Gen Ed Program Requirements for Students Who Entered the UI Before Summer 2011

Revisions to the CLAS General Education Program were made for students entering the University of Iowa in summer 2011 or after. Students entering summer 2011 and after will find those requirements at this link. The correct requirements also appear on the student's degree audit.

All requirements in both GE Programs are the same except that the pre-summer 2011 GE Program requires students to complete a Humanities requirement (3 s.h.) and a Distributed requirement consisting of a minimum of 6 semester hours (chosen from two of the categories below) instead of the new International and Global Issues; Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts; and Values, Society, and Diversity categories.

All other requirements are the same. (Note: the Foreign Language requirement is now called World Languages in the new program, but the requirement itself  has not changed.)

Note  these important policies:

  • Students who reenter The University of Iowa after an absence of more than 12 months will be held to the GE requirements under which they first entered Iowa. If a student transfers within UI from another undergraduate college into CLAS, the date the student entered UI is still the date that determines the student's GE requirements.
  • Any student held to the older requirements may switch to the new requirements, but once making this choice may not move back to the older requirements. Students interested in switching should first discuss the choice with an advisor and then request the change in 120 Schaeffer Hall.

Distributed Category

Students entering UI before summer 2011 must complete at least 6  s.h. of distributed requirements, at least 3 s.h. from each of at 2 different categories listed below:

Humanities
Social Sciences
Foreign Civilization and Culture
Cultural Diversity
Fine Arts
Health & Physical Activity
Historical Perspectives

Humanities

All students must complete at least 3 s.h. of coursework in this area. Students may use a second 3 s.h. of coursework approved in this area to partially complete the Distributed General Education component of the General Education Program.

045:001 has been renamed "Understanding American Cultures." Students who have taken the course in the past under the old title should not retake the course.

Unless otherwise indicated, all courses are offered for 3 s.h.

01H:001 Art and Visual Culture
01H:002 Arts of Africa
01H:003 Art of Pre-Columbian America, Native America, and Oceania
01H:004 Masterpieces: Art and Cultural Paradigms
01H:066 Introduction to American Art
08C:001 Creative Writing Studio Workshop
08G:002 Biblical and Classical Literature
08G:003 Medieval and Renaissance Literature
08G:004 Heroes & Villains
08G:005/149:005 Literatures of Native American Peoples
08G:006 Fictions
08G:007 Poetry
08G:008 Drama
08G:009 American Lives
08G:011 Literature and Sexualities
08G:012 Comic and Tragic Literature
08G:014/129:008 Literatures of the African Peoples
08G:015 Women and Literature
009:030 Cultural Misunderstandings: France and the U.S.A.
009:055/033:055 Revolutions in 19th Century France
010:131/036:143 Classical Rhetoric and Greek Culture
(010:131 removed from GE status effective August 24, 2009)
13E:017 Medieval German Literature: Heroic and Erotic, 3-4 s.h.
13E:066 Pact with the Devil (effective Spring 2009)
13E:075 Scandinavian Crime Fiction (effective Spring 2009)
13E:080 King Arthur through the Ages
13E:118 The Third Reich and Literature
13E:119 German Film
018:132 Images of Modern Italy, 3-4 s.h.
20E:014 Hero, God, Mortal: Literature of Greece
20E:015 Love and Glory: Literature of Rome
20E:035 Greek Tragedy, Comedy, and the Intervention of Democracy
20E:075 Ancient Sports and Leisure
20E: 083 (CLAS 1883)/143:083 (UIHP: 1883) War
20E:112/008:125 Classical Mythology
20E:115/032:164 Greek Religion and Society
20E:116/032:118 Roman Religion and Society
20E:140 Magic in the Ancient World
024:102/07S:112/097:115/113:103 Introduction to Museology
025:013 Concepts and Contexts of Western Music
025:014 Great Musicians
025:104 Music of Latin America and the Caribbean
026:061 Introduction to Philosophy
026:102 Introduction to Ethics
030:030 Introduction to Political Thought and Political Action
032:002 Religion and Society
032:003 Quest for Human Destiny
032:006/039:006 Introduction to Buddhism
032:011 Introduction to Hebrew Bible Old Testament
032:012 Introduction to the New Testament
032:016 Religion and Liberation
032:034/129:050 Introduction to African-American Religions
032:051 Religious Thinkers of the West
032:052/131:060 Woman and Islam in the Middle East
032:111/131:111 Religion and Women
032:155 Human Rights and Islam
033:154 Human Nature and the Impact of Science
035:020 Contemporary Spanish American Narrative
038:020 Contemporary Brazilian Narrative
039:018/032:008 Asian Humanities: India
039:019/032:009 Asian Humanities: China
039:020 Asian Humanities: Japan
041:093 Slavic Folklore
045:001 Understanding American Cultures
045:050 Food in America
048:002 Survey of Film
048:010 Contemporary Cinema
048:021 Introduction to European Film
048:040/008:040 Major Texts in World Literature I
048:041/008:041 Major Texts of World Literature II
049:001 Art of the Theatre
129:061/045:030 Introduction to African American Culture
137:080/188:080 Dance and Society: U.S. Forms in Transnational and Critical Contexts
143:050 Honors Seminar in Humanities
169:040/033:040 The Good Society
169:050/033:050 Making Choices: Interdisciplinary Perspectives
169:072 Leisure and the Liberal Arts
188:161/049:161/137:161 The Arts in Performance

Social Sciences

This requirement and course list have not changed. See list of approved Social Science courses.

Cultural Diversity

Students may use 3 s.h. of coursework approved in this area to partially complete the Distributed General Education component of the General Education Program.

Effective fall 2006, 034:018/131:018 has been renamed "Gender and Society." Students who took the course previously under the name "Women and Society" should not take the course again unless they are exercising the Second-Grade-Only option.

Unless otherwise indicated, courses are offered for 3 s.h.

01H:003 Art of Pre-Columbian America, Native America and Oceania
01H:104 American Indian Art
07B:154 Education, Race, and Ethnicity
07B:180 Human Relations for the Classroom Teacher
08G:005/149:005 Literatures of Native American Peoples
08G:011 Literature and Sexualities
016:008 Civilizations of Africa
016:040 Perspectives: Diversity in American History
16A:065/129:065 Introduction to African American History
16A:069 Introduction to Mexican American History
16A:112 Mexican American History
025:080 Jazz Cultures in America and Abroad
025:141 History of Jazz
032:016 Religion and Liberation
032:034/129:150 Introduction to African-American Religions
032:060/149:060 Introduction to Native American Religious Traditions
033:075 Cultural Diversity and Identity
034:018/131:018 Gender and Society, 3 or 4 s.h.
034:061 The American Family, 3 s.h. (effective Fall 2010)
034:066 Social Inequality
034:155 Race and Ethnicity (formerly titled: Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity)
035:143/048:196 Cuban American Literature and Culture
045:001 Understanding American Culture
045:050 Food in America
049:051 Comedy & Society
103:150/113:173 Language and Gender
113:110/149:110 /045:105 Native Peoples of North America
129:060 Introduction to African American Society
129:061/045:030 Introduction to African American Culture
129:062 Foundations in African American Studies
129:122/019:165 African Americans and Mass Communication
131:010 Introduction to Women's Studies
131:055 Gender, Race, and Class in the US
149:049/045:049 Introduction to American Indian and Native Studies
154:060/008:050/045:060 Sex and Popular Culture in Postwar US

Foreign Civilization and Culture

Students may use 3 s.h. of coursework approved in this area to partially complete the Distributed General Education component of the General Education Program. Unless otherwise indicated, all courses are offered for 3 s.h.

Effective fall 2005, the Department of German has retitled 13E:017. The new title is Medieval German Literature: Heroic and Erotic. The department has also established a "concurrent course" for majors, numbered 13E:117. Students who have taken the course in the past under the old title should not retake the course. Majors who have taken the lower level course should consult the department.

Unless otherwise indicated, all courses are offered for 3 s.h.

01H:005 Western Art and Culture Before 1400
01H:006 Western Art and Culture After 1400
01H:008 Themes in Global Art
01H:016/039:016 Asian Art and Culture
08G:014/129:008 Literatures of the African Peoples
009:113 French Civilization
009:114 French Civilization
009:147/048:105 French Cinema
013:105 German Cultural History
013:115 Contemporary German Civilization
13E:017/13E:117 Medieval German Literature: Heroic and Erotic
13E:118 The Third Reich and Literature
13E:119 German Film
13E:120/033:125 Germany in the World
016:001 Western Civilization I, 3-4 s.h.
016:002 Western Civilization II, 3-4 s.h.
016:003 Western Civilization III, 3-4 s.h.
016:005/039:055 Civilizations of Asia: China
016:006/039:056 Civilizations of Asia: Japan, 3-4 s.h.
016:007/039:057 Civilizations of Asia: South Asia, 3-4 s.h.
016:045/20E:071/032:061 Middle East and Mediterranean, Alexander to Suleiman
016:082 The World Since 1945
018:132 Images of Modern Italy, 3-4 s.h.
16E:107 The Hellenistic World and Rome
16E:110/162:110 Medieval Civilization
16E:113 Economic and Social History of Medieval Europe
16E:117 History of the Medieval Church
16E:125/131:181 Society and Gender in Europe 1200-1789
16E:126 The French Revolutions and Human Rights
16E:127 European History in Text and Film, 4 s.h.
16E:156 Germany since 1914: Weimar, Hitler, and After, 3-4 s.h.
16E:178 Soviet Union 1917 - 1945 3-4 s.h.
16E:179 Soviet Union 1945 - 1991
16W:120/129:163 Pre-Colonial African History
16W:121/129:164 African History Since 1880
16W:196/039:154 Modern China: 1600s to 1920s
16W:198/039:196 China Since 1927
20E:014 Hero, God, Mortal: Literature of Greece
20E:015 Love and Glory: The Literature of Rome
20E:150/131:152/154:121 Gender and Sexuality in the Ancient World
025:103 World Music (effective Spring 2009)
030:141 Russian/Post-Soviet Politics
030:143/039:178 Government and Politics of the Far East
030:144 Latin American Government
032:004/039:064 Living Religions of the East
032:006/039:006 Introduction to Buddhism
032:030 Introduction to Islam
032:052/131:160 Woman and Islam in the Middle East
035:020 Contemporary Spanish American Narrative
038:020 Contemporary Brazilian Narrative
039:018/032:008 Asian Humanities: India
039:019/032:009 Asian Humanities: China
039:020 Asian Humanities: Japan
041:093 Slavic Folklore
041:094 Religion and Culture of the Slavs
041:098 Introduction to Russian Culture
041:099 Russia Today
044:010 The Contemporary Global System, 4 s.h.
044:161 African Development
113:125/39J:125 Japanese Society and Culture
113:131 Latin American Economy and Society

Fine Arts

Students may use 3 s.h. of coursework approved in this area to partially complete the Distributed General Education component of the General Education Program. Unless otherwise indicated, all courses are offered for 3 s.h.

01B:001 Elements of Art
01B:080 Elements of Printmaking
01B:090 Elements of Sculpture (effective spring 2009)
01C:060 Ceramics I
01H:001 Art and Visual Culture
01H:002 Arts of Africa
01H:003 Art of Pre-Columbian America, Native America, and Oceania
01H:004 Masterpieces: Art and Cultural Paradigms
01H:005 Western Art and Culture Before 1400
01H:006 Western Art and Culture After 1400
01H:016/039:016 Asian Art and Culture
01H:066 Introduction to American Art
01N:015 Undergraduate Sculpture I
08C:001 Creative Writing Studio Workshop
08N:020 Introduction to Creative Nonfiction
025:013 Concepts and Contexts of Western Music
025:014 Great Musicians
025:059 Performance Instruction for Non Majors, 1 s.h.
025:080 Jazz Cultures in America and Abroad
025:082 Group Piano I Non Music Majors, 1 s.h.
025:103 World Music (effective spring 2009)
025:104 Music of Latin America and the Caribbean
025:144 History of Music I
025:146 History of Music II
049:001 Art of the Theatre
049:002 Theatre and Society: Ancients and Moderns
049:003 Theatre and Society: Romantics and Rebels
049:020 Basic Acting
049:062 Playwriting I
049:112 History of Theatre and Drama I
049:113 History of Theatre and Drama II
137:001 Beginning Tap, 1 - 2 s.h.
137:002 Beginning Jazz, 1 - 2 s.h.
137:003 Beginning Ballet, 1 - 2 s.h.
137:004 Beginning Modern Dance, 1 - 2 s.h.
137:011 Continuing Tap, 1 - 2 s.h.
137:012 Continuing Jazz, 1 - 2 s.h.
137:013 Continuing Ballet, 1 - 2 s.h.
137:014 Continuing Modern Dance, 1 - 2 s.h.
137:022 Intermediate Jazz, 1 - 2 s.h.
137:023 Intermediate Ballet, 1 - 2 s.h.
137:024 Intermediate Modern, 1 - 2 s.h.
137:080/188:080 Dance and Society
137:103 Major Ballet I, 1 - 3 s.h.
137:104 Major Modern Dance I, 1 - 3 s.h.
137:106 Dance Performance, 0 - 1 s.h. (GE approval ends at the conclusion of the fall 2015 semester)
137:113 Major Ballet II, 1 - 3 s.h.
137:114 Major Modern Dance II, 1 - 3 s.h.
137:123 Major Ballet III, 1 - 3 s.h.
137:124 Major Modern Dance III, 1 - 3 s.h.
188:161/137:161/049:161 The Arts in Performance

Health & Physical Activity

Students may use 3 s.h. of coursework approved in this area to partially complete the Distributed General Education component of the General Education Program.

028:036/027:039 Physical Activity Through the Life Span, 3 s.h.
028:174/027:035 Stress Management, 3 s.h.
169:045 Health for Living, 3 s.h.

Note: Students who took 169:140 Health for Living, which was approved for Social Sciences, may not take 169:045 for credit, unless they are exercising the second-grade-only option.

Historical Perspectives

This requirement and course list have not changed. See list of approved Historical Perspectives courses.