University Studies Program

The University Studies Program at UNCW encourages students to begin a life-long journey of engaged inquiry and societal contribution. As a consciously integrated component of each student’s overall educational experience, the program reflects our institution’s fundamental commitment to fostering ethical and intellectual development and to promoting the growth of well-informed, creative, literate members of society. The University Studies Program first establishes the basis of an essential liberal education through a multi-faceted exploration of our diverse intellectual heritage. As it extends through each student’s educational career, the University Studies Program builds upon this foundation through a course of study designed to cultivate the skills and capacities students require to respond to and anticipate the complexities of modern citizenship in an inclusive and creative manner.

Students who meet the requirements of the University Studies program will:

Goal 1.	Acquire foundational knowledge, theories and perspectives in a variety of disciplines (Foundational Knowledge);
Goal 2.	Engage in rigorous, open-minded and imaginative inquiry (Inquiry);
Goal 3.	Locate, evaluate, and effectively use information by applying a variety of academic and technological skills (Information Literacy);
Goal 4.	Integrate multiple methods and perspectives to critically examine complex problems (Critical Thinking);
Goal 5.	Effectively express meaningful ideas in speech and writing (Thoughtful Expression);
Goal 6.	Demonstrate basic proficiency in speaking, listening, writing and reading in a language in addition to English (Foreign Language);
Goal 7.	Describe and examine the importance and implications of human diversity (Diversity);
Goal 8.	Describe and examine the intellectual and ethical responsibilities of active global citizenship (Global Citizenship).

University Studies Curriculum

University Studies

Categories in this section include:

University Studies Requirements
Curriculum Categories
Waiver of Requirements
Required Physical Education
Transfer Students and University Studies

University Studies Requirements:

Any courses added to University Studies during and after a student’s catalogue year are eligible to fulfill University Studies requirements. If a student takes a course before its addition to University Studies, the course may not automatically fulfill University Studies requirements. Transfer courses fulfill University Studies requirements based on the date of their catalogue year.

Curriculum Categories:

The Core Curriculum

I. Foundations

II. Approaches and Perspectives

Other Requirements

III. Building Competencies

IV. Explorations Beyond the Classroom

V. Critical Reasoning

Waiver of Requirements:

English:

Students who have not qualified for advanced placement but who because of special circumstances may have writing competencies equal or superior to those required in ENG 101 , ENG 103 , or ENG 201 may present evidence of these writing competencies to the chairperson of the Department of English and request a waiver. At the chair’s discretion, either or both requirements may be waived. This waiver does not grant academic credit.

First-Year Seminar

Students who meet any of the following conditions will be waived from the UNI 101 requirement:

Transfer students.
Re-enrolling students who have returned and have 27 hours of academic credit (UNCW and transfer credit).
The Director of Center for Academic Advising will determine if an academically ineligible re-instated student needs to meet this requirement.

Mathematics:

Students who have not qualified for advanced placement but who may have competencies equal or superior to those required for successful completion of MAT 151 or MAT 161 may, at the discretion of the chairperson of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, take a waiver examination for either of these courses. An acceptable score on this exam waives the requirement that one of the introductory mathematics courses be taken. This waiver does not grant academic credit.

Lifetime Wellness:

Students who meet either of the following conditions will be waived from the Lifetime Wellness requirement: 1.) Current military personnel or veterans who have served two or more years active duty; and 2.) students who are 55 year of age or greater.

Students with Existing Degrees:

For students who already possess an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university, including UNCW, the dean of Undergraduate Studies (or her/his designee), after consultation with the chair(s) of the academic unit(s) through which the student is pursuing the second degree, will determine the extent to which the previous course work meets the spirit of UNCW’s current University Studies requirements and will determine any remaining requirements to be completed.

Students who are transferring to UNCW for a second baccalaureate after having earned a baccalaureate at any UNC institution with a general education requirement will be given a waiver for the following University Studies requirements: First Year Seminar, Composition; Lifetime Wellness; Mathematics and Statistics; Aesthetic, Interpretive, & Literary Perspectives; Historical and Philosophical Approaches; Scientific Approaches to the Natural World; and Understanding Human Institutions and Behaviors. For the foreign language requirement, all students should first consult with the dean of the College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts.

Required Physical Activity as part of the Lifetime Wellness requirement:

As part of the Lifetime Wellness requirement you will be required to participate in physical activity. If you have health concerns about participating in physical activity, it is strongly encouraged you visit a health care provider before the start of the course for medical clearance. At the start of the course, you will be directed to complete a Physical Activity Readiness Form and if indicated, a Follow Up and Medical Clearance Form. Any modifications recommended by your health care provider will be met through WPAL and will not adversely affect your grade. Additional support can be found through Disability Resource Center.

Transfer Students and University Studies

North Carolina Community College transfer students, who have earned an AA or AS degree meeting the requirements of the North Carolina Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA) will receive a waiver of Foundations and Approaches & Perspectives requirements with the exception of PE; foreign language; and 3 credits from Living in Our Diverse Nation or Living in a Global Society. They will also receive a waiver of 3 credits each of Writing Intensive, Information Literacy and Critical Reasoning competency requirements. AS and AA degree-holding transfer students will be held to all other University Studies requirements. All other transfer students will be held to University Studies in its entirety, with the exception of First Year Seminar.

University Studies includes both lower division general education components and graduation requirements related to the major. For those articulation agreements specifying transfer of lower division general education requirements, lower division general education components of University Studies include: Foundations, Approaches & Perspectives (only 3 credits of Living in Our Global Society or Living in Our Diverse Nation may apply as lower division credit), 3 credits of Critical Reasoning, 3 credits of Writing Intensive Competency, and 3 credits of Information Literacy Competency. Note that other credit meeting University Studies requirements may transfer on a course-by-course basis and some courses may be exempted by specific agreements (e.g. lifetime wellness and foreign language requirements by the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement).