2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

General Education Requirements

In September 1998, to facilitate the development of a statewide transfer/articulation program and as mandated by Section 16-5-8 of the Code of Alabama, the Alabama Articulation and General Studies Committee (AGSC) developed a statewide freshman and sophomore level general studies (“general education”) curriculum to be taken at all colleges and universities. The curriculum consists of five areas (see below) that outline the minimum general academic content that is covered in the freshman and sophomore years prior to transfer to a four-year institution in Alabama. Transfer guides developed and maintained by the State Transfer and Articulation Reporting System (STARS) (now known as Alabama Transfers) follow these area guidelines. The AGSC general studies curriculum core includes study in the areas of written composition, humanities and fine arts, natural sciences and mathematics, and history, social, and behavioral sciences.

Area I: Written Composition (6 semester hours)
Effective written communication skills are essential in a literate society. Minimum requirements include at least 6 semester hours in written composition.

Area II: Humanities and Fine Arts (12 semester hours)
Study in the humanities addresses the ability to deal with questions of values, ethics, or aesthetics as they are represented in literature, philosophy, religion, and the arts, and is fundamental to general education. Minimum requirements include at least 12 semester hours in humanities with a minimum of 3 semester hours in literature, 3 semester hours in the arts, and the remaining semester hours from the humanities and/or fine arts. In addition to literature, disciplines in the humanities include, but are not limited to, philosophy, religious studies, speech, foreign languages, art, music, theatre, and dance. Courses should be broad in scope and content rather than specific and should emphasize a global perspective. Courses in the arts should emphasize history and appreciation rather than performance. Examples in the humanities and fine arts include, but are not limited to, world literature, art history, music appreciation, comparative religions, and history or origins of dance.

Area III: Natural Sciences and Mathematics (11 – 12 semester hours)
Study in the natural sciences and mathematics emphasizes the scientific method and applies quantitative or inductive reasoning. Minimum requirements include at least 11 semester hours with at least 3 semester hours in mathematics at the pre-calculus algebra level or Finite Mathematics level unless otherwise specified and at least 8 semester hours in the natural sciences which must include laboratory experiences. Disciplines in the natural sciences include but are not limited to, astronomy, biology, chemistry geology, and physics. (Some mathematics courses are offered for 4 semester credit hours. This would account for the variation in hour requirements in Area III.)

Area IV: History, Social, and Behavioral Sciences (12 semester hours)
Study in history and the social and behavioral sciences deals primarily with the study of human behavior, social and political structures, and economics. Minimum requirements include 12 semester hours with at least a 3 semester hour course in history and at least 9 semester hours from among other disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences. Disciplines include, but are not limited to, anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, and sociology. Courses should be broad in scope and content, include global or international perspectives, and must emphasize the methods of inquiry in the social sciences.

As a part of the General Studies Curriculum, students must complete a 6-semester hour sequence either in literature (Area II) or history (Area IV). The maximum semester hour total for Areas I-IV is 41-42 semester hours.

Area V: Pre-Professional, Major, and Elective Courses (19 – 23 semester hours)
Area V is designated for courses appropriate to the degree/major requirements of the individual student (it may also include electives). Area V requirements for each Athens State program are listed in the Undergraduate Catalog, and in the corresponding Degree Works plan of study.

Degree-seeking students must meet General Education requirements in Areas I-V according to the student’s specific degree program and major. In order to be applied to degree requirements, transfer credit and coursework must be applicable to the degree or program the student is pursuing. The content and level of instruction of transfer coursework is evaluated to ensure that student competencies in the coursework are equivalent to those required in courses approved for the State’s general education coursework requirements, or to similar coursework offered at Athens State.

Athens State University has designated certain Athens State courses that may fulfill general education requirements for students who may still lack some general education requirements upon admission to Athens State. These courses are clearly identified in the Course Descriptions section of the Undergraduate Catalog, and are listed in the general education section of each student’s Degree Works plan of study. Students should consult their Degree Works plan of study, their assigned student success coach to determine the best options for fulfilling any general education requirements that may still be needed.