Lower-Division UCA Core

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The checksheet presented below provides a current listing of courses available in the lower-division UCA Core. Substantive changes to the checksheet are incorporated annually and published with the other parts of each new year’s Undergraduate Bulletin in late spring/early summer; more minor changes may be made throughout the year if authorized. Each year the previous year’s checksheet is archived here by academic year and will be accessible through the archive links below.

Lower-Division Core Check Sheet: AY 2023-2024

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LD UCA Core 2023-2024 Updated 2023-05-22

Introductory Information

The lower-division core (“general education”) requires 38 semester credit hours, as outlined in the checksheet below. The following abbreviations indicate disciplinary categories for certain courses in this list:

FA = Fine Arts
HUM = Humanities
SS = Social Sciences

Transfer of credit, the State Minimum Core, and the Lower-Division UCA Core

  • A transfer student who has completed the 35-hour State Minimum Core curriculum before entering UCA, as transcripted by the sending institution, will be deemed to have completed the lower-division UCA Core. No additional lower-division UCA Core courses will be required. A transfer student who has not completed the 35-hour State Minimum Core curriculum before entering UCA must work with an academic advisor to ensure timely completion of lower-division UCA Core requirements. The State Minimum Core is outlined here: State Minimum General Education Core.
  • A readmitted student who has completed the 35-hour State Minimum Core curriculum at the time of readmission to UCA will be deemed to have completed the lower-division UCA Core provided that the student transfers 15 or more hours of credit from another college or university.
  • In the Quantitative or Natural Science sections (§§ 1.1, 1.2) of the Lower-Division (LD) UCA Core, higher-level courses than those listed that are accepted in transfer or as evaluated credit at the time of initial admission to the university will satisfy the respective LD UCA Core requirements provided that (1) the student has otherwise met respective grade and laboratory requirements and (2) the UCA equivalent to the transferred course has as a prerequisite an LD UCA Core course within the same UCA Core category.

Arkansas Course Transfer System: A notation in [square brackets] following selected courses indicates the corresponding Arkansas Course Transfer System (ACTS) index number. For more information, see the Academic Bulletins ACTS page.

First-Year Seminar: During the first year, one course – from the Critical Inquiry, Diversity, or Responsible Living category – must be a First-Year Seminar (FYS). See the online class schedule to find FYS sections (the course attribute is listed as LD UCA Core First-Year Seminar). Courses that are always FYS are noted in this checksheet.

Other Requirements

  • Students must successfully complete the Written Communication course sequence (Writing Foundation + Research and Writing) in their first year unless the requirement was already met.
  • An approved UCA Core math course should be completed in the first year (see Mathematics Pathways).
  • An approved UCA Core lab science course should be completed in the first two years.
  • Fine Arts and Humanities: Students must take six credits of coursework designated Fine Arts (FA) or Humanities (HUM) in fulfillment of lower-division UCA Core requirements.
  • Social Science: All students are required to take six credits of social science. In order to complete the Lower-Division Core in 38 credit hours, it is recommended that students take, in addition to the Social Science course taken in the Critical Inquiry category, a Social Science course in either the Diversity in World Cultures or the Responsible Living Category.

Additional information:

  • Students must demonstrate college-level readiness in mathematics, reading, and writing before enrolling in UCA Core humanities, mathematics, social science, and writing courses (see the university’s Mathematics, Reading, and Writing Placement policy).
  • Some majors require specific UCA Core courses.
  • Courses may be used only once to satisfy the UCA Core requirements.
  • A minimum grade of C is required in some UCA Core courses.
  • For additional information, consult your academic advisor or the relevant sections of the Undergraduate Bulletin.

Check sheet

Check sheet updated 2023-05-22

[1] Critical Inquiry

[1.1] Quantitative – Choose 1

__ MATH 1360 Quantitative Literacy [MATH1113]
__ MATH 1365 Mathematical Reasoning for Health Science Professions [MATH1113]
__ MATH 1390 College Algebra [MATH1103]

OR, if required by the student’s program of study or with the consent of the advisor and the course instructor

__ MATH 1392 Plane Trigonometry* [MATH1203]
__ MATH 1395 Applied Mathematics for Business (formerly Business Calculus)*
__ MATH 1486 Calculus Preparation (formerly MATH 1580)* [MATH1305]
__ MATH 1491 Calculus for the Life Sciences*
__ MATH 1496 Calculus I* [MATH2405]

* These courses have prerequisites. Consult Mathematics Courses for details.

[1.2] Natural Sciences

Physical Science – Choose 1

__ CHEM 1400 Chemistry in Society [CHEM1004]
__ PHYS 1400 Physical Science for General Education [PHSC1004]
__ PHYS 1401 Descriptive Astronomy [PHSC1204]
__ GEOG 1400 Earth Systems Science [PHSC1104]

OR, if required by the student’s program of study or with the consent of the advisor and the course instructor

__ CHEM 1450 College Chemistry I* [CHEM1414]
__ CHEM 1402 General Chemistry for Health Sciences* [CHEM1214]
__ PHYS 1405 Applied Physics*
__ PHYS 1410 College Physics 1* [PHYS2014]
__ PHYS 1441 University Physics 1* [PHYS2034]

Life Science – Choose 1

__ BIOL 1400 Exploring Concepts in Biology [BIOL1004]

OR, if required by the student’s program of study or with the consent of the advisor and the course instructor

__ BIOL 1410 Human Anatomy & Physiology I [BIOL2404]
__ BIOL 1440 Principles of Biology I* [BIOL1014]

* These courses have prerequisites. Consult Biology Courses, Chemistry Courses, or Physics Courses for details.

[1.3] Inquiry and Analysis

American History and Government – Choose 1

__ HIST 2301 The Making of America (formerly American Nation I) [HIST2113]
__ HIST 2302 America in the Modern Era (formerly American Nation II) [HIST2123]
__ PSCI 1330 US Government & Politics [PLSC2003]

Social Science – Choose 1

__ BUAD 2301 College of Business Travel Class for Critical Inquiry (SS)
__ ECON 2320 Principles of Macroeconomics (SS) [ECON2103]
__ ECON 2321 Principles of Microeconomics (SS) [ECON2203]
__ GEOG 1305 Principles of Geography (SS) [GEOG1103]
__ HIST 2360 A History of English to 1688 (SS)
__ MGMT 2341 Basic Management (SS)
__ PRLS 2305 Introduction to Public Relations (SS)
__ PSCI 1300 Introduction to Political Science (SS)
__ PSCI 1330 US Government & Politics (SS) [PLSC2003] (if used for American History and Government, cannot be used to fulfill the Social Science requirement)
__ PSCI 2300 International Relations (SS)
__ PSYC 1300 General Psychology (SS) [PSYC1103]
__ SOC 1300 Principles of Sociology (SS) [SOCI1013]

Fine Arts/Humanities – Choose 1

__ AFAM/HIST 1330 African & African-American Studies (HUM)
__ ART 2300 Art Appreciation (FA) [ARTA1003]
__ ENGL 1350 Introduction to Literature (HUM) [ENGL2713]
__ ENGL 1355 Film & Literature (HUM)
__ ENGL 1373 FYS: Humanities (HUM, FYS)
__ FREN 2320 Intermediate II [FREN2023] or GERM 2320 Intermediate II [GERM2023] or SPAN 2320 Intermediate III or CHIN 2320 Intermediate Chinese II* (HUM)
__ LALS 2310 Latinos in the United States (HUM)
__ PHIL 1301 Philosophy for Living (HUM) [PHIL1103]
__ PHIL 1373 FYS: Humanities (HUM, FYS)
__ PHIL 2305 Critical Thinking (HUM) [PHIL1003]
__ RELG 1330 Exploring Religion (HUM)
__ THEA 2300 Theatre Appreciation (FA) [DRAM1003]
__ LING 2350 World Languages (HUM)
__ WRID 2325 Introduction to Rhetoric (HUM)

OR, if required by the student’s program of study or with the consent of the advisor and the course instructor

__ ART 2325 Asian Art Survey (FA)
__ ART 2335 Art History, Prehistoric to Medieval (FA) [ARTA2003]
__ ART 2336 Art History, Renaissance to Modern (FA) [ARTA2103]
__ HONC 1310 Honors Core I (HUM, FYS)

* These courses have prerequisites. Consult the appropriate course page for details: Chinese, French, German, Spanish.

[2] Effective Communication

[2.1] Writing Foundation – Choose 1

Writing Foundation must be taken upon initial enrollment unless the student has already met the requirement or remediation is required.
__ WRTG 1310 Introduction to College Writing [ENGL1013]

OR, if required by the student’s program of study or with the consent of the advisor and the course instructor

__ HONC 1310 Honors Core I

[2.2] Research and Writing – Choose 1

__ WRTG 1320 Academic Writing & Research [ENGL1023]
__ ENGL 1320 Interdisciplinary Writing & Research [ENGL1023]

OR, if required by the student’s program of study or with the consent of the advisor and the course instructor

__ HONC 1320 Honors Core II

[2.3] Oral Communication – Choose 1

__ COMM 1300 Principles of Communication [SPCH1003]
__ MGMT 2301 Business Communications [BUSI2013]

OR, if required by the student’s program of study or with the consent of the advisor and the course instructor

__ MKTG 2376 Business Innovation & Creativity

[3] Diversity

[3.1] Diversity in Creative Works – Choose 1

__ COMM 1305 Communication, Culture, & the Arts (FA)
__ CRWR 2310 Introduction to Creative Writing (FA) [ENGL2013]
__ ENGL 2370 Introduction to Fiction (HUM)
__ ENGL 2380 Introduction to Poetry (HUM)
__ ENGL 2390 Introduction to Drama (HUM)
__ FILM 2300 Film Appreciation (FA)
__ MUS 2300 Music Appreciation (FA) [MUSC1003]
__ WLAN 2315 Cultural Studies (HUM)
__ WRTG 1374 FYS: Diversity in Creative Works (FA, FYS)

OR, if required by the student’s program of study or with the consent of the advisor and the course instructor

__ HONC 2320 Honors Core IV (FA)
__ MUS 1340 Introduction to Music Literature (FA)

[3.2] Diversity in World Cultures – Choose 1

__ ANTH 1302 Introduction to Anthropology (SS) [ANTH1013]
__ BUAD 2302 College of Business Travel Class for Diversity in World Cultures (SS)
__ COMM 2308 Perspectives in Communication (SS)
__ ECON 2310 Global Environment of Business (SS)
__ ENGL 2305 World Literature I (HUM) [ENGL2113]
__ ENGL 2306 World Literature II (HUM) [ENGL2123]
__ GEOG 1300 Geography of World Regions (SS) [GEOG2103]
__ GEOG 1320 Human Geography (SS) [GEOG1113]
__ HBST 1377 Study Abroad Seminar (health and behavioral sciences)
__ HIST 1310 Mummies–Mongols: World History I (SS) [HIST1113]
__ HIST 1320 Galileo–Gandhi: World History II (SS) [HIST1123]
__ HIST 1375 FYS: Diversity in World Cultures (SS, FYS)
__ HIST 1399 A History of Today: The World Since 1945 (HUM)
__ HIST 2310 Introduction to Asian History (HUM)
__ LALS 2300 Latin American Cultures (HUM)
__ LING 1310 Language, Culture, & Society (SS)
__ PHIL 1330 World Philosophies (HUM)
__ PHIL 1375 FYS: Diversity in World Cultures (HUM, FYS)
__ RELG 1320 World Religions (HUM)
__ WLAN 2325 Issues of Cultural Identity in the African Diaspora (HUM)

OR, if required by the student’s program of study or with the consent of the advisor and the course instructor

__ HONC 2310 Honors Core III (HUM)

[4] Responsible Living – Choose 1

__ ACAD 1300 Journeys to Success
__ BUAD 2303 College of Business Travel Class for Responsible Living (SS)
__ COMM 1306 Communication & Civic Engagement
__ ECON 1310 Modern Political Economy (SS)
__ EDUC 2330 Topics in Social Justice in Teaching & Learning (SS)
__ ENGL 1345 Introduction to Literature & Social Responsibility (HUM)
__ EXSS 1320 Foundations of Wellness
__ FINA 2330 Personal Finance (SS)
__ HLTH 1320 Essentials of Health & Wellness
__ HLTH 2320 Mental Health (SS)
__ HIST 1376 FYS: Historical Perspectives on Responsible Living (HUM, FYS)
__ INSU 1300 Introduction to Insurance
__ MCOM 1300 Media & Society
__ PHIL 2325 Contemporary Moral Problems (HUM)
__ PHIL 2360 Gender, Race, & Class (HUM)
__ PSCI 2315 Introduction to Political Theory (SS)
__ SOC 2325 Social Problems (SS) [SOCI2013]
__ USCH 1300 Leading with Expertise (HUM, FYS)

OR, if required by the student’s program of study or with the consent of the advisor and the course instructor

__ FACS 2341 Lifespan Development
__ FACS 2351 Family Relations
__ HONC 1320 Honors Core II (SS)
__ HONC 2310 Honors Core III (HUM)
__ NUTR 1300 Foundations of Nutrition