The educational framework aims to establish a cohesive and unified core, serving as a foundational base for all majors and minors. It enhances students’ opportunities to pursue double majors or minors, facilitates smoother transitions for transfer students and allows for timely graduation. The system emphasizes flexibility, enabling students to explore diverse electives or follow themed Pathways throughout their undergraduate journey. Additionally, it incorporates college-managed advanced education requirements tailored to individual student, curricular and professional demands, ensuring a comprehensive and progressive core education.
FOUNDATIONAL CORE
- Legends 101 : One-hour UA requirement
- College specific courses: Hours vary
- Natural science with lab: 8-hours
- Math 110 or higher: 3-hours
- 3-hours must be history.
- 3-hours must be literature.
- World language requirements:
- One component of the general education is the demonstration of world language proficiency. This proficiency requirement can be satisfied in one of the following ways:
- Complete and pass a two-semester sequence of introductory language courses in a single world language (6-8 semester hours) at UA. Students may also transfer an equivalent sequence from another postsecondary institution, subject to the Undergraduate Transfer Credit Policy. In addition to satisfying the world language proficiency requirement, these courses will also count towards the fulfillment of the humanities/fine arts/literature/world language general education requirement.
- Complete and pass UA’s written composition sequence for non-native speakers of English, EN 120 and EN 121. Students who complete this sequence will fulfill both the world language and written composition requirement of the general education.
- Complete a world language placement exam at UA and place at the 200-level or above. Students placing into the second part of an introductory language sequence course (102) will satisfy the world language proficiency requirement after successfully completing the 102 course.
- Complete and pass two years of a world language in high school as documented on the official high school transcript.
- Meet the criteria to receive a Seal of Biliteracy.
- Complete an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science at a postsecondary institution that is fully accredited by one of the six agencies listed in the Undergraduate Transfer Credit Policy.
- One component of the general education is the demonstration of world language proficiency. This proficiency requirement can be satisfied in one of the following ways:
UPPER-DIVISION CORE
- Three semester hours in 300- and 400-level courses, preferably in the student’s major, approved for the writing designation. Read more.
Legends 101
Legends 101 is a new course designed to introduce incoming UA students to the university's academic culture, sparking their intellectual curiosity and fostering their development as scholars and academic citizens. This course is mandatory for all first-year and first-time transfer students under the Built by Bama General Education plan, starting in fall 2025.
Core Designation Templates
Core curriculum classes must meet standards approved by Core Curriculum Oversight Committee for each of the core curriculum subject areas (i.e. social behavioral, history, literature, etc.).
The standards for each subject area are provided below as guidance to faculty and staff. Faculty wishing to propose a new core course, or classification of an existing course as a core course, need to refer to the detailed workflows to determine the path in their college to getting approval.
Curriculum Governance by Faculty
Legacy Core Curriculum
