UCC Requirements

Main Content

 

University Core Curriculum Requirements

Degree RequirementsCredit Hours
I. Foundation Skills 13
Foundations of Inquiry: 1
Select either: The three course sequence of UNIV 100A, UNIV 100B, and UNIV 100C (for Dual Admission Program students only) or one UNIV 101 course. Juniors or seniors may substitute UNIV 301 if they missed UNIV 101 as a first-year student. The “Foundations of Inquiry” Core Curriculum requirement applies to undergraduate students first entering SIU in Summer 2012 or later, with fewer than 12 transferable credit hours earned after high school graduation excluding AP, CLEP, IB and proficiency credits. For students entering SIU from Summer 2012 through Spring 2015, this is a 3-credit hour requirement. For students entering SIU beginning in Summer 2015, this is a 1-credit hour requirement. Some programs require all students (regardless of Transferable hours) to take a specific Foundations of Inquiry course. These courses range from 1 to 3 credit hours. Students should check with their academic advisor to determine whether the program they wish to enter requires a specific UNIV 101 course. UNIV 101U is the standard section of UNIV 101.
Communication Studies 101 3
English Composition: 6
Both ENGL 101 and ENGL 102 are to be completed with a grade of C or better. ENGL 120H, if completed with a grade of C or better, will complete the composition requirement. LING 101 and LING 102, also to be completed with a grade of C or better, will satisfy the composition requirement for ESL students.
Mathematics: 3
Select one course from the following: CI 220, MATH 101, MATH 102, MATH 110. Any mathematics course designated by a number greater than 105 except for MATH 120, and MATH 300I (including courses cross-listed with AUCC Math courses).
II. Disciplinary Studies 23
Fine Arts: 3
Select one course from the following: AD 100A, AD 100B, AD 101; ARC 231, ARC 232, ARC 314I; CIN 101, CIN 101H, CIN 354I; ENGL 119, ENGL 119H, ENGL 206A, ENGL 307I; HIST 201; ID 231, ID 232; LCIS 200A, LCIS 200B, LCIS 200C; MUS 103, MUS 106, MUS 357A, MUS 357B; RTD 362I; THEA 101, THEA 220; UHON 351F.
Human Health: 2
Select one course from the following: AH 241; BIOL 202; GRON 205; HND 101; KIN 101, KIN 201; PH 101; PHSL 201, PHSL 310; REHB 205, REHB 205H; UHON 351L.
Humanities: 6
Select two courses from the following: AD 207A, AD 207B, AD 207C, AD 358, AD 368; ASL 120A, ASL 120B, ASL 220A, ASL 220B, ASL 370, ASL 375; CHIN 120A, CHIN 120B, CHIN 201A, CHIN 201B, CHIN 370; CIN 358I; CLAS 130A, CLAS 130B, CLAS 133A, CLAS 133B, CLAS 201A, CLAS 201B, CLAS 202A, CLAS 202B, CLAS 230, CLAS 270, CLAS 271, CLAS 304A, CLAS 315I; EA 102, EA 300; ENGL 121, ENGL 121H, ENGL 204, ENGL 209; GEOL 329H, GEOL 329I; GER 201A, GER 201B; GER 230; HCM 395; HIST 101A, HIST 101B, HIST 203, HIST 207, HIST 358I; INTL 300; JPN 131A, JPN 131B, JPN 201A, JPN 201B, JPN 370; JRNL 334, JRNL 399; LCIS 320, LCIS 330; LING 200, LING 375; MATH 300I; PHIL 102, PHIL 103A, PHIL 103B, PHIL 104, PHIL 105, PHIL 303I, PHIL 304A, PHIL 305A, PHIL 305B, PHIL 307I, PHIL 309I, PHIL 334, PHIL 340, PHIL 399; PSYC 207; SPAN 201A, SPAN 201B; UHON 351U.
Science: Select one course from each group. Lecture courses in Geology must be taken with the appropriate lab course. 1 6
Group I Physical Science: CHEM 106, CHEM 140A, CHEM 200, CHEM 201, CHEM 205, CHEM 205H, CHEM 207, CHEM 207H, CHEM 215, CHEM 215H, CHEM 217, CHEM 217H; GEOG 104, GEOG 303I, GEOG 310I; GEOL 111, GEOL 112, GEOL 113, GEOL 121, GEOL 122, GEOL 123, GEOL 124, GEOL 128, GEOL 129, GEOL 130, GEOL 131, GEOL 220, GEOL 220H, GEOL 221, GEOL 221H, GEOL 222, GEOL 223, GEOL 224, and GEOL 225; PHYS 101, PHYS 103, PHYS 203A, PHYS 203B, PHYS 205A, PHYS 205B, PHYS 253A, PHYS 253B, PHYS 255A, PHYS 255B, PHYS 305 and PHYS 355; SCI 210A; UHON 351S1, UHON 351S2.
Group II Life Science: ANTH 240A; BIOL 211, BIOL 212, BIOL 213; MICR 201; PHSL 201 and PHSL 208 (if not used for Human Health); PLB 115, PLB 117, PLB 200, PLB 301I; SCI 210B; ZOOL 115, ZOOL 118, ZOOL 220.
Social Science: 6
Select two courses in different disciplines from the following: ABE 204, ABE 300I, AGRI 300I, ANTH 104, ANTH 205; ANTH 340E; CI 227; CLAS 304B; ECON 113, ECON 240, ECON 241, ECON 302I; EDUC 214; FIN 200; FOR 125; GEOG 100, GEOG 103, GEOG 300I; HCM 366; HIST 110, HIST 112, HIST 205A, HIST 205B, HIST 301; JRNL 306I, JRNL 314I; LAC 300I; MCMA 200; PARL 105; PHIL 304B; POLS 114, POLS 250, POLS 314I, POLS 332I, POLS 372I; PSYC 102; PSYC 102H; SOC 108, SOC 306I, SOC 340; UHON 351O; WGSS 286; ZOOL 312I.
III. Multicultural/Diversity: Improving Human Relations 3
Select one course from the following: AD 227, AD 267, AD 307I, AD 317I; AFR 215, AFR 227, AFR 303I, AFR 325; ANTH 202, ANTH 204; CDS 310; CMST 201, CMST 301I; CCJ 203; DH 417; EDUC 211; ENGL 205 and ENGL 212; ENGL 225, ENGL 325; ENGR 304I, ENGR 305; FR 200; HIST 202, HIST 212, HIST 300, HIST 366; HTEM 256; INTL 301; KIN 210; LING 201, LING 320I, LING 375; MCMA 204; MUS 203, MUS 303I; PHIL 210, PHIL 211, PHIL 308I; POLS 215, POLS 352I; PSYC 223, PSYC 233; SOC 215, SOC 223, SOC 304I; UHON 351M; WGSS 200, WGSS 201, WGSS 223, WGSS 225, WGSS 233, WGSS 301I, WGSS 303I, WGSS 307I, WGSS 320I. 2
Total 39

1 All majors in the College of Engineering, Computing, Technology, and Mathematics may satisfy the science requirement by taking two physical science courses provided that they take BIOL 202, Human Genetics and Human Health.

2 Students are strongly advised to complete their Disciplinary Studies courses before enrolling in the Multicultural Diversity course.

Some programs and upper division academic units require specific Core Curriculum courses. A student may determine these requirements by referring to specific major requirements.

Catalog Year Prior to Summer 2012

Students whose catalog year is prior to Summer 2012 are not required to take a Foundations of Inquiry course. These students are required to take a 3 credit hour Interdisciplinary course from the list below. Most of these courses also satisfy Core requirements in other areas, as indicated in the lists above, but no course can be used to satisfy more than one Core Curriculum requirement.

Degree RequirementsCredit Hours
Interdisciplinary 3
Select one course from the following: AD 307I, AD 317I; AFR 303I, AGRI 300I, ARC 314I, CIN 354I, CIN 358I; CLAS 315I, CMST 301I, ECON 302I, ENGL 307I, ENGR 301I, ENGR 304I; GEOG 300I, GEOG 303I, GEOG 310I; GEOL 327I, GEOL 329I, GEOL 330H, GEOL 330I; HIST 358I, JRNL 306I, JRNL 314I; LAC 300I, LING 320I, MATH 300I, MUS 303I, PHIL 303I, PHIL 307I, PHIL 308I, PHIL 309I; PLB 301I, PLB 303I; POLS 314I, POLS 332I, POLS 352I, POLS 372I; RTD 362I, SOC 304I, SOC 306I; UHON 351I, WGSS 301I, WGSS 303I, WGSS 307I, WGSS 320I; ZOOL 312I.

Meeting University Core Curriculum Requirements

Core Curriculum requirements may be met by any of the following, subject to the rules and limitations listed:

  1. Completion of Core Curriculum with a satisfactory grade. Each student must complete the Foundation courses (Composition, Foundations of Inquiry, Speech, Mathematics) prior to or upon completing 56 credit hours of coursework. The student, working with the academic advisor, shall have the responsibility of meeting this requirement.
  2. Completion of an associate degree in a baccalaureate-oriented program (A.A. or A.S.) from an accredited Illinois public two-year institution; completion of an A.A. from an accredited Missouri public two-year institution; or completion of an A.A. or A.S. from a Kentucky Community and Technical College System institution. The student will: (a) be admitted to the University with junior standing if enrollment occurs after earning the associate degree and prior to coursework being attempted at another institution and, (b) be considered to have completed the University Core Curriculum requirements for general graduation purposes.
  3. Other associate’s degrees will be reviewed by the Registrar's Office. If the degree is determined to be baccalaureate-oriented and to have comparable content and credit hour criteria, the same benefits will be extended to those graduates.
  4. Transfer students may satisfy the requirements of the University Core Curriculum by successful completion of the Illinois Transferable General Education Curriculum. Transfer students who have not completed all Core Curriculum requirements prior to enrolling at SIU can have their transcripts evaluated and comparable courses will be applied toward the University Core Curriculum or the IAI General Education Core Curriculum requirements on a course-by-course basis. A student must have a minimum of 30 credit hours of transfer credit prior to enrollment at SIU in order to be eligible to complete the IAI GECC in lieu of the SIU UCC requirement subsequent to admission to the University.
  5. Students who have received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution will also be considered to have their University Core Curriculum complete. Additional information concerning admission of transfer students and the evaluation of transfer credit can be found in the sections of this catalog pertaining to those specific programs. (See admission and University Core Curriculum and Transfer Students in this site for more information on transfer of courses.)
  6. Proficiency credit by examination for Core Curriculum courses. All Core Curriculum courses are eligible for proficiency credit, subject to specified restrictions. (See proficiency examinations.) Students should contact the individual school for specific information.
  7. Proficiency credit via General Examinations of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or Advanced Placement (AP). Credit given through the High School AP or CLEP examinations will be nonresident, will not carry a grade, and will not be used in computing the student’s grade point average. A $33 charge is assessed for proficiency examinations taken at Testing Services.
  8. No Core course may satisfy more than one requirement.