Undergraduate Catalog Archives Archive of the 2010-2011 Base Catalog Policies Degree Requirements Current Core CurriculumSenate Bill (SB) 148, enacted in 1997 by the 75th Texas Legislature, requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to adopt rules that include "a statement of the content, component areas, and objectives of the core curriculum" which each institution is to fulfill by its own selection of specific courses.
The University of Houston has adopted the core curriculum guidelines described below. These are predicated on the judgment that a series of basic intellectual competencies (reading, writing, speaking, listening, critical thinking, and computer literacy) are essential to the learning process in any discipline and thus should inform any core curriculum and indeed, all of undergraduate education. Although students can be expected to come to college with some experience in exercising these competencies, they often need further instruction and practice to meet college standards and, later, to succeed in both their major field of academic study and their chosen career or profession.
Reading:
Reading at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials-books, articles, and documents. A core curriculum should offer students the opportunity to master both general methods of analyzing printed materials and specific methods for analyzing the subject matter of individual disciplines.
Writing
Competency in writing is the ability to produce clear, correct, and coherent prose adapted to purpose, occasion, and audience. Although correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation are each a sine qua non in any composition, they do not automatically ensure that the composition itself makes sense or that the writer has much of anything to say. Students need to be familiar with the writing process including how to discover a topic and how to develop and organize it, how to phrase it effectively for their audience. These abilities can be acquired only through practice and reflection.
Speaking
Competence in speaking is the ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent, and persuasive language appropriate to purpose, occasion, and audience. Developing this competency includes acquiring poise and developing control of the language through experience in making presentations to small groups, to large groups, and through the media.
Listening
Listening at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret various forms of spoken communication.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking embraces methods for applying both qualitative and quantitative skills analytically and creatively to subject matter in order to evaluate arguments and to construct alternative strategies. Problem solving is one of the applications of critical thinking; it is used to address an identified task.
Computer Literacy
Computer literacy at the college level means the ability to use computer-based technology in communicating, solving problems, and acquiring information. Core-educated students should have an understanding of the limits, problems, and possibilities associated with the use of technology, and should have the tools necessary to evaluate and learn new technologies as they become available.
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All bachelor's degrees require completion of a core curriculum. Further information on core eligibility and on courses that satisfy core curriculum requirements can be obtained by consulting the current class listings, an academic advisor, or the core curriculum Web site, www.uh.edu/academics/corecurriculum).
NOTE: Special Topics and Special Problems courses (courses numbered xx94-xx98) may not be used to meet any Core requirements.
I. Communication
(6 hours English rhetoric/composition)
The objective of a communication component of a core curriculum is to enable the student to communicate effectively in clear and correct prose in a style appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience.
The following courses satisfy the core requirements in Communication. See the current Class Schedule, published each semester, for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.
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II. Mathematics
(3 hours college-level algebra or equivalent)
The objective of the mathematics component of the core curriculum 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.
The following courses satisfy the core requirements in Mathematics. See the current class listings for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.
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III. Institutionally Designated Option:
Mathematics/Reasoning
(3 hours)
The University of Houston includes in its core curriculum courses that build students' skills in mathematical and logical thinking, including approved courses in mathematics, logic, computer science, statistics, and music theory.
The following courses satisfy the core requirements in Mathematics/Reasoning. See the current class listings for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.
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IV. American History
(6 hours)
See note regarding Senate Bill 254, under History and Constitutions RequirementsThe objective of the history component of a core curriculum is to increase students' knowledge of how historians 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.
The following courses satisfy the core requirements in American History. See the current class listings for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.
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The objective of a government component of a core curriculum is to increase students' knowledge of 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.
The following courses satisfy the core requirements in Government. See the current class listings for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.
See note regarding Senate Bill 254, under History and Constitutions Requirement
Senate Bill 254, passed by the 54th Legislature and amended by House Bill 935 of the 60th Legislature, provides that no individuals may receive an undergraduate degree unless they have credit for six semester hours or its equivalent in American history and six semester hours credit in the constitutions of the United States and Texas.
Three semester hours of the constitutions requirement and up to six hours of the American History requirement may be satisfied by advanced placement or advanced standing examination. For additional information on advanced placement and standing, consult the Counseling and Testing Service, 200 Student Service Center.
Students may satisfy the state requirements in American history and in the constitutions of the U.S. and Texas in any one of the following ways:
Students may satisfy the state requirements in the constitutions of the U.S. and Texas in any of the following ways:
AND
Completion of a 1 credit hour course for Federal and Texas Constitutions (POLS 1107 - 1 hour) or by passing a departmental credit exam.
I. a) 2301 and 2302
II. a) 2305 and 2306
III. a) 2301 and 2305, or
IV. a) 2301 and 2305 and 2107 or
b) 2302 and 2306 and 2107
NOTE: GOVT 2107 = UH POLS 2107
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The objective of the humanities in a core curriculum 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, form aesthetic judgments, and develop an appreciation of the humanities as fundamental to the health and survival of any society.
Humanities courses require substantial writing (at least 3000 words, including at least one piece of work done outside of class and returned to the student prior to the end of the semester or term with the instructor's written evaluation of grammar, style, and content).
The following courses satisfy the core requirements in Humanities. See the current current class listings for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.
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VII. Visual and Performing Arts
(3 hours)
The objective of the visual and performing arts in a core curriculum 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 the visual and performing arts, students will engage in critical analysis, form aesthetic judgments, and develop an appreciation of the arts as fundamental to the health and survival of any society.
Critically oriented Performing/Visual Arts courses require substantial writing (at least 3000 words, including at least one piece of work done outside of class and returned to the student prior to the end of the semester or term with the instructor's written evaluation of grammar, style, and content). Experientially oriented Performing/Visual Arts courses require graded assignments in a performing or visual art.
The following courses satisfy the core requirements in Visual and Performing Arts. See the current class listings for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.
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VIII. Natural Sciences
(6 hours)
The objective of the study of a natural sciences component of a core curriculum 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 following courses satisfy the core requirements in Natural Sciences. See the current current class listings for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.
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IX. Social and Behavioral Sciences
(3 hours)
The objective of a social and behavioral science component of a core curriculum 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 ad-dressing the issues facing humanity.
The following courses satisfy the core requirements in Social and Behavioral Sciences. See the current class listings for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.
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X. Institutionally Designated Option:
Writing in the Disciplines
(3 hours)
The objective of a writing in the disciplines component of a core curriculum is to enable the student to communicate effectively in clear and correct prose in a style appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience.
Writing intensive courses require substantial writing (at least 3000 words, including at least one piece of work done outside of class and returned to the student prior to the end of the semester or term with the instructor's written evaluation of grammar, style, and content).
The following courses satisfy the core requirements in Writing in the Disciplines. See the current class listings for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.
- ANTH 2304: Introduction to Language and Culture
- ANTH 3348: Anthropology of Religion
- ANTH 3361: Human Origins
- ARCH 1359: Design Since 1945
- ARTH 3312: Pre-Columbian Art
- BCHS 4311: Biochemistry Lab II
- BIOL 3311: Genetics Laboratory
- CLAS 4381: Latin Classics in Translation
- COMM 1302: Introduction to Communication Theory
- COMD 3380: Professional Writing in Communication Disorders
- ECON 3334: Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
- ENGI 2304: Technical Communications
- ENGL 2330: Writing in the Discipline of English
- GENB 4350: Business Law and Ethics
- HIST 3314: Liberals vs. Conservatives: U.S. Politics from FDR to Present
- HIST 3351: Work and Family Life in Modern Europe
- HIST 3369: Colonial Mexico
- HIST 4335: Greek and Roman Historians
- HIST 4339: Modern European Intellectual History
- HDCS 1300: Human Ecosystems and Technological Change
- HDFS 1300: Development of Contemporary Families
- HRMA 3358: Hospitality Industry Law
- IDNS 4392: History of 20th Century Science
- ITAL 4308: Dante and His World
- MUSI 3303: Popular Music in the Americas Since 1840
- MUSI 3303: Popular Music in the Americas Since 1840
- MUSI 4366: Music in the United States
- PHIL 1334: Introduction to the Mind
- POLS 2340: Greek Classics
- POLS 2341: Renaissance Classics
- POLS 3310:Introduction to Political Theory
- POLS 3311: Introduction to Comparative Politics
- POLS 3313: Introduction to International Relations
- POLS 3314: Introduction to Public Administration
- POLS 3318: Introduction to Public Policy
- PSYC 2344: Cultural Psychology
- PSYC 3310: Industrial-Organization Psychology
- PSYC 4321: Abnormal Psychology
- RELS 2335: Rabbinical Biblical Interpretation
- SOC 2310: Social Problems
- SOC 2325: American Minority Peoples
- SOC 3330: Introduction to Social Psychology
- SOC 3351: Social Class and Mobility in America
- SOC 3357: Urban Sociology
- SPAN 3384: Introduction to Hispanic Literature
- TELS 3363: Technical Communications
- THEA 2344: American Drama
- WCL 4322: Seminar in Scholarly Production
- WCL 4351: Frames of Modernity I
- WCL 4352: Frames of Modernity II
- WCL 4367: Voices from Exile and Diaspora
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Core Curriculum Requirements
Hours
Communication Mathematics Mathematics/Reasoning U.S. History American Government Humanities Visual/Performing Arts Natural Sciences Social Behavioral Sciences Writing in the Discipline 3
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Catalog Publish Date: August 19, 2010
This Page Last Updated: September 2, 2010
Effective Date of Archive: January 13, 2011
