University College Core Curriculum

The University College Core Curriculum provides the academic foundation for all the undergraduate degree programs at Fayetteville State University. The core curriculum enables students to develop the skills and general knowledge that are essential to success in their respective major programs and careers after graduation.

Core Learning Outcomes

All Fayetteville State University graduates, regardless of major, will achieve the following learning outcomes, which will be introduced in 100- and 200- level courses and reinforced throughout a student’s major courses as appropriate. Fayetteville State University recognizes eight core learning outcomes in four main groups:

Transitional Studies

1. Transitional Studies: Upon completion of transitional studies courses students will be able to demonstrate skills they need for a successful transition to university life.

Essential Skills: These learning outcomes provide the foundations of communication, reasoning, and inquiry needed for success in every human endeavor.

2. Communication Skills: Students will comprehend, analyze, and evaluate the effectiveness of various forms of written and spoken communication, and they will assemble original written and spoken communications that display appropriate organization, clarity, and documentation for a given purpose and audience.
3. Reasoning Skills:
   1. Reasoning Skills - Critical Thinking: Students will accurately evaluate the reasonableness of arguments’ evidence and support, and they will construct reasonable arguments using various forms of evidence drawn from multiple sources.
   2. Reasoning Skills – Quantitative Reasoning: They will apply math to situations common in everyday living, and they will calculate, interpret, and assess statistical data and concepts, percentages, proportions, rates of change, geometric measures, linear equations, probability and risk.
4. Information Literacy: Students will formulate effective questions based on a need; organize, sort, evaluate, and retrieve academic information to address the need; cite sources appropriately for their context.

Disciplinary Perspectives: Every student should understand the different ways in which knowledge about the natural and human world is created.

5. Scientific Literacy: Students will create and assess hypotheses using research methods, interpret and express the results of observation and experimentation, understand the fundamental concepts of natural and social sciences, and apply scientific knowledge to situations common to daily life to promote physical and psychological well-being.
6. Humanities and Creative Arts. Students will demonstrate comprehension, analysis, and/or synthesis of the cultural and historical contributions of the humanities and/or arts to human cultural and intellectual advancement by engaging in inquiry, writing, and/or creative processes.

Global Responsibility: FSU graduates should understand the diverse and interconnected world in which they live to become learned and responsible global citizens.

7. Global Literacy: Students will experience global diversity through interaction, examination, and critical reflection. Our students will broaden their comprehension and appreciation of globalization and their role as global citizens.
8. Ethics and Civic Engagement: Students will demonstrate knowledge and application of principles of ethical and civic responsibility.

The University College Core Curriculum is designed to ensure that graduates will achieve these learning outcomes.

Major Requirements

Core Requirements: Minimum of 38-40 credits required of all students. Students who enter as first-time freshmen must take an entering freshman and rising junior assessment to complete core requirements.

Other Program Requirements: See “Other Program Requirements” on the department catalog page. Major programs may require that students take specific courses from those listed below.