State Docs
Here you will find the core curricula and other documents from higher education systems outside of Georgia. A core curriculum is listed only if it is a state-wide core that applies to community colleges and universities. Corrections and indications of relevant documents from other states are encouraged. Send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Alabama
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Written Composition, 6 hours
Humanities and Fine Arts, 12 hours
Natural Sci and Mathematics 11 hours
History and Social Sciences, 12 hours
Total, 41 hours
Alaska
No state core found.
Arizona
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Freshman Composition, 6 hours
Mathematics, 3 hours
Arts and Humanities, 6-9 hours
Social & Behavioral Sci, 6-9 hours
Physical & Biological Sci, 8 hours
Options, 0-6 hours
Total, 35 hours, note 1
Note 1: Institutions may vary the courses with in the parameters above but each core must be 35 hours.
Arkansas
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
English Composition, 6 hours
Speech Communication, 0-3
Math, 3 hours
Science, 8 hours
Fine Arts/Humanities, 6-9 hours
US History/Government, 3 hours
Other Social Science, 6-9 hours
Total, 35 hours
California
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
English Comm & CT, 9 hours
Science & Math, 12 hours
Arts & Humanities, 12 hours
Social Sciences, 12 hours
Life-Long Learning, 3 hours
Total, 48 hours
Colorado
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Communication, 6 hours
Mathematics, 3 hours
Arts and Humanities, 6 hours
History, 3 hours
Social and Behavioral Sci, 3 hours
Additional Arts, Humanities, or Soc Sci, 3 hours, selected by institution
Natural and Physical Sci, 7 hours
Total, 31 hours
Connecticut
No state core found.
Delaware
No state core found.
Florida
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Requires all institutions to have a 36 hour core but individual institutions design those 36 hours. If a student completes the 36 hours at one institution, the core must be considered completed at all institutions.
Hawaii
No state core found.
Idaho
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Communications, 2 hours
English Comp, 6 hours
Social Sci, 6 hours
Humanities, Fine Arts & For Lang, 6 hours
Natural Sci, 7 hours
Math, 3 hours
Total, 30 hours
Indiana
No state core found.
Illinois
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Communication, 9 hours
Math, 3 or 6 hours, depends on the major
Phys and Life Sciences, 7 or 8 hours
Humanities and Fine Arts, 9 hours
Soc/Beh Sciences, 9 hours
Total, 37-41 hours
Iowa
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Non-Science Majors
Communications, 8 hours
Humanities, 8 hours
Mathematics and Science, 8 hours
Social Science, 8 hours
Distributed requirement, 8 hours, note 1
Total, 40 hours, note 2
Science Majors
Communications, 8 hours
Humanities and Soc Sci, 8 hours
Math and Sci, 20 hours
Distributed requirement, 4 hours, note 1
Total, 40 hours, note 2
Note 1: Additional hours selected from the four divisions
Note 2: A foreign language course may also be required if the institution wishes.
Kansas
No state core found.
Kentucky
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Communications, 9 hours
Humanities, 6 hours
Math, 3 hours
Natural Sci, 6 hours
Social Sci, 9 hours
Institutional specific, 12 hours
Total, 48 hours
Louisiana
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
English, 6 hours
Math, 6 hours
Natural Sci, 9 hours
Humanities, 9 hours
Fine Arts, 3 hours
Social Sci, 6 hours
Total, 39 hours
Maine
No state core found.
Maryland
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
English Comp, 3 hours
Math, 3 hours
Arts & Humanities, 6 hours
Social Sciences, 6 hours
Natural Sciences, 6 hours
Interdisciplinary Issues, 8 hours, note 1
Additional Credits, 8-22 hours from Arts, Humanities, Social Sci or Nat Sci, institutionally specified
Total, 40-46, note 2
Note 1: Institutions are not required to offer these but are required to give credit for them to transfer students
Note 2: Institutions are not allowed to have more than 46 hours in their cores.
Massachusetts
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
English Composition, 6 hours
Behavioral/Social Science, 9 hours
Humanities and Fine Arts, 9 hours
Natural or Physical Science, 8 hours
Mathematics, 3 hours
Additional hours, 25 hours
Total, 60
Michigan
No state core found.
Minnesota
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Communications, 9-10 hours
Natural Sciences, 7-8 hours
Math and Logical Reasoning, 3-5 hours
History & Social Sciences, 9-12 hours
Humanities & Fine Arts, 9-12 hours
Human Diversity, 3 hours
Global Perspectives, 3 hours
Ethics & Civic Responsibility, 3 hours
People & Environment, 3 hours
Total, at least 40 hours
For example, the University of Minnesota has a 44 hour core.
Mississippi
No state core found.
Missouri
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
State requires all public institutions to have a 42 hour core.
Montana
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Natural Science, 6 hours, at least one of the classes must have a lab,
Social Sciences/History, 3 hours
Mathematics, 3 hours
Communication, 6 hours, written and oral, ,
Humanities/Fine Arts, 6 hours
Cultural Diversity, 3 hours
Total, 30 hours
Nebraska
No state core found.
Nevada
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
English, 6 hours
Math, 3 hours
Natural Science, 3 hours
Social Science, 3 hours
US & Nevada Constitution, 1-4 hours
Total, 16-19 hours
New Hampshire
No state core found.
New Jersey
No state core found.
New Mexico
No state core found.
New York
No state core found.
North Carolina
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
English Composition, 6 hours
Humanities/Fine Arts, 9-12 hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences, 9-12 hours
Natural Sciences/Math, 14-20 hours
Total, 44 hours
The system requires every institution to have a core of 44 hours. They may develop them within the ranges above. Natural sciences majors require fewer hours in Humanities/Fine Arts and Social/Behavior Sciences and more hours in natural sciences and math.
North Dakota
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Communications, 9 hours
Arts & Humanities, 6 hours
Social Sciences, 6 hours
Math, Science & Tech, 9 hours
Institutional Specific, 6 hours
Total, 36 hours
Ohio
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
English Comp, 3 hours
Math, 3 hours
Arts/Humanities, 6 hours
Social/Beh Sciences, 6 hours
Natural Sciences, 6 hours
Additional hours, 12-16 hours, chosen by institutions
Total, 36-40 hours
b. Ohio Board of Regents Guidelines for core courses.
Oklahoma
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
English Composition, 6 hours
U.S. History and U.S. Govt, 6 hours
Science, 6 hours
Humanities, 6 hours
Mathematics, 3 hours
Social sci, lang, fine arts, 3 hours
Arts and science courses, 10 hours
Total, 40 hours
Oregon
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Foundational Skills, 12-13 hours, 6 writing, 3-4 math, 3 oral comm
Arts & Letters, 9 hours,
Social Sciences, 9 hours
Science/Math/Comp Sci, 12 hours
Campus Elective, 3 hours
Total, 45-46 hours
Pennsylvania
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
4-year institutions are generally required to accept 45 general education credits and/or liberal arts credits from 2-year institutions. But there is wiggle room.
“It is the intent of this policy that credits earned by a community college student as part of a qualifying degree program should be accepted and applied towards completion of the baccalaureate degree. It is recognized that in certain circumstances, such as a change in major or intended program of study, it may not be possible to apply all credits earned at the community college to the four-year degree; however, absent legitimate academic reasons, the intent of this policy is to make full and complete use of credits earned in a qualified A.A. or A.S. degree program.”
There do not appear to be any system-level rules about the distribution of these 45 hours.
Rhode Island
No state core found.
South Carolina
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
English, 6 hours
Numerical/Analytical Reasoning, 6 hours
Liberal Arts, 12 hours
Natural Sciences, 7 hours
Foreign Languages, 3 hours but students may test out
Total, 31-34 hours
South Dakota
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Writing, 6 hours
Communication, 3 hours
Social Sciences, 6 hours
Arts & Humanities, 6 hours
Math, 3 hours
Natural Sciences, 6 hours
Information Literacy, 9 hours
Total, 39 hours
Tennessee
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
Communication, 9 hours
Humanities andFine Arts 9 hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 6 hours
History, 6 hours
Natural Sciences, 8 hours
Mathematics, 3 hours
Total, 41 hours
Texas
No state core found.
Utah
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
English Composition, 6 hours
Quantitative Literacy, 3 hours
American Institutions, 3 hours
Gen Ed Breadth Requirement, 18- 27 hours, note 1
Total, 30-39 hours
Note 1: "These courses shall be in the areas of fine arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, life sciences, physical sciences, and other areas deemed appropriate at individual USHE institutions.”
Vermont
No state core found.
Virginia
No state core found.
Washington
No state core found.
West Virginia
a. Core Curriculum Web Site
English Composition, 6 hours
Communication and Lit, 6 hours
Mathematics, 3-5 hours
Natural Science, 8-10 hours
Social Science, 9 hours
Total, 32-36 hours
Wisconsin
No state core found.
Wyoming
No state core found.