What is a core class?

Most colleges and universities require students to complete a set of “core” classes, which are classes every student must take in order to obtain a degree. Core classes, which when grouped together are also known as the core curriculum, can vary depending on the school, program, or degree.

Also frequently called general education requirements, they are designed to lay the foundation for a degree program by expanding knowledge and skills in certain key areas such as: communication arts, math, humanities, social sciences, sciences and liberal arts. They are intended to help enrich students' personal and professional lives.

The purpose of general education or core requirements is to introduce students to the intellectual life of the university, to foreground important questions and illustrate how they may be approached from multiple perspectives, and to develop a broad set of essential intellectual and social competencies that will be of enduring value no matter what field a student pursues.