General Studies
About the Program
APU’s General Studies Requirements include Skills and University Requirements and six Integrative Core Requirements, which include elective unit requirements. Of the courses taken to fulfill these requirements, at least 18 units must be courses at the 300 or higher level. All of these requirements must be met by approved classes. Please note that elective unit requirements may be fulfilled by designated “elective” or “core” classes.
All courses approved to satisfy general studies requirements are identified in the Class Schedule and are included on the list of approved general studies courses. This list is found in the Office of the Undergraduate Registrar and in the Office of Academic Advising. Additional courses may be approved in the future. Students are encouraged to take their general studies courses throughout all their years at APU.
Even though students work closely with a faculty advisor in determining their general studies requirements, the responsibility of fulfilling these general studies requirements is solely that of the student. For further information, please see the Office of the Undergraduate Registrar and/or the Office of Academic Advising.
Special note: Biology, biochemistry, and nursing majors are not required to take health education.
Special note: Bachelor of Music majors are not required to take health education, Fitness for Life, foreign language, math, Aesthetics Core, or the two general studies electives. This statement does NOT apply to Bachelor of Arts music majors.
All students are required to access their Web-based degree audit (through home.apu.edu) for information regarding their major and general studies requirements (and fulfillment of these requirements). Any questions about the application of transfer classes for course requirements should be directed to the Office of the Undergraduate Registrar.
Skills and University Requirements
ENGL 110 Freshman Writing Seminar^ (required first year) | 3 | |
|---|---|---|
LDRS 100 Beginnings: Personal Development and the College Experience (required first semester) | 1 | |
COMM 111 Public Communication | 3 | |
| PE XXX | Fitness for Life or Varsity Sport (concurrent enrollment with PE 240^^ | 1 |
PE 240 Health Education (F, S) (concurrent enrollment with Fitness for Life) | 2 | |
| Select one of the following: ^^^ | ||
MATH 110 College Algebra^ | 3 | |
MATH 115 Analytical Inquiry^ | 3 | |
MATH 120 Contemporary Mathematics^ | 3 | |
^Placement
into the above math and English courses is determined by transfer work,
SAT/ACT scores, or diagnostic exams. Scoring below the minimum proficiency
on any or all of these exams will result in required enrollment in ENGL 099 (for Reading), ENGL 100 (for Writing), and/or the
appropriate prerequisite math course(s). |
||
| Foreign Language | 8 units required | |
|---|---|---|
| Choose from the following: | ||
| ASL 101/102 | American Sign Language | 4,4 |
| CHIN 101/102 | Elementary Chinese | 4,4 |
| FREN 101/102 | Elementary French | 4,4 |
| GERM 101/102 | Elementary German | 4,4 |
| GLBL 101/102 | Self-directed Language Learning | 4,4 |
| GRKB 200/201 | Elementary Greek | 4,4 |
| GRKC 200/201 | Elementary Classical Greek | 4,4 |
| HEBB 200/201 | Elementary Hebrew | 4,4 |
| JAPA 101/102 | Elementary Japanese | 4,4 |
| LTN 200/201 | Elementary Latin | 4,4 |
| MODL 101/102 | Modern Language | 4,4 |
| SPAN 101/102 | Elementary Spanish | 4,4 |
Note: Two semesters of the same language is required. Foreign language proficiency may be validated by APU’s Department of Modern Languages’ placement test or AP/CLEP scores. International students are able to fulfill this requirement by enrolling in and successfully passing the TESL 101 and TESL 102 classes. APU will accept transfer units for the foreign language requirement if those courses qualify for transfer credit and if they constitute a full collegiate academic year of language study. All language transfer courses must entail a minimum of 3 units per semester and be completed at an accredited institution of higher education. |
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Correspondence courses do not fulfill the foreign language requirement.
Integrative Core Courses Requirements
The following subheadings list the core subject areas, the number of units required for the area, and the course options. Additional courses may be approved at a later date.
| Aesthetics and the Creative Arts | 3 units required | |
|---|---|---|
ART 150 Introduction to Art | 3 | |
ART 310 Fundamental Art Experiences | 3 | |
ART 354 Ancient Art History | 3 | |
ART 356 History of Modern Art | 3 | |
ART 357 Contemporary Art Trends | 3 | |
ART 361 Early Christian and Medieval Art | 3 | |
ART 362 Renaissance to Rococo Art | 3 | |
ART 403 Multicultural Art | 3 | |
| HUM 223/323 | Humanities Seminar III: Aesthetics^ | 3,4 |
MUS 120 Music Fundamentals | 3 | |
MUS 121 Music Theory I | 3 | |
MUS 201 Introduction to World Music | 3 | |
MUS 204 Music of Latin America | 3 | |
MUS 205 Music of Asia | 3 | |
MUS 250 Music and Civilization | 3 | |
TFT 101 Christianity and the Creative Process | 3 | |
| Heritage and Institutions | 6 units required | |
|---|---|---|
| Philosophy Component | 3 units | |
| Choose one of the following: | ||
| HUM 224/324 | Humanities Seminar IV: Great Ideas^ | 3,4 |
PHIL 220 Introduction to Philosophy | 3 | |
| History and Political Science Component | 3 units | |
| Choose one of the following: | ||
HIST 120 World Civilizations to 1648 | 3 | |
HIST 121 World Civilizations Since 1648 | 3 | |
HIST 151 United States History to 1865 | 3 | |
HIST 152 United States History Since 1865 | 3 | |
| HUM 221/321 | Humanities Seminar I: Great Works^ | 3,4 |
POLI 150 American Government | 3 | |
POLI 160 Introduction to Politics | 3 | |
| Identity and Relationships | 3 units | |
|---|---|---|
PHIL 340 Concepts of Human Nature | 3 | |
PSYC 110 General Psychology | 3 | |
PSYC 225 Personal and Social Adjustment | 3 | |
PSYC 290 Human Growth and Development | 3 | |
SOC 120 Introduction to Sociology | 3 | |
SOC 230 Comparative Family Systems | 3 | |
| SOCW 310/311 | Human Behavior in the Social Environment I and II (both needed to fulfill requirement) | 3/3 |
| Language and Literature | 3 units | |
|---|---|---|
ENGL 111 Introduction to Literature | 3 | |
ENGL 112 Introduction to Literary Analysis | 3 | |
ENGL 324 World Literature to the Renaissance | 3 | |
ENGL 334 World Literature Since the Renaissance | 3 | |
ENGL 344 American Literature to 1865 | 3 | |
ENGL 354 American Literature Since 1865 | 3 | |
| HUM 222/322 | Humanities Seminar II: Literary Masterpieces^ | 3,4 |
^Note: The Humanities Seminars are in a 3-unit format on the APU campus, and a 4-unit format in the High Sierra Semester. |
||
| Nature | 4 units (including lab) required | |
|---|---|---|
BIOL 101 Fundamentals of Biology | 4 | |
BIOL 151 General Biology I | 4 | |
BIOL 325 Humans and the Environment | 4 | |
CHEM 101 Introduction to Chemistry | 4 | |
CHEM 105 Citizen Chemistry | 4 | |
| CHEM 111/112/114 | Chemistry for the Health Sciences (all three courses needed to fulfill requirement) | 4 |
CHEM 151 General Chemistry | 4 | |
| PHYC 110/111 | Principles of Physical Science (both courses needed to fulfill requirement) | 4 |
PHYC 130 Earth Science | 4 | |
PHYC 140 Introduction to Astronomy | 4 | |
PHYC 151 Physics for Life Sciences I | 4 | |
PHYC 161 Physics for Science and Engineering I | 5 | |
* PHIL 496 offers a senior seminar in professional ethics, social ethics, or worldviews.
Electives (minimum of 6 units required)
More than six units of coursework may be necessary to achieve the 18 units of upper-division General Studies coursework requirement. For further details, see an academic advisor.
Elective units may be met by taking any of the above listed core classes not yet used to fulfill core requirements and/or from the following list of elective classes:
Humanities Classes at the High Sierra Semester
Several of the General Studies requirements may be met through participation in the High Sierra Semester.
The following outlines the information:
| HUM 221/321 | Humanities Seminar I: Great Works^ (Meets the core requirement in Heritage and Institutions) |
4 |
|---|---|---|
| HUM 222/322 | Humanities Seminar II: Literary Masterpieces^ (Meets the core requirement in Language and Literature) |
4 |
| HUM 223/323 | Humanities Seminar III: Aesthetics^ (Meets the core requirements in Aesthetics and the Creative Arts) |
4 |
| HUM 224/324 | Humanities Seminar IV: Great Ideas^ (Meets the core philosophy requirement in Heritage and Institutions) |
4 |
| HUM 325 | Humanities Seminar V: Christian Classics^ (Meets the doctrine requirement in God’s Word and the Christian Response) |
4 |
^Note: The Humanities Seminars are in a 3-unit format on the APU campus, and a 4-unit format in the High Sierra Semester. |
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Students may elect to take the 300-level courses for their core requirements or to fulfill upper-division elective requirements. For more information, please see the High Sierra Semester advisor.
Diversity in the Classroom
Azusa Pacific University recognizes that diversity is an expression of God’s image and boundless creativity. In an effort to integrate diversity studies into the curriculum, pertinent issues are addressed within General Studies courses, and specific courses focus on diverse perspectives. APU also offers an ethnic studies minor through the School of Business and Management. The following is a list of courses designed to examine diversity-related topics:
For more information about APU's General Studies requirements, contact your admissions counselor.
