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 staff. Any 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
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Pursuing Wisdom | 27 | |
Bible and Theology | ||
Humanities | ||
Preparing to Serve | 21 | |
Core Competencies | ||
Scientific Inquiry | ||
Living Out God’s Love | 6 | |
Seeking Shalom | ||
Calling and Character | ||
Total Units | 54 |
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).
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
CORE 100 | Cornerstones 1 | 3 |
SOT 150 | Understanding the Old Testament: Creation, Covenant, Exile, Restoration 2 | 3 |
SOT 200 | Understanding the New Testament: Christ, Redemption, Community, New Creation 3 | 3 |
SOT 250 | Theology and the Christian Life 4 | 3 |
Upper-Division Bible | 3 | |
Total Units | 15 |
- 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.
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Fine Arts | 3 | |
History | 3 | |
Literature | 3 | |
Philosophy | 3 | |
Total Units | 12 |
C. Core Competencies
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
CORE 101 | Cultivating Wellness: Building Habits for Lifelong Well-Being 1, 2 | 2 |
WRIT 110 | The Art and Craft of Writing | 3 |
Oral Communication | 3 | |
Quantitative Reasoning | 3 | |
Intercultural Competence | 3 | |
Ancient or Modern Language 3 | ||
Total Units | 14 |
- 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
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Natural Science | 4 | |
Social Science | 3 | |
Total Units | 7 |
E. Living Out God’s Love
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
CORE 250 | Seeking Shalom Seminar | 3 |
CORE 450 | Calling and Character Seminar | 3 |
Total Units | 6 |
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.
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
CORE 100 | Cornerstones 1 | 3 |
SOT 150 | Understanding the Old Testament: Creation, Covenant, Exile, Restoration 2 | 3 |
SOT 200 | Understanding the New Testament: Christ, Redemption, Community, New Creation 3 | 3 |
or SOT 241 | Understanding the New Testament through a Latinx Lens | |
or SOT 242 | Understanding the New Testament through an Africana Lens | |
SOT 250 | Theology and the Christian Life 4 | 3 |
Upper-Division Bible 5 | 3 | |
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 Units | 15 |
- 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.
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Fine Arts | 3 | |
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 | ||
or HUM 323 | Core Texts in Aesthetics | |
Music Fundamentals | ||
Music Theory I | ||
History of Film Music | ||
Introduction to Acting | ||
Introduction to Theater | ||
Acting Shakespeare | ||
History | 3 | |
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 | ||
or HUM 321 | Core Texts in History | |
Late Romantic and 20th-Century Music Literature (Bachelor of Music Majors only) | ||
Literature | 3 | |
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 | ||
or HUM 322 | Core Texts in Literature | |
Literary Masters | ||
Philosophy | 3 | |
Select one of the following: | ||
Introduction to Philosophy | ||
Visions of the Good Life | ||
Core Texts in Philosophy | ||
or HUM 324 | Core Texts in Philosophy | |
Total Units | 12 |
C. Core Competencies
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
CORE 101 | Cultivating Wellness: Building Habits for Lifelong Well-Being 1, 2 | 2 |
WRIT 110 | The Art and Craft of Writing | 3 |
Oral Communication | 3 | |
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 Reasoning | 3 | |
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 Competence | 3 | |
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 Units | 14 |
- 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
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
Natural Science | 4 | |
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 Science | 3 | |
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 Units | 7 |
- 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
Code | Title | Units |
---|---|---|
CORE 250 | Seeking Shalom Seminar | 3 |
CORE 450 | Calling and Character Seminar | 3 |
Total Units | 6 |