Core Courses

Core courses provide students with a broad educational experience that provides a foundation and wider context for more advanced study in the major field. Each of the following are components that makeup the University Core Requirements for a degree at Boise State University. Click on each of the lists for a complete list of courses.

Because core courses (Click for Core Checklist) serve as a foundation for specialized work and can enhance your understanding of your chosen major, you should work carefully with your advisor to select the appropriate core courses. Specific educational objectives for each degree and certificate program are available in the Boise State University Catalog and on the web sites of individual programs.

English Composition

In order to satisfy the English Composition Requirement, you must successfully complete with a grade of C- or higher ENGL 101 and 102.

You may also need to take ENGL 90 Developmental Writing, if your placement score so indicates. You may wish to take ENGL 90 if you feel that your previous writing experience has been inadequate, even if your placement scores indicate that you are eligible to take ENGL 101.

ENGL 90 DEVELOPMENTAL WRITING (3-0-0)

Introduction to college writing with attention to fluency, development, organization, revision, and editing/proofreading. Required if writing sample or placement tests demonstrate need. Also for basic review. NOTE: ENGL 90 carried no academic credit, but is equivalent to 3 credits for purposes of computing fees and determining eligibility for financial aid.

ENGL 101 ENGLISH COMPOSITION (3-0-3) (Core)

Introduction to critical reading and to writing processes, including invention, revision, and editing. Emphasis on writing thoughtful explorations of readings, observation, ideas, and experiences; developing the author’s voice and inventiveness; editing for style and conventions of standard usage. PREREQ: ACT or SAT percentile score of 20 or above, or P (Pass) in ENGL 90 or ENGL 123.

ENGL 102 ENGLISH COMPOSITION (3-0-3) (Core)

An inquiry-based course that continues work with critical reading and writing processes and provides experience with methods and genres of researched writing. Students will initiate research projects, gather information from a range of sources, and demonstrate they can write about that information purposefully, using appropriate documentation. PREREQ: Grade of C- or above in ENGL 101 or ACT/SAT percentile score of 80 or above.

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Area I: Arts and Humanities

ARABIC

ARABIC 101, 102 - Elementary Arabic I & II
ARABIC 201, 202 - Intermediate Arabic I & II

ART

ART 100 - Introduction to Art
ARTHIST 101, 102 - Survey of Western Art

ASL - American Sign Language

ASL 101, 102 - American Sign Language I & II (formerly COMM 122)
ASL 201, 202 - American Sign Language III & IV (formerly COMM 322)

BASQUE

BASQUE 101, 102 - Elementary Basque I & II
BASQUE 201, 202 - Intermediate Basque I & II

CHINESE

CHINESE 101, 102 - Elementary Mandarin Chinese I & II
CHINESE 201, 202 - Intermediate Mandarin Chinese I & II

ENGL - English

ENGL 216 - Cultural Exchange in Transnational Literature
ENGL 257 - Western World Literature
ENGL 258 - Western World Literature
ENGL 267 - Survey of British Literature to 1790
ENGL 268 - Survey of British Literature: 1790 to Present
ENGL 277 - Survey of American Literature: Beginning to Civil War
ENGL 278 - Survey of American Literature: Civil War to Present

ENGR - Engineering

ENGR 102 - The Ethical Dimensions of Technology

FRENCH

FRENCH 101, 102 - Elementary French I & II
FRENCH 201, 202 - Intermediate French I & II

GERMAN

GERMAN 101, 102 - Elementary German I & II
GERMAN 201, 202 - Intermediate German I & II

HUM - Humanities

HUM 207, 208 - Introduction to Humanities

JAPANESE

JAPANESE 101, 102 - Elementary Japanese
JAPANESE 201, 202 - Intermediate Japanese

MUS - Music

MUS 100 - Introduction to Music
MUS 101 - Survey of Western Art Music

PHIL - Philosophy

PHIL 101 - Introduction to Philosophy
PHIL 201 - Introduction to Logic

SPANISH

SPANISH 101, 102 - Elementary Spanish I & II
SPANISH 108 - Intensive Elementary Spanish
SPANISH 111, 112 - Elementary Spanish 101A & 101B
SPANISH 113, 114 - Elementary Spanish 102A & 102B
SPANISH 201 - Intermediate Spanish I
SPANISH 202 or 203 - Intermediate Spanish II
SPANISH 208 Intermediate Spanish I & II (not offered at this time)

THEA - Theatre Arts

THEA 101 - Introduction to Theatre
THEA 220 - Cinema History and Aesthetics

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Area II: Social Sciences

ANTH - Anthropology

ANTH 101 - Physical Anthropology
ANTH 102 - Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 103 - Introduction to Archeology

CJ - Criminal Justice

CJ 103 - Introduction to Law and Justice

COMM - Communications

COMM 101 - Fundamentals of Speech Communication
COMM 112 - Reasoned Discourse

ECON -Economics

ECON 201 - Principles of Macroeconomics
ECON 202 - Principles of Microeconomics

If you earn credit in ECON 201 or ECON 202, you cannot receive credit for ECON 210.

ED-CIFS - Teacher Education

ED-CIFS 201 - Foundations of Education

GEOG -Geography

GEOG 100 - Introduction to Geography
GEOG 102 - Cultural Geography

HIST - History

HIST 101, 102 - History of Western Civilization
HIST 111, 112 - U.S. History
HIST 121- Eastern Civilizations (previously HIST 105)
HIST 201, 202 - Problems in Western Civilization
HIST 211, 212 - Problems in U.S. History

If you have received credit in HIST 101 and HIST 102, you cannot take HIST 201 or HIST 202. Likewise, if you have received credit for HIST 111 or HIST 112, you cannot take HIST 211 or HIST 212.

POLS - Political Science

POLS 101 - American National Government
POLS 141 - Contemporary Political Ideologies
POLS 231 - International Relations

PSYC -Psychology

PSYC 101 - General Psychology

SOC - Sociology

SOC 101 - Introduction to Sociology
SOC 102 - Social Problems
SOC 230 - Introduction to Multiethnic Studies

SOCWRK - Social Work

SOCWRK 101 - Introduction to Social Welfare

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Area III: Natural Science and Mathematics

BIOL - Biology

BIOL 100 - Concepts of Biology
BIOL 107 - Concepts of Human Biology
BIOL 109 - Plants and Society (BOT 109)
BIOL 191, 192 - General Biology I and II
BIOL 227, 228 - Human Anatomy and Physiology

CHEM - Chemistry

CHEM 100 - Concepts of Chemistry
CHEM 101 102 - Essentials of Chemistry I and II
CHEM 111, 112 - General Chemistry I and II
CHEM 115 - Materials Science Chemistry

If you receive credit for CHEM 102, Essentials of Chemistry or CHEM 112, College Chemistry, you cannot count CHEM 100, Concepts of Chemistry, toward the core requirements.

ENGR - Engineering

ENGR 100 - Energy for Society

GEOS - Geosciences

GEOS 100 - Fundamentals of Geology
GEOS 101 - Physical Geology
GEOS 102 - Historical Geology

If you have earned credits in a geology course other than GEOS 100, Fundamentals of Geology, you cannot enroll in GEOS 100. In addition, you cannot enroll in GEOS 100 if you are an earth science major planning to take an 8-hour sequence in geology or a non-science major planning to take an 8-hour sequence in geology.

MATH - Mathematics

Selecting an appropriate MATH course

MATH 124 - Introduction to Mathematical Thought
MATH 130 - Finite Mathematics
MATH 143 - College Algebra
MATH 147 - Precalculus
MATH 160 - Survey of Calculus
MATH 170 - Calculus I
MATH 175 - Calculus II
MATH 187 - Discrete and Foundational Mathematics I
MATH 254 - Applied Statistics with Computers
MATH 257 - Geometry and Probability for Teachers

PHYS - Physics

PHYS 100 - Foundations of Physics
PHYS 101 - Introduction to Physics
PHYS 104 - Planets and Astrobiology
PHYS 105 - Stars and Cosmology
PHYS 111, 112 -General Physics
PHYS 211 - Physics I with Calculus and Lab
PHYS 212 - Physics II with Calculus and Lab

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This web page was last updated March 2007