College of Arts and Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5308 USA
main office: (269) 387-4350
advising office: (269) 387-4366

WMU Essential Studies

All students must satisfy Western Michigan University’s Essential Studies requirements before graduation. Please refer to WMU’s Essential Studies information here:

ESSENTIAL STUDIES

A complete list of applicable Essential Studies courses can be located on students’ Degree Works audits, located in goWMU under “Academic Services” in the “My Self Service” menu (remember to enable the pop-up to load).

The visual instruction guide shows you the step-by-step process for looking up Essential Studies courses in the goWMU course offerings and using Degree Works.

If your catalog year is prior to 2020, follow the General Education Requirements below.

Generate Education Requirements (Prior to Catalog Year 2020)

All students who plan to graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences will be enrolled in the Liberal Education Curriculum.

COLLEGE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

  1. The Liberal Education Curriculum. Students who enter with the 2004 and subsequent catalogs and who will graduate through the College of Arts and Sciences will complete the Liberal Education Curriculum described here. Students who entered under prior catalogs are encouraged to switch to the new LEC program. (When in doubt about your catalog year, check with your advisor.)
  2. Majors and minors. Students who will graduate through the College of Arts and Sciences must have a free-standing major (i.e., not a coordinate major) in the college, and a minor in arts and sciences or any other college in the University. Students with two majors do not need a minor, but should consult with a curriculum advisor. Additionally, because of their size and interdisciplinary nature, the following majors do not require minors: community and regional planning, geochemistry, geophysics, global and international studies, public history and sustainable craft brewing.

General education graduation requirements (see University graduation requirements)

  • A minimum of 37 credits from proficiencies 1, 3 and 4, and distribution areas 1-8
  • A minimum of 6 credits of 3000-/4000-level coursework within the distribution areas
  • No more than 2 courses from any department may be used to satisfy the distribution area requirements
  • Courses for "credit/no credit" are not accepted for proficiency 2, 4c, and arts and sciences foreign language requirement
  • Students must complete a course approved for the General Education Proficiency 4c, Critical Thinking

One course must be completed in each proficiency and distribution area:

Proficiencies (for College of Arts and Sciences students)

  • Proficiency 1: College Level Writing (3-4 credits)
  • Proficiency 2: Baccalaureate Level Writing (3-4 credits)
    *Does not count toward the minimum 37 credit requirement.
  • Proficiency 3: College-Level Math or Quantitative Reasoning (3-4 credits)
  • Proficiency 4c: Critical Thinking (3-4 credits)
  • Foreign language requirement (6-8 credits of the same foreign language)
    *Does not count toward the minimum 37 credit requirement.

Distribution areas (scroll down to distribution areas)

  • Area I: Fine Arts (3-4 credits)
  • Area II: Humanities (3-4 credits)
  • Area III: United States: Cultures and Issues (3-4 credits)
  • Area IV: Other Cultures and Civilizations (3-4 credits)
  • Area V: Social and Behavioral Sciences (3-4 credits)
  • Area VI: Natural Sciences with Lab (4-5 credits)
  • Area VII: Natural Sciences and Technology: Applications and Implications (3-4 credits)
  • Area VIII: Health and Well-Being (2-3 credits)