University College

Core Revision for Fall 2013

In Fall 2013 FSU will introduce a revised Core Curriculum. The revised Core will have many of the same requirements as the current Core, but there will be several changes, from small--the names of some requirements will be different--to large--entirely new requirements.

All students entering FSU in Summer or Fall 2013 must fulfill the requirements of the revised Core.  Continuing students who choose to follow the 2013-2014 FSU Undergraduate Catalog must also fulfill the new requirements.

This page includes information about the revised Core and links to more information.

General Information

• What's New? The major changes to the core include the following: 
  • Core Student Learning Outcomes: The core SLOs have been revised in many cases and provided rationales in all cases. more...
  • Alignment of core requirements with Core Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs): FSU first developed a set of core SLOs in 2007.  However, core course requirements were never fully aligned with the SLOs.  In the revised core, every requirement will be a core SLO.
  • Changes to existing requirements 
    • Transitional Studies: The new Transitional Studies core SLO combines two requirements from the old core.  University Studies helps students develop the academic skills they need to be successful in college. Life Skills includes the former Physical Education requirement, but it expands the category to include other non-academic skills that help students succeed: financial literacy and environmental literacy are two such skills.
    • Quantitative Reasoning (a.k.a., math): The old core required two math courses, one of which had to be College Algebra (or higher). Many students who placed into College Algebra chose a major that did not require a higher math. Nevertheless, they still had to take a second math.  As a result, many such students would take Introduction to College Algebra after College Algebra, just to fulfill the math requirement.  This resulted in a waste of University resources. Under the new core, only one math is required.  It must still be equivalent to College Algebra, but for students who do not need a higher math, the one class satisfies the requirement. In addition, recognizing the importance of statistical reasoning in modern life, a new course in Quantitative Reasoning is being introduced that includes both algebra and statistics.  Finally, for the first time, courses in statistics satisfy the core Quantitative Reasoning requirement.
    • Scientific Literacy - Natural Sciences. The natural sciences remains two courses; however, the courses need not be taken as a sequence.  This allows students to explore different sciences.  In addition, only one of the natural science courses must include a lab.
  • New requirements
    • Global Literacy: This core SLO had no curricular requirement under the old core.  in the new core, students will be able to satisfy the requirement through a variety of courses, including foreign languages.
    • Ethics and Civic Engagement: This core SLO also had no corresponding requirement in the old core. In the new core, all students will be required to take at least one course.
• Core Requirements: The total number of credits required has been reduced from 45 to 38, largely through the elimination of the Restricted Electives. more...
• Certified Core Courses: A list of courses that fulfill requirements under the revised Core.

For Students

• Students entering Summer or Fall 2013
  • Transfer students entering Summer or Fall 2013 must satisfy the requirements of the 2013-2014 Catalog.  Several exemptions and exceptions apply, though.
    • Transitional Studies.  The University Studies portion of the Transitional Studies requirement is waived for students who transfer in 30 or more hours.
    • Critical Thinking is waived for students transferring 60 or more hours.
  • Readmitted students are readmitted under the Catalog in effect the semester in which they are readmitted. Students readmitted for Fall 2013 must therefore follow the requirements of the 2013-2014 Catalog.
• Students who entered BEFORE Summer or Fall 2013 remain subject to the core curriculum requirements of the Catalog under which they entered the University, unless they have elected to follow a later Catalog.  Students have the option of adopting the new Catalog; however, they must meet all of the core and major requirements of the new Catalog. They cannot mix requirements from different Catalog years.

For Faculty

• Core Certification: For information about the core certification process, please consult the Blackboard course "Core Curriculum Committees." Notes, documents, and guidelines have been moved there.
• Core Assessment
• Core Faculty Development Opportunities
  • Core Blended Learning Project
  • Assessment Workshops
  • Ethics and Civic Engagement
  • Global Understanding Workshop