University Core Curriculum

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University core curriculum requirements apply to all baccalaureate degrees and are intended to provide students with the basis for establishing broad and multiple perspectives of the individual in relation to the larger society and world in which he or she lives. The core curriculum is predicated on the belief that basic intellectual competence in reading, writing, speaking, listening and critical thinking is essential to the learning process in any discipline. The West Texas A&M University core curriculum has been approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and aligns with Core Objectives and includes Foundational Component Areas (FCA) and a Component Area Option (CAO).

Students transferring to WTAMU from another state-supported university or community college in Texas shall receive core-curriculum credit for the component areas successfully completed in the core curriculum of the sending institution. Following receipt of credit for these courses, a student will be required to satisfy the remaining course requirements in WTAMU’s core. A student who has earned a baccalaureate degree from a Texas public institution of higher education is considered core complete. For a second degree, the entire 42-hour core from the sending institution must substitute completely for the receiving institution’s core curriculum.

NOTE: Students should be aware that some majors specify particular courses to meet core-curriculum requirements when options are available. See specific information in the academic department section of this catalog in which the major is offered. Students should consult their academic adviser often, at least once a semester. Ideally, these courses should be completed by the end of the sophomore year.

West Texas A&M University Core Curriculum
Foundational Component Areas (FCA)	Core Category	Core Curriculum Courses	Hours
Communication	010	ENGL 1301 or ENGL 1311 (3) COMM 1315 , or COMM 1318 , or COMM 1321 (3)	6
Mathematics	020	MATH 1314 ; MATH 1316 ; MATH 1324 ; MATH 1325 ; MATH 1332 ; MATH 1342 ; MATH 1350 ; MATH 2412 ; MATH 2413 (overflow hour from a four-hour MATH course moves to CAO 090)	3
Life and Physical Sciences	030	ANSC 1319 ; BIOL 1406 ¹or BIOL 1308 ¹; BIOL 1407 ²or BIOL 1309 ²; BIOL 1411 ; BIOL 1413 ; CHEM 1305 ³ or CHEM 1411 ³; CHEM 1412 ; ENVR 1407 ; GEOL 1301 ⁴or GEOL 1403 ⁴; GEOL 1302 ; GEOL 1404 ; PHYS 1401 ; PHYS 1402 ; PHYS 1311 ; PHYS 1312 ; PHYS 1371 ; PHYS 2425 ; PHYS 2426 ; PSES 1301 ; PSES 1307 (overflow lab hours from four-hour courses move to CAO 090)	6
Language, Philosophy and Culture	040	ANTH 2351 ; ENGL 2321 ; ENGL 2326 ; ENGL 2331 ; ENGL 2341 ; ENGL 2343 ; HIST 2311 ; HIST 2323 ; HIST 2372 ; MCOM 1307 ; PHIL 1301 ; PHIL 2374 ; SPAN 2311 ; SPAN 2312 [or an equivalent course (second year or intermediate level) in a foreign language]; SPAN 2313 ; SPAN 2315 ; SPAN 2371	3
Creative Arts	050	ARTS 1301 ; ARTS 1303 ; ARTS 1304 ; DANC 2303 ; MUSI 1306 ; MUSI 1307 ; MUSI 1310 ; THRE 1310	3
American History	060	HIST 1301 , HIST 1302 , HIST 2301 , HIST 2381 , HIST 2382	6
Government/Political Science	070	POSC 2305 and POSC 2306	6
Social and Behavioral Sciences	080	AGBE 2317 ; COMM 2377 ; CRIJ 1301 ; ECON 2301 ; ECON 2302 ; GEOG 1302 ; PSYC 2301 ; SOCI 1301	3
Component Area Option (CAO)	090	AGRI 2300 ; BIOL lab hours (from FCA 030); BUSI 1301 ; BUSI 1304 ; CHEM lab hours (from FCA 030); CIDM 1105 ; CIDM 1301 or CIDM 1315 ⁵; CS 1301 ; ECON 2331 ; EDUC 1300 ; ENGL 1101 ⁶; ENGL 1102 ⁶; ENGL 1302 ; ENGL 1312 ; ENGL 2311 ; ENVR lab hour (from FCA 030); GEOL lab hours (from Code 30); IDS 1071 (1-3 hours); Extra MATH hours (from FCA 020); MUSI 1053 (1-2 hours); PHIL 2303 ; PHYS lab hours (from FCA 030); SES 1120	6
		Total Core Curriculum Requirements	42

NOTE: Core curriculum must total exactly 42 hours; excess hours must be moved to the major as an elective or part of major requirements and stay within the 120-hour requirement or approved total submitted to the Coordinating Board for degree requirements.

¹Cannot receive credit for both BIOL 1406 and 1308.

²Cannot receive credit for both BIOL 1407 and BIOL 1309.

³Cannot use both CHEM 1305 and CHEM 1411 to satisfy University core requirements. CHEM 1305 does not count as a prerequisite for CHEM 1412.

⁴Cannot receive credit for both GEOL 1403 and GEOL 1301.

⁵CIDM 1301 or CIDM 1315: Only one of these courses may be counted toward CAO 090.

⁶ENGL 1101 and ENGL 1102 cannot count for English B.A. requirement.