General Education Requirements

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General Education Requirements

To earn a bachelor’s degree, students must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours of study including the general education requirements described below.

The mission of the general education program in the College of Undergraduate Studies is to introduce students to a broad, foundational knowledge of the humanities, philosophy, Reformation theology, and the study of Western civilization and democracy. The general education program attempts to sharpen student knowledge of American politics and economics, Christian church history, and philosophy in Western society from antiquity. In addition, studies in scientific thought and mathematics stimulate inquiry, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Students learn to think logically, analytically, creatively, and ethically.

The program is structured with the aim of developing informed citizens who can be active in public life. Furthermore, the program strives to promote the development of citizens who will participate in cogent oral discourse and debate in ways that show engagement with central questions posed by the humanities, the philosophy of science, and theology. The focused general education program at Colorado Christian University strives to produce citizens with exceptional written and oral communicative abilities, and who can advance the missional objectives that are consistent with Christian ethics.

English ACT and Critical Reading SAT scores will be used to determine student placement into the required English general education courses. Students with ACT or SAT scores below the CCU standard or those whose performance on placement or diagnostic examinations fail to meet specified university standards for admission into ENG 102 are required to enroll in ENG 102 BASIC. Students must pass these courses with a grade of C- or better in order to qualify for enrollment in ENG 104/BUS 104 or higher level English courses. In addition, English and mathematics placement examinations are required for first-time freshmen and transfer students with freshman standing who do not have an ACT or SAT score or transferable credit for these courses.

A grade of C- or better in ENG 102 is the prerequisite to enrollment in ENG 104 . As an advanced English composition and research methods course, ENG 105 fulfills the general education requirement for English by substituting for both ENG 102 and ENG 104 if a grade of C- or better is earned for the course at CCU. Students are invited to enroll in ENG 105 based on their performance on the English placement examination.

Bachelor degree students must complete the following minimum general education courses. Some courses in the list are prescribed for particular majors. To determine which alternatives to take, consult the notes after the list, the requirements for your major, and your academic advisor.

General Education Requirements (57 credit hours)

Biblical Studies (12 credit hours)

Take the following four courses (some courses are cross-listed and only one prefix needs to be taken):

Communication (12 credit hours)

Take each of the following four courses:

COM 103 - Public Speaking (3)
COM 212 - Persuasion (3)
ENG 102 - English Composition (3)
ENG 104 - Research Writing (3)
ENG 105 - Advanced English Composition
may be taken by invitation of the English faculty to fulfill requirements for both ENG 102 and ENG 104.

Arts and Humanities (9 credit hours)

Take one course from each of the following three academic disciplines:

Philosophy (3 credit hours)

PHL 202 - Philosophical Inquiry (3)

Fine Arts (3 credit hours)

Choose one course from the following:

Literature (3 credit hours)

Choose one course from the following:

Social Sciences (15 credit hours)

Take each of the following five courses:

Mathematics (3 credit hours)

MAT 111 - College Algebra (3)
(or higher except MAT 202 - Math Literacy )

Science (3 credit hours)

SCI 230 - Integrated Physical Science with Lab (3)

Integrative Studies (3 credit hours)

* Please see the First- Year Integration (FYI) page for specific information about this required course.

INT 101 - First-Year Integration (3)

Additional Requirements

General education requirements may vary slightly, depending on the student’s program of study. Please see the program page of the individual majors for specific degree requirements.

General Education Honors Emphasis

The General Education Honors Emphasis is directed toward Trustees’ and President’s Scholarship recipients who are bachelor degree seeking students. The Honors Emphasis consists of advanced courses of study that are taken to fulfill the corresponding general education course requirements. Honors Emphasis coursework includes readings of original documents attendant to the founding of the United States, field trips to state and local government offices, primary source material, debates, and guest speakers who are experts in the pertinent field of study.

This is a special opportunity to learn in a small community of students who appreciate and benefit from a reflective level of discourse of the great issues in the shaping and development of our Western traditions.

Completion Requirements

Students will have completed the General Education Honors Emphasis when four of the six Honors courses are completed, and the baccalaureate degree from the College of Undergraduate Studies has been conferred. The emphasis will be notated on the students’ transcripts, and students will also receive a certificate from the University acknowledging their achievement.