Overview of General Education Requirements

Designed to expose students to diverse subject areas, the general education requirements also stress a variety of approaches to acquiring knowledge. A description of the general education requirements and a complete list of current courses that satisfy general education requirements are included in this handbook.

Most current students follow the general education requirements at UCSC, which fall into nine areas and are described below.

Each area has a general education code associated with it, and only those courses carrying that code satisfy the requirement. The codes appear in the course descriptions in the General Catalog online and in the “Gen Eds” column in each Schedule of Classes. Some courses satisfy more than one requirement, so the total number of required courses may be as few as 10 or as many as 15. Courses from the Arts Division of 1, 2, or 3 credits may be combined to satisfy the arts general education requirement if they have the appropriate code and total at least 5 credits.
Transfer credits may satisfy some of the general education requirements. The Admissions Office will evaluate your transfer course work and determine which general education requirements you have satisfied. This information is available online through the MyUCSC portal.

Students who have not decided on a major should take general education courses that will allow them to begin exploring possible majors. Students pursuing certain majors, particularly in the sciences, may need to schedule general education courses around major prerequisites. The writing-intensive course (W code), arts course (A code), and U.S. ethnic minorities/non-Western society course (E code) can be satisfied with many upper- as well as lower-division courses.
If you have consulted with your academic adviser and feel you have an unusually strong case for an exception to a general education requirement, you may obtain a Substitution or Waiver of General Education Requirement form at your college. Don’t wait until the quarter you expect to graduate. These petitions are carefully screened by the Academic Senate Committee on Educational Policy; specific and rigorous criteria are used. If the petition is approved, your academic record will be changed to reflect the exception. If you have taken a course through UNM, UNH, EAP, or UCDC, or as an ICV, and you think it will satisfy a general education requirement other than the T or W, you may initiate review of the course by completing a Review of Transfer Credit form at the Admissions Office.

Enrolling in general education courses: The section of the class you enroll in will satisfy a general education requirement only if the appropriate general education code(s) appears in the “Gen Eds” column of the Schedule of Classes. Different sections of the same course may have different codes.

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Brief Descriptions of General Education Codes

General education requirements were devised and are reviewed by the Santa Cruz Division of the Academic Senate through the Committee on Educational Policy. There are nine categories of general education requirements. Specific information regarding how general education requirements fit into bachelor’s degree requirements can be found in the UCSC General Catalog.

Introductions to Disciplines: These courses inform students of a discipline’s scope or methodology, prepare students effectively for advanced classes, or both. Students are advised about a discipline’s suitability as a major or are prepared for advanced course work in the field. Most of these courses are required of majors. Most do not require prerequisites. The three categories are Introduction to Humanities and Arts (IH code), Introduction to Natural Sciences (IN code), and Introduction to Social Sciences (IS code).

Topical requirements (T code): The topical requirement is intended to show students how disciplines outside their own affect public life, how different disciplines approach a common topic, and the richness in the areas of study that lie outside or between academic disciplines. Topical courses address a topic of broad intellectual or social relevance—instead of a discipline—and study it from a broad or interdisciplinary perspective. They can provide a place for discussion of values and assumptions at an introductory level not usually found in introductory courses. They are not designed to introduce the discipline to non-majors.

Composition requirement (C1 and C2 or C code): C1 and C2 are fulfilled by your college core course and Writing 2, Rhetoric and Inquiry. C is fulfilled by Writing 1, Composition and Rhetoric. Students must complete the Entry Level Writing Requirement to satisfy the composition requirements.

Quantitative requirement (Q code): This requirement involves acquisition of technical skill in mathematics or practice in the ability to apply that mathematical skill in specific contexts, or both. A quantitative course must involve the use of advanced algebra, statistics, or calculus. These courses provide instruction in quantitative reasoning rather than merely evaluating students’ mathematical ability. Courses in logic or computers are not considered mathematical.

Writing-intensive requirement (W code): These courses often require more writing than other classes, but they also stress explicit attention to the craft of writing in the subject matter of the course or discipline. Papers are assigned throughout the quarter and editorial comment is provided by the instructor. Students must complete the University of California Entry Level Writing Requirement and satisfy the Composition requirement before enrolling in a course which satisfies the writing-intensive requirement.

Arts requirement (A code): This requirement was established in recognition of the differences between the humanities and the arts, and of the necessity of both in liberal arts education. One 5-credit course or the equivalent is required in the performance, theory, or history of the arts.

U.S. Ethnic Minorities/Non-Western Society requirement (E code): This requirement is intended to increase student and faculty knowledge of non-Western cultures (in the U.S. and elsewhere); to improve cross-cultural awareness, skills, and sensitivity; and to explore relationships between ethnicity and other topics of liberal arts curriculum.

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Courses That Fulfill General Education Requirements

Refer to the course listings to identify general education courses offered in fall quarter.

Introductions to Disciplines, Humanities, and Arts (IH code)—two courses from different departments required (10 credits)

Only one IH requirement may be satisfied with a course (equivalent to 5 credits) from the Arts Division (art, film and digital media, history of art and visual culture, music, theater arts); only one language course may be used to satisfy an IH requirement; and only one literature course may be used to satisfy an IH requirement. Note: Transfer courses designated IH from English departments are considered to be literature courses for general education purposes.

American Studies 10
Chinese 4, 5, 6, 50, 107, 108
Cowell 118B
Feminist Studies 1
Film and Digital Media 20A, 20B, 20C
French 4, 5, 6
German 4, 5, 6
Hebrew 4, 5
Hindi 4, 5, 6
History 1, 2A, 2B, 5A, 5B, 10A, 10B, 11A, 11B, 13, 14, 30, 40A, 40B, 41, 43, 61, 62A, 62B, 65A, 65B, 66, 70A, 70B, 70C
History of Art and Visual Culture 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G
Italian 4, 5, 6
Japanese 4, 5, 6, 50
Linguistics 50, 52, 53, 55
Literature 1, 61D, 61F, 61M, 61R
Greek Literature 100
Latin Literature 100
Spanish Literature 60
Music 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D
Philosophy 9, 11, 22, 24, 26, 28
Portuguese 60B, 65A, 65B
Russian 4, 5, 6
Spanish 4, 5, 5M, 6, 56
Spanish for Spanish Speakers 61, 62, 63
Theater Arts 10, 19, 20, 30, 32, 33, 36, 40, 61, 61B, 61C, 122, 136

Introductions to Disciplines, Natural Sciences and engineering (IN code)—two courses from different departments required (10 credits)

Transfer courses designated IN from anatomy, botany, physiology, and zoology departments are considered to be biology courses.

Anthropology 1
Applied Mathematics and Statistics 5, 7, 11A, 11B
Astronomy and Astrophysics 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18
Biomolecular Engineering 5
Biology: MCD 20A
Chemistry and Biochemistry 1A, 1B, 1C
Computer Engineering 3, 8, 12
Computer Science 5C, 5J, 5P, 10, 12A, 12B, 13H, 20
Earth Sciences 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 20, 65, 119
Economics 11A, 11B
Environmental Studies 23, 24
Mathematics 11A, 11B, 19A, 19B, 20A, 20B
Ocean Sciences 1
Physics 1, 2, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6A, 6B, 6C, 7A, 7B

Introduction to Disciplines, Social Sciences (IS code)—Two courses from different departments required (10 credits)

Anthropology 2, 3, 4
Biology: MCD 89
Community Studies 10, 100B, 100E, 100J, 100K, 100M, 100P, 100S, 100T, 100V, 100X
Economics 1, 2
Education 40, 60
Environmental Studies 25
Latin American and Latino Studies 1, 126A, 126B
Legal Studies 10
Politics 1, 3, 4, 7, 15, 17, 20, 25, 43, 60, 70, 72, 73, 75
Psychology 1, 65
Sociology 1, 10, 15, 20

Topical Courses (T code)—Three courses required (15 credits)

Students entering UCSC with fewer than 45 transferable credits must take three topical courses in residence at UCSC. UCSC Summer Session courses can be used to satisfy topical requirements.

Choose one course from each academic area: natural sciences (2), social sciences (3), and humanities and arts (4). Courses labeled 5, 6, and 7 satisfy topical requirements in two different academic areas; students can apply this kind of topical course to either academic area indicated. The three topical course requirements must be satisfied with three different courses. In the Schedule of Classes, courses that carry a T general education code are listed as follows:

2–Natural Sciences Area
3–Social Sciences Area
4–Humanities and Arts Area
5–Humanities and Arts or Social Sciences Area
6–Natural Sciences or Humanities and Arts Area
7–Natural Sciences or Social Sciences Area

Astronomy and Astrophysics 80A, 80D
Biology: E&E 80N, 80P
Biology: MCD 80A, 80J,
Biomolecular Engineering 80H
Chemistry and Biochemistry 80H
Computer Engineering 80H, 80N, 80U
Computer Science 80B, 80C, 80G, 80K, 80V
Crown College 80S
Earth Sciences 80A, 80B, 80C, 80D, 80G
Electrical Engineering 80J
Linguistics 80G
Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology 80E
Ocean Sciences 80A, 80B
Physics 80A

T3–Social Sciences

Anthropology 80B, 80D, 80G, 80H, 80I, 80J, 80K, 80N, 80P
College Eight 80A, 80B
College Nine 80A, 80B
College Ten 80A, 80B
Community Studies 80A, 80B, 80H, 80L
Crown College 80G
Economics 80A, 80G, 80H
Feminist Studies 80R
Latin American and Latino Studies 80A, 80B, 80C, 80D, 80F, 80H, 80I, 80P, 80Q, 80S, 80T
Merrill College 80A, 80B, 80X
Psychology 80A, 80B
Sociology 80E, 80Z

T4–Humanities and Arts

Art 80A, 80C, 80D, 80V
Cowell College 80A, 80B
Crown College 80A, 80B
Feminist Studies 80S
Hebrew 80
History 80H, 80K, 80N, 80W, 80Y
History of Consciousness 80A, 80B, 80E, 80L, 80M, 80U
Languages 80D, 80F
Latin American and Latino Studies 80E
Linguistics 80B, 80V
Literature 80I, 80K, 80L, 80N, 80P, 80V, 80X
Music 80A, 80F, 80G, 80H, 80I, 80J, 80K, 80N, 80O, 80P, 80Q, 80S, 80V, 80X
Oakes College 80H
Philosophy 80E, 80F
Porter College 80A, 80B, 80E, 80W
Stevenson College 80H
Theater Arts 80A, 80B, 80D, 80E, 80G, 80H, 80K, 80L, 80M, 80N, 80O, 80P, 80Q, 80S, 80U, 80V, 80W, 80X, 80Z

T5–Humanities and Arts or Social Sciences

American Studies 80E, 80F, 80G
Crown College 80J
Economics 80J
Feminist Studies 80A, 80B, 80F, 80K, 80P, 80Y
Film and Digital Media 80A, 80S
History of Art and Visual Culture 80A, 80D, 80E, 80G, 80H, 80M, 80N, 80S, 80T, 80V, 80X
History of Consciousness 80J, 800, 80Q
Kresge College 80A, 80B, 80T
Latin American and Latino Studies 80X
Linguistics 80C, 80D
Merrill College 80C, 80Z
Oakes College 80A, 80B
Philosophy 80M
Porter College 80L
Stevenson College 80A, 80B, 80T, 81A, 81B

T6–Natural Sciences or Humanities and Arts

Art 80F
Biomolecular Engineering 80G
Computer Engineering 80E
Music 80C, 80L, 80R
Philosophy 80G, 80S
Physics 80D
Porter College 80K

T7–Natural Sciences or Social Sciences

Computer Engineering 80A
Computer Science 80J, 80S
Crown College 80F
Electrical Engineering 80S, 80T
Environmental Studies 80A, 80B
Information Systems Management 80C
Sociology 80V

Composition Courses (C code)—One course required for students entering prior to fall 2005 (5 credits)

Writing 1

Composition Courses (C1 and C2 code)—One course each required for students entering fall
2005 (5 credits)

C1

College Eight 80A
College Nine 80A
College Ten 80A
Cowell College 80A
Crown College 80A
Kresge College 80A
Merrill College 80A, 80X
Oakes College 80A
Porter College 80A
Stevenson College 80A

C2

College Eight 80B
College Nine 80B
College Ten 80B
Cowell College 80B
Crown College 80B
Kresge College 80B
Merrill College 80B, 80Z
Oakes College 80B
Porter College 80B
Stevenson College 80B, 81B
Writing 2

Writing-Intensive Courses (W code)—One course required (5 credits)

American Studies 100, 105A, 114B, 125H
Anthropology 150, 152, 170, 172, 190C, 194A, 194B, 194C, 194F, 194G, 194I, 194K, 194L, 194M, 194N, 194P, 194S, 194T, 194U, 194V, 194X, 194Y
Art 150C
Astronomy and Astrophysics 80D
Biology: E&E 141L, 145L, 150L, 151B, 158L, 159A, 161L, 176B, 183L, 188
Biology: MCD 89W, 100L, 105L, 105M, 109L, 110L, 115L, 119L, 186L
Chemistry and Biochemistry 122
Community Studies 160, 194
Computer Engineering 185
Computer Science 166B
Crown College 123
Earth Sciences 195
Economics 106, 107, 108, 128, 142, 165, 166B, 183, 184, 188, 195
Education 164, 180A
Environmental Studies 100L (concurrent enrollment in 100 required), 104A, 109B, 156, 157, 172
Feminist Studies 117, 194I, 194N, 195
Film and Digital Media 120, 150, 196B
History 190A, 190B, 190C, 190D, 190E, 190F, 190H, 190I, 190K, 190L, 190M, 190N, 190O, 190P, 190R, 190S, 190T, 190U, 190V, 190W, 190X, 190Y, 194A, 194B, 194E, 194G, 194H, 194M, 194N, 194R, 194S, 194U, 194W, 194Y 195B, 196A, 196B, 196C, 196E, 196G, 196I, 196J, 196K, 196N, 196O, 196P, 196R, 196S, 196T, 196U, 196W, 196Y
History of Art and Visual Culture 100A, 187A
Information Systems Management 158
Kresge College 80T
Latin American and Latino Studies 194H, 194P, 195A
Legal Studies 128, 183, 196
Linguistics 101, 113, 114, 197
Literature 1, 101
Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology 151
Oakes College 112
Philosophy 120, 127, 190L, 190M, 190S, 190Y
Physics 195B
Porter College 80W
Psychology 110, 119A, 119C, 119G, 119H, 119M, 125
Science Communication 160
Sociology 103B, 134, 195C
Stevenson College 80T
Theater Arts 157, 159
Writing 64, 101, 102, 103, 104, 110A, 161, 163, 165, 166A, 166B, 166D, 167

Quantitative Courses (Q code)—One course required (5 credits)

Applied Mathematics and Statistics 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11A, 11B, 80A, 131
Astronomy and Astrophysics 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18
Chemistry and Biochemistry 1A, 1B, 1C
Computer Engineering 8, 12, 16
Computer Science 80B
Earth Sciences 80B, 80C, 111
Economics 11A, 11B, 113
Electrical Engineering 80T
Mathematics 3, 4, 11A, 11B, 19A, 19B, 20A, 20B, 21, 110
Ocean Sciences 1
Philosophy 9
Physics 1, 2, 5A, 6A, 7A, 80A, 80D
Psychology 2, 181
Sociology 103A, 103B

Arts Courses (A code)—One course or equivalent required (5 credits)

Courses carrying fewer than 5 credits may be combined for credit toward satisfaction of the A requirement if they total at least 5 credits.

Anthropology 81A, 81B, 81C
Art 10G, 10H, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24A, 24B, 26, 27, 28, 30, 39, 40, 60, 70A, 70B, 70C, 80A, 80C, 80D, 80F, 80V, 102, 107, 109, 112, 113, 114, 118, 119, 123, 126, 135, 136, 141, 161
Community Studies 125, 127, 147
Cowell College 70A, 70B, 70C
Feminist Studies 80S, 123
Film and Digital Media 20A, 20B, 20C, 20P, 80A, 80S, 132A, 132B, 136A, 136B, 151, 160, 165A, 170A, 170B, 176, 185D
History of Art and Visual Culture 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G, 80A, 80D, 80E, 80G, 80H, 80M, 80S, 80T, 80V, 80X, 100A, 104A, 105E, 105J, 105P, 105R, 106A, 106I, 106X, 107A, 107B, 110A, 110B, 114, 115, 124, 126, 131, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 140A, 142, 149A, 150A, 151A, 153, 154A, 154D, 154F, 155, 156, 159B, 159D, 160, 163A, 163B, 168, 169, 172, 174C, 175, 177, 178A, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 185B, 185C, 185D, 186B, 187A, 189D, 189V, 189Y, 190A, 190B, 190C, 190D, 190I, 190M, 190O, 190P, 190Q, 190R, 190S, 190T, 190U, 190Y, 191A, 191B, 191C, 191D, 191F, 191H, 191P, 191X, 191Z
Latin American and Latino Studies 81A, 81B, 81C, 161P, 171
Literature/Creative Writing 10, 52, 53, 170, 180, 183
Music 1A, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6, 10, 11A, 11B, 11C, 11D, 51, 54, 75, 80A, 80C, 80F, 80G, 80H, 80I, 80J, 80L, 80N, 80O, 80P, 80Q, 80R, 80S, 80V, 80X, 102, 103, 159A, 159B, 160, 166, 180A, 180B
Music Sequence Courses: 1C-1C-1C, 2-2-2, 3-3-3, 4A-4A-4A, 4B-4B-4B, 4A-4A-4B, 4A-4B-4B, 8-8-8, 9-9-9, 166-166-166
Philosophy 152
Porter College 14, 20A, 20C, 20D, 21A, 21C, 22, 22A, 22F, 22G, 23A, 23B, 23C, 28, 32A, 33, 33A, 34B, 35, 35A, 38B, 39, 80E, 80G, 80L, 83, 120, 121, 121C, 121D
Theater Arts 10, 12, 15, 14, 17, 18, 18C, 19, 20, 21A, 22, 23, 30, 31C, 31P, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 40, 50, 52, 61, 61B, 61C, 80A, 80B, 80D, 80E, 80G, 80H, 80K, 80L, 80M, 80N, 80O, 80P, 80Q, 80S, 80U, 80V, 80W, 80X, 80Z, 100A, 100B, 100C, 100G, 100H, 100I, 100L, 100M, 100W, 104, 105, 106, 110, 113, 114, 115A, 115B, 116A, 116B, 117, 117A, 118, 119, 121, 122, 124, 126, 128, 129, 130, 131, 131C, 131P, 132, 135, 136, 136C, 137, 138, 139, 142, 151, 152, 155, 157, 159, 160, 161A, 161C, 161D, 161M, 161P, 161Q, 161R, 161S, 161T, 161U, 161Y, 162, 163A, 163E, 163G, 163Y, 164, 165, 193, 193F

U.S. Ethnic Minorities/Non-Western Society Courses (E code)—One course required (5 credits)

American Studies 10, 80E, 101, 121C, 123F, 123H, 123M, 123T, 123X, 123Z, 125A, 125E, 125G, 125H, 125X 126B, 126C, 127A, 127C, 127D, 127E, 127F, 127K, 190H
Anthropology 80B, 80D, 80G, 80I, 80P, 130A, 130B, 130C, 130E, 130F, 130H, 130I, 130L, 130M, 130N, 130T
Community Studies 20, 80A, 80B, 80H, 80Q, 100E, 100J, 100P, 114, 132, 152
Computer Science 80S
Economics 120, 128
Education 60, 128, 141, 164, 181
Feminist Studies 80F, 80P, 80Y, 102, 110, 115, 117, 120, 123, 124, 132, 139, 145, 151A, 194F, 194M
Film and Digital Media 132C, 165B, 165D, 185E
Hebrew 106
History 5A, 11B, 14, 30, 40A, 40B, 41, 43, 45, 46, 74, 74A, 75, 80H, 80W, 80Y, 101A, 101B, 106A, 106B, 106C, 109A, 111, 121A, 121B, 123B, 126, 127, 128, 130, 131, 132, 134A, 134B, 137A, 137B, 137C, 140C, 140D, 140F, 145, 147A, 147B, 148, 150C, 155, 185A, 185B, 185D, 185E, 185F, 190A, 190B, 190C, 190D, 190E, 190L, 190N, 190O, 190R, 194G, 194H, 194N, 194U, 194W, 194Y, 196N
History of Art and Visual Culture 10E, 80G, 80M, 80T, 105E, 105P, 106A, 107A, 107B, 139, 142, 151A, 155, 156, 160, 161, 172, 182, 185B, 185C, 185D, 187A, 189D, 190B, 190C, 190O, 190U, 191A, 191C, 191F, 191P
History of Consciousness 118
Languages 80F
Latin American and Latino Studies 1, 10, 80A, 80B, 80C, 80D, 80E, 80F, 80G, 80H, 80I, 80P, 80Q, 80S, 80T, 80X, 100A, 100B, 101, 110B, 111, 120, 122, 123A, 123B, 126A, 126B, 127, 128, 129, 140, 141, 142A, 142B, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 152, 160, 161P, 162, 163, 164, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 173, 175, 176, 178, 180, 194B, 194C, 194D, 194E, 194F, 194G, 194H, 194J, 194K, 194L, 194M, 194N, 194P, 194R, 195A
Legal Studies 127, 128, 135, 136
Literature 61R, 80L, 80N, 80P, 80X
English-Language Literatures 150C, 150G, 155D, 160E
French Literature 134
Modern Literary Studies 125L, 144A, 144D, 144G
Spanish Literature 60, 102B, 130D, 130E, 134C, 134M, 134N, 135D
World Literature and Cultural Studies 109, 118, 190A, 190B
Merrill College 80A, 80B, 80X, 151
Music 11B, 11D, 80A, 80F, 80I, 80P, 80Q, 80X, 180A, 180B
Oakes College 80A, 80B, 80H, 175
Philosophy 80E
Politics 127, 140C, 140D, 140E, 141, 146, 156
Psychology 110, 119B, 140, 140B, 142, 143, 157, 158
Sociology 15, 20, 133, 156, 169, 170, 174, 175, 188
Spanish 156A
Stevenson College 80H, 80T, 81A, 81B
Theater Arts 22, 80A, 80M, 100A, 100B, 100I, 100L, 100W, 161D, 161P, 161R, 163Y
Writing 128

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