Auburn Bulletin 2023-2024

Core Curriculum and General Education Outcomes

The purpose of the Auburn University Core Curriculum is to foster the knowledge, skills, and perspectives that are hallmarks of an Auburn graduate. By completing courses that represent a range of disciplines students begin to acquire an educated appreciation of the natural world, of human life, and of the interactions between them. In particular, students complete the subject area distribution requirements identified below, which meet the requirements established by the Alabama General Studies Committee. 

The specific courses each student completes in order to fulfill Auburn University’s core curriculum requirements will depend upon the particular major in which the student is enrolled. Students should consult their curriculum models and discuss their options with their academic advisor. All Auburn students are required to complete a six semester credit hour sequence in either History or Literature as part of their requirements. Courses ending in “7” are Honors courses. 

English Composition: 6 hours required

The Importance of Writing at Auburn University

A key element of Auburn’s instructional mission is the emphasis on written communication, which is supported through the university’s general education courses and advanced through a robust Writing Across the Curriculum program. These efforts underscore the mechanics of formal writing, such as grammar and sentence structure, and engage students in an extensive process that translates ideas, insights, or interpretations into refined prose. Through the Writing Across the Curriculum program, every academic major maintains a comprehensive writing plan that supports student development across various occasions and audiences and provides opportunities for reflection, feedback, and assessment. By demonstrating the ability to logically present and explain a concept or idea to an audience, students understand and appreciate the role of writing as an integral part of learning.

CodeTitleHours
ENGL 1100/English Composition I3
or ENGL 1107 Honors Writing Seminar I
ENGL 1120English Composition II3
or ENGL 1127 Honors Writing Seminar II
Total Hours6
Humanities: 12 total hours required (Note: Students enrolled in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering are required to complete 9 hours of Humanities.)
Literature (at least 3 hours)
CodeTitleHours
Select at least one of the following:3-6
World Literature before 1600
World Literature after 1600
British Lit before 1789
British Lit after 1789
American Lit before 1865
American Lit II after 1865
AfAm Lit Before 1900
AfAm Lit After 1900
Fine Arts (at least 3 hours)

Students must complete at least one fine arts course from this list.

CodeTitleHours
Select one of the following:3
Art Of Arch Place And Culture
Looking at Art: App to Interpr
Introduction to Art History
Design, Invention and Society
Indust Des In Modern Society
Appreciation Of Music
Survey of Popular Music
Music and Science
Introduction To Film Studies
Introduction To Theatre
Aesthetics of Acting
Other Humanities Choices

In addition to the Literature and Fine Arts courses listed above, students may select courses from this list to complete the required 12 hours in Humanities.

CodeTitleHours
COMM 1000Public Speaking3
FLGC 1150Global Fluency3
HONR 1017Honors Tech and Culture II3
PHIL 1010/1017Introduction To Logic3
PHIL 1020/1027Introduction To Ethics3
PHIL 1030/1037Ethics And The Health Sciences3
PHIL 1040Business Ethics3
PHIL 1050Intro to Political Philosophy3
PHIL 1060Philosophy East and West3
PHIL 1070Art, Value, and Society3
PHIL 1080Introd Philosophy Religion3
PHIL 1090Philosophy of Race and Gender3
PHIL 1100Introduction To Philosophy3
PHIL 1110Ethics and Science3
PHIL 1120Intro. Environmental Ethics3
RELG 1040Intro to Western Religions3
RELG 1050Intro to Eastern Religions3
UNIV 2710/HONR 2717The Human Odyssey I3
Science and Mathematics: 11-12 hours required
Mathematics (3-4 hours)

Students must complete at least one mathematics course from this list. For additional information on Math requirements, see bottom of page.

CodeTitleHours
Select one of the following:3-4
Finite Math and Applications
Precalculus Algebra
Precalculus Trigonometry
Precalc Algebra And Trig
Calculus I
Calculus With Business Apps I
Science sequence (8 hours)

Students must complete a sequence from this list.

CodeTitleHours
Select one of the following Series:8
Series A
Intro To Biology
and Intro To Biology Laboratory
A Survey Of Life
and A Survey Of Life Laboratory
Series B
Principles Of Biology
and Principles Of Biology Lab
Organismal Biology
and Organismal Biology Laboratory
Series C
Survey Of Chemistry I
and Survey Of Chemistry I Lab
Survey Of Chemistry II
and Survey Of Chemistry II Lab
Series D
Fundamentals Chemistry I
and Fund Of Chemistry I Lab
Fundamental Chemistry II
and Fund Of Chemistry II Lab
Series E
Select one of the following:
Gen Chem For Scientists I
and General Chemistry I Lab
Honors General Chemistry I
and Honors General Chemistry I Lab
And select one of the following:
Gen Chem for Scientists II
and General Chemistry II Lab
Honors General Chemistry II
and Hon General Chemistry II Lab
Series F
Dynamic Earth
Earth and Life Through Time
Series G
General Physics I
General Physics II
Series H
Engineering Physics I
Engineering Physics II 1
Series I
Soils and Life
Crops and Life
Series J
Concepts Of Science
A Survey Of Life
and A Survey Of Life Laboratory
Series K
Concepts Of Science
Survey Of Chemistry I
and Survey Of Chemistry I Lab
Series L
Concepts Of Science
Dynamic Earth
Series M
Concepts Of Science
Foundations Of Physics
Series N
Concepts Of Science
Astronomy
Series O
Global Systems Weather/Climate
Global Systems Land/Water
Series P
Science of Nature I
and Science of Nature I Laboratory
Science of Nature II
and Science of Nature II Lab
Series Q
Climate Science I
and Climate Science I - Laboratory
Climate Science II
and Climate Science II - Lab
Series R
Concepts Of Science
Global Systems Weather/Climate
Series S
Concepts Of Science
Physics for Aviators
1. A student who completes PHYS 1600/07, may be permitted to complete the Physics sequence with PHYS 1510 in some majors. A student should consult his or her academic advisor for more information.
Social Sciences: 12 hours total required (Note: Students enrolled in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering are required to complete 9 hours of Social Science.)
History (at least 3 hours)
CodeTitleHours
Select one of the following:3
World History I
World History II
Technology And Civilization I
Technology And Civilization II
Other Social Sciences (at least 3 hours)

In addition to the history courses listed above, students can select hours in other Social Science courses listed below to total 12.

CodeTitleHours
AFRI 2000Intro African American Studies3
AGEC 1000Global Issues3
ANTH 1000/1007Anthropology: Culture and Adap3
COUN 2000Diverse Populations3
ECON 2020/2027Prin Of Microeconomics3
ECON 2030/2037Prin Of Macroeconomics3
GEOG 1010/1017Global Geography3
GSHS 2000Global Studies Human Sciences3
HONR 1007Honors Tech and Culture I3
HONR 1027Honor Sustainability I3
HONR 1037Honor Sustainability II3
NATR 2050People & the Environment3
POLI 1050/1057Global Politics and Issues3
POLI 1090/1097Amer Gov In Multicul World3
PSYC 2010/2017Intro To Psychology3
SOCY 1000/1007Sociology Global Perspective3
SOCY 1100Race and Ethnicity3
SOWO 2000Introduction To Social Work3
SUST 2000Introduction to Sustainability3
UNIV 2720/HONR 2727The Human Odyssey II3
WMST 2100Intro Women's & Gender Studies3

General Education Student Learning Outcomes

In addition to introducing students to broad areas of knowledge, the General Education program also emphasizes foundational skills they will build upon throughout their undergraduate education. In order to become lifelong learners and use their education to solve practical problems, by the time of graduation, students will be able to effectively: 

Locate, evaluate, and use information (SL-A)
CodeTitleHours
ENGL 1120English Composition II3
or ENGL 1127 Honors Writing Seminar II
FOWS 1020
FOWS 1021
Science of Nature I
and Science of Nature I Laboratory
4
FOWS 1030
FOWS 1031
Science of Nature II
and Science of Nature II Lab
4
Read and think critically (SL-B)
CodeTitleHours
ENGL 2200/2207World Literature before 16003
ENGL 2210/2217World Literature after 16003
ENGL 2230British Lit before 17893
ENGL 2240British Lit after 17893
ENGL 2250American Lit before 18653
ENGL 2260American Lit II after 18653
ENGL 2270AfAm Lit Before 19003
ENGL 2280AfAm Lit After 19003
HONR 1007Honors Tech and Culture I3
HONR 1017Honors Tech and Culture II3
HONR 1027Honor Sustainability I3
HONR 1037Honor Sustainability II3
HONR 2717Honors Human Odyssey 13
PHIL 1010/1017Introduction To Logic3
PHIL 1020/1027Introduction To Ethics3
PHIL 1030/1037Ethics And The Health Sciences3
PHIL 1040Business Ethics3
PHIL 1050Intro to Political Philosophy3
PHIL 1060Philosophy East and West3
PHIL 1070Art, Value, and Society3
PHIL 1080Introd Philosophy Religion3
PHIL 1090Philosophy of Race and Gender3
PHIL 1100Introduction To Philosophy3
PHIL 1110Ethics and Science3
PHIL 1120Intro. Environmental Ethics3
Apply mathematical methods (SL-C)
CodeTitleHours
MATH 1100Finite Math and Applications3
MATH 1120Precalculus Algebra3
MATH 1130Precalculus Trigonometry3
MATH 1150Precalc Algebra And Trig4
MATH 1610/1617Calculus I4
MATH 1680Calculus With Business Apps I4
Write and revise for a variety of purposes (SL-D)
CodeTitleHours
ENGL 1100/1107English Composition I3
ENGL 1120/1127English Composition II3
Create and deliver oral presentations (SL-E)
CodeTitleHours
COMM 1000/1007Public Speaking3
Analyze their own society and its relationship to the larger global context (SL-F)
CodeTitleHours
AGEC 1000Global Issues3
ECON 2020/2027Prin Of Microeconomics3
ECON 2030/2037Prin Of Macroeconomics3
HIST 1010/1017World History I3
HIST 1020/1027World History II3
HIST 1210/1217Technology And Civilization I3
HIST 1220/1227Technology And Civilization II3
HONR 1007Honors Tech and Culture I3
HONR 1017Honors Tech and Culture II3
HONR 1027Honor Sustainability I3
HONR 1037Honor Sustainability II3
NATR 2050People & the Environment3
POLI 1050/1057Global Politics and Issues3
POLI 1090/1097Amer Gov In Multicul World3
RELG 1040Intro to Western Religions3
RELG 1050Intro to Eastern Religions3
SUST 2000Introduction to Sustainability3
UNIV 2710/HONR 2717The Human Odyssey I3
UNIV 2720/HONR 2727The Human Odyssey II3
Interact in intercultural situations (SL-G)
CodeTitleHours
AFRI 2000Intro African American Studies3
ANTH 1000/1007Anthropology: Culture and Adap3
COUN 2000Diverse Populations3
FLGC 1150Global Fluency3
GEOG 1010/1017Global Geography3
GSHS 2000Global Studies Human Sciences3
HIST 1010/1017World History I3
HIST 1020/1027World History II3
HIST 1210/1217Technology And Civilization I3
HIST 1220/1227Technology And Civilization II3
PSYC 2010/2017Intro To Psychology3
RELG 1040Intro to Western Religions3
RELG 1050Intro to Eastern Religions3
SOCY 1000/1007Sociology Global Perspective3
SOCY 1100Race and Ethnicity3
SOWO 2000Introduction To Social Work3
UNIV 2710/HONR 2717The Human Odyssey I3
UNIV 2720/HONR 2727The Human Odyssey II3
WMST 2100Intro Women's & Gender Studies3
Apply scientific principles (SL-H)
CodeTitleHours
BIOL 1000Intro To Biology3
BIOL 1001Intro To Biology Laboratory1
BIOL 1010A Survey Of Life3
BIOL 1011A Survey Of Life Laboratory1
BIOL 1020/1027Principles Of Biology3
BIOL 1021Principles Of Biology Lab1
BIOL 1030/1037Organismal Biology3
BIOL 1031Organismal Biology Laboratory1
CHEM 1010
CHEM 1011
Survey Of Chemistry I
and Survey Of Chemistry I Lab
4
CHEM 1020
CHEM 1021
Survey Of Chemistry II
and Survey Of Chemistry II Lab
4
CHEM 1030
CHEM 1031
Fundamentals Chemistry I
and Fund Of Chemistry I Lab
4
CHEM 1040
CHEM 1041
Fundamental Chemistry II
and Fund Of Chemistry II Lab
4
CHEM 1110
CHEM 1111
Gen Chem For Scientists I
and General Chemistry I Lab
4
CHEM 1117
CHEM 1118
Honors General Chemistry I
and Honors General Chemistry I Lab
4
CHEM 1120
CHEM 1121
Gen Chem for Scientists II
and General Chemistry II Lab
4
CHEM 1127
CHEM 1128
Honors General Chemistry II
and Hon General Chemistry II Lab
4
CSES 1010Soils and Life4
CSES 1020Crops and Life4
FOWS 1020
FOWS 1021
Science of Nature I
and Science of Nature I Laboratory
4
FOWS 1030
FOWS 1031
Science of Nature II
and Science of Nature II Lab
4
FOWS 1040
FOWS 1041
Climate Science I
and Climate Science I - Laboratory
4
FOWS 1050
FOWS 1051
Climate Science II
and Climate Science II - Lab
4
GEOG 1020Global Systems Weather/Climate4
GEOG 1030Global Systems Land/Water4
GEOL 1100/1107Dynamic Earth4
GEOL 1110/1117Earth and Life Through Time4
PHYS 1000
PHYS 1001
Foundations Of Physics
and Found Phys Lab
5
PHYS 1150Astronomy4
PHYS 1400Physics for Aviators4
PHYS 1500General Physics I4
PHYS 1510General Physics II4
PHYS 1600/1607Engineering Physics I4
PHYS 1610/1617Engineering Physics II4
SCMH 1010/1017Concepts Of Science4
Analyze and value creative artistic endeavors (SL-I)
CodeTitleHours
ARCH 2600Art Of Arch Place And Culture3
ARTS 1510Looking at Art: App to Interpr3
ARTS 1610Introduction to Art History3
ENGL 2200/2207World Literature before 16003
ENGL 2210/2217World Literature after 16003
ENGL 2230British Lit before 17893
ENGL 2240British Lit after 17893
ENGL 2250American Lit before 18653
ENGL 2260American Lit II after 18653
ENGL 2270AfAm Lit Before 19003
ENGL 2280AfAm Lit After 19003
ENVD 2040Design, Invention and Society3
INDD 1120Indust Des In Modern Society3
MUSI 2730/2737Appreciation Of Music3
MUSI 2740Survey of Popular Music3
MUSI 2750Music and Science3
MDIA 2350Introduction To Film Studies3
THEA 2010/2017Introduction To Theatre3
THEA 2020Aesthetics of Acting3
 

English Composition Requirements

Students who enroll at Auburn University as freshmen and students who transfer from another institution into Auburn must meet Auburn’s six semester hour English composition requirement. Requirements are based on when the student first began collegiate study and whether the student’s English composition courses were taken at Auburn University. If a student’s particular situation is not covered in the explanations below, or if a student has questions about his or her status, then the student should contact the Director of Composition by calling the Department of English at (334) 844-4620 or via e-mail at english@auburn.edu. Additional information on the importance of writing across the curricula can be found here

Students beginning collegiate study at Auburn as freshmen in Fall 2000 or later must complete English Composition I and II (ENGL 1100 and ENGL 1120) or the Honors equivalents (ENGL 1107 and ENGL 1127) with a grade of C or better in each course. The grades of C or better are required by the Articulation and General Studies Committee agreement. Students who earn a grade of D or F in a composition course at Auburn must repeat that course. Students may repeat the course at another institution, unless they wish to use the grade adjustment policy to exclude the grade of D or F. Students must complete the composition sequence to be eligible to take Core Literature courses.

Transfer students beginning collegiate study at another institution in Summer 1998 or later must meet Auburn’s composition requirement. They may do so in one of two ways: (1) take English Composition I and II at another institution, provided these courses are comparable in scope and coverage to ENGL 1100ENGL 1120 and there is no duplication of hours, and earn a grade of C or better in each, or (2) take ENGL 1100ENGL 1120 (or ENGL 1107ENGL 1127) at Auburn and earn a grade of C or better in each.

Transfer students who have earned a grade of C or better in English Composition I, and earned three semester hours or five quarter hours at another institution will be required to take ENGL 1120 (or ENGL 1127) at Auburn. Students may also fulfill the requirement for ENGL 1120 by taking an English Composition II course at another institution, provided the course is similar in scope and coverage to ENGL 1120 and they earn a grade of C or better.

Transfer students who have been exempted on the basis of standardized test scores from English Composition I carrying five quarter hours or three semester hours at another institution, and who have earned a grade of C or better in a subsequent English composition course at the same institution carrying the same amount of credit, will have fulfilled Auburn’s composition requirement. Transfer students who have been exempted with credit will have both the exemption credit and course credit accepted at Auburn. Transfer students who have been exempted without credit, and who have earned a grade of C or better in a subsequent English composition course at the same institution, will be given the course credit and, in addition, will be awarded sufficient advanced standing credit to fulfill Auburn’s English composition requirement.

Transfer students who have been exempted from English Composition I at another institution but have had no subsequent English composition course there or have not earned a grade of C or better in the subsequent course must still complete Auburn’s six semester hour freshman composition requirement. However, if they meet any of Auburn’s criteria for exemption from ENGL 1100, they will receive three semester hours of credit for ENGL 1100 at Auburn and will be required to take ENGL 1120 (or ENGL 1123 or ENGL 1127) at Auburn. Additionally, if they meet any of Auburn’s criteria for exemption from ENGL 1120, they will receive three semester hours of credit for ENGL 1120.

All transfer students should confer with their major academic advisor concerning the composition requirement as soon as possible after enrolling at Auburn.

Students who enter an undergraduate program at Auburn after receiving a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution are exempt from meeting the composition requirement. 

All students may be eligible to exempt ENGL 1100 and/or ENGL 1120 with credit on the basis of their score in one of the following standardized tests: the English portion of the ACT; the reading score of the SAT; the International Baccalaureate English A1 exam; or the CEEB Advanced Placement Exam in English. Note that CLEP test scores are not eligible for exemption. The exemption scores for each test are reviewed each year and are available in the Auburn University Advanced Placement Program, which is distributed by the Office of the Registrar (https://www.auburn.edu/administration/registrar/helpful_resources/enrollment/ap-ib-clep-information.html).

Literature Requirements

Students beginning college work in Fall 2011 or after must take at least one Core literature course. They may take a second course in the same literature to complete a sequence. Completion of the freshman composition requirement is a pre-requisite for all literature courses.

All Auburn students beginning college work before Fall 2011 must fulfill the Core Curriculum literature requirements by taking one of four sequences:

CodeTitleHours
ENGL 2200/2207World Literature before 16003
World Literature after 1600
ENGL 2230British Lit before 17893
British Lit after 1789
ENGL 2250American Lit before 18653
American Lit II after 1865
ENGL 2270AfAm Lit Before 19003
AfAm Lit After 1900

Literature courses taken at other institutions may fulfill the Core literature requirement with the following provisions:

  1. Students may transfer as equivalents of the Core literature requirement only sophomore-level literature survey courses covering a broad historical period.
  2. Students transferring a single literature course may receive credit for ENGL 2200 only if it is the first course in a World Literature sequence and includes literature of the ancient world. Any survey of modern literature (beginning at any time after 1600 and extending to the present), whether world literature or a national literature, will transfer as credit for ENGL 2210.
  3. Freshman literature courses and literature courses based on genres (poetry, the short story, the novel), themes, or narrowly defined historical periods will not fulfill the Core literature requirements but are eligible for transfer as electives.

Students or advisors with special questions about placement or credit for the Core literature requirements may contact the director of core literature through the Department of English at (334) 844-4620 or via e-mail at english@auburn.edu.

History Requirements

One of the purposes of the university’s Core Curriculum is to give students an understanding of their culture and its backgrounds. Course sequences designed especially for this purpose are those in World History and Technology and Civilization. Native students beginning college work before Fall 2011 must earn six hours of credit in one of these sequences. Students beginning college work in Fall 2011 or after must have at least one Core history course and a complete Core sequence in either literature or history.

Credit in history earned at another institution may be allowed on transfer as shown below in meeting this particular requirement:
  1. If transfer students have three hours in the first course of a broad, introductory two-course sequence in world history or western civilization or technology and civilization or U.S. history they must complete a history sequence, by taking HIST 1020/HIST 1027 (for World History and Western Civilization), HIST 1220/HIST 1227 (for Tech. and Viv.) or HIST 2020 (for U.S. History). A transfer student who has taken the last course in a similar two-course sequence would take HIST 1010/HIST 1017 or HIST 1210/HIST 1217 or HIST 2010 to complete a sequence.
  2.  Students entering an undergraduate program at Auburn, after earning bachelors’ degrees from other accredited universities, may be exempted from the history requirements unless their curricula specify otherwise.

Math Requirement

Upon recommendation from the Office of Accessibility (based on a thorough review including medical documentation, student interviews, past history, etc.), the Chair of the Core Curriculum and General Education Committee may approve MATH 1000 as satisfying the core curriculum math requirement. Such approval does not remove or satisfy any specific MATH requirements or prerequisites in the student’s major. Any adjustments to major-specific MATH requirements are at the discretion of the unit offering the major.

Oral Communication Requirement

All Auburn University bachelor’s degree programs provide components to ensure competence in oral communication skills. Program information documenting oral communication components is maintained in the Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. Appropriate accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to satisfy this requirement.