General Education Requirements for Traditional Undergraduate Students

The APU Core: Pathways to Flourishing

APU’s general education (GE) program is titled The APU Core: Pathways to Flourishing and has three components: Pursuing Wisdom, Preparing to Serve, and Living Out God’s Love. The APU Core leads students on a transformational journey that prepares them to impact the world for Christ. 

Biblical and Theological Formation Minor

Six of the required courses within the APU Core constitute an 18-unit minor in biblical and theological formation. Students who wish to receive the minor must fill out a form to officially declare it. 

Traditional Undergraduate GE Policies

Students are required to access their Academic Requirements Report (through home.apu.edu, under the Academics section) to ensure they are on track to satisfy their GE requirements. For more information, visit the APU Core resource websites for students or faculty and staffAny questions should be directed to the Academic Success Center.

  • Certain GE requirements may be waived based on courses taken at other institutions, the total number of units transferred to APU, or completion of Cal-GETC, IGETC, CSU Breadth, or an ADN.
  • A course listed in two categories cannot satisfy both requirements; students must choose which requirement the course will fulfill.
  • Bachelor of Music majors are not required to take the Fine Arts, Cultivating Wellness, Oral Communication, Quantitative Reasoning, or Ancient or Modern Language requirements. 
  • Students who complete the Honors humanities major are considered to have completed all of their GE requirements. Students who complete only part of the Honors humanities major will be granted GE credit according to the Honors Course Equivalency policy

Requirements

I. Overview

Pursuing Wisdom27
Bible and Theology
Humanities
Preparing to Serve21
Core Competencies
Scientific Inquiry
Living Out God’s Love6
Seeking Shalom
Calling and Character
Total Units54

II. Requirements

A. Bible and Theology

The 15 units of Bible and theology courses listed here, together with CORE 450 Calling and Character listed under “Living Out God’s Love,” constitute an 18-unit biblical and theological formation minor contained within the APU Core. Students who wish to receive this minor must submit a form to officially declare it (see link above).

CORE 100Cornerstones 13
SOT 150Understanding the Old Testament: Creation, Covenant, Exile, Restoration 23
SOT 200Understanding the New Testament: Christ, Redemption, Community, New Creation 33
SOT 250Theology and the Christian Life 43
Upper-Division Bible3
Total Units15
1

MIN 108 Christian Life, Faith, and Ministry (from the prior GE program) may be substituted for CORE 100.

2

UBBL 100 Introduction to Biblical Literature: Exodus/Deuteronomy (from the prior GE program) may be substituted for SOT 150.

3

Alternatively, SOT 241 or SOT 242 may be taken to satisfy this requirement. In addition, UBBL 230, UBBL 235, or UBBL 240 Luke/Acts (from the prior GE program) may be substituted for SOT 200, SOT 241, or SOT 242, respectively. 

4

THEO 200, THEO 301, THEO 352, THEO 354, or HUM 325 (from the prior GE program) may be substituted for SOT 250.

B. Humanities

Students who enter APU with fewer than 30 transfer units are required to take a Visions of the Good Life course (ART 150, HIST 150, ENGL 150, or PHIL 150) to satisfy exactly one of the four humanities requirements (Fine Arts, History, Literature, or Philosophy). For students who enter APU with at least 30 transfer units, a Visions of the Good Life course is an optional way to satisfy one of the humanities requirements.

Fine Arts3
History3
Literature3
Philosophy3
Total Units12

C. Core Competencies

CORE 101Cultivating Wellness: Building Habits for Lifelong Well-Being 1, 22
WRIT 110The Art and Craft of Writing3
Oral Communication3
Quantitative Reasoning3
Intercultural Competence3
Ancient or Modern Language 3
Total Units14
1

CORE 101 is required only for students who enter APU with fewer than 60 transfer units.

2

GE 100 First-Year Seminar (from the prior GE program) may be substituted for CORE 101

3

Ancient and Modern Language is a proficiency requirement that may be met with a qualifying score on an OPIc, SAT, AP, CLEP, or FLATS exam or by completing an APU language course numbered 102 or higher. 

D. Scientific Inquiry

Natural Science4
Social Science3
Total Units7

E. Living Out God’s Love

CORE 250Seeking Shalom Seminar3
CORE 450Calling and Character Seminar3
Total Units6

III. Course Options

A. Bible and Theology

The 15 units of Bible and theology listed here, together with CORE 450 Calling and Character listed below under “Living Out God’s Love,” constitute an 18-unit biblical and theological formation minor contained within the APU Core. Students who wish to receive this minor must submit a form to officially declare it. 

CORE 100Cornerstones 13
SOT 150Understanding the Old Testament: Creation, Covenant, Exile, Restoration 23
SOT 200Understanding the New Testament: Christ, Redemption, Community, New Creation 33
or SOT 241 Understanding the New Testament through a Latinx Lens
or SOT 242 Understanding the New Testament through an Africana Lens
SOT 250Theology and the Christian Life 43
Upper-Division Bible 53
Select one of the following:
The Rise of the King: I and II Samuel
Old Testament Prophets
Ruth and Esther
Psalms and Wisdom
Life and Teachings of Jesus
The Gospel and Letters of John
Romans and Galatians
Thessalonian and Corinthian Epistles
Biblical Lands and Cultures
Near Eastern Archaeology
Archaeological Field Excavation
Total Units15
1

MIN 108 Christian Life, Faith, and Ministry (from the prior GE program) may be substituted for CORE 100.

2

UBBL 100 Introduction to Biblical Literature: Exodus/Deuteronomy (from the prior GE program) may be substituted for SOT 150.

3

UBBL 230, UBBL 235, or UBBL 240 Luke/Acts (from the prior GE program) may be substituted for SOT 200, SOT 241, or SOT 242, respectively.

4

THEO 200, THEO 301, THEO 352, THEO 354, or HUM 325 (from the prior GE program) may be substituted for SOT 250.

5

400-level SOT Bible courses may also count toward meeting the APU Core: Upper-Division Bible general education requirement, but may require special permission from the Department of Biblical Studies, Theology, and Ministry. Contact the department for more information.

B. Humanities

Students who enter APU with fewer than 30 transfer units are required to take a Visions of the Good Life course (ART 150, HIST 150, ENGL 150, or PHIL 150) to satisfy  exactly one of the four humanities requirements (Fine Arts, History, Literature, or Philosophy). For students who enter APU with at least 30 transfer units, a Visions of the Good Life course is an optional way to satisfy one of the humanities requirements.

Fine Arts3
Select one of the following:
Ceramics I
Drawing I
Visions of the Good Life
Introduction to Art
Photography I
Fundamental Art Experiences
History of Ancient Art and Architecture
History of Contemporary Art and Architecture
History of Early Christian and Medieval Art and Architecture
History of Renaissance to Rococo Art and Architecture
Multicultural Art
History of Television and Digital Media
History of Film
Using Digital Media in a Visual World
Core Texts in Aesthetics
Core Texts in Aesthetics
Music Fundamentals
Music Theory I
History of Film Music
Introduction to Acting
Introduction to Theater
Acting Shakespeare
History3
Select one of the following:
World Civilizations to 1648
World Civilizations Since 1648
Visions of the Good Life
United States History to 1877
United States History Since 1877
World Civilizations and Geography to 1648
Core Texts in History
Core Texts in History
Late Romantic and 20th-Century Music Literature (Bachelor of Music Majors only)
Literature3
Select one of the following:
Studies in Literature
Visions of the Good Life
English Literature to 1789
World Literature to the Renaissance
English Literature Since 1789
World Literature Since the Renaissance
American Literature to 1865
American Literature Since 1865
Core Texts in Literature
Core Texts in Literature
Literary Masters
Philosophy3
Select one of the following:
Introduction to Philosophy
Visions of the Good Life
Core Texts in Philosophy
Core Texts in Philosophy
Total Units12

C. Core Competencies

CORE 101Cultivating Wellness: Building Habits for Lifelong Well-Being 1, 22
WRIT 110The Art and Craft of Writing3
Oral Communication3
Select one of the following:
Business Communications
Public Communication
Introduction to Computer Science I
and Database Management Systems
and Senior Capstone Project
Introduction to Computer Science I
and Digital Logic Systems
and Senior Design Project II
Public Speaking in Spanish
Beginning Voice for the Actor
and Intermediate Voice for the Actor
Quantitative Reasoning3
Select one of the following:
Business Statistics
College Algebra
Mathematics in Society
Introduction to Statistics
Statistics and Data Management for Nursing and Health Care
Intercultural Competence3
Select one of the following:
International Business
Film and Social Issues
World Cinema
Intercultural Communication 3
Diversity in the Classroom
American Ethnic Literature
Introduction to Ethnic Studies
The Asian American Experience
The African American Experience
The Chicano(a)/Latino(a) Experience
Native American/Indigenous Experience
Anthropology for Everyday Life
Intercultural Communication
Immigration and Integration
Cultural History/Travel Study 3
History of American Immigration
Intercultural Knowledge and Competence
Principles of Marketing
Introduction to World Music
Soul Music
Multicultural Psychology
Race and Ethnicity
Human Diversity
Social Justice Foundations for Human Rights
World Religions
Intercultural Ministries
Race, Reconciliation, and Ministry
Global Christianity
Theology from the Margins
Spanish Conversation and Community
The Soul of Teaching: Tapestry of American Education
History of Theater
International Health Nursing 3
Urban/Rural Health Nursing
Population and Community Health Nursing
Ancient or Modern Language 4
Select one of the following:
American Sign Language I
and American Sign Language II
Elementary Chinese I
and Elementary Chinese II
Elementary French I
and Elementary French II
Elementary German I
and Elementary German II
Elementary Greek I
and Elementary Greek II
Elementary Classical Greek I
and Elementary Classical Greek II
Elementary Hebrew I
and Elementary Hebrew II
Elementary Japanese I
and Elementary Japanese II
Elementary Latin I
and Elementary Latin II
Modern Language I
and Modern Language II
Elementary Spanish I
and Elementary Spanish II 3
Elementary Spanish I for Healthcare Professionals
and Elementary Spanish II for Healthcare Professionals
English for Academic Purposes I
and English for Academic Purposes II
Total Units14
1

CORE 101 is required only for students who enter APU with fewer than 60 transfer units.

2

GE 100 First-Year Seminar (from the prior GE program) may be substituted for CORE 101

3

This course is available through one or more of the APU Study Away semester programs. See full program options at GE and Study Away.

4

Ancient or Modern Language is a proficiency requirement that may be met with a qualifying score on an OPIc, SAT, AP, CLEP, or FLATS exam or by completing an APU language course numbered 102 or higher. APU language courses are listed here for reference.

D. Scientific Inquiry

Natural Science4
Select one of the following:
Biology and Society 1
General Biology I
Human Anatomy and Physiology II
Humans and the Environment
Chemistry and Society
General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry for the Health Sciences
General Chemistry I
Science and Technology for Everyday Applications
Physics for Life Sciences I
and Physics Laboratory I
Physics for Science and Engineering: Mechanics
and Physics Laboratory I
Social Science3
Select one of the following:
Introduction to Criminal Justice
Survey of Economics
Principles of Macroeconomics
Globalization and Development
Organizational Leadership
Managing Diverse Teams and Groups
General Psychology
Human Growth and Development
Psychology of Child and Adolescent Development
Introduction to Sociology
Science of Teaching I: How Students Learn
Total Units7
1

This course is available through one or more of the APU Study Away semester programs. See full program options at GE and Study Away.

E. Living Out God’s Love

CORE 250Seeking Shalom Seminar3
CORE 450Calling and Character Seminar3
Total Units6