UNIVERSITY CORE CURRICULUM

All undergraduates of the University of Texas at El Paso are required to complete a 42-credit core curriculum before receiving a baccalaureate degree. For degree plans that terminate with a post-baccalaureate degree without offering the baccalaureate degree, undergraduates are required to complete the core curriculum before enrolling in graduate-level courses.

Components and Courses of the Core Curriculum The core curriculum consists of nine components. Each component has a required minimum number of semester hours of credit. The minimum number is also the maximum number that may be applied toward the core curriculum requirement. Any additional credits will apply toward degree requirements. The courses that may be used to satisfy the component requirements are listed with their Texas Common Course Number (TCCN: level-credit-identifying digits) in brackets. The core curriculum requirement does not preclude the counting of core curriculum courses toward other degree requirements. Students are advised to consult particular degree requirements for their major before selecting courses to meet core curriculum requirements.

'C' Rule All courses used to satisfy the core curriculum must be completed with a 'C' or better. This applies also to transferred courses.

Transfer Students Students who transfer without completing the core curriculum at another Texas institution of higher learning shall receive academic credit in UTEP's core curriculum for each of the courses that the student has successfully ('C' or better) completed in the core curriculum of the sending institution. If a student has successfully ('C' or better) completed the 42-hour core at another Texas institution of higher education, that block of courses shall be substituted for the University of Texas at El Paso's core curriculum. Such a student shall receive academic credit for each of the sending institution's core curriculum courses transferred and may not be required to take additional courses to satisfy UTEP’s core curriculum. However, courses listed in UTEP’s core curriculum may be required by the degree plan or as a prerequisite to a course.

I. Communication (nine credits) The objective of the communication component is to enable the student to communicate effectively in clear and correct prose in a style appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience.

A. English Composition (six credits):

          1. For students whose secondary education was in English:

                ENGL 13111 Expository English Composition [ENGL 1301]
                and ENGL 13122 Research and Critical Writing [ENGL 1302]

        2. For students whose secondary education was not in English:

                ESOL 1311 Expository English Composition for Speakers of ESL [ENGL 1306]
                and ESOL 1312 Research and Critical Writing for Speakers of ESL [ENGL 1307]

B. Speech (three credits):

                COMM 13011 Public Speaking [SPCH 1315]
                or COMM 1302 Business and Professional Communication [SPCH 1321]

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1 COMM/ENGL 1611 may be used to satisfy both the ENGL 1311 and COMM 1301 requirements.
2 ENGL 1313 may be substituted for ENGL 1312.

 

II. Mathematics (three credits) The objective of the mathematics component is to develop a quantitatively literate college graduate. Every college graduate should be able to apply basic mathematical tools in the solution of real-world problems. One of the following courses (only three credits apply toward the required 42):

                    MATH 1320 Mathematics for the Social Sciences I [MATH 1324]
                    or MATH 15081 Precalculus [MATH 15122]

________
1 A higher level course in the calculus sequence may be used for this requirement.
2 TCCN MATH 1312 or 1314 will also satisfy this requirement.

III. Natural Sciences (six credits, a minimum of two semesters of lecture and one semester of laboratory) The objective of the study of the natural sciences component is to enable the student to understand, construct, and evaluate relationships in the natural sciences, and to enable the student to understand the bases for building and testing theories. The courses listed are for nonmajors; the major courses in the discipline may be substituted for the nonmajors sequence. One of the following sequences (only six credits apply toward the required 42):

1. ASTR 1307 & 1308 & (1107 or 1108) Elementary Astronomy [PHYS 1311, 1312, 1111 or 1112]
2. BIOL 1303 & 1304 & (1103 or 1104)1 General Biology (nonmajor-track) [BIOL 1308, 1309, 1108 or 1109]
3. CHEM 1407 & 14082 General Chemistry (nonmajor-track) [CHEM 1405, 1407]
4. GEOL 1303 & 13043 Earth Science [GEOL 1301, 1302]
5. PHYS 1403 & 14044 College Physics [PHYS 1401, 1402]
6. SCI 1401 & 1402 Interdisciplinary Science [TCCN applied for]

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1 BIOL 1305 & 1107 & 1306 & 1108 [BIOL 1306, 1106, 1307, 1107] may be substituted for this sequence.
2 CHEM 1305 & 1105 & 1306 & 1106 [CHEM 1311, 1111, 1312, 1112] may be substituted for this sequence
3. GEOL 1301 & 1101 & 1302 & 1102 [GEOL 1303, 1103, 1304, 1104] may be substituted for this sequence
4 PHYS 1120 & 2410 & 2411 [PHYS 2125, 2425, 2426] may be substituted for this sequence.

 

IV. Humanities (three credits) The objective of the humanities component is to expand students' knowledge of the human condition and human cultures, especially in relation to behaviors, ideas, and values expressed in works of human imagination and thought. Through study in disciplines such as literature and philosophy, students will engage in critical analysis and develop an appreciation of the humanities as fundamental to the health and survival of any society. One course, selected from the following:

1. ENGL 2311 English Literature (I) [ENGL 2322]
2. ENGL 2312 English Literature (II) [ENGL 2323]
3. ENGL 2313 Introduction to American Fiction [TCCN applied for]
4. ENGL 2314 Introduction to American Drama [TCCN applied for]
5. ENGL 2318 Introduction to American Poetry [TCCN applied for]
6. HIST 2301 World History (I) [HIST 2321]
7. HIST 2302 World Literature (II) [HIST 2322]
8. PHIL 1301 Introduction to Philosophy [PHIL 1301]
9. PHIL 2306 Ethics [PHIL 2306]

V. Visual and Performing Arts (three credits) The objective of the visual and performing arts component is to expand students' knowledge of the human condition and human cultures, especially in relation to behaviors, ideas, and values expressed in works of human imagination. Through study in disciplines of the visual and performing arts, students will form aesthetic judgments and develop an appreciation of the arts as fundamental to the health and survival of any society. A minimum of 3 credits selected from the following:

1. ART 1300 Art Appreciation [ARTS 1301]
2. ARTH 1305 Art History of the Western World I [ARTS 1303]
3. ARTH 1306 Art History of the Western World II [ARTS 1304]
4. MUSL 1221 & 1222 Introduction to Music Literature I & II [MUSI 1208, 1209]
5. MUSL 1324 Music in Western Societies [MUSI 1306]
6. MUSL 1327 Jazz to Rock [MUSI 1310]
7. THEA 1313 Introduction to Theatre [DRAM 1310]
8. THEA 2390 Introduction to the Art of the Motion Picture [DRAM 2366]

VI. United States History (six credits) U.S. history courses (three credits may be Texas history) are mandated by the Texas State Legislature.

HIST 1301 and HIST 1302 U.S. History I & II [HIST 1301 & 1302]

VII. Political Science (six credits) Texas and U.S. government and politics courses are mandated by the Texas State Legislature.

POLS 2310 and POLS 2311 American Government I & II [GOVT 2301 & 2302 or 2305 & 2306]

VIII. Social and Behavioral Sciences (three credits) The objective of the social and behavioral science component is to increase students' knowledge of how social and behavioral scientists discover, describe, and explain the behaviors and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, events, and ideas. Such knowledge will better equip students to understand themselves and the roles they play in addressing the issues facing humanity. One course selected from the following:

1. ANTH 1301 Introduction to Physical Anthropology and Archeology [ANTH 2301]
2. ANTH 1302 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology [ANTH 2351]
3. ECON 13011 Basic Issues in Economics [ECON 1301]
4. GEOG 1310 Cultural Geography [GEOG 1302]
5. LING/ANTH/ENGL 2320 Introduction to Linguistics [TCCN applied for]
6. PSYC 1301 Introduction to Psychology [PSYC 2301]
7. SOCI 1301 Introduction to Sociology [SOCI 1301]

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1 ECON 2303 or 2304 [ECON 2301 or 2302] may be substituted for this course.

IX. Institutionally Designated Option (three credits) The objective of the institutionally designated option component is to increase students’ knowledge of how computer technology impacts society, particularly its impact on communicating, solving problems, acquiring information, and personal and community health. Such knowledge will better equip students to understand the possibilities, problems, and limits of this technology in these areas. One course selected from the following:

1. CIS 2320 Introduction to Computers & Software [BCIS 1301]

2. CS 13101 Introduction to Computer Programming [COSC 1301]
3. HSCI 1301 The Health Care Industry [BIOL 1322]
4. HSCI 2203 Wellness Dynamics/KIN 2102 Wellness Dynamics Laboratory [KINE/PHED 1304]
5. ITS 2350 Interdisciplinary Technology & Society [TCCN applied for]
6. UNIV 1301 University Literacy & Learning Resources [TCCN applied for]

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1 CS 1401 or 1420 [COSC 1430 or 1405] may be substituted for CS 1310.