General Education Requirements for B.F.A. and B.M.
The typical course load for UNCSA college students pursuing the Bachelor of Fine Arts or a Bachelor of Music is one to two general education courses per semester in addition to arts classes.
Depending upon awards of transfer credit, the First Year Seminar and a Writing About course will be common to all first-year students, and Critical Dialogues and Paths to the Present will be common to all second-year students. These courses are sequential, so unless you have transferring credit covering one or more of these classes, you must take them respectively and per your program bulletin.
Fall semester you will select and register for a section of First Year Seminar [FYS 1100], and in Spring semester, you will select and register for a Writing About [ENG 1200] course of interest which fits your schedule.
For other requirements by semester, please consult your specific program bulletin. Bulletins can be found here on our website then select your Arts School on the left side of the page. If you enter the program with transfer credit, the kind and amount of credit transferred will determine whether you are exempt from FYS 1100 and/or ENG 1200. In transfer situations, your Liberal Arts advisor will help you to choose appropriate classes that meet the requirements for your degree program. For questions, please email the Liberal Arts Office at liberalarts@uncsa.edu.
Summary of the Liberal Arts courses required for a B.F.A. or B.M.
Effective Beginning Fall 2023
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
| FYS 1100: First Year Seminar (taken Fall term of first year) | 3 |
| ENG 1200: Writing About (taken in Spring term of first year) | 3 |
| HUM 2100: Critical Dialogues (taken in Fall term of 2nd year) | 3 |
| HUM 2102-2112: Paths to the Present (select one course, taken in Spring term of 2nd year) | 3 |
| Social or Behavioral Sciences (Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology) | 3 |
| Language, Literature, and Culture (Writing, Literature, English, Foreign Language, Communication) |
3 |
| Math or Science course | 3 |
| Humanities (History, Humanities, Art History, Philosophy, Theatre History) | 3 |
| Choice of General Education Electives* | 6 |
| General Education Credit Hours = 30 | |
Summary of the Liberal Arts courses required for a B.F.A. or B.M. for Students Accepted and Enrolled Prior to FALL 2023
| Course Name | Credit Hours |
| FYS 1100: First Year Seminar (taken Fall term of first year) | 3 |
| ENG 1200: Writing About (taken in Spring term of first year) | 3 |
| HUM 2101: Self, Society and Cosmos (taken in Fall term of 2nd year) | 3 |
| HUM 2102-2112: Paths to the Present (select one course, taken in Spring term of 2nd year) | 3 |
| History, Psychology, or Sociology | 3 |
| Literature or Writing at the 2000 or 3000 level | 3 |
| Math or Science course | 3 |
| Humanities or Fine Arts | 3 |
| Choice of General Education Electives* | 6 |
| General Education Credit Hours = 30 | |
Each arts area and concentration, in cooperation with the Division of Liberal Arts, may set more specific, sometimes additional non-applied requirements appropriate to the particular field of study. See the descriptions of degree requirements in each arts area for further information.
*This includes courses offered by the Division of Liberal Arts, and with specific permission by the Dean of Liberal Arts, can include courses offered by one of the Art Schools, provided that the course is outside the student’s major area of concentration (Dance, Design and Production, Drama, Film or Music).