Liberal Arts Core

In keeping with the mission of the University of North Carolina Asheville, the Liberal Arts Core captures the development of human capabilities, disciplinary knowledge, the application of knowledge to new settings, and creative solutions to increasingly complex problems. As an indication of our commitment to working together and to crossing disciplinary borders, the Liberal Arts Core conveys the sort of shared guidance possible when disciplines collaborate for the mutual benefit of students and faculty and the fulfillment of the university’s mission. Such collaboration lies at the heart of the matter for a public liberal arts institution that “emphasizes the centrality of learning and discovery through exemplary teaching, innovative scholarship, creative expression, co-curricular activities, undergraduate research, engaged service, and practical experience” (UNC Asheville Mission Statement).

As students acquire critical thinking skills, inquire from a range of perspectives, hone effective communication and diverse forms of expression, and engage the local and global spheres, they become lifelong learners, ethical thinkers and practitioners of sustainability and invaluable society members whose transformative education enables them to flourish, responding to the world that lies before them and acting as responsible citizens and leaders.

Courses approved by the faculty to satisfy the specific requirements of the Liberal Arts Core may be found below. The course credit hours listed below for each requirement are stated as the minimum credit hours required. Descriptions of these individual requirements may be found in the academic catalog. Use the Liberal Arts Core Summary and Checklist to track your credit hours.

Liberal Arts Core Requirements

First-Year Seminar— 3-4 semester hours

  • FYS 178

Academic Writing and Critical Inquiry—4 semester hours

 Humanities—12 semester hours

  • HUM 124
  • HUM 214
  • HUM 324 or LA 378

Laboratory Science—4 semester hours

A 4 credit course or courses from the list below. Note: The same course cannot be used to fulfill both the Laboratory Science and the Scientific Perspectives requirements.

  • ASTR 102 + 112 or 113, ASTR 103 + 112 or 113
  • ATMS 103 + 111, ATMS 111 + 113
  • BIOL 125 + 126, BIOL 136, BIOL 328
  • CHEM 109, CHEM 111 + 132, CHEM 145 + 231, CHEM 145 + 233, CHEM 222 + 232
  • ENVR 105
  • HWP 234, 235
  • PHYS 101 + 121, PHYS 102 + 122, PHYS 131, PHYS 221
  • PSYC 362

Scientific Perspectives—3-4 semester hours

A 3 or 4 credit class from the list below. Note: The same course cannot be used to fulfill both the Laboratory Science and the Scientific Perspectives requirements.

  • AMS 260
  • ASTR 102, 103, 301
  • ATMS 103, 113
  • BIOL 107, 110, 125, 135, 136, 173 (The Biology of Star Wars)
  • CHEM 109, 132, 323
  • CSCI 107, 182, 183, 185
  • EDUC 323
  • ENVR 106, 130
  • HWP 225, 420
  • JEM 484
  • PHIL 307
  • PHYS 101, 102, 131, 221
  • POLS 396
  • SOC 362

Quantitative Perspective—4 semester hours

A 4 credit class in MATH or STAT.

Social Science—3-4 semester hours

A 3 or 4 credit class from the list below.

  • AFST—any course
  • AIIS 200
  • ANTH—any course
  • ASIA 100, 305, 310, 320, 330, 334, 364
  • BUS 300, 366, 398
  • ECON—any course
  • EDUC 210
  • ESI 101
  • HWP 190, 333, 353
  • INTS—any course
  • MCOM 104
  • MUSC 350, 367, 368
  • POLS—any course
  • PSYC—any course
  • SOC—any course
  • WGSS 100

Second Language—0-8 semester hours

Demonstrated proficiency, either by placement or course completion, through the first year (second semester) of a language.

  • ASIA 102
  • CHER 120
  • FREN 120, 130
  • GERM 120, 130
  • GRK 102
  • HEB 102
  • LAT 102
  • PORT 120
  • SPAN 130

Arts and Ideas—3-4 semester hours

ARTS 310 or 3-4 credit hours of course work designated as fulfilling the ARTS requirement

Senior Capstone—4 semester hours

One course from HUM 414 or LA 478. This requirement must be fulfilled in residence.

Diversity Intensive—3-4 semester hours

A 3-4 credit class designated as Diversity Intensive (DI)

Effective Fall 2022, for new students and those returning after one year:

Diversity Intensive – U.S. Race/Ethnicity-Centric—3-4 semester hours

A 3-4 credit class designated as Diversity Intensive – U.S. Race/Ethnicity-Centric (DI-R)