What Classes Are You Required To Take In College

Why Is General Education Required

Schools want their graduates to well rounded in their education. They require these general education courses to help students gain a well rounded education which they hope will serve you throughout your life after graduation.

These classes are also a great opportunity for you to try out different things to see if you like them. Some people dont decide on their major until after they have taken a really great general education class.

General education courses also afford students the opportunity of expanding their chosen field of study to gain an emphasis in a related aspect of their chosen majors. For example an English Major can take some great in-depth general education classes on poetry. Or an Engineering Major could take general education courses on bio-mechanics.

The Departmental Concentration Or Major

All Columbia College students must complete either a concentration or a major in order to experience sustained and advanced work in a field of special interest, often entailing individual research. Individual concentrations and majors are described in the departmental sections of this Bulletin . A concentration consists of intensive study in one academic program achieved by fulfilling a series of requirements a major provides even more depth through additional coursework and possibly a senior capstone experience such as a thesis.

The choice of a concentration versus a major depends on the particular aims and needs of a student, as well as on the offerings of the particular department in which a student wishes to study. The concentration and the major are not designed to produce professionally trained specialists for one profession or another. In fact, students often pursue careers that are not dependent on the specific content of their concentrations or majors. A Columbia College liberal arts education – through the breadth of the Core Curriculum and the depth of the concentration or major – will provide students with the knowledge and skills that will serve them well throughout their professional and personal lives.

Students should carefully read the requirements for their proposed concentration or major and direct questions to the relevant director of undergraduate studies . For example:

Interdisciplinary and Interdepartmental Majors and Concentrations

What Should I Avoid When Choosing General Education Courses

Your school may require you to fulfill general education requirements that you know will not interest you or advance your career in any way. When you encounter these types of situations, take the easiest class you possibly can.

For example, if you know you will not be going into a fine arts major and your school requires a fine arts general course, then pick the fine arts course that will be the simplest to complete for you. There is no reason to bog down your already busy schedule with a class that is more difficult than necessary.

Recommended Reading: How To Raise Money For College Tuition

Taking Community College Classes In High School: A Guide

Are you a high school student who is interested in taking classes at a community college? Community college classes can be a great way for high school students to take more challenging courses and prepare for college.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about community college classes for high school students: the benefits of taking community college classes in high school, when to take them, and how you can start getting enrolled.

Sample College Requirements For Admissions

The table below shows minimum course recommendations for a sampling of different types of selective colleges. Always keep in mind that the “minimum” simply means you won’t be disqualified immediately. The strongest applicants typically exceed the minimum requirements.

In general, it isn’t difficult to meet these requirements if you put in a little effort as you plan your high school courses with your guidance counselor. The bigger challenge is for students applying to highly selective schools that want to see high school coursework that goes well beyond minimum core requirements.

Always keep in mind that your high school record is the most important part of your college application. When selecting classes, you may be handicapping yourself on the college admissions front if you take the easy path.

Read Also: How To Choose An Online College

Preparing For College: Your Freshman Year Schedule

Learn what your schedule might look like for freshman year if youre serious about preparing for college.

Your first year of high school is an excellent time to begin preparation for college. It may seem early, but choosing a class schedule focused on college preparation will help you lay a good foundation no matter what your final college plans are.

An example: there are several subjects colleges will want you to study all four years of high school, such as math, English, history, science and possibly even a foreign language. Many of these classes will be required by your high school. But there are also some choices you can make.

There is no such thing as the perfect schedule. There are many routes to college, and your high school can surely offer guidance.

If youre serious about college planning, which classes should you be taking freshman year?

Here are some suggestions for what a freshman year schedule might include in order to prepare for the rigors and expectations of college.

Benefit #: You’ll Be Better Prepared For College

If you are concerned about college or simply want to be better prepared when you set foot on campus, taking classes at a community college is a great way to introduce yourself to the rigor of college-level classes.

College classes, even at community colleges, are usually more difficult and faster-paced than high school classes, and by taking one or more in high school, you can be better prepared for university classes. This will likely help you get better grades and feel less stressed as a college student.

Want to build the best possible college application?

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world’s best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We’ve overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Don’t Miss: Can I Join The Airforce And Go To College

Take Advantage Of Your Interests And Strengths

When you take a class that appeals to your interests and strengths, it typically contributes to a better learning experience. Also consider electives that will build or increase a specific skill set. For example, if you are pursuing a business degree, why not take a public speaking course? Developing your presentation skills would be a smart career move if you are pursing a leadership role in business.

The Community College Option

Community Colleges are a great, affordable way to further your education because you can take all of your general education classes and then transfer to a four-year university. This is an excellent option because general education courses are often easily transferable to other schools. This way you can take them at a lower cost per credit, and take the classes for your major at the four-year institution.

Also Check: Cheapest Colleges In Colorado Out Of-state Tuition

Special Registration Categories For Graduate And Professional Students

Maintaining active status is critical and is required in order to participate in the University community as a graduate student. If you are not registered every fall and spring term, you will be considered to have withdrawn and your student record deactivated . Confer with your advisor and/or director of graduate studies to determine what you should register for each term. If you have completed your coursework, you may be eligible for one of the special registration categories available to graduate and professional students.

Benefit #: You Can Take More Advanced Classes

If your high school doesn’t offer certain advanced classes, taking them at a community college can be a great way to strengthen your transcript. If your high school doesn’t offer many or even any AP classes, you may be concerned that your school’s lack of challenging classes will put you behind other students when applying to and starting college.

You may also be particularly strong in a certain subject and want to take an advanced course in it, either because you have taken all your high school’s classes in that subject, or they are not challenging enough for you. At my high school, each year, several students who had taken AP Calculus as juniors would take Calculus III at the local community college to gain more math skills and be better prepared for college math classes.

Taking these classes at a community college while you are still in high school can help prepare you for college classes and possibly allow you to skip some introductory classes once you get to college.

Recommended Reading: Colleges That Are Still Accepting Applications

Frequently Asked Questions Below

General Transfer Question

How Does Your Course Rigor Impact Your College Chances

The short answer is yes, your course rigor absolutely impacts your college chances. Admissions officers want to see students taking the most challenging course load available to them because it means they are both willing and prepared to meet the demands of a rigorous college curriculum.

That said, you dont necessarily need to take the hardest math classes at your school if theyre not relevant to your intended major, for instance, English. Still, you should have a challenging course load, full of other AP, IB, and/or honors classes in your stronger subject areas that align with your program of interest. You should also make sure youve met the requirements or recommendations for admission to given colleges.

Keep in mind that many selective schools use the Academic Index to weed out applicants who dont meet their academic minimum requirements. This figure takes into account your GPA and standardized tests scores. While it doesnt factor in the rigor of your courses or specific courses themselves, if you do take advanced courses, youll usually receive extra credit in terms of points on your GPA. This will improve your AI.

Curious how your course load, GPA, and other factors influence your chances of admission to top schools? Use CollegeVines chancing engine to find out. This free tool will estimate your real odds of getting into top schools across the country using your information, plus give you tips on how to improve your profile.

Recommended Reading: Cape Fear Community College Transcript

How Long Is A College Theology Degree

The Bachelor of Theology degree is awarded after the completion of study of theological disciplines, usually taking between 3 and 5 years. Through academic study, the Bachelor of Theology provides students with culturally relevant ministry, ministerial training, and spiritual and professional formation.

What Are General Education Courses

General education courses are classes in specific categories that meet specific criteria. These categories are your schools general education requirements.

General education requirements are categories of knowledge your school requires you to gain a working knowledge of before you graduate. These categories are usually things like fine arts, behavioral science, world studies, and communication.

Read Also: What Schools Offer Mortuary Science

New General Education Requirements For Students Entering Beginning Fall 2010

Complete list of Courses That Fulfill General Education Requuirements

Beginning in fall 2010, all new students will be required to fulfill a new set of guidelines for general education requirements that were approved by the UCSC Academic Senate in 2009. Continuing students and transfer students may opt to change to the new requirements or fulfill the previous general education requirements. See Catalog Rights for more information. Contact your college adviser if you have questions.

The general education requirements are meant to accomplish several goals:

• Provide students with a base of knowledge and skills that future learning can build on.

• Expose students to a broad range of disciplines and methodologies, to better prepare them for a world of complex problems and rapid changes.

• Enhance the abilities of students to approach problems in appropriately analytical ways.

• Prepare students to function as responsible and informed participants in civic life, considering pressing societal issues productively and from a variety of perspectives.

Perspectives :

Practice :

How Many Math Classes Are Required

The number and type of math classes required varies from high school to high school and college to college.

For example, New York State requires six math credits , which must include at least two credits beyond Algebra I, for graduation. Meanwhile, California mandates two years of math, including Algebra I. In Florida, students must complete four math credits , including Algebra I and Geometry. Certifications that lead to college credit or computer science may substitute for up to two credits, other than Algebra I and Geometry.

Many colleges require a specific number of math courses for admission, while others recommend them. At Cornell, for example, four years of math are required for all schools other than Arts & Sciences and Architecture, Art, and Planning , which require three years.

The University of Virginia , on the other hand, stipulates three years of math, including Algebra I and II and one course to be chosen from Geometry, Advanced Algebra & Trigonometry, Calculus, or a related course.

Colgate University, meanwhile, doesnt have any math requirements for admission. However, according to the liberal arts school, most accepted students have completed four years of math.

Recommended Reading: Colleges That Accept A 2.0 Gpa

Women And Infant Health

Women and infant health covers womens health, reproductive health, pregnancy, delivery, and infant development. Nursing school classes in this subject emphasize the nurses role in patient education and communication, as well as their role in providing direct nursing care. Generally, this is a foundational course that students take earlier in their nursing school curriculum. Some schools offer this topic in two courses, one in reproductive health and the other in infant health.

This foundational course covers general nursing concepts, as well as preparing nurses who specialize in women and infant health for advanced courses. These courses can include pediatrics, gynecology, or obstetric nursing.

Additional Opportunity For Admissions

Florida offers an additional opportunity for admissions to a state university for students who do not meet the minimum requirements.

• The Talented Twenty Program is a state university admissions category that guarantees you admission into a state university if you:
• Graduate with a standard diploma from a Florida public high school
• Rank in the top 20% of your graduating class
• Complete all 18 college prep credits required for state university admission
• Take the ACT or SAT
• Be eligible for college-level coursework in all areas (i.e., Meet Board of Governors college level competency per Board Regulation 6.008

Florida colleges and universities award more than 50,000 bachelor’s degrees every year. One of them could be yours.

Also Check: College With Lowest Sat Scores

Do You Know How To Improve Your Profile For College Applications

See how your profile ranks among thousands of other students using CollegeVine. Calculate your chances at your dream schools and learn what areas you need to improve right now it only takes 3 minutes and it’s 100% free.

• How Does Your Course Rigor Impact Your College Chances?

For some high school students, math is the bane of their existence. Others love numbers, logic, and how they can apply mathematical concepts to the real world.

But no matter which category you fall into, youll have to deal with math classes in high school. That said, not everyone has to take all the math classes available or reach the same levels.

Which math classes are common in high school curricula? And which ones do you actually need to take? Keep reading to find out.