Curriculum

Core Curriculum

The University of Texas at Dallas requires that all students complete a general education Core Curriculum of 42 semester credit hours that serves as a broad foundation for the undergraduate degree. Through the Texas Core Curriculum, students will gain a foundation of knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world, develop principles of personal and social responsibility for living in a diverse world, and advance intellectual and practical skills that are essential for all learning in accordance with Texas Administrative Code, chapter 4, Subchapter B, sections 4.28-4.31. These requirements must be met by every student pursuing a baccalaureate degree at The University of Texas at Dallas, regardless of their major. Specific approved courses must be used to satisfy each Core requirement listed in each category. In accordance with the Texas Education Code, Chapter 61, Subchapter S, a student who successfully completes the entirety of a Core Curriculum at another Texas public institution of higher education before matriculating at UT Dallas may transfer that block of courses to UT Dallas where it will be substituted for the UT Dallas Core Curriculum. If a student does not complete all of the Core Curriculum at another Texas public institution of higher education before matriculating at UT Dallas, the student will receive credit for the portion completed and then may be required to complete additional courses from the UT Dallas Core Curriculum.

010 Communication (6 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on developing ideas and expressing them clearly, considering the effect of the message, fostering understanding, and building the skills needed to communicate persuasively. Courses involve the command of oral, aural, written, and visual literacy skills that enable people to exchange messages appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience.

Critical Thinking (CT)-to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information

Communication (COM)-to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication

Teamwork (TW)-to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal

Personal Responsibility (PR)-to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making

Courses:

ATCM 2340 Visual Communication *

COMM 1311 Survey of Oral and Technology-based Communication*

COMM 1315 Public Speaking *

ECS 3390 Professional and Technical Communication

RHET 1302 Rhetoric *

RHET 2302 Intermediate Composition and Rhetoric

020 Mathematics (3 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on quantitative literacy in logic, patterns, and relationships. Courses involve the understanding of key mathematical concepts and the application of appropriate quantitative tools to everyday experience.

Critical Thinking (CT)-to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information

Communication (COM)-to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication

Empirical and Quantitative Skills (EQS)-to include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions

Courses:

MATH 1306 College Algebra for the Non-Scientist *

MATH 1314 College Algebra *

MATH 1316 Trigonometry *

MATH 1325 Applied Calculus I *

MATH 2306 Analytic Geometry *

MATH 2312 Precalculus *

MATH 2413 Differential Calculus *

MATH 2414 Integral Calculus *

MATH 2415 Calculus of Several Variables *

MATH 2417 Calculus I *

PHIL 2303 Introduction to Logic *

PSY 2317 Statistics for Psychology *

STAT 1342 Statistical Decision Making *

STAT 2332 Introductory Statistics for Life Sciences *

030 Life and Physical Sciences (6 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on describing, explaining, and predicting natural phenomena using the scientific method. Courses involve the understanding of interactions among natural phenomena and the implications of scientific principles on the physical world and on human experiences.

Critical Thinking (CT)-to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information

Communication (COM)-to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication

Empirical and Quantitative Skills (EQS)-to include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions

Teamwork (TW)-to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal

Courses:

BIOL 1300 Body Systems with Lab *

BIOL 1318 Human Genetics *

BIOL 2311 Introduction to Modern Biology I *

BIOL 2312 Introduction to Modern Biology II *

BIOL 2350 Biological Basis of Health and Disease *

CGS 2301 Cognitive Science *

CHEM 1311 General Chemistry I *

CHEM 1312 General Chemistry II *

CHEM 1315 Honors Freshman Chemistry I *

CHEM 1316 Honors Freshman Chemistry II *

ENVR 2302 The Global Environment *

GEOG 2302 The Global Environment *

GEOS 1303 Physical Geology *

GEOS 1304 History of Earth and Life *

GEOS 2302 The Global Environment *

GEOS 2310 Environmental Geology *

GEOS 2321 Geology, Resources, and Environment of Latin America *

GEOS 2332 Age of Dinosaurs *

GEOS 2333 Introduction to Fossils *

GEOS 2409 Rocks and Minerals *

ISNS 2359 Earthquakes and Volcanoes *

ISNS 2367 The Oceans *

ISNS 2368 Weather and Climate *

NATS 1311 The Universe, and Everything Else *

NATS 2330 The Basis of Evolution *

NATS 2333 Energy, Water, and the Environment *

PHIL 2304 Understanding Scientific Inquiry *

PHYS 1301 College Physics I *

PHYS 1302 College Physics II *

PHYS 2125 Physics Laboratory I *

PHYS 2325 Mechanics *

PHYS 2326 Electromagnetism and Waves *

PHYS 2421 Honors Physics I - Mechanics and Heat *

PHYS 2422 Honors Physics II - Electromagnetism and Waves *

PSY 2364 Animal Communication *

040 Language, Philosophy and Culture (3 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on how ideas, values, beliefs, and other aspects of culture express and affect human experience. Courses involve the exploration of ideas that foster aesthetic and intellectual creation in order to understand the human condition across cultures.

Critical Thinking (CT)-to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information

Communication (COM)-to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication

Social Responsibility (SR)-to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities

Personal Responsibility (PR)-to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making

Courses:

AMS 2300 American Popular Culture

AMS 2341 American Studies for the Twenty-First Century

ATCM 2300 Introduction to TechnoCulture *

FILM 1303 Transnational Film and Video *

HIST 2340 Middle East Civilizations *

HIST 2341 East Asian Civilizations *

HIST 2350 Latin American Civilizations *

HIST 2360 European Civilizations *

HIST 2370 The Holocaust *

HUMA 1301 Exploration of the Humanities *

LIT 1301 Introduction to Literature *

LIT 2322 Survey of African-American and African Diaspora Literatures *

LIT 2329 Introduction to Ethnic American Literature *

LIT 2331 Introduction to World Literature *

PHIL 1301 Introduction to Philosophy *

PHIL 1305 Introduction to Philosophy of Religion *

PHIL 1306 Introduction to Ethics *

PHIL 2316 History of Philosophy I *

PHIL 2317 History of Philosophy II *

RELS 1325 Introduction to Philosophy of Religion *

050 Creative Arts (3 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on the appreciation and analysis of creative artifacts and works of the human imagination. Courses involve the synthesis and interpretation of artistic expression and enable critical, creative, and innovative communication about works of art.

Critical Thinking (CT)-to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information

Communication (COM)-to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication

Teamwork (TW)-to include the ability to consider different points of view and to work effectively with others to support a shared purpose or goal

Social Responsibility (SR)-to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities

Courses:

AHST 1303 Survey of Western Art History: Ancient to Medieval *

AHST 1304 Survey of Western Art History: Renaissance to Modern *

AHST 2331 Understanding Art *

ARTS 1301 Exploration of the Arts *

DANC 1305 Introduction to World Dance Forms *

DANC 1310 Understanding Dance *

FILM 2332 Understanding Film *

MUSI 1306 Understanding Music *

MUSI 2321 Music Cultures of the World *

MUSI 2322 Music in Western Civilization

PHIL 1307 Introduction to Philosophy of Art *

THEA 1310 Understanding Theatre *

060 American History (6 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on the consideration of past events and ideas relative to the United States, with the option of including Texas History for a portion of this component area. Courses involve the interaction among individuals, communities, states, the nation, and the world, considering how these interactions have contributed to the development of the United States and its global role.

Critical Thinking (CT)-to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information

Communication (COM)-to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication

Social Responsibility (SR)-to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities

Personal Responsibility (PR)-to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making will be able to interpret and evaluate the acceptability of historical evidence.

Courses:

HIST 1301 U.S. History Survey to Civil War *

HIST 1302 U.S. History Survey from Civil War *

HIST 2301 History of Texas *

HIST 2330 Themes and Ideas in American History *

HIST 2381 African-American History *

HIST 2384 U.S. Women from Settlement to Present *

070 Government/Political Science (6 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on consideration of the Constitution of the United States and the constitutions of the states, with special emphasis on that of Texas. Courses involve the analysis of governmental institutions, political behavior, civic engagement, and their political and philosophical foundations.

Critical Thinking (CT)-to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information

Communication (COM)-to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication

Social Responsibility (SR)-to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities

Personal Responsibility (PR)-to include the ability to connect choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making

Courses:

GOVT 2107 Federal and Texas Constitutions

GOVT 2305 American National Government

GOVT 2306 State and Local Government

080 Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 semester credit hours)

Courses in this category focus on the application of empirical and scientific methods that contribute to the understanding of what makes us human. Courses involve the exploration of behavior and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, and events, examining their impact on the individual, society, and culture.

Critical Thinking (CT)-to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information

Communication (COM)-to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication

Empirical and Quantitative Skills (EQS)-to include the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions

Social Responsibility (SR)-to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities

Courses:

BA 1310 Making Choices in Free Market Systems *

BA 1320 Business in a Global World *

CLDP 2314 Lifespan Development *

CRIM 1301 Introduction to Criminal Justice

CRIM 1307 Introduction to Crime and Criminology

ECON 2301 Principles of Macroeconomics *

ECON 2302 Principles of Microeconomics *

GEOG 2303 People and Place: An Introduction to World Geographic Regions

GST 2300 Introduction to Gender Studies

PA 2325 Introduction to Public and Nonprofit Management

PSY 2301 Introduction to Psychology *

PSY 2314 Lifespan Development *

SOC 1301 Introduction to Sociology

SOC 2300 Introduction to Gender Studies

SOC 2320 Contemporary Social Issues

090 Component Area Option (6 semester credit hours)

1. A minimum of 3 semester credit hours must meet the definition and corresponding Core Objectives specified in one of the foundational component areas.
2. As an option for up to 3 semester credit hours of the Component Area Option, an institution may select course(s) that:

1. Meet(s) the definition specified for one or more of the foundation component areas; and
2. Include(s) a minimum of three Core Objectives, including Critical Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, and one of the remaining Core Objectives.

• Critical Thinking (CT)-to include creative thinking, innovation, inquiry, and analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of information
• Communication (COM)-to include effective development, interpretation, and expression of ideas through written, oral, and visual communication
• Option of Empirical and Quantitative Skills, Teamwork, Social Responsibility, or Personal Responsibility

Courses:

ARAB 1311 Beginning Arabic I

ARAB 1312 Beginning Arabic II

ARAB 2311 Intermediate Arabic I

ARAB 2312 Intermediate Arabic II

ARHM 2340 Creativity

ARHM 2342 Connections in the Arts and Humanities

ARHM 2343 Science and the Humanities

ARHM 2344 World Cultures

CHEM 1111 General Chemistry Laboratory I

CHEM 1115 Honors Freshman Chemistry Laboratory I

CHIN 2311 Intermediate Chinese I

CHIN 2312 Intermediate Chinese II

EPPS 2301 Research Design in the Social and Policy Sciences

EPPS 2302 Methods of Quantitative Analysis in the Social and Policy Sciences

FREN 1311 Beginning French I

FREN 1312 Beginning French II

FREN 2311 Intermediate French I

FREN 2312 Intermediate French II

GERM 1311 Beginning German I

GERM 1312 Beginning German II

GERM 2311 Intermediate German I

GERM 2312 Intermediate German II

JAPN 1311 Beginning Japanese I

JAPN 1312 Beginning Japanese II

JAPN 2311 Intermediate Japanese I

JAPN 2312 Intermediate Japanese II

KORE 2311 Intermediate Korean I

KORE 2312 Intermediate Korean II

MATH 1326 Applied Calculus II

MATH 2419 Calculus II

SPAN 1311 Beginning Spanish I

SPAN 1312 Beginning Spanish II

SPAN 2310 Spanish for Heritage Speakers

SPAN 2311 Intermediate Spanish I

SPAN 2312 Intermediate Spanish II

Additionally, courses marked with an asterisk in the various core categories listed above could be offered as Component Area Option courses.