Nov 21, 2024

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Liberal Arts Core (LAC) for all bachelor degrees

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The core curriculum is designed to ensure that graduates articulate capably a basic understanding of human history, culture and relationships, the arts, literature, mathematics and natural sciences, and to reflect upon these in terms of a Christian vision of life.

The Liberal Arts Core curriculum has been developed to implement the mission and vision of the University by fulfilling the following goals in the academic life of the students:

Christian Worldview: Students will be able to articulate an understanding of the Christian vision of the world, along with the nature and destiny of humanity.
Communication: Students become knowledgeable practitioners in the art and science of verbal and non-verbal communication and will demonstrate the necessary presentation, research, and/or interpersonal skills.
Culture, Humanities, Fine Arts, and Literature: Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the development of Western culture and world civilization. Students will explore the human condition through great works of literature and will be able to demonstrate knowledge of major literary movements in a given cultural context. Through study of the Fine Arts students will demonstrate an understanding of the diverse ways in which the human experience is conceived and communicated through artistic form.
Social and Behavioral Sciences: Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of individual and human relationships in groups, communities, and societies through analysis and varieties of scientific examination.
Mathematics and Natural Science: Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the fundamental principles of the natural sciences, the empirical method, and mathematics.

All CSU students pursuing an undergraduate degree must satisfy the LAC requirements listed below. Some majors require specific and/or additional LAC courses. Either Christian Studies 111 or Christian Studies 112 must be completed within the first two major terms at CSU (fall and spring semesters, not including transfer credit terms). English 111 and 112 , and Mathematics 105 (or higher) must be completed within the first four major terms (fall and spring semesters, including transfer credit terms).

A student may attempt to earn a passing grade in these courses up to three (3) times (also see “Repeating a Course ,” in this catalog). A student who fails to earn a passing grade within three attempts of English 111 , 112 , and the required mathematics course will be ineligible to earn a degree from CSU, and may be classified as a nondegree-seeking student.

Christian Worldview (6 hours)

Christian Studies (6 hours)

CHST 111 - Survey of the Old Testament (3 hour(s)) and
CHST 112 - Survey of the New Testament (3 hour(s))

Communication (12-18 hours)

English (6 hours)

ENGL 111 - English Composition and Rhetoric (3 hour(s)) or
ENGL 121 - Composition and Rhetoric I for Multilingual Writers (3 hour(s))
ENGL 112 - Composition with Introduction to Literature (3 hour(s)) or
ENGL 122 - Composition and Literature for Multilingual Writers (3 hour(s))

Communication (Choose 3 hours)

COMM 110 - Public Speaking (3 hour(s))
COMM 250 - Interpersonal Communication (3 hour(s))
BUSI 204 - Business Communication (3 hour(s)) For students choosing majors from the College of Business BUSI 204 is mandatory in place of COMM 110
CHST 424 - Biblical Teaching and Preaching (3 hour(s)) For students choosing majors from the College of Christian Studies CHST 424 is mandatory in place of COMM 110; for students choosing a minor from the College of Christian Studies they may choose to take CHST 424 in place of COMM 110

Foreign Languages (3-9 hours)

Students will find the language requirement for their particular major listed in the catalog at the beginning of the degree requirements. Click on Programs of Study for additional information. Requirements vary by degree.

For traditional academic tracks, students are required to take (3-9 hours):

a) through Foreign Language (FL) 201 Intermediate I, (incorporating Spanish, French, or other languages offered; eg, SPAN 201, FREN 201) if a student starts with no advanced placement or places into 110, 120, or 201, earning a minimum of 3 hours but not to exceed 9 hours;

b) through FL 202 (Intermediate II) if the student places higher than FL 201. If a student places higher than 202, the student has completed her/his required FL credit. Note that this placement does not count toward the required 120 hours (may vary according to degree) required of all CSU students.

c) Through CHST 122 (Introd Hebrew II) or through CHST 132 (Elementary Koine Greek II).

For pre-professional tracks (3 hours):

Choose any one language class, from 110-202 depending on placement testing.

For Music majors (3 hours):

MUSI 241 meets this requirement.

For Speakers of Languages Other Than English (hours will vary):

Students designated as Non-Native English speakers (including but not limited to those required to have TOEFL scores) are subject to the following changes to LAC requirements for foreign languages:

a) Designated non-native English-speaking students may replace the foreign language requirement with the one-credit American Cultural Intelligence course GNED 110.

b) The minimum number of credits for graduation remains the same.

Computer and Information Sciences (Choose 3-4 hours)

CSCI 210 - Introduction to Computer Science through Robotics (3 hour(s))
CSCI 211 - Introduction to Computers for Business Applications (3 hour(s))
CSCI 215 - Programming in Alice (3 hour(s))
CSCI 217 - Practical Programming and Problem Solving (4 hour(s))
EDUC 221 - Technology for Teachers (3 hour(s))
MUSI 228 - Music Technology I (3 hour(s))
MUSI 403 - Teaching Music in the Elementary School (3 hour(s))
or another approved/required computer course.

Culture, Humanities, Fine Arts, and Literature (12 hours)

Culture and Humanities

Social and Behavioral Sciences (Choose 3 hours)

BUSI 203 - Personal Finance (3 hour(s))
CRIM 210 - Introduction to Criminal Justice (3 hour(s))
ECON 211 - Principles of Microeconomics (3 hour(s))
ECON 212 - Principles of Macroeconomics (3 hour(s))
HEAL 201 - Dimensions of Personal Health and Wellness (3 hour(s))
POLI 101 - Introduction to Political Science (3 hour(s))
PSYC 110 - General Psychology (3 hour(s))
SOCI 101 - Principles of Sociology (3 hour(s))
SOCI 203 - Social Problems (3 hour(s))
SOCI 205 - Anthropology (3 hour(s))

Mathematics and Natural Science (11 hours)

Mathematics (3 hours)

MATH 105 - Introduction to Mathematical Structures (3 hour(s)) or higher (However, the following courses will not meet the LAC: MATH 201, 202, 206, 207 and 320.)
Note: Review the appropriate section of this catalog to determine the minimum mathematics requirement for specific majors and minors.

Lab Sciences (8 hours)

8 hours, from any two areas listed; limit one science (4 hours, including lab) per category: Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics

Note: AERN 240 (replacing PHYS 120) will count as 4 hours toward the 8 hours toward the LAC Lab Science requirement. The remaining 4 hours must be taken from one of the following disciplines: Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics.

Total minimum LAC hours: 47 credit hours*

* Specific or additional LAC courses may be required for certain majors as described in the appropriate sections of this catalog. Please check your major and minor requirements.