General Education is that part of your University experience which exposes you to diverse areas of human knowledge and provides the foundation for a broad-based liberal arts education.

CCSU’s general education program includes eight distinctive areas of study and skill development.

Four of these areas are called “Study Areas.”  They represent the different perspectives taken by professionals in various academic fields.  You’ll find that world events will be viewed and treated differently by a poet, an artist, a scientist, and an historian.  We at Central want all students to have an appreciation for these differing world views.

The remaining four areas are called “Skill Areas.”  Courses in these areas will help you improve your communication skills in English and foreign languages, improve your computational and computer skills, and develop a healthy way of life.

Our hope is that through these general education courses, you will acquire a broad understanding of a number of disciplines and an understanding of the connections between them—an understanding that will enlarge your perspective of the world.  Such understanding and appreciation are the hallmarks of your liberal arts education at CCSU.

STUDY AREAS

Study Area 1 - Arts & Humanities   9 credits

Courses that focus on creative expression and interpretations of human experience, or the appreciation and development of thought and ideas.

Typically includes courses in literature, philosophy, and fine arts. At least 3 credits in literature at or above 200-level, and no more that 6 credits from any one discipline.

Study Area 2 - Social Sciences   9 credits

Courses dealing with formal social structures (such as governments, interest groups, territorial entities, economic firms) in their historical and contemporary contexts.

Typically includes courses in history, economics, geography, and political science. At least 3 credits in history, and no more than 6 credits from any one discipline. (6 credits for Engineering Technology majors).

Study Area 3 - Behavioral Sciences   6 credits

Courses that focus on the interactions between and among individuals and/or groups and social/cultural institutions.

Typically includes courses in psychology, sociology, and anthropology. (3 credits for Engineering Technology majors).

Study Area 4 - Natural Sciences   6-7 credits

Courses that focus on the scientific analysis of the natural world.

Typically includes courses in biology, chemistry, earth science, and physics. A lab experience is required. (8 credits for Engineering Technology and Construction Management Majors).

SKILL AREAS

Skill Area 1 - Communication Skills   6 credits

Three credits must be in ENG 110. Students who have not completed the ENG 110 requirement prior to earning 61 credits must take both ENG 110 and ENG 202.  Also includes communication and writing courses.

Skill Area 2 - Mathematics Requirement   6 credits

One MATH or STAT course required.

Skill Area 3 - Foreign Language Proficiency   0-6 credits

Proficiency in a foreign language must be demonstrated before graduation. This requirement may be met by any of the following:

• Three sequential years of one foreign language at the high-school level.
• Elementary proficiency as demonstrated by successfully completing a second-semester-level CCSU foreign-language course (112 or 114). Students with no previous background in a language must take the first and second semesters (111 and 112, or 120); students who place out of 111 due to previous background in the language may satisfy the requirement by taking 112 or 114 only.
• Passing a standardized examination which demonstrates knowledge of a foreign language equivalent to completion of a second-semester course or higher.
• Successful completion of a foreign-language course at a level higher than the second-semester level.
• Demonstration of native proficiency in a language other than English (requires evaluation of skill level by an appropriate faculty member and/or official documentation, and approval by the Chair of the Department of Modern Languages).
• Completing an intensive language course, numbered 118.

Skill Area 4 - University Requirement   2-3 credits

Courses designed to foster personal well-being and the development of academic skills essential for the successful pursuit of a university education.  PE 144 (Fitness/Wellness Ventures) will be required of all students who enter with fewer than 15 credit hours. Those entering with 15 credit hours or more may complete this requirement with 2-3 additional credit hours in skill areas above or with other Skill Area IV  courses.  Remedial courses, Math 101,  and elementary language courses will not fulfill this requirement.

International Requirement - Each student must complete 6 credit hours in courses designated as "International".

First Year Experience - Required for all students with fewer than 15 credit hours and to be taken in the student's first semester