Core Curriculum - FAQ

Only courses that have been certified by the faculty can be used to meet Core Curriculum learning goals; substitutions are not permitted. This is why some particular courses are certified while other courses that may seem to have a similar or analogous focus are not. This assures that all students develop the foundational arts and sciences capacities the Core promises. 

Courses may be applied to multiple learning goals, as long as they are applied to different requirements.

The following combinations cannot be satisfied with the same course:

• HST and SCL – two different classes must be taken to complete the Social and Historical Analysis learning goals. Even if you take a class that is on both the HST and SCL lists, you still need at least one course that meets HST and one that meets SCL for a total of TWO courses (6 credits) that must be completed.
• AH – two different classes, meeting two different requirements, must be taken to complete the Arts and Humanities learning goals, even if you take a class that is on more than one of the AHo, AHp, AHq, AHr lists. The Arts and Humanities requirement specifies that TWO courses (6 credits) must be completed.
• WCr and WCd – two different classes must be taken to complete the Revision- and Discipline-based Writing and Communication learning goals. Even if you take a class that is on both the WCr and WCd lists, you still need at least one course that meets WCr and at least one course that meets WCd. The Writing and Communication requirement specifies that THREE classes must be completed, including College Writing and two additional classes (9 credits).
• QQ and QR – two different classes must be taken to complete the Quantitative and Formal Reasoning learning goals. Even if you take a class that is on both the QQ and QR lists, you still need at least one course that meets QQ and at least one course that meets QR. The Quantitative and Formal Reasoning requirement specifies that TWO classes must be completed (6 credits).

Transfer and AP courses CANNOT be used to meet the Contemporary Challenges (CCO/CCD) or Writing and Communication with Revision (WCr) learning goals. These learning goals must be satisfied by taking Rutgers University-New Brunswick courses.

Transfer courses that have been evaluated by the cognate department at Rutgers and determined to be the exact equivalent of Rutgers University-New Brunswick courses certified to meet the NS, HST, SCL, AH, WCd, QQ, or QR goals may be used to meet Core Curriculum learning goals.

School-to-School Transfer students who come to SAS from Rutgers University-Camden and Rutgers University-Newark will have their prior curriculum evaluated at the time of transfer in order to determine Core Curriculum applicability. No Rutgers University-Newark or Rutgers University-Camden courses taken AFTER matriculation at SAS can be used to meet Core Curriculum learning goals. This includes online courses offered by units housed in Newark or Camden.

SAS students are expected to take all of their classes at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Rutgers University-Newark or Rutgers University-Camden classes taken after matriculation at SAS cannot be substituted for certified Core Curriculum courses.

For SAS-NB students, Study Abroad credits may fulfill the Contemporary Challenges- Our Common Future (CCO) learning goal.  The Rutgers Study Abroad experience must be full-time to count, meaning at least 12 credits in a fall or spring program or at least 6 credits in a summer program (Winter session and Spring Break Study Abroad courses cannot be used).

Study Abroad courses that have been evaluated by the cognate department at Rutgers and determined to be the exact equivalent of Rutgers University-New Brunswick courses certified to meet the NS, HST, SCL, AH, WCd, QQ, or QR goals may be used to meet Core Curriculum learning goals.

This is a common cause of confusion with Degree Navigator. Your requirement is probably complete.  When a student takes more than one course that can apply to a given requirement, DN tries to choose the course that will give the student the best GPA and sometimes that means choosing a course in progress instead of a course that was already completed.

If you’re thinking of withdrawing from a course this semester and DN is telling you that the course is required to complete a requirement, but you think the requirement was completed in the past with a different Core Certified course, please reach out to an SAS Advisor.  However, there’s no harm in taking multiple courses that satisfy the same requirement – most students do!

You can set up an appointment with an academic advisor using the RU-Scheduler link below:

Click for Advisor Appointment Link

When students take a class that can apply to more than one goal, Degree Navigator (DN)  will apply the course to the goal that the system thinks is the most likely choice of the student. However, DN will adjust itself automatically as soon as another course is taken – DN will always adjust the audit so that the maximum number of requirements are complete.

Unfortunately, no individual has the authority to permit substitutions in the Core Curriculum. Only courses officially certified by the faculty and listed in DN as meeting the goal can be used to meet the Core goals.

The Schedule of Classes provides a tab (next to the subject tab) that allows students to search for courses by Core Curriculum goal.

The Core requirements are very specific. If you believe your course is directly equivalent to a course that is on the Core, you should bring your syllabus from the specific course and a Transfer Course Departmental Evaluation Form to the related department advisor and ask for a review. If the advisor determines the course is equivalent to a Rutgers course, they will fill out the form and you should return it to any SAS Advising Center.