General Education Requirements (GER)
Ethnic Studies, 3 credits
Liberal Studies Requirements
Liberal Studies Guidelines
Major Course Work
Elective Course Work
Effective summer 1996, new freshmen must complete a group of campus-wide basic course requirements known as the General Education Requirements. This initiative is designed to provide all students with a comprehensive, well-rounded program of studies on the Madison campus. All undergraduate schools or colleges on campus must complete these general education requirements, but how each school or college implements them varies slightly.
These requirements will be met at different times in a student's academic experience and include both introductory and more advanced level course work. The general education requirements include credits in Humanities/Literature/Arts; Social Studies; and Natural Science; these will be met through the completion of the liberal studies course work below. The Communication and Quantitative Reasoning requirements below are also required.
Approved courses that fulfill the Communication and Quantitative Reasoning requirements below are listed at www.ls.wisc.edu/gened/courselists/default.htm.
Part A. Literary proficiency. 2-3 credits of course work focusing on reading, listening, and speaking, with an emphasis on writing. Courses are designated with an "a" in the Timetable. Met by one of the following: English 100, 118, Com Arts 100, EPD 155, Fam Com 100/L Sc Com 100, exemption by exam. Courses are designated with an "a" in the Timetable.
Part B. Enhancing literary proficiency. 2-3 credits of more advanced course work for students who have completed or been exempted from Part A. Courses are designated with a "b" in the Timetable. Other program requirements may be used to meet this requirement.
Part A. 3 credits of mathematics or formal logic. Met by one of the following: Math 112, 114, 130, 141, 171, Philos 210, completion of a Math course numbered above 114 (excluding 120-129, 131, and 132), exemption through placement scores. Courses are designated with a "q" in the Timetable.
Part B. 3 additional credits in quantitative reasoning. Courses that satisfy this requirement will be available in a variety of fields of study including mathematics, formal logic, statistics, computer science, the sciences and social science. Courses are designated with an "r" in the Timetable. Other program requirements may be used to meet this requirement. For example, Kinesiology students are required to complete Kinesiology 315, also a Quant B course. This course may be used to meet both requirements.
Effective fall 1989, students beginning a degree program at UW-Madison (freshmen, transfers, and second degree candidates) must take one course of at least 3 credits which is designated as an Ethnic Studies course. The ethnic studies requirement is intended to increase understanding of the culture and contributions of persistently marginalized racial or ethnic groups in the United States, and to equip students to respond constructively to issues connected with our pluralistic society and global community. Designated with an "e" in the Timetable, ethnic studies course work may also be applied toward other degree requirements. Effective, summer 2007, this requirement became part of the liberal studies requirement, below.
These requirements apply to the following School of Education programs:
Students interested in teacher certification should consult the Teacher Certification Program Liberal Studies Requirements.
The liberal studies requirements include course work in humanities, social studies, and science. Effective summer 2007, three new requirements- ethnic studies, global perspectives, and U.S. or European history—will be required of all students in the School of Education. Elective course work will also be needed to reach the minimum of 40 credits. The liberal studies requirements combine academic strengths and interests with an opportunity to explore a wide selection of courses offered across campus. Similarly, liberal studies courses can also be used to define, confirm, and explore major options while counting towards graduation credit.
A list of guidelines regarding liberal studies course selection is provided after the requirements are listed.
The breadth (B) column in the Timetable identifies most course work with the following codes:
H—Humanities
L—Literature
S—Social Science
B—Biological Science
P—Physical Science
N—Natural Science
W—Social Science or Natural Science
X—Humanities or Natural Science
Y—Biological Science or Social Science
Z—Humanities or Social Science
Complete a minimum of 9 credits to include 1, 2, and 3:
Courses designated with an L in the Timetable.
Approved courses include:
Afro American Studies 156, 241, 242, 243, 308, 309, 310, 311, 315, 316, 320, 400, 403, 413, 540, 603, 643
Art—any course
Art Hist—any course
Com Arts 350
Dance—any course
English 203, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306, 307, 506, 508
History 001, 315
Music—any course
Music Perf—any course
Theatre—any course
Women St 410, 411, 412
Courses to reach the minimum of 9 credits. May include course designated H, L, X, or Z, elementary and intermediate level foreign language courses, or approved Fine Arts courses. May also count Com Arts 105, 181, and any English department intermediate or advanced level creative writing or composition course toward this requirement (English 100-118 and other elementary level composition courses are excluded).
Complete a minimum of 9 credits.
Select from courses designated S, W, Y, or Z.
Note: Kinesiology (Athletic Training, Exercise and Movement Science) students must complete Psych 201, 202, or 281 and can apply this course work toward the 9 credits.
Minimum of 9 credits to include 1 and 2. Must include one laboratory science course.
Select from courses designated B or Y in the Timetable
Select from courses designated P in the Timetable
Other biological, physical, or natural science (designated B, P, N, W, X, or Y in the Timetable) to reach the 9-credit minimum. Most lab sciences are identified as such in the Timetable. In addition, the following courses include some lab experience and will meet the lab requirements for students in the School of Education: Astronomy 100, Atm Ocn 101, Botany 100, Botany/Plant Path 123, Geology 100, Physics 109. Suggested courses outside L&S which meet the lab science requirement include Agronomy 100, Food Science 235-236, Horticulture 120, Mechanical Engineering 160 and 210. An AP Biology score of 4 or 5 will also fulfill the lab science requirement.
Select from courses designated with an "e" in the Timetable,
Select from the list of approved courses, available in Education Academic Services and on the EAS Web site, www.education.wisc.edu/eas.
Select from the following courses
U.S.: 101, 102, 140, 150, 160, 161, 219, 221, 222, 247, 258, 290, 301, 302, 322, 330, 331, 343, 344, 353, 354, 355, 390, 391, 393, 394, 395, 396, 397, 398, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408, 411, 412, 416, 433, 434, 451, 460, 461, 462, 465, 466, 490, 504, 560, 569, 607, 625, 626, 628, 635, 636, 644, 672
Europe: 002, 110, 115, 119, 120, 121, 123, 124, 208, 215, 223, 224, 251, 253, 254, 303, 306, 307, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 316, 317, 318, 320, 321, 323, 325, 326, 333, 334, 339, 340, 348, 349, 351, 352, 356, 357, 358, 359, 360, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366, 367, 368, 369, 370, 372, 373, 374, 409, 410, 415, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 423, 424, 425, 426, 429, 430, 431, 432, 437, 447, 467, 469, 473, 474, 475, 477, 478, 479, 507, 508, 511, 512, 513, 514, 515, 517, 518, 529, 531, 532, 539, 540, 541, 554, 561, 568, 570, 577, 578
As necessary to reach 40 total liberal studies credits.
Liberal Studies Requirements for students enrolled as new freshmen summer 1996 through spring 2007, see lsotherpre2007.html.
This course work is determined according to each specific program; see the major listings elsewhere in this section of the catalog.
General elective credits may be selected from any UW-Madison department or unit. Some students may wish to expand or branch out from one of the major areas of study required within a given program. Elective credits may also be used to expand a general base of knowledge through minimal course work in areas not specifically related to the major field.