Core General Education Requirements
General Education is a foundational component of a university degree designed to provide students with a broad base of knowledge and skills beyond their chosen major. The purpose of general education is not only to build essential skills such as critical thinking, communication and problem solving but to broaden perspectives, foster intellectual curiosity and prepare to students to engage thoughtfully with complex issues.
Effective Fall semester 2026, the UW-Parkside Core General Education program is a total of 35 credits and 11 courses distributed across six categories. Students who enrolled as degree seeking students prior to Fall 2026, should consult the appropriate catalog and their degree audit for information about prior year requirements.
More specific information about the credit/course requirement for each category and the list of course options is listed below:
Students must complete one course in the Math and Quantitative Reasoning (MQR) category. Based on placement, students will take either a course in the MQR-M category or, if eligible choose from the broader Math and Quantitative Reasoning (MQR category).
In all cases, students should select a course that aligns with their intended major.
| MATHEMATICAL SKILLS (MQR-M) 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| MATH | 102 | Quantitative Reasoning | 4 credits |
| MATH | 103 | Elementary Statistics | 4 credits |
| MATH | 104 | College Mathematics with Applications | 4 credits |
| MATH | 111 | College Algebra I | 5 credits |
| UWX | MA108 | Quantitative Reasoning | 3 credits |
| UWX | MA116 | College Algebra | 3 credits |
| UWX | MA117 | Elementary Statistics | 3 credits |
| MATH | 105AX | Business Algebra Fundamentals* | 2 credits |
| MATH | 105BX | Money in the Bank: Applications of Exponential and Logarithmic Functions* | 1 credits |
| MATH | 105CX | Applications of Algebraic Methods to Model and Solve Business Problems* | 1 credits |
| *Only open to Flex BSBA students. Must complete all three courses to complete the MQR-M category | |||
| MATH & QUANTITATIVE REASONING (MQR) | |||
| CSCI | 105 | Introduction to Computers | 3 credits |
| CSCI | 130 | Introduction to Programming | 3 credits |
| CSCI | 220 | Client Web Programming | 3 credits |
| CSCI | 241 | Computer Science I | 5 credits |
| CSCI | 279 | Basic Information Security | 3 credits |
| MATH | 112 | College Algebra II | 4 credits |
| MATH | 114 | College Algebra II/Trigonometry | 5 credits |
| MATH | 203 | Intermediate Statistics | 3 credits |
| MATH | 221 | Calculus and Analytics Geometry I | 5 credits |
| MATH | 222 | Calculus and Analytics Geometry II | 5 credits |
| MIS | 221 | Business Programming | 3 credits |
| PHIL | 201 | Logic | 3 credits |
| PSYC | 250 | Psychological Statistics | 4 credits |
| QM | 110 | Applied Quantitative Analysis for Business | 3 credits |
| QM | 210 | Business Statistics I | 3 credits |
| SOCA | 250 | Statistics for Social Science | 4 credits |
| UWX | CS130 | Introduction to Programming | 3 credits |
| UWX | MA113 | Trigonometry | 3 credits |
| UWX | MA221 | Calculus | 5 credits |
1.Students must earn a C-minus or better to satisfy the MQR- M requirement.
Students may use courses in the category to satisfy both general education and major requirements. Course descriptions are available in the academic catalog.
Students must complete two course in the Communication and Literacy (CL) category. Based on English placement, students will either take a course in the Literacy- Reading and Writing Skills (CL-L) category or, if eligible choose from the broader CL category.
Students must also take a course in the Language (CL-C) category. Students may be exempt from this requirement if they meet the criteria outlined in the foreign language policy in the catalog. If exempt, they must choose another course from the broader CL category.
| Communication and Literacy -Reading and Writing Skills (CL-L)1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGL | 101 | Composition and Reading | 3 credits |
| UWX | EN102 | College Writing and Critical Reading | 3 credits |
| Communication and Literacy – Language (CL-C)2 | |||
| FREN | 104 | Introductory French II | 3 credits |
| ITAL | 104 | Introduction Italian II | 3 credits |
| SPAN | 104 | Introductory Spanish II | 3 credits |
| UWX | SP102 | Second Semester Spanish | 4 credits |
| Communication and Literacy (CL) | |||
| ART | 100 | Foundations of Art and Visual Culture | 3 credits |
| COMM | 105 | Public Speaking for the 21st Century | 3 credits |
| COMM | 107 | Communication and the Human Condition | 3 credits |
| COMM | 108 | Media and Society | 3 credits |
| ENGL | 106 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 credits |
| ENGL | 168 | Introduction to Professional Writing | 3 credits |
| ENGL | 266 | Literary Analysis | 3 credits |
| FREN | 203 | Intermediate French I | 3 credits |
| FREN | 204 | Intermediate French II | 3 credits |
| ITAL | 203 | Intermediate Italian I | 3 credits |
| ITAL | 204 | Intermediate Italian II | 3 credits |
| SPAN | 203 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 credits |
| SPAN | 204 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 credits |
| UWP | 294 | Work Based Learning | 3 credits |
| UWX | CM101 | Public Speaking | 3 credits |
| UWX | CM114 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 credits |
| UWX | CM213 | Intercultural Communication | 3 credits |
| UWX | EN203 | Creative Writing | 3 credits |
| UWX | EN210 | Business Communication | 3 credits |
| UWX | SS310 | Media Literacy | 3 credits |
1 Students must earn a C- minus or better to satisfy the CL-L requirement.
2 Students may fulfil this requirement if they meet the criteria outlines in the foreign language policy.
Students may use courses in the category to satisfy both general education and major requirements. Course descriptions are available in the academic catalog.
Students must complete two course in the Humanities and Arts (HA) category. Students can select from any of the courses listed below:
| Humanities and Arts (HA) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ART | 102 | Introduction to 2D Design | 3 credits |
| ART | 103 | Introduction to 3D Design | 3 credits |
| ART | 122 | Introduction to Drawing | 3 credits |
| ART | 124 | Lowriders, Kicks and Graffiti | 3 credits |
| ART | 125 | Survey of World Art | 3 credits |
| COMM | 168 | Introduction to Visual/Digital Communication | 3 credits |
| ENGL | 167 | Introduction to Literature | 3 credits |
| ENGL | 252 | Introduction to Film | 3 credits |
| ENGL | 253 | Literature into Film | 3 credits |
| LBST | 100 | The Life Expressive | 3 credits |
| LBST | 102 | Independence and Mystery | 3 credits |
| MUSI | 100 | Appreciation of World Music | 3 credits |
| MUSI | 101 | Fundamentals of Music | 3 credits |
| MUSI | 104 | Music Appreciation | 3 credits |
| PHIL | 101 | Introduction to Philosophy | 3 credits |
| PHIL | 102 | Great Thinkers | 3 credits |
| PHIL | 205 | Philosophy of Religion | 3 credits |
| PHIL | 206 | Introduction to Ethics | 3 credits |
| PHIL | 215 | Contemporary Moral Problems | 3 credits |
| SPMT | 200 | Ethics and Issues in Sport Management | 3 credits |
| THEA | 110 | Theatre Appreciation | 3 credits |
| THEA | 112 | Behind the Scenes | 3 credits |
| THEA | 114 | Musical Theatre Appreciation | 3 credits |
| THEA | 125 | Acting I: Fundamentals of Acting | 3 credits |
| UWX | AR104 | Introduction to Graphic Design and Digital Art | 3 credits |
| UWX | EN250 | Introduction to Literature | 3 credits |
| UWX | MU278 | Rock and Roll Roots | 3 credits |
| UWX | PH121 | Critical Thinking | 3 credits |
| UWX | PH237 | Technology, Values and Society | 3 credits |
| UWX | RE101 | Introduction to Religion | 3 credits |
Students may use courses in the category to satisfy both general education and major requirements. Course descriptions are available in the academic catalog.
Students must complete two course in the Social and Behavioral Science (SBS) category. Students can select from any of the courses listed below:
| ANTH | 100 | Introduction to Anthropology | 3 credits |
| ANTH | 201 | Introduction to Archaeology | 3 credits |
| BUS | 100 | Introduction to Business | 3 credits |
| BUS | 201 | Experiencing Business | 3 credits |
| COMM | 285 | Introduction to Conflict Analysis | 3 credits |
| ECON | 101 | The American Economy | 3 credits |
| ECON | 120 | Principles of Microeconomics | 3 credits |
| ECON | 121 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 credits |
| ECON | 250 | Economics of Discrimination in Banking | 3 credits |
| FIN | 134 | Personal Financial Planning | 3 credits |
| GEOG | 105 | Contemporary Human Geography | 3 credits |
| GEOG | 108 | Culture and Environmental Sustainability | 3 credits |
| GEOG | 110 | Introduction to Geography World Regions | 3 credits |
| HIST | 101 | U.S.: Origins-Reconstruction | 3 credits |
| HIST | 102 | U.S. Reconstruction – Recent Times | 3 credits |
| HIST | 103 | History and Cultures of Modern Asia | 3 credits |
| HIST | 119 | Western Civilization II: Middle Ages to 1815 | 3 credits |
| HIST | 128 | World History III: 1800 to Present | 3 credits |
| LBST | 101 | Beauty, Bewilderment, and Love | 3 credits |
| LBST | 210 | Introduction to Leadership | 3 credits |
| POLS | 103 | Introduction to Comparative Politics | 3 credits |
| POLS | 104 | Introduction to International Relations | 3 credits |
| POLS | 116 | Introduction to Law | 3 credits |
| PSYC | 101 | Introduction to Psychological Science | 3 credits |
| SOCA | 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 credits |
| SPMT | 210 | Sports in Society | 3 credits |
| UWX | AN100 | Introduction to Anthropology | 3 credits |
| UWX | BU101 | Concepts in Biology | 3 credits |
| UWX | EC203 | Macroeconomics | 3 credits |
| UWX | ED230 | Educational Psychology | 3 credits |
| UWX | FN210 | Personal Finance | 3 credits |
| UWX | GS231 | Sex, Power and Public Policy | 3 credits |
| UWX | HS102 | US History Since 1877 | 3 credits |
| UWX | HS127 | The World In the 20th Century | 3 credits |
| UWX | PS101 | General Psychology | 3 credits |
| UWX | PS250 | Lifespan Psychology | 3 credits |
| UWX | SC101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 credits |
| UWX | SC222 | Race and Ethnicity | 3 credits |
| UWX | SW150 | Social Advocacy and the Social Work Experience | 3 credits |
Students may use courses in the category to satisfy both general education and major requirements. Course descriptions are available in the academic catalog.
Students must complete two courses in the NSW category. As part of this category students are required to take at least one natural science and wellness course with lab (NSWL). Students can select from the list below:
| NATURAL SCIENCE AND WELLNESS WITH LAB (NSWL) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ANTH | 202 | Human Evolution | 4 credits |
| BIOS | 101 | Bioscience | 4 credits |
| BIOS | 102 | Organismal Biology | 4 credits |
| CHEM | 100 | The World of Chemistry | 4 credits |
| CHEM | 101 | General Chemistry I | 4 credits |
| CHEM | 115 | Chemical Science | 4 credits |
| ENVS | 101 | Introduction to Environmental Science | 4 credits |
| GEOG | 100 | Physical Geography and the Environment | 4 credits |
| GEOS | 101 | Introduction to Geology | 4 credits |
| PHYS | 101 | Principles of Physics | 4 credits |
| PHYS | 105 | College Physics I | 5 credits |
| PHYS | 201 | General Physics I | 5 credits |
| UWX | CH140 | General Chemistry I Lab | 1 credits |
| NATURAL SCIENCE AND WELLNESS (NSW) | |||
| BIOS | 100 | Nature of Life | 3 credits |
| BIOS | 103 | Human Biology | 3 credits |
| BIOS | 104 | Environmental Science: A Biological Approach | 3 credits |
| BIOS | 109 | Biology of Aging | 3 credits |
| BIOS | 125 | Fundamentals of Freshwater | 3 credits |
| GEOS | 105 | Oceanography | 3 credits |
| GEOS | 107 | Geology of Natural Parks | 3 credits |
| GSCI | 102 | Science and Pseudoscience | 3 credits |
| HLTH | 250 | First Aid and Safety | 3 credits |
| HLTH | 270 | Lifetime Wellness | 3 credits |
| HLTH | 280 | Nutrition for Wellness | 3 credits |
| PHYS | 110 | Introduction to the Universe | 3 credits |
| PHYS | 150 | Physics of Music | 3 credits |
| PSYC | 200 | Introduction to Neuroscience | 3 credits |
| SOCA | 216 | Social Issues in Substance Use and Abuse | 3 credits |
| UWX | ES105 | Introduction to Environmental Science | 3 credits |
| UWX | GE100 | Physical Geography and the Environment | 3 credits |
| UWX | CH144 | General Chemistry II | 4 credits |
| UWX | AS100 | Survey of Astronomy | 3 credits |
| UWX | BL101 | Concepts of Biology | 3 credits |
| UWX | BL285 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 3 credits |
| UWX | BL286 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 3 credits |
| UWX | ES105 | Introduction to Environmental Science | 3 credits |
| UWX | CH114 | Chemistry in the Kitchen | 4 credits |
| UWX | GE170 | Disasters: Living on the Edge | 3 credits |
| UWX | HE106 | Lifetime Wellness | 3 credits |
| UWX | HE209 | Nutrition and Weight Management | 3 credits |
Students may use courses in the category to satisfy both general education and major requirements. Course descriptions are available in the academic catalog.
Students must complete two courses in the Civics and Perspectives (CP) category. Students can select from any of the courses listed below:
| ANTH | 227 | North American Indians | 3 credits |
| CBL | 101 | Introduction to Community Engagement | 3 credits |
| COMM | 320 | Privilege and Power | 3 credits |
| COMM | 363 | Communication and Ethnicity | 3 credits |
| COMM | 370 | Communication and Social Movements | 3 credits |
| CRMJ | 101 | Introduction to Criminal Justice | 3 credits |
| CRMJ | 365 | Race, Crim and Law | 3 credits |
| EDU | 101 | Introduction to Disability | 3 credits |
| EDU | 235 | Immigration and Education | 3 credits |
| ENVS | 109 | Fundamentals of Climate Change | 3 credits |
| ETHN | 101 | Geography of American Ethnicity and Race | 3 credits |
| ETHN | 120 | Astronomy of Native America | 3 credits |
| ETHN | 201 | Introduction to Ethnic Studies | 3 credits |
| ETHN | 315 | Diversity Law: Tribal Nations | 3 credits |
| ETHN | 320 | Privilege and Power | 3 credits |
| ETHN | 337 | African-American History | 3 credits |
| FIN | 222 | Discrimination in Banking | 3 credits |
| GEOG | 101 | Geography of American Ethnicity and Race | 3 credits |
| GEOS | 100 | Earth in Perspective | 3 credits |
| GEOS | 106 | Great Lake Water Resources | 3 credits |
| HIST | 268 | Holocaust Studies | 3 credits |
| HIST | 302 | Race/Ethnicity: United States American 1890 to the Present | 3 credits |
| HIST | 335 | Native American History | 3 credits |
| HIST | 337 | African-American History | 3 credits |
| INTS | 100 | Introduction to International Studies | 3 credits |
| INTS | 210 | Cultural Anthropology | 3 credits |
| INTS | 228 | Peoples of Southeast Asia | 3 credits |
| LBST | 103 | Understanding Social Justice | 3 credits |
| LBST | 300 | Identify and Influence | 3 credits |
| MATH | 110 | Cultural Perspectives of Mathematics | 3 credits |
| MKT | 357 | Multicultural Marketing | 3 credits |
| MODL | 191 | Culture of Food: The French Case from Croissants to Champagne | 3 credits |
| MODL | 218 | French Life and Culture | 3 credits |
| MUSI | 336 | African-American Music | 3 credits |
| NURS | 101 | Cultural Diversity in Healthcare | 3 credits |
| PHYS | 120 | Astronomy of Native America | 3 credits |
| POLS | 100 | American Politics | 3 credits |
| POLS | 110 | Civic Dialogue and Civil Discourse | 3 credits |
| POLS | 112 | Introduction to Political Behavior | 3 credits |
| POLS | 316 | Diversity Law: African Americans | 3 credits |
| POLS | 367 | Latinos(as) and the Law | 3 credits |
| PSYC | 307 | Cross Cultural Psychology | 3 credits |
| SOCA | 207 | Marriage and Family | 3 credits |
| SOCA | 213 | Gender and Society | 3 credits |
| SOCA | 227 | North American Indians | 3 credits |
| SOCA | 323 | Institutional Racism in America | 3 credits |
| SOCA | 324 | African-American Studies | 3 credits |
| SOCA | 328 | Asians in American Society | 3 credits |
| SOCA | 343 | Latinas/os in U.S. | 3 credits |
| SOCA | 360 | Critical Ethnic Studies | 3 credits |
| SOCA | 365 | Race, Crime and Law | 3 credits |
| THEA | 208 | Multicultural Theatre in America | 3 credits |
| THEA | 215 | Queer Representation on Sate and Screen | 3 credits |
| UWX | AR175 | Worlds of Art | 3 credits |
| UWX | EN278 | Multicultural Literature in the United States | 3 credits |
| UWX | GS101 | Introduction to Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies | 3 credits |
| UWX | LB103 | Diversity in the U.S. | 3 credits |
| UWX | PL104 | Introduction to American Government and Politics | 3 credits |
| UWX | SC231 | Crime and Criminal Justice | 3 credits |
| UWX | SP236 | Cultures and Civilizations of Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America | 3 credits |
| WGSS | 110 | Introduction to Women and Gender Studies | 3 credits |
| WGSS | 112 | Women in Literature | 3 credits |
| WGSS | 213 | Gender and Society | 3 credits |
Students may use courses in the category to satisfy both general education and major requirements. Course descriptions are available in the academic catalog.
Questions?
Deann Possehl | possehl@uwp.edu | 262-595-2454