General Education Courses

General Education Requirement

The general education requirement at Governors State University provides graduates with a broad foundation in the liberal arts and sciences. All undergraduate degree-seeking students are required to meet the university general education requirement before graduation. This requirement can be met in any of four ways:

1. Students admitted as freshmen will begin to earn General Education course credits through participation in the Focus Area. They will complete the distribution requirements in the relevant content areas as identified in their program of study.
2. Transfer to Governors State University having earned an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree from a regionally-accredited Illinois community college. The Associate of Fine Arts (A.F.A.), Associate of Engineering Sciences (A.E.S.), and the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) do not meet this requirement.
3. Provide documentation of having earned a bachelor’s degree from one of the state universities in Illinois (itransfer.org).
4. Complete the Illinois Articulation Initiative General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) at another participating institution and have it noted on the transcript.

All students must complete the distribution requirements in the relevant content area, with a grade of “C” or better in each course. Requirements may be met either by presenting acceptable transfer courses as evaluated by the GSU Degree Audit Team or completing courses that were specifically approved because they meet the relevant general education requirement at Governors State University.

Communication

3 courses (9 semester credits*), including a two-course sequence in writing (6 semester credits) and one course (3 semester credits) in oral communication. Currently approved courses in this area include:

• COMM - 1000 Public Discourse (3)  (IAI C2 900)
• ENGL - 1000 Writing Studies I (3)  (IAI C1 900)
• ENGL - 1010 Writing Studies II (3)  (IAI C1 901R)

Mathematics

1 to 2 courses (3 to 6 semester credits). Currently approved courses in this area include:

• MATH - 2100 Elementary Statistics (3)  (IAI M1 902) (Cross listed with STAT 2100)
• MATH - 2109 Finite Mathematics (3)  (IAI M1 906)
• MATH - 2137 Mathematical Foundations (3)  
• MATH - 2141 Mathematical Structures and Concepts II (3)  (IAI M1 903)
• MATH - 2150 Discrete Mathematics (3)  (IAI M1 905)
• MATH - 2281 Applied Calculus (3)  
• MATH - 2290 Calculus I (4)  (IAI M1 900-1)
• MATH - 2292 Calculus II (4)  (IAI M1 900-2)
• MATH - 2294 Calculus III (4)  (IAI M1 900-3)
• STAT - 2100 Statistics (3)  (IAI M1 902) (Cross listed with MATH - 2100 Elementary Statistics (3) )

Physical and Life Sciences

2 courses (7 to 8 semester credits) with one course selected from the life sciences and one course from the physical sciences, including at least one laboratory course.

Currently approved courses in the Physical Sciences include:

• ASTR - 1111 Introduction to Astronomy (3)  (IAI P1 906)
• ASTR - 1112 Introduction to Astronomy Laboratory (1)  
• CHEM - 1111 Chemical Science Foundations I (3)  
• CHEM - 1112 Chemical Science Foundations Laboratory (1)  
• CHEM - 1113 Introduction to Organic and Biological Chemistry (3)  
• CHEM - 1141 General Chemistry I (3)  (IAI P1 902)
• CHEM - 1142 General Chemistry I Lab (1)  (IAI P1 902L)
• GEOG - 2100 Physical Geography (3)  (IAI P1 901)
• PHYS - 1111 Physical Science Foundations (3)  (IAI P1 909)
• PHYS - 1112 Physical Science Foundations Laboratory (1)  (IAI P1 900L)
• PHYS - 2141 Intermediate Physics I (3)  (IAI P1 900)
• PHYS - 2142 Intermediate Physics Lab I (1)  (IAI P1 900L)
• PHYS - 2171 University Physics I (3)  (IAI P1 900)
• PHYS - 2172 University Physics I Lab (1)  (IAI P1 900L)
• PHYS - 2323 Physics and Society (3)  (IAI P1 901)
• PHYS - 3435 Meteorology Online (3)  (online)

Currently approved courses in the Life Sciences include:

• BIOL - 1100 Human Biology (3)  (IAI L1 904)
• BIOL - 1101 Human Biology Laboratory (1)  (IAI L1 904L)
• BIOL - 1200 Environmental Biology (3)  (IAI L1 905)
  BIOL - 1201 Environmental Biology Lab (1)  (IAI L1 905L)
  BIOL - 1500 General Biology I (3)  
• BIOL - 1501 General Biology I Laboratory (1)  (IAI L1 910L and BIO 910)
• BIOL - 1510 General Biology II (3)  
• BIOL - 1511 General Biology II Laboratory (1)  (IAI L1 910L)
• BIOL - 2102 Biological Science Foundations I (3)  
• BIOL - 2104 Biological Science Foundations II (3)  
• BIOL - 2107 Biological Science Foundations Laboratory (1)  
• BIOL - 2109 Biological Foundations Laboratory (1)  
• BIOL - 3108 Human Evolution (3)  
• BIOL - 3109 Human Evolution Laboratory (1)  
• BIOL - 3112 Human Genetics: Concepts and Technology (3)  

Humanities and Fine Arts

3 courses (9 semester credits) with at least one course selected from humanities and at least one course from the fine arts.

Currently approved courses in the Fine Arts include:

• ART - 1100 Art Appreciation (3)  (IAI F2 900)
• ART - 1110 Survey of Art History I (3)  (IAI F2 901)
• ART - 1111 Survey of Art History II (3)  (IAI F2 902)
• ART - 3101 Survey of Non-Western Art (3)  
• ART - 3102 Worlds of Art (3)  
• ART - 3103 Women in Art (3)  
• ART - 3104 Modern to Contemporary Art History (3)  
• ART - 3105 Gender and Sexuality in Art (3)  
• ART - 3106 Sculpture Parks and Public Art (3)  
• ART - 3107 Survey of Asian Art (3)  
• DNCE - 1100 Dance Appreciation (3)  (F1 906)
• IFDI - 1101 Film Appreciation (3)  (IAI F2 908)
• IFDI - 2908 Film History (3)  (IAI F2 909)
• INST - 4110 Worlds of Art (3)  
• MUS - 1500 Music of the World (3)   (IAI F1 903N)
• MUS - 2101 Understanding Elements of Music (3)   
• MUS - 2301 Survey of Music History (3)  
• TAPS - 1100 Theatre Appreciation (3)   (IAI F1 907)

Currently approved courses in the Humanities include:

• CDIS - 2100 Introduction to Sign Language (3)  
• CDIS - 3100 Intermediate Sign Language (3)    
• ENGL - 1111 British Literature I (3)  (IAI H3 912)
• ENGL - 1112 British Literature II (3)   (IAI H3 913)
• ENGL - 1221 American Literature I (3)   (IAI H3 914)
• ENGL - 1222 American Literature II (3)   (IAI H3 915)
• ENGL - 2131 Literature for Children and Adolescents (3)  
• ENGL - 2331 World Literature I (3)   (IAI H3 906)
• ENGL - 2332 World Literature II (3)   (IAI H3 907)
• ENGL - 3115 Studies in Mythology (3)  
• ENGL - 3123 Modern American Poetry: Voices and Visions (3)  
• ENGL - 3330 Studies in Literature (3)  
• FYS - 1001 Interdisciplinary Humanities (3)   (IAI H9 900)
• GNSX - 1200 Gender and Identity in Literature (3)   (IAI H3 911D)
• HIST - 1110 History of the United States to 1865 (3)  (IAI H2 904)
• HIST - 1120 History of the United States since 1865 (3)   (IAI H2 905)
• ICS - 3200 Dynamics of the Spanish Language (3)  
• ICS - 3400 Chinese Language and Culture I (3)  
• ICS - 3401 Chinese Language and Culture II (3)  
• ICS - 3550 German Language and Culture I (3)  
• ICS - 3551 German Language and Culture II (3)  
• IFDI - 1910 Film And Literature (3)  (IAI HF 908)
• JAPN - 3350 Japanese Language and Culture I (3)  
• JAPN - 3351 Japanese Language and Culture II (3)  
• PHIL - 1100 Introduction to Philosophy (3)   (IAI H4 900)
• PHIL - 1202 Introduction to Ethics (3)  (IAI H4 904)
• PHIL - 1886 Logic and Practical Reasoning (3)  (IAI H4 906)
• PHIL - 2111 Philosophy of World Religions (3)  (IAI H5 904N)
• PHIL - 2112 Philosophical Issues in Religion (3)  (IAI H4 905)
• PHIL - 3202 Environmental Ethics (3)  (IAI H4 904)
• PHIL - 3333 Ethics in Healthcare (3)  (IAI H4 904)
• RELS - 2100 Introduction to Religious Studies (3)  (IAI H5 900)
• RELS - 2111 Philosophy of World Religion (3)  (IAI H5 904N)
• RELS - 2112 Philosophy and Religion (3)   (IAI H4 905)
• RELS - 2115 Religious Scriptures and Sacred Texts (3)   (IAI H5 901)
• RELS - 3131 Religion in the United States (3)  (H5 905)
• SPAN - 1100 Spanish Language and Culture I (3)  
• SPAN - 1200 Spanish Language and Culture II (3)  
• SPAN - 2200 Spanish Language and Culture IV (3)  (IAI H1 900)

Social and Behavioral Sciences

3 courses (9 semester credits) with courses selected from at least two disciplines.

• ANSO - 2100 Gender & Sexuality (3)  (IAI S7 904D)
• ANTH - 1100 Cultural Anthropology (3)  (IAI S1 901N)
• ANTH - 2100 Trends in Cross-Cultural Analysis (3)  
• ANTH - 2500 Archaeology (3)  (IAI S1 903)
• CJUS - 2100 Introduction to Criminal Justice (3)  
• CJUS - 2200 Introduction to Corrections (3)  
• CJUS - 2300 Introduction to Juvenile Justice (3)  
• CJUS - 2360 Judicial Process and Constitutional Issues in Criminal Justice (3)  
• CJUS - 2400 Policing Foundations (3)   
• CJUS - 3020 History of Corrections and Punishment (3)   
• ECON - 2301 Principles of Microeconomics (3)  (IAI S3 902)
• ECON - 2302 Principles of Macroeconomics (3)  (IAI S3 901)
• GEOG - 1100 Geography, Non-Western World (3)  (IAI S4 902N)
• GEOG - 2500 World Regional Geography (3)  (IAI S4 901)
• GBLS - 1100 Introduction to Global Studies (3)  
• GBLS - 2100 Cross-cultural Relationships (3)  (IAI S9 900)
• GNSX - 2100 Introduction Gender and Sexuality Studies (3)  (IAI S9 900)
• HIST - 2700 World History to 1500 (3)  (IAI S2 912N)
• HIST - 2710 World History Since 1500 (3)  (IAI S2 913N)
• LACL - 2100 Introduction to Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies (3)  
• MCOM - 2520 Introduction to Media and Society (3)  
• POLS - 2100 American National Government (3)  (IAI S5 900)
• POLS - 2101 Principles of Political Science (3)  (IAI S5 903)
• POLS - 2950 Transformation of Global System (3)   (IAI S5 904)
• POLS - 2200 Local Governmental Systems (3)  
• POLS - 2950 Transformation of Global System (3)  (IAI S5 904)
• PSYC - 1101 Principles of Psychology (3)  (IAI S6 900) 
• PSYC - 2201 Life-span Developmental Psychology (3)  (IAI S6 902)
• PSYC - 2345 Social Psychology (3)  (IAI S8 900)
• PSYC - 3201 Child Development (3)  (IAI S6 903)
• SOC - 1100 Introduction to Sociology (3)  (IAI S7 900)
• SOC - 2100 Contemporary Social Issues (3)  (IAI S7 901)
• SOC - 2200 Racial and Ethnic Groups (3)  (IAI S7 903D)
• SOC - 2800 Sociology of Marriage and Family (3)  (IAI S7 902) 
• SOSC - 3200 Perspectives on Diversity (3)  (Previously SOCS 32A) 

Total: 37 - 41 credit hours

For colleges and universities on the quarter calendar system, three (3) quarter credits equal two (2) semester credits.

Information on specific courses that may be applied to the general education course requirements may be obtained from academic advisors.

University General Education Outcomes

Specific details on Governors State University General Education Outcomes are included in the Bachelor’s Degree Requirements  pages of this catalog.