Old Core CurriculumFall 1999 - Summer 2007

NOTE: this is not the current Core Curriculum. See the UH Core Curriculum section of this catalog for information about the current University of Houston Core Curriculum.

If you have any questions about what the Core Curriculum requirements are for you and your specific degree plan, please contact an advisor.


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Core Curriculum

Senate 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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Core Curriculum Requirements

 

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 and/or an academic advisor.

 

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.

  • ENGL 1303: Freshman Composition I
  • ENGL 1304: Freshman Composition II
  • ENGL 1309: English Composition for Nonnative Speakers I
  • ENGL 1310: English Composition for Nonnative Speakers II
  • ENGL 1370: Freshman Composition II-Honors
  • ENGL 2361: Western World Literature II-Honors
  • TELS 3372: Communicating Science, Engineering and Technology Issues and Trends Within the Global Workplace  

 

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.

  • MATH 1310: College Algebra
  • MATH 1311: Elementary Mathematical Modeling

 

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.

  • COSC 1304: C Programming
  • ECON 2370: Introduction to Statistics and Data
  • MATH 1312: Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning
  • MATH 1313: Finite Mathematics with Applications
  • MATH 1314: Calculus for Business and the Life Sciences
  • MATH 1330: Precalculus
  • MATH 1431: Calculus I
  • MATH 1450: Accelerated Calculus
  • MATH 2311: Introduction to Probability and Statistics
  • MISO 2210: Music Theory III
  • MUSI 2214: Techniques of Music Since 1900
  • PHIL 1321: Logic I
  • POLS 3316: Quantitative Methods
  • PSYC 3301: Introduction to Psychological Statistics
  • TMTH 3360: Applied Technical Statistics

 

IV. American History
(6 hours)

The 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.

  • HIST 1377: The United States to 1877
  • HIST 1378: The United States Since 1877

 

V. Government
(6 hours)

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.

  • POLS 1336: U.S. and Texas Politics and Constitutions
  • POLS 1337: U.S. Government: Congress, President, and Court

 

VI. Humanities
(3 hours)

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.

  • AAS 2320: Introduction to African American Studies
  • AMER 3300: The Americas: Identity, Culture, and Power
  • CHNS 2360: A Look Into Modern China
  • CHNS 3352: Chinese Culture and Society through Modern Literature
  • CHNS 3354: Chinese Language and Culture
  • CLAS 3307: Greek and Roman Myths of Heroes
  • CLAS 3308: Myths and the Cult of Ancient Gods
  • CLAS 3374: Women in the Ancient World
  • CLAS 4375: Gender & Race in Ancient Greek Myths
  • CLAS 4381: Latin Classics in Translation
  • COMM 4370: Social Aspects of Film
  • ENGL 2301: Western World Literature I
  • ENGL 2302: Western World Literature II
  • ENGL 2305: Introduction to Fiction
  • ENGL 2306: Introduction to Poetry
  • ENGL 2311: American Literary Cultures
  • ENGL 2312: Literature and Technology
  • ENGL 2315: Literature and Film
  • ENGL 2316: Literature and Culture
  • ENGL 2319: Exploring Language
  • ENGL 2320: Book and Beyond
  • ENGL 2321: Computers in Humanities
  • ENGL 2322: Literature and Nature
  • ENGL 2323: Literature and Identity
  • ENGL 2324: Literature, Arts, and Society
  • ENGL 2325: Literature Traditions of the Nonwestern World
  • ENGL 2360: Western World Literature-Honors
  • ENGL 3300: Ancient and Classical Literature
  • ENGL 3306: Shakespeare: The Major Works
  • ENGL 3324: Development of the Novel
  • ENGL 3325: Structures of Poetry
  • ENGL 3327: Masterpieces of British Literature to the Eighteenth Century
  • ENGL 3328: Masterpieces of British Literature from the Eighteenth Century
  • ENGL 3350: American Literature to 1865
  • ENGL 3351: American Literature Since 1865
  • ENGL 3360: Survey of African American Literature
  • ENGL 4310: History of the English Language
  • ENGL 4381: Latin Classics in Translation
  • FREN 3362: Paris and Berlin
  • FREN 3364: Writing Holocausts: The Literature of Genocide
  • FREN 4301: Survey of French Literature I
  • FREN 4302: Survey of French Literature II
  • GERM 3350: Understanding the 20th Century Through German Culture
  • GERM 3360: Masterpieces of German Literature in English Translation I
  • GERM 3361: Masterpieces of German Literature in English Translation II
  • GERM 3362: Paris and Berlin
  • GERM 3364: Writing Holocausts: The Literature of Genocide
  • HIST 1381: American History Through Sight and Sound From 1877
  • HIST 2351: History of Western Civilization to 1450
  • HIST 2353: Civilization from 1450
  • HIST 2361: Early Civilizations
  • HIST 2371: Latin America 1492-1820
  • HIST 2372: Latin America Since 1820
  • HIST 3300: History of Private Life
  • HIST 3317: Making of Ethnic America
  • HIST 3379: World Civilizations to c.e. 1500
  • HIST 3380: World Civilizations Since c.e. 1450
  • HIST 4330: The Flowering of the Middle Ages
  • HON 2301: The Human Situation: Antiquity
  • ITAL 3335: Survey of Italian Literature
  • ITAL 3336: Survey of Italian Literature in Translation
  • MAS 3340: Development of the Mexican American Urban Communities
  • PHIL 1301: Introduction to Philosophy
  • PHIL 1305: Introduction to Ethics
  • POLS 3340: Ancient and Medieval Political Thought
  • POLS 3341: Political Thought from Machiavelli and the Renaissance
  • POLS 4346: Greek Political Thought
  • RELS 2310: The Bible and Western Culture I
  • RELS 2311: The Bible and Western Culture II
  • RUSS 2303: Survey of Russian Literature in English I
  • RUSS 2304: Survey of Russian Literature in English II
  • SPAN 3331: Mexican American Literature
  • SPAN 3373: Spanish Culture and Civilization
  • SPAN 3374: Spanish American Culture and Civilization
  • SPAN 4311:Spanish Literature to 1700
  • WCL 2351: World Cultures Through Literature and the Arts
  • WOST 2350: Introduction to Women's Studies

 

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 current class listings for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.

  • ARCH 2350: Survey of Architectural History I
  • ARCH 2351: Survey of Architectural History II
  • ARCH 3346: Precedents of Modernism
  • ARTH 1380: Art History I
  • ARTH 1381: Art History II
  • ARTH 2388: Survey of the Art of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas
  • CLAS 3345: Myth and Performance in Greek Tragedy
  • CLAS 3371: Ancient Comedy and Its Influence
  • COMM 3370: History of Cinema
  • DAN 2307: Aesthetics of Movement
  • DAN 3300: Aesthetics of 20th Century American Choreography
  • DAN 4300: History of Dance
  • ENGL 2307: Introduction to Drama
  • ENGL 2317: Criticism of Literary Performance
  • ENGL 2318: Creation and Performance of Literature
  • ENGL 2417: Shakespeare in Performance
  • FREN 3319: History of the French Cinema
  • GERM 3363: Themes in German Drama
  • GERM 3380: German Women Film Directors
  • GERM 3395: Topics in German Cinema
  • HIST 1380: American History Through Sight and Sound
    to 1877
  • HIST 4314: American History Through Film
  • ITAL 3305: Italian Culture Through Films I
  • ITAL 3306: Italian Culture Through Films II
  • ITAL 3345: Theater in Italy: Text, Audience and Performance
  • ITAL 3346: Theater in Italy: Text, Audience and Performance
  • MUSI 1100: Marching Band
  • MUSI 1102: Wind Ensemble
  • MUSI 1110: Jazz Orchestra
  • MUSI 1120: University Chorus
  • MUSI 1121: Concert Chorale
  • MUSI 1140: Orchestra
  • MUSI 2361: Music and Culture
  • MUSI 3300: Listening to Music Masterworks
  • MUSI 3301: Listening to World Music
  • MUSI 4105: Vocal Chamber Ensemble
  • MUSI 4342: Music Fundamentals and Music Literature
  • PHIL 1361: Philosophy and the Arts
  • POLS 2346: Politics of Greek Theatre
  • SPAN 3386: Spanish Film
  • SPAN 4372: Literature and the Visual Arts in Modern Spain
  • THEA 1331: Introduction to Theatre
  • THEA 1332: Fundamentals of Theatre
  • THEA 3335: History of the Theatre I
  • THEA 3336: History of the Theatre II

 

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.

  • BIOL 1309: Human Genetics and Society
  • BIOL 1310: General Biology
  • BIOL 1320: General Biology
  • BIOL 1361: Introduction to Biological Science I
  • BIOL 1362: Introduction to Biological Science II
  • CHEM 1301: Foundations of Chemistry
  • CHEM 1302: General Organic Chemistry
  • CHEM 1331: Fundamentals of Chemistry I
  • CHEM 1332: Fundamentals of Chemistry II
  • GEOL 1302: Introduction to Global Climate Change
  • GEOL 1330: Physical Geology
  • GEOL 1340: Introduction to Earth Systems
  • GEOL 1350: Introduction to Meteorology
  • GEOL 1376: Historical Geology
  • GEOL 3377: Oceanography
  • GEOL 3378: Principles of Atmospheric Science
  • NUTR 2332: Introduction to Human Nutrition
  • PHAR 2362: Principles of Drug Action
  • PHYS 1301: Introductory General Physics I
  • PHYS 1302: Introductory General Physics II
  • PHYS 1305: Introductory Astronomy-The Solar System
  • PHYS 1306: Introductory Astronomy - Stellar and Galactic Systems
  • PHYS 1321: University Physics I
  • PHYS 1322: University Physics II
  • PHYS 3378: Introduction to Atmospheric Science

 

IX. Social and Behavioral Sciences
(6 hours, of which 3 hours must be writing intensive*)

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.

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 Social and Behavioral Sciences. See the current class listings for prerequisites and other restrictions, additions, and deletions.

  • ANTH 1300: Introduction to Anthropology
  • ANTH 2301: Introduction to Physical Anthropology
  • ANTH 2302: Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
  • ANTH 2303: Introduction to Archaeology
  • * ANTH 2304: Introduction to Language and Culture
  • ANTH 2305: World Archaeology
  • * ANTH 3348: Anthropology of Religion
  • * ANTH 3361: Human Origins
  • ANTH 4310: Theories of Culture
  • * COMM 1302: Introduction to Communication Theory
  • COMD 2339: Speech, Hearing and Language Development of the Normal Child
  • CUST 2300: Introduction to Asian American Studies
  • ECON 2301: Economic Concepts and Issues
  • ECON 2304: Microeconomic Principles
  • ECON 2305: Macroeconomic Principles
  • * ECON 3332: Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
  • * ECON 3334: Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
  • * ECON 3350: American Economic Growth
  • GEOG 1301: Human Use of the Earth
  • GEOG 2340: World Realms
  • * HDCS 1300: Human Ecosystems and Technological Change
  • * HDFS 1300: Development of Contemporary Families
  • HRMA 2365: Tourism
  • KIN 1304: Public Health Issues in Physical Activity and Obesity
  • * MUSI 3303: Popular Music in the Americas Since 1840
  • * PHIL 1334: Introduction to the Mind
  • POLS 1333: Introduction to Political Science
  • POLS 1335: World Politics
  • * 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 3315: International Organization
  • * POLS 3318: Introduction to Public Policy
  • PSYC 1300: Introduction to Psychology
  • * PSYC 2344: Cultural Psychology
  • PSYC 2350: Child Development
  • PSYC 2351: Psychology of Adolescence
  • * PSYC 3310: Industrial-Organization Psychology
  • * PSYC 4321: Abnormal Psychology
  • SOC 1300: Introduction to Sociology
  • SOC 1301: Honors Introduction to Sociology
  • * SOC 2310: Social Problems
  • * SOC 2325: American Minority Peoples
  • Soc 3312: Sociology of Deviance
  • * SOC 3330: Introduction to Social Psychology
  • * SOC 3351: Social Class and Mobility in America
  • * SOC 3357: Urban Sociology
  • TECH 1313: Impact of Modern Technology on Society

 

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Summary of Core Hours

Core Curriculum Requirements

Hours


Communication
6
Mathematics
3
Mathematics/Reasoning
3
U.S. History
6
American Government
6
Humanities
3
Visual/Performing Arts
3
Natural Sciences
6
Social Behavioral Sciences, of which three hours must be writing intensive
6

 

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Catalog Publish Date: August 22, 2012
This Page Last Updated: April 27, 2011