University Studies

What is University Studies?

The University Studies component of the Murray State University undergraduate program provides students with a broad-based, liberal arts and sciences education as a foundation for their academic specialty. Toward that end, the program is organized around five thematic areas of knowledge:

Oral and Written Communication
Scientific Inquiry, Methodologies, and Quantitative Skills
World's Historical, Literary, and Philosophical Traditions
Global Awareness, Cultural Diversity, and the World's Artistic Traditions
Social and Self-Awareness and Responsible Citizenship.

The courses located under these themes aim to:

develop students' communication skills, both oral and written;
encourage students to think creatively while gathering, analyzing, and evaluating information to reach logical decisions;
familiarize students with the roles and applications of science and mathematics toward resolving problems in an ever-changing world;
gain a critical understanding of the world's historical, literary, philosophical, and artistic traditions;
understand the dynamics of cultural diversity, of competing economic and political systems, of social responsibility, and of complex moral and ethical issues.

Requirements for the Bachelor Degree
The core of the University Studies program consists of five required courses that provide a foundation for both courses specific to a student's major and the other University Studies courses a student will complete. The five required courses include the following: one semester of composition (ENG 105 or ENG 150), one semester of Humanities (HUM 211), one semester of World History (CIV 201 or CIV 202), one course in mathematics, and a science course with a lab. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree also take a minimum of six hours in a single foreign language, culminating in proficiency at 202 level or above in French, German, Japanese, or Spanish.

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