General Education Requirements

To earn a bachelor’s degree, students must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours of study including the general education requirements described below.

The mission of the general education program in the College of Undergraduate Studies is to introduce students to a broad, foundational knowledge of the humanities, philosophy, Reformation theology, and the study of Western civilization and democracy. The general education program attempts to sharpen student knowledge of American politics and economics, Christian church history, and philosophy in Western society from antiquity. In addition, studies in scientific thought and mathematics stimulate inquiry, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Students learn to think logically, analytically, creatively, and ethically.

The program is structured with the aim of developing informed citizens who can be active in public life. Furthermore, the program strives to promote the development of citizens who will participate in cogent oral discourse and debate in ways that show engagement with central questions posed by the humanities, the philosophy of science, and theology. The focused general education program at Colorado Christian University strives to produce citizens with exceptional written and oral communicative abilities, and who can advance the missional objectives that are consistent with Christian ethics.

English ACT and Critical Reading SAT scores will be used to determine student placement into the required English general education courses. Students with ACT or SAT scores below the CCU standard or those whose performance on placement or diagnostic examinations fail to meet specified university standards for admission into ENG 102 are required to enroll in ENG 102 BASIC. English and mathematics placement examinations are required for first-time freshmen and transfer students with freshman standing who do not have an ACT or SAT score or transferable credit for these courses.

As an advanced English composition and research methods course, course fulfills the general education requirement for English by substituting for course and course for most CCU majors. Please see individual program pages and your academic advisor for additional information. Students are invited to enroll in ENG 105 based on one of the following:

  • AP English Language and Composition: A score of 4 is the minimum prerequisite for enrollment in ENG 105. A student who scores a 4 or 5 will automatically enroll a student in ENG 105 instead of ENG 102 and/or ENG 201.

  • AP English Literature and Composition: A score of 4 is the minimum prerequisite for enrollment in ENG 105. A student who scores a 4 or 5 will automatically enroll a student in ENG 105 instead of ENG 102 and/or ENG 201.

  • Score of 30 or above on the verbal section of the ACT exam.

  • Score of 700 or above on the verbal section of the SAT exam.

  • By invitation of the English department.

To complete general education course requirements, a letter grade of D or better must be earned. Courses with letter grades of D- cannot be used to satisfy graduation requirements in the College of Undergraduate Studies.

Bachelor degree students must complete the following minimum general education courses. Some courses in the list are prescribed for particular majors. To determine which alternatives to take, consult the requirements for your major and your academic advisor.

General Education Requirements (48 credit hours)

Arts and Humanities (9 credit hours)

Take one course from each of the following three academic disciplines:

Fine Arts (3 credit hours)

Choose one course from the following:

  • course Introduction to the Arts (3)

  • course Musical Perspectives (3)

  • course Theatre Appreciation (3)

Literature (3 credit hours)

Choose one course from the following:

  • course Introduction to Literature (3)

  • course American Literature I (3)

  • course American Literature II (3)

  • course British Literature I (3)

  • course British Literature II (3)

Philosophy (3 credit hours)

  • course Introduction to Philosophy (3)

Biblical Studies (12 credit hours)

Take the following four courses (some courses are cross-listed and only one prefix needs to be taken):

  • course Old Testament (3) OR

  • course Old Testament (3)

  • course New Testament (3) OR

  • course New Testament (3)

  • course World Religions and Systems of Belief (3)

  • course Introduction to Theology (3)

Communication (6 credit hours)

  • course Public Speaking (3)

  • course English Composition (3) OR

  • course Advanced English Composition (3)

Integrative Studies (3 credit hours)

* Please see the First-Year Integration (FYI) tab on the CUS Student Life page for specific information about this required course.

  • course First-Year Integration (3)

Mathematics (3 credit hours)

Choose one of the following courses:

Science (3 credit hours)

  • course Integrated Physical Science with Lab (3)

Social Sciences (12 credit hours)

Take each of the following four courses:

  • course Economics (3)

  • course Western Civilization (3)

  • course American History (3)

  • course Introduction to American Politics (3)

Additional Requirements

General education requirements may vary slightly, depending on the student’s program of study. Please see the program page of the individual majors for specific degree requirements.