- A1. Oral Communication (3 units)
- A2. Written Communication (3 units)
- A3. Logical/Critical Reasoning (3 units)
- B1. Physical Science (3 units)
- B2. Natural Sciences in Life Science (3 units)
- B3. Natural Sciences in Science Laboratory (1 units)
- B4. Quantitative Reasoning and Problem Solving (3 units): 1
- B5. Integrative Studies in the Natural Sciences (3 units)
- C1. Arts Courses (3 - 6 units)
- C2. Letters Courses (3 - 6 units)
- C3. Integrative Studies in the Humanities (3 units)
- D1. Perspectives on Individuals, Groups and Society (3 units)
- D2. Global and Historical Perspectives (3 units)
- D3. Integrative Studies in the Social Sciences (3 units)
Area A. English Language Communication and Critical Thinking (9 units required)
Complete one course from each of the following categories (A1, A2, A3): 1
A1. Oral Communication (3 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| THE 120 | Fundamentals of Speech | 3 |
A2. Written Communication (3 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENG 108 & ENG 109 | Freshman Composition I: Stretch 1 and Freshman Composition I: Stretch 2 * | 6 |
| ENG 110 | Freshman Composition Accelerated | 3 |
| ENG 112 | Freshman Composition Supported | 3 |
* If stretch course option is selected, completion of both ENG 108 and 109 is required to satisfy A2. ENG 108 must be completed with a grade of CR. ENG 109 must be completed with a grade of "C-" or higher.
A3. Logical/Critical Reasoning (3 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CSC 121 | Introduction to Computer Science and Programming I 2 | 4 |
| MAT 271 | Foundations Of Higher Math | 3 |
| PHI 120 | Critical Reasoning | 3 |
| PSY 110 | Critical Thinking and Problem Solving | 3 |
| PHI 220 | Symbolic Logic | 3 |
Courses in area A and area B4 must be passed with a grade of "C-" or higher.
Meets Area A3 for the following programs, BA Computer Technology, BS Computer Science and BS Information Technology
Area B. Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning (13 units required)
Complete one course from each of the categories (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5): 2
B1. Physical Science (3 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| CHE 102 | Chemistry For The Citizen | 3 |
| CHE 110 | General Chemistry I 3 | 5 |
| EAR 100 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| GEO 200 | Physical Geography | 3 |
| PHY 100 | Patterns In Nature | 3 |
| PHY 120 | Elements Of Physics I 4 | 4 |
| PHY 130 | General Physics I 5 | 5 |
Students majoring or minoring in one of the natural sciences (Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Chemistry, or Physics) may substitute more advanced science courses. These students should see a faculty advisor.
Meets area B1 and B3 for the following programs only: BS Biochemistry, BA Chemistry: Biochemistry Option, BA Chemistry: General Chemistry Option, BS Chemistry, BA Biology, BS Biology, Minor in Biology, Minor in Microbiology, Minor in Organic/Biochemistry, BS in Clinical Science, BS in Earth Science, BA in Physical Education: Pre-Physical Therapy Option, BS in Physics
Meets Area B1 and B3 for the following programs only: BS Biochemistry, BA Biology, BS Biology, BA Chemistry: Biochemistry Option, BS Earth Science, BA Physical Education: Pre-Physical Therapy Option, BS Quality Assurance
Meets Area B1 and B3 for the following programs only: BS Biochemistry, BS Biology, BA Chemistry: Biochemistry Option, BA Chemistry: General Chemistry Option, BS Chemistry, BS Computer Science, BS Mathematics, BS Physics, Minor in Physics
B2. Natural Sciences in Life Science (3 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ANT 101 | Intro to Biological Anthro | 3 |
| BIO 102 | General Biology | 3 |
| BIO 120 | Principles of Biology I 6 | 3 |
| BIO 122 | Principles of Biology II 7 | 3 |
Meets Area B2 for the following programs only: BS Biochemistry, BA Biology, BS Biology, Minor in Biology, Minor in Microbiology, BS in Clinical Science, BS Earth Science, BA Physical Education: Pre-Physical Therapy Option
Meets Are B2 for the following programs only: BS Biochemistry, Ba Biology, BS Biology, Minor in Microbiology, BS Clinical Science, BS Earth Science
B3. Natural Sciences in Science Laboratory (1 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 103 | General Biology Laboratory 8 | 1 |
| BIO 121 | Principles of Biology Laboratory I 9 | 1 |
| BIO 123 | Principles of Biology Laboratory II 10 | 1 |
| CHE 103 | Chemistry Lab for the Global Citizen | 1 |
| EAR 101 | Physical Geology Laboratory 11 | 1 |
Concurrent enrollment in BIO 102 General Biology or prior life science course recommended.
Meets Area B3 for the following programs only: BS in Biochemistry, BS Biology, Minor in Biology , Minor in Microbiology, BS Clinical Science, BS Earth Science, BA Physical Education: Pre Physical-Therapy Option
Meets Area B3 for the following programs only: BS Biochemistry, BA Biology, BS Biology, Minor in Microbiology, BS in Clinical Science, BS Earth Science
Concurrent enrollment in EAR 100 Physical Geology or prior earth science course recommended.
B4. Quantitative Reasoning and Problem Solving (3 units): 1
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MAT 105 | Finite Mathematics | 3 |
| MAT 131 | Elementary Statistics and Probability | 3 |
| MAT 132 | Statistics and Probability with Support | 4 |
| MAT 134 | Statistics & Probability - Supported | 4 |
| MAT 151 | College Algebra and Trigonometry | 4 |
| MAT 153 | Pre-Calculus with Trigonometry with Lab | 4 |
| MAT 155 | Pre-Calculus | 4 |
| MAT 171 | Survey of Calculus for Management and Life Sciences | 4 |
| MAT 191 | Calculus I | 5 |
| MAT 193 | Calculus II | 5 |
Courses in area A and area B4 must be passed with a grade of "C-" or higher.
B5. Integrative Studies in the Natural Sciences (3 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIO 336 | Environmental Biology | 3 |
| BIO 340 | Genetics | 3 |
| BSN 346 | Human Pathophysiology 12 | 3 |
| CSC 301 | Computers And Society | 3 |
| EAR 312 | Natural Disasters | 3 |
| EAR 416 | Earth Science for Teachers | 3 |
| HEA 466 | Environmental Health Problems | 3 |
| IDS 310 | Global Climate Change | 3 |
| LBS 380 | Blended Science Methods | 4 |
| SMT 310 | Science and Technology | 3 |
| SMT 314 | Introduction to Cosmology | 3 |
| SMT 410 | Development of Scientific Thinking and Theories | 3 |
| SMT 416 | Earth Science For Teacher | 3 |
Course restricted to Nursing majors
Area C. Arts and Humanities (12 units required)
Complete one course from each of the following categories (C1, C2, C3) and one additional lower division course from area C1 or C2 (4 courses total):
C1. Arts Courses (3 - 6 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AFS 205 | Introduction to Hip Hop | 3 |
| APP 225 | Pacific Islander Culture in Oceania and the U.S. | 3 |
| ART 100 | Looking At Art | 3 |
| ART 101 | Experiencing Creative Art | 3 |
| COM 130 | Introduction to Film | 3 |
| DAN 130 | Global Dance Perspectives | 3 |
| ENG 271 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 |
| MUS 101 | Introducing Music | 3 |
| MUS 110 | Music Fundamentals | 3 |
| MUS 201 | Music in Film: From the Silent Era to The Lord of the Rings | 3 |
| MUS 250 | History of Rock | 3 |
| THE 100 | Television Film & Theatre | 3 |
| THE 160 | Acting For Non-Majors | 3 |
| WMS 330 | Queer Art and Visual Culture | 3 |
C2. Letters Courses (3 - 6 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AFS 200 | Intro to Africana Studies | 3 |
| APP 101 | Introduction To Asian Studies | 3 |
| CHS 100 | Chicana/o Cultural Roots | 3 |
| CHS 205 | Introduction to Chicana/o Literature | 3 |
| COM 100 | Media & Society | 3 |
| ENG 230 | Literature and Popular Culture | 3 |
| FRE 220 | Second Year French | 3 |
| HUM 204 | Introduction to the Humanities | 3 |
| JPN 110 | Beginning Japanese I | 3 |
| JPN 111 | Beginning Japanese II | 3 |
| LBR 202 | Class Struggles in Film and Popular Culture | 3 |
| PHI 101 | Moral Problems | 3 |
| PHI 102 | Humanity, Nature & God | 3 |
| PHI 201 | The Good Life | 3 |
| PHI 202 | The Devil You Don't Know | 3 |
| SPA 151 | Introduction to Hispanic Culture | 3 |
| SPA 221 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
| WMS 100 | Gender, Sex, the Body, & Politics: An Introduction | 3 |
| WMS 410 | Queer of Color Critique | 3 |
C3. Integrative Studies in the Humanities (3 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AFS 331 | Key Movements: African Literature and Culture | 3 |
| AFS 332 | Key Movements: Harlem Renaissance | 3 |
| AFS 333 | Black Movements of the Sixties | 3 |
| AFS 334 | African Culture and Art | 3 |
| APP 314 | Asian Americans and the Media | 3 |
| APP 315 | Asian Pop Culture and Globalization | 3 |
| APP 325 | Asian Pacific Art, Music and Literature | 3 |
| APP 339 | Asian Diaspora and Transnational Asian Religions | 3 |
| APP 343 | Asian Pacific Film & Literature | 3 |
| ARH 370 | Art and Social Protest | 3 |
| CHS 340 | Native American and Chicana Women's Narrative | 3 |
| CHS 345 | Latina/o Identities in the Americas | 3 |
| ENG 308 | Critical Approaches to Children's Literature | 3 |
| ENG 360 | Heroes and Antiheroes | 3 |
| ENG 362 | Environment in Literature & Culture | 3 |
| ENG 364 | Literary Utopia | 3 |
| HIS 355 | American Civil Rights History | 3 |
| HIS 375 | Pop Culture in History | 3 |
| HIS 376 | Film As History | 3 |
| HUM 300 | Health Humanities | 3 |
| HUM 301 | Mind/Brain and the Arts | 3 |
| HUM 302 | Lives of Faust: Deals with the Devil | 3 |
| HUM 303 | All Creatures Great & Small: Animals from Sacred to Endangered | 3 |
| HUM 304 | Vampires | 3 |
| HUM 305 | Never Lose Infinite Hope: Imagining Justice, Cultivating Mental Wellness | 3 |
| HUM 310 | Key Concepts | 3 |
| HUM 312 | Key Movements | 3 |
| HUM 314 | Key Issues | 3 |
| IDS 312 | Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Humanities | 3 |
| LBR 310 | Success and Values | 3 |
| LBR 312 | Decade of the Sixties | 3 |
| LBR 314 | Key Issues: American Dream | 3 |
| MUS 302 | African American Music | 3 |
| MUS 312 | The Jazz Age | 3 |
| MUS 345 | Global Popular Music: Identity and Social Change | 3 |
| MUS 486 | Music History III: 1880 to Contemporary | 3 |
| NCR 390 | Fundamentals of Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding | 3 |
| PHI 351 | Death and Dying | 3 |
| PHI 352 | Myth as Reality | 3 |
| PHI 353 | Age of Revolt | 3 |
| PHI 383 | Comparative Religions | 3 |
| SPA 310 | Romantic Love in the Western Tradition | 3 |
| SPA 312 | Hispanic Literature, Art and Culture | 3 |
| SPA 313 | Encountering the Other | 3 |
| THE 313 | Voices of Contemporary Women Playwrights | 3 |
| THE 315 | Key Concepts: The American Musical | 3 |
| THE 317 | Theatre of Revolt | 3 |
| THE 319 | The Power of Masks | 3 |
| WMS 310 | The Witch in Literature | 3 |
| WMS 311 | Comedy, Sex and Gender | 3 |
| WMS 314 | Feminism and Film | 3 |
| WMS 315 | Literary Topics in Gender Studies and Sexuality Studies | 3 |
| WMS 380 | Gender and Sexuality in Popular Culture | 3 |
Area D. Area of the Social Sciences (9 units required)
Complete one course from each of the following categories (D1, D2, D3). Courses must be taken from more than one department (e.g., if you satisfy D1 and D2 with anthropology courses , then D3 category cannot be satisfied with an anthropology course. At least one area D course must be from a different department).
D1. Perspectives on Individuals, Groups and Society (3 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AFS 220 | African World Peoples & Soc. | 3 |
| ANT 100 | Introduction to Cultural Anthropology | 3 |
| CDV 150 | Intro Child Development | 3 |
| ECO 200 | Contemporary Econ Issues | 3 |
| ECO 210 | Economic Theory 1A Micro | 3 |
| ECO 211 | Economic Theory 1B Macro | 3 |
| IDS 210 | Introduction to Environmental Studies | 3 |
| LAW 240 | Legal Environment of Business | 3 |
| LBR 101 | Introduction to Labor Studies: Work, Wealth and Power | 3 |
| LBS 205 | Child and Adolescent Development | 3 |
| NCR 291 | Psychology of Peacebuilding | 3 |
| PSY 101 | General Education Psychology: Understanding Human Behavior | 3 |
| SOC 101 | The Individual In Society | 3 |
| SOC 102 | Understanding Social Relationships in a Global Perspective | 3 |
| WMS 200 | Foundations in Queer Studies | 3 |
| WMS 250 | Foundations in Women's Studies | 3 |
D2. Global and Historical Perspectives (3 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AFS 201 | African World Civilizations | 3 |
| ANT 102 | Ancient Civilizations | 3 |
| CHS 200 | Introduction to Chicana/o and Latina/o History | 3 |
| ENG 150 | Languages of the World | 3 |
| GEO 100 | Human Geography | 3 |
| HIS 120 | World History I | 3 |
| HIS 121 | World History II | 3 |
| LBR 200 | Labor and the Environment | 3 |
| MGT 200 | Global Organizational Ethics and Social Responsibility | 3 |
| POL 100 | General Education Political Science: World Perspectives | 3 |
D3. Integrative Studies in the Social Sciences (3 units):
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AFS 310 | The African American Experience in the US | 3 |
| AFS 311 | Afro Latinidad & the Caribbean | 3 |
| AFS 312 | Cultural Pluralism: Ethnic & Global Society | 3 |
| ANT 312 | Language And Culture | 3 |
| ANT 330 | North American Indians | 3 |
| ANT 334 | Mesoamerica Past and Present | 3 |
| ANT 336 | Comparative Cultures: Culture, Environment and Globalization | 3 |
| ANT 337 | Ethnography and Film | 3 |
| ANT 338 | Mainland Southeast Asia | 3 |
| ANT 342 | South America | 3 |
| ANT 371 | Historical and Cultural Perspectives in Disability Studies | 3 |
| APP 311 | Contemporary Issues in Asian American Communities | 3 |
| APP 318 | Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Lao Americans: Culture, History, and Identity | 3 |
| APP 327 | Values and Communication of Asian Pacific Cultures | 3 |
| APP 335 | Asian Pacific Culinary Culture | 3 |
| APP 350 | Asian-Pacific Gender and Family | 3 |
| BSN 306 | Cult Diversity Healthcare 13 | 3 |
| CHS 323 | Latina/o Perspectives on U.S. Immigration and Citizenship | 3 |
| CHS 330 | Latina/o Identities in U.S. | 3 |
| CHS 335 | Urban Youth Gangs in Los Angeles | 3 |
| GEO 318 | Cultural Pluralism The Human Environment: Methods of Knowledge and Truth | 3 |
| HEA 468 | Multicultural Health | 3 |
| HIS 340 | American West | 3 |
| HIS 348 | Labor In American Society | 3 |
| HIS 352 | Topics in United States Foreign Relations History | 3 |
| HIS 354 | History of American Immigration | 3 |
| HIS 356 | American Environmental History: American Environment from Pre-Contact (prior to 1500) to the Present | 3 |
| HIS 380 | Women In History | 3 |
| IDS 304 | Issues in Global Studies | 3 |
| IDS 318 | Interdisciplinary Approach to Cultural Pluralism | 3 |
| ITC 300 | Security in a Digital Society | 3 |
| LBR 313 | The Future of Workers and Work | 3 |
| LBR 316 | Working Class and Education | 3 |
| LBR 350 | Research Methods for Social Change | 3 |
| LBR 365 | Racial Capitalism | 3 |
| LBS 370 | Multicultural Studies | 5 |
| MLG 318 | New Perspectives on Language and Sex | 3 |
| NCR 391 | Restorative Justice | 3 |
| POL 350 | History of Political Ideas | 3 |
| POL 351 | Modern Political Thought | 3 |
| POL 354 | American Political Thought | 3 |
| SBS 318 | Cultural Pluralism: | 3 |
| SPA 318 | Movements of Latin America | 3 |
| WMS 318 | Race, Class and Gender | 3 |
| WMS 340 | Politics of Women's (Un)Paid Labor | 3 |
| WMS 390 | Transnational Feminisms | 3 |
Restricted to Nursing Majors
Area E. Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (3 units)
Select one of the following:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BUS 100 | Entrepreneurship For Everyone | 3 |
| CIS 275 | Internet Literacy | 3 |
| ENG 107 | Reading & Writing LA | 3 |
| FIN 200 | Personal Finance for Non-Finance Majors | 3 |
| HEA 100 | Health & Lifestyles | 3 |
| HEA 104 | Food, Health and Environment | 3 |
| HEA 201 | Healthcare Systems and Perspectives | 3 |
| KIN 235 | Lifetime Fitness | 3 |
| LIB 151 | Fundamentals of Information Literacy | 3 |
| LBR 201 | Work/Life: Purpose, Power, and Identity | 3 |
| REC 100 | Dimensions Of Leisure | 3 |
| UNV 101 | Personal, Social and Intellectual Development | 3 |
Area F. Ethnic Studies (3 units)
Select one of the following. May be fulfilled by approved upper division.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| AFS 100 | The African American Experience | 3 |
| AFS 212 | Intro To Comp Eth & Global Soc | 3 |
| AFS 231 | Africana Literary Traditions | 3 |
| APP 201 | Introduction to Asian American Studies | 3 |
| APP 212 | Introduction to Comparative Ethnic and Global Societies | 3 |
| CHS 125 | Chicano/Latino Musical Culture | 3 |
| CHS 212 | Introduction to Comparative Ethnic Studies | 3 |
Program Learning Outcomes
In keeping with the mission of CSUDH to "provide education, scholarship and service that are, by design, accessible and transformative,” our General Education (GE) program seeks to provide foundational learning opportunities that help students make deep connections and find personal meaning that propels them throughout their education and life beyond the university. The Association of American Colleges and Universities calls this a liberal education; or, one in which students are free “to seek after the truth unencumbered by dogma, ideology, or preconceived notions.” Additionally, one with a liberal education can be “both broad-and open-minded, and is, therefore, less susceptible to manipulation or prejudice.” (AAC&U, 2020) A General Education program provides a wide range of pathways for students to explore multiple ideas, perspectives, ways of knowing, and problems while also situating themselves in relation to this broader learning through various disciplines both as a student and a member of their community and the world.
Through GE, CSUDH students will take part in learning experiences that support growth toward 8 learning outcomes:
- Metacognition: Critically reflect on past experiences to explore and direct their own learning;
- Critical Inquiry: Learn to use critical inquiry skills and then apply these fundamental tools to a variety of qualitative or quantitative reasoning contexts;
- Communication: Effectively use oral, written, creative, and digital modes of communication relevant to audience, purpose and context;
- Information Literacy: Locate, evaluate, and incorporate information applicable to a particular field or inquiry;
- Race, Equity and Social Justice: Examine societal, cultural, and historical contexts of race, class, gender, and sexualities in order to understand the differential and intersectional impacts of racism, oppression, and social inequality on individuals and groups in the United States;
- Integrative Learning and Problem Solving: Address complex ideas and questions by drawing from and synthesizing a range of relevant disciplinary ideas, principles, and methods;
- Global Perspectives: Critically analyze and engage with complex interdependent global systems and legacies and understand their implications for people’s lives; and,
- Community Engagement: Think critically about their roles and responsibilities as stakeholders in communities at the campus, local, national, and global levels in order to engage in mutual exchange of knowledge.
Together these outcomes should allow for students to develop a well-rounded foundation for their studies that promotes their identities, strengths, and values while engaging with diverse voices and perspectives throughout their university and community.
The General Education Program requires 49 semester units: (A) 9 units of English Language Communication and Critical Thinking; (B) 13 units of Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning; (C) 12 units of Arts and Humanities; (D) 9 units of Social Sciences, (E) 3 units of Lifelong Learning and Self-Development; and (F) 3 units of Ethnic Studies.
Area A: English Language Communication and Critical Thinking (9 units)
Courses in Area A introduce students to college-level skills necessary for their continued success at the university and after graduation. Area A courses refine students’ abilities to read and write effectively in a variety of rhetorical situations; to distinguish sound, forceful reasoning from faulty reasoning; to publicly present their own ideas and research; and to locate, interpret, evaluate, and effectively and ethically use source materials. Because of the foundational nature of these courses, students must complete this section of General Education within their first 60 units. Students must earn a grade of C- or better in Area A courses in order to satisfy these GE requirements. Skills acquired in Area A courses will be developed further in other GE and major courses.
A1. Oral Communication
Students who complete the Basic Skills requirement in Oral Communication will be able to:
- discuss the elements of oral communication, including basic rhetorical strategies in speech;
- give lucid, logical and persuasive speeches in a variety of contexts;
- display self-confidence in interpersonal and group communication;
- utilize effective delivery techniques; and
- listen to and analyze the effectiveness of other speakers.
Students are exempted from the Basic Skills course in Oral Communication by a suitable score on a challenge examination.
A2. Written Communication
Students who complete the English, Communication, & Critical Thinking requirement in Composition will develop proficiency in oral and written communication in English. In particular, they will be able:
- to define and apply key rhetorical concepts through analyzing and composing a variety of texts in several genres and modes (print, visual, digital, oral, multimodal);
- to demonstrate rhetorical awareness and flexibility by discussing how other writers adapt language for audience, situation and purpose and by consciously adapting their own writing to a variety of situations and contexts that call for purposeful shifts in voice, tone, style, design, medium, structure, and conventions;
- to compose persuasive arguments that articulate a clear, thoughtful position, deploy support and evidence appropriate to audience, situation, and purpose, and consider counterclaims and multiple points of view;
- to demonstrate awareness of writing as a recursive, social process by reading, writing, and collaborating to discover and deepen ideas, reflecting on their rhetorical choices, and revising those choices in response to feedback from readers;
- to identify how and why conventions vary by genre, discipline, and occasion and use resources to effectively employ appropriate formatting, style, citation, and grammar conventions;
- to demonstrate awareness of proper citation conventions and their relation to concepts of intellectual property and authorial responsibility;
- to practice and demonstrate the ability to use conventions of Standard Written English in order to communicate with academic and professional audiences.
Students are exempted from Basic Skills courses in English Composition by a suitable score on the Advanced Placement Test, the English Equivalency Examination, or a composition challenge examination.
A3. Logical/Critical Reasoning
Students who complete the Basic Skills requirement in Logic/Critical Reasoning will be able to:
- understand basic logic and its relation to language; elementary inductive and deductive process, including an understanding of the fallacies of language and thought;
- recognize the differences between assumptions, inferences, conclusions, facts and opinions;
- develop the abilities to analyze, criticize, and advocate ideas; to reason inductively and deductively, and to reach well- supported factual or judgmental conclusions; and
- apply the concepts and skills of critical reasoning to solve academic and everyday problems.
Students are exempted from the Basic Skills course in Logic/Critical Reasoning by a suitable score on a challenge examination.
NOTE: In Area A, all courses must be passed with a grade of "C-" or higher. In all other areas of General Education, a grade point average of 2.0, calculated at graduation, is required.
Area B: Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning (13 units)
In Area B1-3 courses, students develop their knowledge of scientific theories, concepts, and data about both living and non-living systems, as well as an understanding and appreciation of scientific principles and the scientific method, including the potential limits of scientific endeavors. Scientific literacy also includes the ability to think in an informed manner about social, legal, ethical, and political issues that involve science and technology.
In Area B4 courses, students will engage with meaningful mathematics and will be prepared for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math courses, for quantitative courses in other majors, and to solve problems of everyday life. Students must earn a grade of C- or better in Area B4 courses in order to satisfy these GE requirements; skills acquired in Area B4 courses will be developed further in other GE and major courses.
B1. Physical Science
Students will learn the methods of the natural sciences as these methods are seen and used by working scientists. In addition, they will explore the characteristic attributes of fundamental scientific concepts from the perspective of the natural sciences. Finally, they will learn the structure and results of a fundamental, comprehensive physical science, which is principally analytic, quantitative and deductive.
Students who complete the Natural Science in Physical Science requirement will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of the scientific assumption that nature has an objective existence that is intelligible;
- distinguish between a scientific hypothesis and the idea of pseudoscience;
- describe the systematic observation of nature and the detection of similar patterns in observed phenomena;
- describe the importance of limitation of scope in the production of useful concepts and the related limits to the applicability and usefulness of scientific models and concepts;
- describe the formulation of hypotheses and models to explain these patterns and the use of these models and hypotheses to make testable predictions;
- discuss the roles of quantitative and of formal manipulation of models and relationships in generating predictions;
- discuss the design and execution of tests of hypotheses and the subsequent rejection, modification, or refinement of the hypotheses; and
- describe the relationship between scientific ideas and their technological applications;
- understand and appreciate applications, advantages, and limitations of computational methodology in Physical Science, in particular, in the modeling process.
B2. Natural Sciences in Life Science
Students who complete the Natural Science in Life Science requirement will be able to:
- describe a representative selection of fundamental concepts and principles of the life sciences;
- cite various phenomena in a variety of contexts that illustrate the applicability of specific principles of the life sciences;
- describe some of the major applications of the principles of the life sciences;
- describe some of the major effects that the life sciences and related technologies have had on societies.
B3. Natural Sciences in Science Laboratory
Students who complete the Natural Science in Science Laboratory requirement will be able to:
- discuss application of a representative selection of fundamental concepts and principles of a science;
- apply the scientific method in a laboratory situation; and
- cite various phenomena that illustrate the applicability of specific principles of a science.
B4. Basic Skills in Quantitative Reasoning and Problem Solving
Students who complete the Basic Skills requirement in Quantitative Reasoning and Problem Solving will be able to read and understand mathematical arguments and data, and use mathematics effectively to analyze and solve problems that arise in ordinary and professional life. They shall develop skills and understanding beyond the level of intermediate algebra. In particular, students will:
- understand and apply ideas and techniques of finite mathematics such as consumer mathematics probability, statistical analysis, hypothesis testing, linear programming, or
- understand and apply the ideas and techniques of college algebra, trigonometry, logarithms and exponentials, and elementary functions, or
- understand and apply ideas and techniques of calculus.
Students in area B4 will not just practice computational skills, but will be able to explain and apply basic mathematical concepts and will be able to solve problems through quantitative reasoning.
Students are exempted from the Basic Skills course in Quantitative Reasoning if they receive a suitable score on a challenge examination or if they successfully complete a course requiring more advanced mathematical ability.
B5: Integrative Studies in the Natural Sciences
Courses in Integrative Studies in the Natural Sciences and Technology are interdisciplinary courses that build upon the knowledge students have acquired by completing their lower division coursework in the natural sciences and technology. While these courses will include content from disciplines outside the natural sciences and technology, their primary focus is on the integration of knowledge within the natural sciences and technology.
Students who complete the requirement for Integrative Studies in the Natural Sciences will be able to:
- discuss the relationship of science to humanity through inquiry into: the origin of scientific discovery, the implications and consequences of scientific and technological development, and the impact of natural processes on the works of people as well as on its result: artifact;
- describe some of the major effects that science and technology have had on societies; and
- discuss the interdisciplinary approaches to methods, processes, effects, terminology and major concepts of science and technology; and
- describe and discuss ethical and legal concepts and issues related to science and technology, in particular, the concept of intellectual property and its protection.
Area C: Arts and Humanities (12 units)
In Area C courses, students develop an understanding and appreciation of the works of the human mind and imagination. Arts and Humanities coursework explores the rich history and diversity of human knowledge and creativity as expressed in the arts, literature, religions, and philosophies of their own and other cultures. By viewing such human endeavors in a historical and aesthetic context, students learn not only to analyze critically but also to value the rich cultural products of our complex world. Area C courses educate students to be global citizens who are equipped to make independent judgments using their own imagination and reason.
C1: ARTS (3 - 6 UNITS)
Students who complete the Arts requirements will:
- gain aesthetic training through direct experience of works of music, art, and literature, learn the bases on which such works are studied, and the critical cannons applied to them, extending their understanding beyond personal opinion to critical evaluation;
- have opportunities to create musical, artistic, or literary works, with the opportunity to have their work evaluated by peers and/or a faculty member applying appropriate critical criteria;
- be able to synthesize an understanding of the relationships among various forms of human expression both within an era and culture and across these boundaries.
C2: HUMANITIES (3 - 6 UNITS)
Students who complete the Humanities requirements will:
- become acquainted with significant works of art, literature, music, and philosophy from a range of cultures;
- understand the development over time of their own and other cultures;
- develop an understanding of the relationships among various forms of human expression both within an era and culture and across these boundaries.
C3: INTEGRATIVE STUDIES IN ARTS AND HUMANITIES (3-UNITS UPPER-DIVISION)
Upper-division General education courses in the arts and humanities build on the lower division courses by developing integrated humanistic and artistic world-views.
Students who complete the requirement for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities requirements will be able to:
- discuss the relationships among the various disciplines that comprise the humanities;
- place these relationships within a historical context;
- relate the humanities to modern life;
- demonstrate the use of imagination and synthesis through aesthetic and intellectual activities.
Area D: Social Sciences (9 units)
Courses in the Social Sciences help students better understand how social, political, and economic institutions and behavior are intricately interwoven. In an increasingly complex, interdependent, and changing world, individuals must learn how to cope with pressing social problems and how to manage and improve the conditions, institutions, and outcomes that affect them. Area D courses introduce students to the primary structural levels of analysis used in the various disciplines and demonstrate the significance of historical backgrounds to contemporary behavior.
D1. Individual Perspectives, Groups and Society (3 units)
On completing a course in this category a student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the:
- basic concepts and methods necessary for studying the personal functioning and social behavior of individuals.
- influence of psychological and social processes on the development of the perception of self and others.
- nature of cognition and language and their relationship to critical aspects of social and personal development.
- social and psychological variations in individual behavior.
- conceptual and methodological frameworks necessary for studying groupings in society.
- interrelationships between various institutions and group dynamics within a society, and their role in generating and resolving social issues.
- cultural and group diversity and applications of the concept of cultural relativity.
D2. Global and Historical Perspectives (3 units)
On completing a course in this category, a student will be able to demonstrate an:
- awareness of and knowledge about the international system and world environment.
- understanding of the global interdependencies among people, outlooks, institutions and attributes.
- appreciation of the role of the individual as an international observer, analyst and participant.
- ability to analyze historical change and cultural process.
- understanding that current issues and conditions are shaped by their past historical and cultural development.
- understanding of the complexity of evolutionary and historical processes and of the limits on and potential for social change.
- understanding of how sciences which deal with the human past formulate and test hypotheses to understand change and how they evaluate sources, whether human fossils, artifacts or written documents.
D3. Integrative Studies in the Social Sciences (3 units - upper division)
The categories of upper division courses in the social sciences represent integrative themes and contemporary research applications. Focusing on specific topics, students will explore the conceptual and methodological links among the social sciences or subfields of a discipline. Courses will stress contemporary research, interpretations, issues and trends. Specific objectives of the categories are as follows:
- Courses in individual processes focus on the interaction among factors that shape the individual.
- Courses in social issues focus on contemporary social, political or economic concerns and problems using a variety of perspectives in the social sciences.
- Courses in global trends focus on social, political, environmental and economic processes seen from a global perspective.
- Courses in social change focus on major processes of continuity and development and on the origination and impact of new ideas, social structures and technologies.
- Courses in cultural pluralism focus on the nature of cultural diversity and the processes of cultural interaction, interethnic relations and cultural integration on community, national and international scales.
Students must take 9 units from the GE category. Select one course from each category below and one more course from either category 1 or 2. A student may not take all 3 courses in this area from a single academic department.
Area E: Lifelong Learning and Self-Development (3 units)
Area E courses are designed to equip learners for lifelong understanding and development of themselves as integrated physiological, social, and psychological beings. Drawn from a wide range of disciplines and perspectives, Area E courses focus on the development of skills, abilities, and dispositions that not only promote students’ academic success but also enhance their lives after college.
Students who complete the Lifelong Learning and Self-Development requirement will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of oneself as an integrated physiological, social and psychological organism; and
- Discuss key relationships of humankind to the social and physical environment, including matters selected from the following: human behavior, sexuality, nutrition, physical and mental health, stress management, financial literacy, social relationships and relationships with the environment, implications of death and dying and avenues for lifelong learning, including those based on modern technology.
Area F: Ethnic Studies (3 units)
Courses in Area F explore the interrelatedness and intersection of race and ethnicity with class, gender and sexuality and other forms of difference, hierarchy and oppression. Courses are grounded and centered in the cultures, concrete-lived conditions, and living histories of peoples of color in the United States. Courses have an explicit commitment to linking scholarship, teaching and learning to intellectual traditions and scholarly contributions of ethnic studies, social engagement (service and struggle), social change, and social justice.
- Analyze and articulate concepts such as race and racism, racialization, ethnicity, equity, ethnocentrism, eurocentrism, white supremacy, self-determination, liberation, decolonization, sovereignty, imperialism, settler colonialism, and anti-racism as analyzed in any of the following disciplines: Africana Studies, Asian Pacific Studies, Chicana and Chicano Studies, and Indigenous Peoples of the Americas.
- Apply theory and knowledge produced by Native American, African American, Asia American and Pacific Islander, Chicana and Chicano, and/or LAtina and LAtino communities to describe the critical events, histories, cultures, intellectual traditions, contributions, lived-experiences and social struggles of those groups with a particular emphasis on agency and group-affirmation
- Critically analyze the intersection of the race and racism as they relate to class, gender, sexuality, religion, spirituality, national origin, immigration status, ability, tribal citizenship, sovereignty, language, and/or age in Native American, African American, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Chicana and Chicano, and/or LAtina and LAtino communities.
- Critically review how struggle, resistance, racial and social justice, solidarity, and liberation as experienced, promoted and enacted by Native American, African American and Pacific Islander, Chicana and Chicano, and/or Latina and Latino communities are relevant to current and structural issues such as communal, national, international, and transnational politics as, for examples, in immigration, reparations, settler-colonialism, multiculturalism, and language policies.
- Describe and actively engage with anti-racist and anti-colonial issues and the practices and movements that empower Native American, African American, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Chicana and Chicano, and/or Latina and Latino communities to build a just and equitable society.
California State University, Dominguez Hills
1000 E. Victoria Street
Carson, CA 90747
310-243-3696
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