Candidates for degrees must show that they have met all general University requirements for such matters as registration and payment of fees and special requirements of the college or school in which they have been registered.
The Core Curriculum was established within the University System of Georgia as a means of facilitating the transfer of credit for students at the lower division level as they work toward baccalaureate degrees within University System colleges and universities. The various institutions within the University System, in establishing their core curricula, provide for (1) 60 semester credit hours of which a minimum of 42 are in general education and 18 in major-related courses; (2) assurances that all courses satisfactorily completed in the core curriculum of any unit of the University System will be acceptable and transferable to other units of the University System; and (3) the preservation of the maximum possible amount of institutional autonomy.
The UGA Core Curriculum includes:
For additional information, see General Education Curriculum.
ENGL 1101 and ENGL 1102 (English Composition) are required for all undergraduate degrees from the University of Georgia. A grade of C (2.0) or better is required for English 1101 and an average of 2.0 or better is required for both courses.
Transfer students not receiving freshman English credit for writing courses taken at other institutions should bring catalog descriptions of those courses for review to the Freshman English Office, 135 Park Hall.
Examinations on the Constitution of the United States and that of the state of Georgia are required of all persons receiving a baccalaureate degree from the University, including those transferring Political Science 1101 from institutions outside the state unless exempted by courses dealing with these constitutions.
Approved courses for exemption are as follows:
U.S. Constitution U.S. and Georgia ConstitutionContact University Testing Services for information. One re-examination is permitted. Students who fail both examinations must satisfy the requirement with course work.
A passing grade on an examination on the history of the United States and Georgia is required of all persons receiving a baccalaureate degree from the University unless exempted by one of the following courses: HIST 2111, HIST 2112, and HIST 3080H.
Contact University Testing Services (UTS) for an appointment. Reexamination is also permitted by appointment at UTS in Clark Howell Hall. Please visit testing.uga.edu for more information.
View the Programs page here.
All students who matriculate in fall 2002 and thereafter must comply with the University of Georgia Cultural Diversity Requirement. To see specific school/college requirements or the Cultural Diversity policy statement, click below.
School/College Cultural Diversity Requirements
All students who matriculate in fall 1993 and thereafter must attain knowledge of basic principles concerning environmental issues. This requirement may be satisfied by taking one course from a list of approved courses.
All first-year and transfer undergraduate students who matriculate fall semester 2016 and thereafter are required to complete at least one experiential learning activity before graduation. Experiential learning is the development of knowledge, skills, abilities, values, behaviors, and attitudes through first-hand experiences outside of the traditional classroom. View the policy here.
To see the courses and activities in each school and college that will fulfill the requirement, please visit https://el.uga.edu/experiences/find-experience/.
All first-year undergraduate students who matriculate fall semester 2011 and thereafter must successfully complete one First-Year Odyssey Seminar by the end of their first year in residence. This policy excludes transfer students. Additional information and a list of seminars are available online at www.fyo.uga.edu.
All students entering the University fall 1991, and thereafter, who matriculate for their first baccalaureate degree are required to pass one semester credit hour of basic physical education. This requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of any combination of basic physical education courses. Basic physical education courses are designated PEDB 1010-1990; courses for physical education majors (KINS) or health promotion and education majors (HPRB) will not satisfy the basic requirement. This requirement shall not apply for those entering a second or subsequent bachelor's degree program. The total number of credit hours in basic physical education courses that may be applied toward an undergraduate degree will be determined by individual schools and colleges; however, physical education courses designated PEDB 1010-1990 shall not be counted in the hours required for resident credit. Students entering the University prior to fall 1991 and who graduate fall 1991 or later may at their option choose whether they will be governed in their degree requirement by the basic physical education requirement at the time they matriculated or by the new requirement.
All students entering the University fall 1977 through summer 1991 who matriculate for their first baccalaureate degree are required to pass five quarter hours (or the semester equivalent) of basic physical education. This requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of any combination of basic physical education courses. Basic physical education courses are designated PEDB 1010-1990; courses for physical education majors (KINS) or health promotion and education majors (HPRB) will not satisfy the basic requirement. This requirement shall not apply for those entering a second or subsequent bachelor's degree program. The number of credit hours which may be applied toward an undergraduate degree will be determined by individual schools and colleges.
All baccalaureate degree candidates who entered the University prior to fall 1977 are required to satisfy six courses of basic physical education. Students entering the University with 60 semester hours or more credit will be considered to have met this requirement. Students transferring fewer than 60 semester hours will exempt one course in basic physical education for each fifteen hours of credit transferred. A maximum of six credit hours may be applied toward a degree.
The above requirements are applicable to all students except as follows:
Veterans: Veterans who have served 180 days or more may receive credit based on their military service, depending on date of matriculation. Veterans may receive no more credit for basic physical education courses than is required for a degree. To establish credit, veterans will be required to present a copy of their DD214 form to the Admissions Office.
Army and Air Force ROTC Participants: Students who have successfully completed the Army ROTC MILS 3010 with lab AND MILS 3020 with lab or the Air Force ROTC Field Training Encampment shall be considered to have met the basic physical education requirement, if they have not already satisfied it with basic physical education course work.
Students with a disability: Adapted physical education is available to facilitate the University physical education requirement for students with a disability. Policies with regard to physical education for students with a disability are as follows:
The Kinesiology Department is committed to fulfilling the physical education needs of all students. An adapted physical education program operates as a normal extension of the basic physical education program for students who, because of temporary or permanent disability or medical conditions, cannot participate in the mainstream physical education program. It is through the adapted physical education course (PEDB 1010) that, with few exceptions, all students are able to satisfy the basic physical education requirement. The coordinator of the basic physical education program will grant permission to register for the Adapted PE course based on a referral by the UGA Disability Resource Center (DRC). Students given permission to register for PEDB 1010 will be referred to the instructor to schedule an appointment to discuss an appropriate and individualized plan to fulfill the physical education requirement.
There are no exceptions to the physical education requirement for reasons of age, sex, or disability.
Candidates for first baccalaureate degrees who matriculate at UGA fall 2003 and thereafter must earn at least 45 of the last 60 semester credit hours in residence. In addition, 15 of the semester credit hours required for a student’s major must be earned in residence. (Some majors may require more than the minimum of 15 semester credit hours.)
Courses which are remedial in nature and are numbered less than 1000 and physical education courses designated PEDB 1010-1990 shall not be counted in satisfaction of this requirement.
Study Abroad: Students may receive resident credit for University-sponsored studies abroad programs for which course registration and fee payment are effected through the University.
Other University-approved academic programs: Students participating in a University-approved academic program, including the National Student Exchange (NSE), UGA international exchange programs, and approved study abroad programs, are exempt from the part of the residence requirement which requires that 45 of the last 60 semester credit hours must be completed in residence. In such cases, students need to complete 45 semester hours at the University of Georgia in order to satisfy the residence requirement.
Credit earned through programs sponsored by other institutions, organizations, or approved student exchange programs will be recorded as transfer credit. For more information on transferring credit from UGA international exchange programs and approved study abroad programs, please contact the Office of Global Engagement.
Students who present acceptable college credit earned before September 1960, or who completed their first baccalaureate degree at UGA and are enrolled for a second baccalaureate degree, may satisfy the resident requirement by completing in residence 30 semester hours in courses numbered 2000 and above with a cumulative average grade of 2.0 or better. Students who earned their first baccalaureate degree at another institution must complete 45 of the last 60 hours at UGA. Students enrolled in the combined B.S.-M.D. program with the Medical College of Georgia may satisfy the resident requirement at the University by completing 30 semester hours in residence in courses approved by the Dean of the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences.