May 14, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

CU Denver Undergraduate Core Curriculum


Click on any of the following for more information:

Philosophy of the Core Curriculum
Intellectual Competencies
Knowledge Areas
International Perspectives
 
Cultural Diversity
Core Curriculum Table
School/College Specific Requirements
 

Core Curriculum

Philosophy of the Core Curriculum

 

The University of Colorado Denver subscribes to a liberal arts philosophy of education in order to develop a broad set of academic skills for the baccalaureate student and to establish a foundation for lifelong learning.  Since 1990, the CU Denver Core curriculum of general education has been a campus-wide program for all undergraduate students, independent of the student’s major.

The CU Denver faculty designed the Core curriculum to provide undergraduate students a high quality academic foundation while still allowing flexibility based on students’ individual backgrounds and specific career goals.  The Core curriculum develops multiple literacies, stimulates creative thinking, and utilizes technology.  The Core engages students in developing sensitivity to diversity and developing their place in an urban environment, as well as in the rapidly changing global environment.  The Core provides an understanding of ourselves, ours and other cultures, and our environment.

CU Denver Core Curriculum

All undergraduate students must complete a 34-38 semester hour (11 courses) curriculum of general education. CU Denver schools and colleges may have specific requirements within the Core curriculum. The Core curriculum is outlined below.

Intellectual Competencies:  9-10 hours

 Students must earn a minimum letter grade of ‘C­–’ (1.7) in each Intellectual Competency course to satisfy the Core curriculum requirements.

English Composition – two course, 6 hours 

Mathematics - one course, 3-4 hours
Any lower division (1000- or 2000- number) MATH course

Knowledge Areas:  19-22 hours

Students may not use core courses in the discipline defined by their major(s) to satisfy Knowledge Area requirements.

Biological and Physical Sciences, Mathematics – two courses, 7-10 hours

Take two of the following courses.

One of the two required courses must have a laboratory. Students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and in the College of Engineering and Applied Science should check the notes at the bottom of the page for specific requirements

Science courses with Labs

Science courses with Co-requisite Labs

Science courses without Labs & Mathematics
(Note:  MATH - A mathematics course taken to fulfill the biological and physical sciences, mathematics area, must be from the approved Mathematics list, excluding the course taken to fulfill the Intellectual Competencies requirement).

Arts and Humanities - two courses, 6 hours
Students not majoring in either Arts or Humanities, one course must be from the Arts and the second from Humanities.  Students majoring in Humanities, one course must be from the Arts and the second course may be from either category.  Students majoring in Arts, both courses must be from the Humanities.

Arts
(Note:  Students in the College of Arts and

Take one of the following courses: