives at the 3000-4000 level

Physics Emphasis Area

One of the following groups of courses:
            Group I          
                        PHYS 2203 General Physics I
                        PHYS 2213 General Physics II
            Group II
                        PHYS 2313 University Physics I
                        PHYS 2323 University Physics II
PHYS 2231 General and University Physics Laboratory I
PHYS 2241 General and University Physics Laboratory II
Ten hours of PHYS electives at the 3000-4000 level

DEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCE

Military Science Emphasis Area 

MLSC 3214 Advanced Leadership and Management I
MLSC 3224 Advanced Leadership and Management II
MLSC 4314 Leadership Seminar I
MLSC 4324 Leadership Seminar II
Six hours from the following courses:
            MLSC 1012 Learning to Lead I
            MLSC 1022 Learning to Lead II
            MLSC 2113 Applied Leadership and Management I
            MLSC 2123 Applied Leadership and Management II

SCHOOL OF NURSING

Health Care Professionals Preparation Emphasis Area

BIOL 2223 Anatomy and Physiology I
BIOL 2243 Anatomy and Physiology II
BIOL 2281 Anatomy and Physiology II Lab
BIOL 2291 Anatomy and Physiology I Lab
Eleven hours from the following courses, at least 9 hours must be at the 3000-4000 level: 
            BIOL 3553 Microbiology
            BIOL 3561 Microbiology Lab
            BIOL 4673 Pharmacology
            BIOL 4683 Pathophysiology
            NURS 2003 Introduction to Nursing Concepts and Roles
            NURS 3103 Nursing Skills
            NURS 3333 Health Assessment
            P E 2113 Nutrition
            P E 2203 Health-Wellness Promotion
            P E 2272 First Aid and CPR
            PSY 3443 Developmental Psychology
            SOC 3453 Race and Ethnic Relations

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

Criminal Justice Emphasis Area*

CJ 1013 Introduction to Criminal Justice
CJ 2283 Research Methods in the Social Sciences**
CJ 3243 Constitutional Criminal Procedure
Nine hours of Criminal Justice courses at the 3000-4000 level
*Note:  Course(s) taken to satisfy general education requirements cannot be used to fulfill a block.

History Emphasis Area*

One of the following courses:
            HIST 1013 Survey of Civilization I
            HIST 1023 Survey of Civilization II
One of the following courses:
            HIST 2213 American History I
            HIST 2223 American History II
HIST 3513 Historiography and Historical Methods
Nine hours of History courses at the 3000-4000 level
*Note:  Course(s) taken to satisfy general education requirements cannot be used to fulfill a block.

Political Science Emphasis Area*

PSCI 2213 American National Government
PSCI 2233 Comparative Politics
PSCI 2283 Research Methods in the Social Sciences**
Nine hours of Political Science courses at the 3000-4000 level
*Note:  Course(s) taken to satisfy general education requirements cannot be used to fulfill a block.

Psychology Emphasis Area*

PSY 1013 Introduction to Psychology
PSY 2203 Statistical Methods
PSY 2294 Experimental Psychology
Nine hours of Psychology courses at the 3000-4000 level
*Note:  Course(s) taken to satisfy general education requirements cannot be used to fulfill a block.

Sociology Emphasis Area*

SOC 2213 Introduction to Sociology
SOC 3453 Race and Ethnic Relations
SOC 2283 Research Methods in the Social Sciences**
Nine hours of Sociology courses at the 3000-4000 level
*Note:  Course(s) taken to satisfy general education requirements cannot be used to fulfill a block.

**Note:  If a student is using more than one emphasis area in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences in which “Research Methods in the Social Sciences” is required, that course can only be used in one of those emphasis areas. This course must be replaced with another 3000-4000 level emphasis area course in the remaining emphasis area(s).

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