The purpose of the UWRF General Education program is to facilitate the acquisition and integration of knowledge, abilities, and ethics in order to form a foundation for lifelong learning.

The interdisciplinary foundation includes the ability to communicate effectively; to demonstrate knowledge of past and present human endeavor; apply scientific principles to the human and natural world; and to evaluate individual responsibility to self, society, and the world.

These General Education requirements are part of the larger General Education and University Requirements (GEUR) Program. The University Requirements portion of the GEUR Program includes the requirements regarding American Cultural Diversity (d) and Global Perspectives (g).  Note that, in general, GEUR courses can count wherever they have been approved, which means that some courses may satisfy more than one graduation requirement.

Current General Education Requirements

For a full description of the Goals and Objectives including revisions, refer to the Faculty Senate General Education Goals, Criteria and Outcomes. 

Approved Courses

GOAL ONE: COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY: Students will demonstrate the ability to read, write, speak, and listen effectively.

CW (Communication - Reading and Writing) - select one course

   ENGL 100 Academic Reading and Writing (3)
   ENGL 101 Freshman English for International Students I (3)

CS (Communication - Speaking and Listening) - select one course

   CHIN 101 Beginning Chinese I (4)
   FREN 101 Beginning French I (4)
   GERM 101 Beginning German I (4)
   JAPN 101 Beginning Japanese I (4)
   OJIB 101 Beginning Ojibwe I (4)
   SPAN 101 Beginning Spanish I (4)
   MODL 101 Oral Communication (3)
   COMS 101 Fundamentals of Oral Communication (3)
   COMS 116 Business and Professional Communication (3)

CA (Advanced Communication) - select one course

   ENGL 200 Investigating Ideas: Reading, Writing, & the Disciplines (3)
   ENGL 201 Freshman English for International Students II (3)

GOAL TWO: DEMONSTRATE KNOWLEDGE OF PAST AND PRESENT HUMAN ENDEAVOR: Describe the diverse ways of thinking that underlie the search for knowledge in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

SB (Social and Behavioral Sciences) - select two courses (Courses taken under both SB and HF designators must be from different disciplinary prefixes)

   ANTH 100 Introduction to Anthropology (3)
   ECON 100 Modern Economics (3)
   PLN 107 Planning for a Sustainable Society (3)
   GEOG 120 Human Geography (3)
   GEOL 250 Geological Destinies of Nations (g) (3)
   HIST 100 Defining Themes in U.S. History (3)
   HIST 101 Origins of Civilization (3)
   HIST 102 History of the Modern World, 1500-Present (3)
   HIST 201 Introduction to Asian Civilization (g) (3)
   HIST 211 History of Japan and Films (g) (3)
   HIST 222 Love, Sex, and Marriage in the Pre-Modern World (g) (3)
   HIST 292 History of Agriculture: Origins to 1800 (g) (3)
   HIST 333 Silk, Spices, and Silver: The Making of the Global Exchange System to 1700 (g) (3)
   INTS 200 Introduction to International Studies (g) (3)
   INTS 371/POLS 371 German Politics (g) (3)
   MNGT 250 Global Business & Society (3)
   POLS 110 Controversies in Politics (3)
   POLS 114 American Government and Politics (3)
   POLS 220 Introduction to Public Opinion and Political Behavior (3)
   POLS 245 Introduction to Comparative Politics (g) (3)
   POLS 260 Introduction to International Relations (g) (3)
   PSYC 101 General Psychology (3)
   SOCI 100 Introduction to Sociology (3)
   TED 250 Educational Psychology for Teachers (3)

HF (Humanities and Fine Arts) - select two courses (Courses taken under both SB and HF designators must be from different disciplinary prefixes)

   ART 100 Introduction to Art (3)
   ENGL 105 Literature and Human Experience (3)
   ENGL 106 Topics in Literature (3)
   ENGL 107 Heroes in Literature (3)
   ENGL 108 Power, Money and Business in Literature (3)
   ENGL 162 Introduction to Creative Writing (3)
   ENGL 215/WGST 215 LGBTQ Literature (3)
   MUS 100 Understanding Music (3)
   MUS 105 Popular Music (3)
   MUS 106 Music & Movies (g) (3)
   MUS 107 Video Game Music (3)
   MUS 222 Contemporary Music Creators and Concepts (3)
   MUS 234 Music History and Literature 1 (3)
   MUS 235 Music History and Literature 2 (3)
   MUS 255 History of Jazz (d) (3)
   MUS 300 World Music (g) (3)
   HUM 312 Arts and Ideas II: The Baroque to the Postmodern (g) (3)
   PHIL 151 Living Issues in Philosophy (3)
   PHIL 201 Human Nature, Ethics and the Natural World (3)
   PHIL 211 Futuristic Visions: Utopias and Dystopias
   PHIL 221 Ancient Philosophy (3)
   PHIL 240 Social Ethics (3)
   PHIL 310 Philosophy and History of Visual Art (3)
   PHIL 323 Science and the Philosophers of the Age of the Enlightenment (3)
   PHIL 345 God, Religion and Science (3)
   POLS 230 Introduction to Political Philosophy and Ideology (3)
   SASA 100 Dance Appreciation (3) 
   SASA 105 Introduction to Theater and Drama (3)
   SASA 200/ FILM 200 Introduction to Film Studies (3)

GOAL THREE: APPLY SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES TO THE NATURAL WORLD: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the principles and methods of quantitative and qualitative scientific reasoning.

M (Mathematics) - select one course

   MATH 126 Activities in Math (3)
   MATH 136 Quantitative Reasoning (3)
   MATH 146 College Algebra (3)
   MATH 147 Algebra and Trigonometry (3)
   MATH 149 Pre-Calculus (4)
   MATH 156 Calculus for Business (3)
   MATH 166 Calculus for Science and Math (4)
   MATH 216 Elementary Statistical Concepts (3)
   MATH 226 Fundamentals of Statistics (3)
   MATH 246 Math for Elementary Teachers I (4)
   PSYC 201 Behavioral Statistics (3)
   TED 323 Content and Techniques of K-3 Mathematics I (3)

SI (Scientific Inquiry) - select two courses (The courses taken under SI must be from different disciplinary prefixes. For example, you cannot take two Biology course, but could take a Biology course and a Chemistry course)

   BIOL 101 Concepts in Biology (3)
   BIOL 103 Fundamentals of Biological Evolution (3)
   BIOL 150 General Biology (3)
   BIOL 160 General Biology-Freshman Research Focus (3)
   CHEM 100 Modern Alchemy (3)
   CHEM 111 / CHEM 116 General Chemistry 1 (5)
   CHEM 115 Concepts in General Chemistry (4)
   CHEM 130 Introduction to Organic Chemistry (5)
   CHEM 210 Chemistry and Society (3)
   FDSC 110 The Science of Food (3)
   GEOG 110 Physical Environment: Patterns and Systems (3)
   GEOL 101 Introduction to Geology (3)
   GEOL 115 Oceanography (3)
   NSCI 111 Introduction to Neuroscience (4)
   PHYS 114 Basic Physics (3)
   PHYS 117 Astronomy (3)
   PHYS 121 Algebra-based Physics I (5)
   PHYS 131 Calculus-Based Physics I (5)
   PHYS 150 Science and Art (3)
   PHYS 318 Astrophysics (3)

GOAL FIVE: EVALUATE INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY TO SELF, SOCIETY, AND THE WORLD: Students will make and defend judgments with respect to individual conduct and well being, citizenship, and stewardship of the environment.

HW (Personal Health and Wellness) - select 1 course

   HEAL 108 Health and Fitness for Life (required) (1)

EC (Ethical Citizenship) - select one course

   ANSC 115 Animal Welfare (3)
   CHEM 210 Chemistry and Society (3)
   COMS 219 Civic Communication (3)
   CRIM 130 Introduction to Crime, Law, and Society (3)
   CIDS 120 Technology and Cyberspace: Ethics and Issues (3)
   ECON 312 Political Economy of Discrimination (d) (3)
   ENGL 205 Literature of War:Culture and Ethics (3)
   ENGL 228 Literature of Environmental Justice (d) (3)
   ENGL 230 International Short Story (g) (3)
   ENGL 306/ FILM 306 Postcolonial Literature and Film (g) (3)
   ENGL 374 Cyberliteracy and Writing on the Web (3)
   ESM 105 Introduction to Environmental Studies (3)
   ESM 300 Environmental Education (3)
   FINC 210 Personal Finance (3)
   GENG 225 Energy for a Sustainable Society (3)
   GEOG 220 Economic Geography (3)
   GEOG 265 Mapping and Spatial Justice (d) (3)
   GEOL 269 Environmental Geology (3)
   HUM 305  Human-Animal Studies (3)
   JOUR 101 Introduction to Mass Communication (3)
   MNGT 250 Global Business and Society (3)
   PHIL 201 Human Nature, Ethics and the Natural World (3)
   PHIL 211 Futuristic Visions: Utopias and Dystopias
   PHIL 220 Bioethics (3)
   PHIL 224 Existentialism (3)
   PHIL 304 Business Ethics (3)
   PLSC 120 Plants and Society (3)
   POLS 114 American Government and Politics (3)
   POLS 230 Introduction to Political Philosophy and Ideology (3)
   SASA 110 Sustainability from the Perspective of the Arts (3)
   SMGT 420 The Built Environment and Sustainability (3)
   SOWK 150 Introduction to Social Work (3)
   SUSJ 197 Sustainable Justice Foundations (3)
   TED 326 Place-Based Science for Early Childhood Educators (3)

These two University Undergraduate Requirements (ACD and GP) are part of the larger General Education and University Requirements (GEUR) Program.  The General Education portion of the GEUR program includes the requirements for Communicating Effectively; Demonstrating Knowledge of Past and Present Human Behavior; Applying Scientific Principles to the Natural World; and Evaluating Individual Responsibility to Self, Society, and the World.  A list of approved General Education courses can be found on the General Education Requirements website.   Note that, in general, GEUR courses can count wherever they have been approved, which means that some courses may satisfy more than one graduation requirement.

ACD (American Cultural Diversity) - select one course

  • ANTH 322/ SOCI 322 Sociology of Race and Ethnicity (3)
  • COMS 213 Intercultural Communication (3)
  • COMS 220 Communication and Anti-Racism (3)
  • CROP 318 Migrant Farmworkers in America (3)
  • ECON 312 Political Economy of Diversity (3)
  • ENGL 203 Literature of the African American Experience (3)
  • ENGL 208 Literature of the Native American Experience (3)
  • ENGL 228 Literature of Environmental Justice (3)
  • ENGL 252 Multicultural Education: Language, Literature, Media, and Philosophy (3)
  • GEOG 237 Poverty in the United States (3)
  • GEOG 265 Mapping and Spatial Justice (3)
  • HIST 206 Native American and the United States (3)
  • HIST 207 African American History (3)
  • JOUR 315 Race, Class and News (3)
  • JOUR 317/ WGSS 317 Queer Media (3)
  • MNGT 330 Managing Workplace Diversity (3)
  • MUS 255 History of Jazz (3)
  • POLS 212 The Politics of Equality and Inequality in the United States (3)
  • PSYC 385 Psychology of Prejudice and Racism (3)
  • SASA 230 Playwrights of Color (3)
  • SOCI 220 Sociology of Diversity (3)
  • TED 252 Foundations of Multicultural Education (3)
  • TED 325 Diversity in Early Childhood (3)
  • WGSS 200 Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies (3)
  • WGSS 350 Introduction to LGBTQ+: Genders and Sexualities (3)

GP (Global Perspectives) - select one course

  • AGEC 250 World Food and Population (3)
  • AGEC 470 Agribusiness International Study (3)
  • ANSC 250 Animal Care and Use: A Global Perspective (3)
  • ANTH 234 Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion (3)
  • ART 291 Asian Art History (3)
  • BIOL 209 Global Issues of Cancer (3)
  • BIOL 277 Taiwan Biomed Study Abroad (3)
  • BIOL 278 Costa Rica Education Abroad (3)
  • BIOL 308 HIV/AIDS: Science and Society (3)
  • CROP 287 Tropical Agriculture, Culture, and Environment (3)
  • ECON 329 Global Topics in African, Asian, and Latin American Econ Dev (3)
  • ECON 340 Contemporary International Trade (3)
  • ENGL 214/ WGST 214 Women's Literature (3)
  • ENGL 230 International Short Fiction (3)
  • ENGL 234 Modern Novels (3)
  • ENGL 306/ FILM 306 Postcolonial Film and Literature (3)
  • ENGL/ FILM 317 Modern East Asian Literature and Cinema (3)
  • ESM 218 International Experience in Resilience Planning (3)
  • ESM 242 Tropical Restoration Experience (3)
  • GEOG 340 Europe (3)
  • GEOG 342 Latin America (3)
  • GEOG 344 Asia and Oceania (3)
  • GEOL 250 Geological Destinies of Nations (3)
  • HIST 201 Intro to Asian Civilization (3)
  • HIST 202 Introduction to Latin American Civilizations (3)
  • HIST 203 The Mediterranean: A Survey (3)
  • HIST 209 Introduction to African History (3)
  • HIST 211 History of Japan and Films (3)
  • HIST 222 Love, Sex, and Marriage in the Pre-Modern World (3)
  • HIST 333 Silk, Spices, and Silver (3)
  • HIST 382 Culture and Civilization of Italy (3)
  • HIST 292 History of Agriculture: Origins to 1800 (3)
  • HIST 393 War and Society (3)
  • HUM 312 Arts and Ideas II: The Baroque to the Postmodern (3)
  • INTS 200 Introduction to International Studies(3)
  • INTS 365 Contemporary Europe (3)
  • INTS 371/ POLS 371 The Politics of German-speaking Europe (3)
  • INTS 377 Semester Abroad: Europe (6)
  • JOUR 350 Mass Communication in the Global Age (3)
  • MKTG 355 International Marketing (3)
  • MNGT 355 International Business (3)
  • MUS 106 Music and Movies (3)
  • MUS 300 World Music (3)
  • PHIL 245 Eastern Religions and Islam (3)
  • POLS 245 Introduction to Comparative Politics (3)
  • POLS 260 Introduction to International Relations (3)
  • SASA 227 World Puppetry (3)
  • SMGT 420 The Built Environment and Sustainability (3)
  • SOCI 231 Sociology of Globalization (3)
  • SOCI 395/ ANTH 395 Belize Study Tour (3)
  • TED 327 Australia: An Integrated Cultural Study (3)
  • WIS 305 Scotland: Society and Globalization (3)