Lower-Division UCA Core

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:

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 Lab 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: All freshmen must enroll in a first-year seminar (FYS) prior to completing 30 credit hours, including transitional courses. FYS courses are designated below in parentheses. All FYS courses meet a Diversity requirement, except ACAD 1300, HONC 1310, and HONP 1300. Students who do not complete an FYS course under Diversity must complete two Diversity courses in the Creative Works and World Cultures category.

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 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

[1.2] Lab Science – Choose 2

[1.3] Inquiry and Analysis

[2] Effective Communication

[2.1] Writing Foundation – Choose 1

[2.2] Research and Writing – Choose 1

[2.3] Oral Communication – Choose 1

[3] Diversity – Choose 2

[3.1] First Year Seminar – Open to Freshmen Only

[3.2] Creative Works and World Cultures

[4] Responsible Living – Choose 1