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Common Curriculum

Student Info

Continuing Students Graduating after August 2010

A new curriculum, developed starting in 2008 and called the Common Curriculum, was approved by the University's Board of Trustees in the fall of 2009.

The entirety of that curriculum will take effect for students who enter the University in the fall of 2010. For continuing students, like yourselves, there will be a transition.

The deans are currently working with the faculty on the conversion to this new curriculum. The impacts on continuing students will be minimal. Here are the changes:

  • If you are planning to graduate in March, June, or August 2010 (this year), there are no changes to your curriculum. All existing requirements continue to apply.
  • If you plan to graduate AFTER August 2010, only the CREX and traditional CORE requirements have been modified. All other parts of your curriculum remain the same.
    • The writing-intensive Core course remains a requirement for you. You must complete this course on campus -not at another school or abroad (unless on a DU faculty led program).
    • The 2 non-writing intensive CORE classes are waived for you.
    • The CREX requirement is waived for you.
How to Search for Classes

Classes will no longer be designated AHUM, SOCS, NATS, CORE. Courses that fulfill these requirements now are designated by academic discipline (examples: ARTH - Art History, MATH - Calculus I, ENGR - Tech 21).

Current students will need to search the class schedule by attribute type. The following attribute types exist to aid your search:

  • Arts and Humanities
  • Math/Comp Science Foundations
  • Natural Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Writing Intensive

FSEM, Languages and WRIT all are the same course designations.

If students know the subject of the course they want (English, History), they can also search by subject and attribute type together.

Please visit At A Glance for course lists.

Former NATS or MATC Courses and their Common Curriculum Equivalent (PDF)

Letter from the Office of the Provost Announcing New Common Curriculum

Dear Students:

I am writing to bring you up to date on what has transpired with the university general education requirements (your Foundations/Core requirements). Many of you have heard via student media or in other venues that a change was coming, and hopefully this letter will clarify the changes and their impact (if any) on your coursework.

A new curriculum, developed over the last two years and called the Common Curriculum, was approved by the University's Board of Trustees in the fall of 2009. The entirety of that curriculum will take effect for students who enter the University in the fall of 2010. For continuing students, like yourselves, there will be a transition.

The deans are currently working with the faculty on the conversion to this new curriculum. The impacts on continuing students will be minimal. Here are the changes:

  • If you are planning to graduate in March, June, or August 2010 (this year), there are no changes to your curriculum. All existing requirements continue to apply.
  • If you plan to graduate AFTER August 2010, only the CREX and traditional CORE requirements have been modified. All other parts of your curriculum remain the same.
    • The writing-intensive Core course remains a requirement for you. You must complete this course on campus -not at another school or abroad (unless on a DU faculty led program).
    • The 2 non-writing intensive CORE classes are waived for you.
    • The CREX requirement is waived for you.
  • If you are planning to study abroad, please work with an academic adviser to choose the most appropriate courses. You may take up to two (2) approved Foundations classes while abroad. You may also take classes for your major, minor, or electives as appropriate and approved.
  • If you have already taken one or two traditional (non-writing intensive) CORE classes and/or a CREX class, those credits apply towards the overall credits required to obtain your bachelor's degree.
  • If you have not taken (non-writing intensive) CORE or CREX credits, you are required to complete those credits, but may use classes in the major, minor, or electives to do so in order to reach the 183-194 credits necessary for your particular degree.

For spring 2010 registration, nothing will change. You will be able to find classes to complete your requirements as you have in the past. New courses that fulfill Foundations and writing-intensive Core classes will be introduced for fall 2010 registration. Lists of these courses will be published and may be searched by "attribute type" in the online Course Schedule.

During the spring quarter, the Center for Academic and Career Development will offer advising sessions to answer any questions you might have. Answers to a set of Frequently Asked Questions may be accessed by following this link: http://www.du.edu/uts/images/bulkemail/Student_FAQ_2010_General_Education_Curriculum_Change.docx

By April, a website will be up that will also explain these changes: www.du.edu/commoncurriculum.

In short, the disruption to your curriculum should be minimal but there are changes that you need to incorporate into your planning. If you have questions, please consult with your faculty adviser or make an appointment with an adviser in The Center for Academic and Career Development 303-871-2455.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Karas, Associate Provost Common Curriculum Central Committee Chair