Virtually every college in America has some version of distribution requirements consisting of general education courses in the humanities, social sciences, math, and sciences designed to help students diversify their education and understand information and address problems across varied academic fields. CUNY Baccalaureate has a 13-course distribution requirement, detailed below.

Some of the ideas you will understand after completing the distribution courses will be related to:

• the human condition and human cultures
• scientific principles and inquiry methods
• how social scientists identify individuals and groups and describe their behaviors and characteristics, particularly in terms of class, culture, ethnicity, gender, religion, race, etc.
• the ethical dimensions of political, social, and personal life

Some of the competencies you should develop will include:

• critical reading and thinking skills
• information interpretation and evaluation skills
• problem-solving strategies
• cogent communication skills (in English and another language)
• information access and utilization abilities
• quantitative skills

Each distribution course must be defined by the CUNY Baccalaureate as a Liberal Arts and Science course, be taken for a letter grade, bear a minimum of 2 credits. In Humanities, Social Science, and Math & Science, you must take courses in at least two disciplines. Core requirements cannot be satisfied with AOC courses.

Literature (2 courses) Examples: (Introduction to Literature, Special Topics in Literature, World Literature in Translation, Children’s Literature, Dramatic Literature, Film and Literature, African-American Writers, Victorian Poetry, etc.) At least one of the courses must be taught in English with the texts and assignments in English. Composition and other writing courses (i.e., Journalism, Creative Writing) do not fulfill this requirement.

Humanities (3 courses) (Art Appreciation/Survey/History, Classics, Cinema/Film Studies, Creative Writing, History, Journalism Studies, Linguistics, Literature, Music History/Appreciation/Survey, Philosophy, Religion, Theater History/Appreciation/Survey, Theology, Semantics, etc. Also Humanities-based Ethnic, Cultural and Media Studies courses. Some intermediate/advanced Speech and Language courses may be used-ask your academic advisor.)

Social Science (3 courses) (Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Government, International Affairs, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Urban Studies, etc. Also Social Science-based Ethnic and Media Studies courses.)

Language other than English (1 year) (Example: Spanish 101 and 102) You must complete Level I and II.

Math and Science (3 courses) Mathematics: college-­‐level algebra; geometry; trigonometry; calculus; statistics; history. Natural Sciences: anatomy and physiology; astronomy; biology; botany; physics; physical anthropology; physical geography; chemistry; environmental science; geology; science survey; zoology; history, politics, and/or philosophy of science or math. Computer Science: computer courses that rely on mathematical and/or scientific theory and analysis or those with social, historical, psychological, or humanistic perspectives.

Access your student advisement report to see your current progress toward Core distribution.