Liberal education or core course requirements are a vital component of your UMD degree.
These core courses will help prepare you to lead productive and socially responsible lives in the 21st century. The core courses at UMD help students develop competencies that can be adapted for use in any occupation and by virtually any individual.
The liberal education core at UMD is not restricted to any particular part of the curriculum but is woven through each student’s course of study, including general requirements and requirements for your major. UMD's goal is the development of broadly educated students who are “Prepared, Informed, and Committed.”
Total Credit Requirement for the Liberal Education Core
The Liberal Education Core requires completion of all 10 categories (39 credits); however, a single course can be used to satisfy multiple requirements, reducing the total number of credits.
Part I. Language and Reasoning Skills (9 credits)
a. Writing and Information Literacy - WRIT 1120 (3 credits)
b. Oral Communication and Languages (3 credits)
c. Logic and Quantitative Reasoning (3 credits)
Part II. Knowledge Domains (21 credits)
a. Natural Sciences (6 credits, 2 course subjects*, 1 lab)
b. Social Sciences (6 credits, 2 course subjects*)
c. Humanities (6 credits, 2 course subjects*)
d. Fine Arts (3 credits)
Part III. Key Topics (9 credits)
a. Global Perspectives (3 credits)
b. Cultural Diversity in the US (3 credits)
c. Sustainability (3 credits)
- An LE Core course that meets the criteria for part II (Knowledge Domains) and part III (Key Topics) may be used to fulfill both requirements. A course in the major that meets the criteria for parts Ib, Ic, II and/or III may be used to satisfy both major and LE Core requirements