College of Arts and Science

Degree programs in the College of Arts and Sciences are developed around a set of standards that offer students broad exposure to an area of study along with deep grounding in the student's chosen career field. Students may select a number of free electives to explore their interests, and they are offered elective options directly related to their chosen field. During the program, students explore the basic theories and concepts of their field, related applications, and current research in that field. The College of Arts and Sciences requires all students to complete courses related to research methods and data analysis as part of employment preparation, and to strengthen critical thinking skills and increase information literacy.

General Education

Overview 

South University faculty and staff recognize that citizens of the future need to be flexible and broadly knowledgeable in order to adapt to continuously changing technologies, growing diversity across peoples and value systems, and rapid social and cultural change. With this in mind, the University has developed general education requirements that expose students to knowledge from a variety of areas, each framed through the lens of its own history and methodology. Through these required courses, students delve into the worlds of math and science, the humanities and the arts, and the social and behavioral sciences. Students have the opportunity to develop competencies in these areas while also gaining exposure to a range of human knowledge.

South University's general education curriculum challenges the individual to develop a deep and meaningful set of personal values and high ethical standards, along with a commitment to lifelong learning. The curriculum is designed to enhance critical and analytical thinking skills, encourage creativity, and build oral and written communication skills. For South University students, using technology in coursework and developing skills in assessing the merits of various sources of online information is also an important part of the general education experience.

The General Education curriculum at South University seeks to develop in students' competencies that will support them as they progress through their programs. These competencies include the following:

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates will be able to: 

  1. Communicate clearly, effectively, and sensitively in written, graphic, and oral modes appropriate to their fields.
  2. Demonstrate basic skills and abilities in mathematical reasoning and the basic sciences.
  3. Identify, locate, evaluate, and ethically utilize reliable information from a variety of sources.
  4. Illustrate the capacity to think critically, analytically, and logically across multiple fields of inquiry.
  5. Interpret and evaluate diverse historical, social, and cultural artifacts, systems, and events as products of the human experience.

Areas of Study

The general education requirements for South University comprise six areas. Each area represents a set of requirements designed to build basic skills and insights and to assure that each student experiences coursework in each of the areas of knowledge that together comprise the General Education curriculum. It is our belief that these components are directly associated with the qualities defining an educated professional and are necessary to seek entry-level employment in a fast-paced, changing world. The components are designed to reflect the needs and expectations expressed by many employers of college graduates. 

The framework shown below reflects minimum requirements to be met by all South University students at either the associate's or bachelor's degree levels. Programs may identify specific courses needed in that field as a part of the general education program while others may leave choices open to the interests and abilities of the student. The specific areas and course requirements will include the following, but students must check their program for specific courses needed to satisfy general education requirements.

General Education Areas and Approved Courses 

  1. Professional Development
    • ITS1000 Computer and Internet Literacy 4 credit hours
    • UVC1000 Strategies for Success 4 credit hours
    • UVC2001 Introduction to Health Professions 4 credit hours
    • UVC4000 Career Exploration Seminar 4 credit hours
  2. Basic Communications
    • COM2006 Interpersonal Communication 4 credit hours
    • COM2026 Professional Communications for Diverse Populations 4 credit hours
    • ENG1100 Composition I 4 credit hours
    • ENG1200 Composition II 4 credit hours
    • ENG1300 Composition III 4 credit hours
    • SPC1026 Public Speaking 4 credit hours
  3. Mathematics and Statistics
    • MAT1001 College Algebra I 4 credit hours
    • MAT1005 College Algebra II 4 credit hours
    • MAT1500 College Mathematics 4 credit hours
    • MAT2058 Statistics 4 credit hours
  4. Natural Sciences
    • BIO1010 Environmental Biology 4 credit hours
    • BIO1011 Anatomy and Physiology I 4 credit hours
    • BIO1012 Anatomy and Physiology I Lab 2 credit hours
    • BIO1013 Anatomy and Physiology II 4 credit hours
    • BIO1014 Anatomy and Physiology II Lab 2 credit hours
    • BIO1020 Biology I 4 credit hours
    • BIO1021 Biology II 4 credit hours
    • CHM1010 General Chemistry 4 credit hours
  5. Arts and Humanities
    • ENG2002 World Literature I: From the Ancient World to the Middle Ages 4 credit hours
    • ENG2003 World Literature II: From Enlightenment to Modernity 4 credit hours
    • ENG2011 Introduction to American Literature: 1865 to present 4 credit hours
    • ENG2020 Introduction to Film Studies 4 credit hours
    • HIS1101 U.S. History I: Colonial to 1865 4 credit hours
    • HIS1102 U.S. History II: 1865 to Present 4 credit hours
    • HUM1001 History of Art through the Middle Ages 4 credit hours
    • HUM1002 History of Art from the Middle Ages to Modern Times 4 credit hours
    • HUM1200 Introduction to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 4 credit hours
    • HUM2101 World Civilization I: Prehistory to 1500 C.E. 4 credit hours
    • HUM2102 World Civilization II: 1500 to Present 4 credit hours 
    • PHI1001 Introduction to Ethics 4 credit hours
    • PHI2301 Introduction to Philosophy 4 credit hours
    • REL1001 World Religions 4 credit hours 
  6. Social and Behavioral Sciences
    • ECO2071 Principles of Microeconomics 4 credit hours
    • ECO2072 Principles of Macroeconomics 4 credit hours
    • POL1150 Contemporary Issues 4 credit hours
    • POL2076 American Government 4 credit hours
    • PSY1001 General Psychology 4 credit hours
    • SOC1001 Introduction to Sociology 4 credit hours
    • SOC2010 Social Problems 4 credit hours

Degrees and Certificates