The University System of Georgia core curriculum, Core IMPACTS, is designed to ensure that students acquire essential knowledge in foundational academic areas and develop career-ready competencies. Core IMPACTS contains 42 hours of coursework arranged in seven areas:
- Institutional Priority
- Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning
- Political Science and U.S. History,
- Arts, Humanities and Ethics
- Communicating in Writing
- Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences
- Social Sciences
System-wide Orienting Questions, Learning Outcomes, and Career-Ready Competencies have been developed for each Core IMPACTS area. The curriculum was designed to facilitate transfer of credit among institutions of the University System of Georgia.
Students are strongly encouraged to fulfill Core IMPACTS requirements with courses that are recommended or required for their pathway/major. Choosing courses that are not appropriate for the pathway/major in Core IMPACTS may result in unmet prerequisites for degree completion, despite having met Core IMPACTS requirements. This is particularly important for students majoring in the Health Professions and STEM disciplines.
Institutional Priority (4-5 hours)
Orienting Question
How does my institution help me to navigate the world?
Learning Outcome
Students will demonstrate the ability to think critically and solve problems related to academic priorities at their institution.
Career-Ready Competencies
- Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative approaches to solving problems and making decisions.
- Teamwork: Building and maintaining collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.
- Time Management: Prioritizing and structuring tasks and resources to achieve an effective use of time while performing goal-directed activities.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Institutional Priority | ||
| Choose one course: | 2-3 | |
| Human Communication | ||
| Public Speaking | ||
| Choose one course: | 2 | |
| Special Topics: Humanities | ||
| Special Topics: Mathematics | ||
| Special Topics: Science | ||
| Special Topics: Social Science | ||
Mathematics & Quantitative Skills (3 hours)
Orienting Question
How do I measure the world?
Learning Outcome
Students will apply mathematical and computational knowledge to interpret, evaluate, and communicate quantitative information using verbal, numerical, graphical, or symbolic forms.
Career-Ready Competencies
- Information Literacy: Recognizing when information is needed, and locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and effectively using the needed information, while appropriately crediting the original source of information.
- Inquiry and Analysis: Exploring the world, and supporting informed conclusions through the collection, evaluation, and use of relevant evidence.
- Problem-Solving: Designing, evaluating, and implementing strategies to solve problems using data, knowledge, and facts.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics & Quantative Skills | ||
| Choose one course: | 3-4 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Introduction to Mathematical Modeling | ||
| College Algebra | ||
| Precalculus | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Calculus I | ||
The choice of an appropriate mathematics course can have important consequences for student progression. Students who take a course in the Mathematics area other than the recommended math course for their pathway/major may later have to take additional mathematics courses outside of the Core IMPACTS requirement to meet mathematics requirements for their pathway/major.
Non-STEM and Business: Students should consult mathematics recommendations for various disciplines at https://www.usg.edu/curriculum/mathematics_pathways.
STEM: Students should take MATH 1113.
Engineering: Students should take MATH 2261.
Four credit hour courses taken in this area will yield an extra credit hour that may be applied to the Field of Study area or general degree requirements outside of the Core IMPACTS framework.
Political Science & U.S. History (6 hours)
Orienting Question
How do I prepare for my responsibilities as an engaged citizen?
Learning Outcome
Student will demonstrate knowledge of the history of the United States, the history of Georgia, and the provisions and principles of the United States Constitution and the Constitution of Georgia.
Career-Ready Competencies
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative approaches to solving problems and making decisions.
Intercultural Competence: Developing knowledge, skills, and behaviors that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts.
Persuasion: Using messages that are intentionally designed to appeal to another's reason, emotions, or both, in order to enact change.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Political Science & U.S. History | ||
| Required: | 3 | |
| American Government | ||
| Choose one course: | 3 | |
| American History I | ||
| American History II | ||
Arts, Humanities & Ethics (6 hours)
Orienting Question:
How do I interpret the human experience through creative, linguistic, and philosophical works?
Learning Outcome
Students will effectively analyze and interpret the meaning, cultural significance, and ethical implications of literary/philosophical texts or of works in the visual/performing arts.
Career-Ready Competencies
Ethical Reasoning: Assessing one's own ethical values, recognizing ethical issues in a variety of settings, thinking about how different perspectives might apply to ethical dilemmas, and considering the ramifications of alternative actions.
Information Literacy: Recognizing when information is needed, and locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and effectively using the needed information, while appropriately crediting the original source of information.
Intercultural Competence: Developing knowledge, skills, and behaviors that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Arts, Humanities, & Ethics | ||
| Choose one course: | 3 | |
| World Literature | ||
| British Literature | ||
| American Literature | ||
| Latino Literature | ||
| African-American Literature | ||
| Choose one course: | 3 | |
| Art Appreciation | ||
| Art History to the Renaissance | ||
| Art History, Renaissance to the Present | ||
| Humanities in Drama | ||
| World Literature | ||
| British Literature | ||
| American Literature | ||
| African-American Literature | ||
| Latino Literature | ||
| Film Appreciation | ||
| History of Motion Pictures | ||
| Studies In Humanities | ||
| Music Appreciation | ||
| Introduction to Philosophy | ||
| Introduction to Religion | ||
| Elementary Spanish I | ||
| Elementary Spanish II | ||
| Intermediate Spanish I | ||
| Intermediate Spanish II | ||
| Theater Appreciation | ||
Communicating in Writing (6 hours)
Orienting Question
How do I write effectively in different contexts?
Learning Outcomes
- Students will communicate effectively in writing, demonstrating clear organization and structure, using appropriate grammar and writing conventions.
- Students will appropriately acknowledge the use of materials from original sources.
- Student will adapt their written communications to purpose and audience.
- Student will analyze and draw informed inferences from written texts.
Career-Ready Competencies
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative approaches to solving problems and making decisions.
Information Literacy: Recognizing when information is needed, and locating, evaluating, synthesizing, and effectively using the needed information, while appropriately crediting the original source of information.
Persuasion: Using messages that intentionally designed to appeal to another's reason, emotions, or both, in order to enact change.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Communication in Writing | ||
| Required: | 6 | |
| English Composition I | ||
| English Composition II | ||
Technology, Mathematics, & Sciences (STEM) (10 hours)
Orienting Question
How do I ask scientific questions or use data, mathematics, or technology to understand the universe?
Learning Outcome
Students will use the scientific method and laboratory procedures or mathematical and computational methods to analyze data, solve problems, and explain natural phenomena.
Career-Ready Competencies
Inquiry and Analysis: Exploring the world, and supporting informed conclusions through the collection, evaluation, and use of relevant evidence.
Problem-Solving: Designing, evaluating, and implementing strategies to solve problems using data, knowledge, and facts.
Teamwork: Building and maintaining collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Technology, Sciences, & Mathematics | ||
| Choose two courses (one course must include a laboratory): | 7-8 | |
Courses with a "K" include a lab. | ||
| Introduction to the Universe | ||
| Astronomy of the Solar System | ||
| Stellar and Galactic Astronomy | ||
| Introduction to Biology I and Introduction to Biology I Lab | ||
| Introduction to Biology II and Introduction to Biology II Lab | ||
| Plants, Society, and the Environment | ||
| Principles of Biology I and Principles of Biology I Lab | ||
| Principles of Biology II and Principles of Biology II Lab | ||
| General Zoology | ||
| Principles of Nutrition | ||
| Survey of Chemistry I | ||
| Survey of Chemistry II | ||
| Principles of Chemistry I and Principles of Chemistry II Lab | ||
| Principles of Chemistry II and Principles of Chemistry II Lab | ||
| Environmental Science I | ||
| Environmental Science II (lect | ||
| Science in Society | ||
| Physical Geology | ||
| Historical Geology | ||
| Physical Science I | ||
| Physical Science II | ||
| Introductory Physics I | ||
| Introductory Physics II | ||
| Principles of Physics I | ||
| Principles of Physics II | ||
| Choose one course: | 3 | |
| Logic and Design | ||
| Introduction to Data Science | ||
| Precalculus | ||
| Applied Calculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Calculus II | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| Elementary Statistics II | ||
The choice of appropriate courses in the STEM area can have important consequences for student progression. Students who take courses in the STEM area other than the recommended courses for their pathway/major may later have to take additional courses outside of the Core IMPACTS requirement to requirements for their pathway/major.
Non-STEM and Business: Students may take any two science courses offered in this area, but one course must include a laboratory.
Health Professions, including Nursing and Dental Hygiene: Students should take one of the following two-semester science laboratory sequences in biology, chemistry, or physics.
BIOL 1010/BIOL 1010L & BIOL 1012/BIOL 1012L
BIOL 1107/BIOL 1107L & BIOL 1108/BIOL 1108L
CHEM 1211/CHEM 1211L & CHEM 1212/CHEM 1212L
STEM, including Engineering: Students should take one of the following two-semester science laboratory sequences designed for STEM majors.
BIOL 1107/BIOL 1107L & BIOL 1108/BIOL 1108L
CHEM 1211/CHEM 1211L & CHEM 1212/CHEM 1212L
STEM and Engineering students may also need a higher-level mathematics (above what was taken for the Mathematics requirement) in this area. Most students in STEM pathways/majors should take MATH 2261 in the STEM area, while students in the Engineering pathway should take MATH 2262.
Students taking 11-12 credit hours in this area may apply the additional credit to the Field of Study area or general degree requirements outside of the Core IMPACTS framework.
Social Sciences (6 hours)
Orienting Question
How do I understand human experiences and connections?
Learning Outcome
Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior, and how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change.
Career-Ready Competencies
Intercultural Competence: Developing knowledge, skills, and behaviors that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts.
Perspective-Taking: Considering perspectives other than one's own and allowing new information, differing opinions, and others' experiences to impress upon one's thinking, understanding, and appreciation of others.
Persuasion: Using messages that are intentionally designed to appeal another's reason, emotions, or both, in order to enact change.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Social Sciences | ||
| Choose one course: | 3 | |
| World Civilization to 1500 | ||
| World Civ Since 1500 | ||
| Western Civilization I | ||
| Western Civilization II | ||
| Choose one course: | 3 | |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| World Civilization to 1500 | ||
| World Civ Since 1500 | ||
| Western Civilization I | ||
| Western Civilization II | ||
| American History I | ||
| American History II | ||
| Minorities in U.S. History | ||
| Economic History | ||
| Introduction to Global Issues | ||
| Introduction to Domestic Issues | ||
| Introduction to General Psychology | ||
| Introduction to Religion | ||
| Introductory Sociology | ||
| Introduction to Social Problems | ||
Institutional Graduation Requirements
Transfer associate degrees and select bachelor's degrees require the completion of institutional requirements outside of the Core IMPACTS in physical education.
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Course numbers that end in "K" include a laboratory.