The following courses are appropriate for first term students. Depending on academic interest and background, other courses may also be recommended in consultation with an advisor. Please note that it is possible that some of the courses listed below may be closed since registration for current students has already begun. Typically, courses that begin with a zero are survey and introductory level without prerequisites, while courses that begin with a 1 are considered to be upper level and may require prerequisites. Check with your academic advisor for additional clarification.
- Note: Remember, a course can only fulfill one general education requirement at a time even if multiple requirements are listed.
- LC stands for Academic Community (Transfer students are not eligible to sign up for an Academic Community)
- Many of the following courses have restrictions to specific student groups e.g. First-Year A&S Students are specifically for freshmen (not transfer students) and A&S Undergraduates are for any student in Arts and Sciences.
Key: Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences - General Education Requirements
| G | Seminar in Composition | ART | The Arts | NS | Natural Science |
| Q | Quantitative and Formal Reasoning | CW | Creative Work | GI | Global Issues |
| SL | Second Language | PTE | Philosophical Thinking or Ethics | GR | Geographic Region |
| DIVERSITY | Diversity | SS | Social Science | CCA | Cross-Cultural Awareness |
| LIT | Literature | HSA | Historical Analysis |
Updated 7/24/2019
ANTHROPOLOGY (ANTH)
0536 Mesoamerica before Cortez [HSA or SS or GR]
0582 Introduction to Archeology [CCA or HSA or SS]
0630 Forensic Anthropology: An Introduction [NS]
0680 Introduction to Physical Anthropology [NS]
1761 Patients as Healers: Medical Anthropology 1
ASTRONOMY (ASTRON) - Co-req any Math course or 61 or higher on ALEKS Math Placement Assessment
0087 Basics of Space Flight [NS]
0088 Stonehenge to Hubble [NS]
0089 Stars, Galaxies & the Cosmos [NS]
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES (BIOSC)
0100 Preparation for Biology [NS]
0150 Foundations of Biology 1 [NS]
NOTE: All students intending to enroll in BIOSC 0150 Foundations of Biology 1, must take the pre-assessment to be able to enroll. Information concerning the pre-assessment can be found at http://tinyurl.com/biosc0150.
0160 Foundations of Biology 2 [NS]
CHEMISTRY (CHEM)
0100 Preparation General Chemistry [NS]
0110 General Chemistry 1 [NS]
0120 General Chemistry 2 [NS]
CHINESE (CHIN)
0001 First Year Chinese 1
0005 Chinese for Heritage Speakers
0010 Special Topics: East Asian Pop Culture 1 credit
1089 The World of China
1090 Great Minds of China [GR]
CLASSICS (CLASS)
0020 Roman Civilization [GR]
COMMUNICATION: RHETORIC AND COMMUNICATION (COMMRC)
0530 Interpersonal Communication LC Health Care Communication
ECONOMICS (ECON)
0110 Introduction to Macroeconomics [SS]
0100 Introduction to Microeconomics [SS]
ENGLISH FILM (ENGFLM)
0585 Technologies of the Body [CW] LC Sports, The Body and Society
ENGLISH LITERATURE (ENGLIT)
0580 Introduction to Shakespeare [LIT]
0597 Bible as Literature [LIT]
0636 Gothic Imagination [LIT]
0655 Representing Adolescence [LIT]
0670 Queer and Transgender Literature [DIV and LIT OR HSA]
ENGLISH WRITING (ENGWRT)
0520 Introduction to Fiction Writing
0530 Introduction to Poetry Writing [CW]
0610 Introduction to Journalism and Nonfiction
FILM AND MEDIA STUDIES (FMST)
0120 Introduction to Film [ARTS]
0130 Introduction to Visual Culture [ARTS]
0150 Film Analysis [ARTS]
0505 Introduction to New Media [ARTS]
0710 Filmmaking: Production and Criticism [CW]
0800 Filmmaking 1: Fundamentals [CW]
FRENCH (FR)
0014 Introduction to French-Speaking Canada LC Quebec
0101 Elementary French 1
GEOLOGY (GEOL)
0800 Geology [NS]
1445 GIS, GPS, and Computer Methods
GERMAN (GER)
0101 Beginning German 1
1502 Indo-European Folktales [LIT or GR]
1512 German Literature and European Philosophy: Goethe's [GR or LIT or PTE]
HISTORY (HIST)
0301 Russia to 1917 [HSA or GR]
0612 Origins of American Capitalism [HSA]
1625 History of the American Frontier [HSA]
1677 American Jewish Experience
HISTORY OF ART AND ARCHITECTURE (HAA)
0020 Introduction to Asian Art [ARTS or CCA] LC Asian Studies
0302 Renaissance Art [ARTS or GR]
0620 Art of China [ARTS or GR]
0905 Architecture of the Pre-Modern World: A Global Perspective on Bodies, Buildings, and Imaginations [DIV and CCA]
ITALIAN (ITAL)
0080 Renaissance Italy [GR or HSA]
0101 Italian Language and Culture 1
JAPANESE (JPNSE)
0001 First Year Japanese 1 (offered in Fall terms only)
0010 Special Topics: East Asian Pop Culture 1 credit
KOREAN
0001 Elementary Korean 1 (offered in Fall terms only)
LANGUAGES
You are welcome to continue to study the same language you took in high school. However, Pitt offers everything from American Sign Language to Yoruba. Find out about all of the languages Pitt offers.
LESS COMMONLY TAUGHT LANGUAGES (LCTL)
0351 Haitian Creole 1
0391 Hungarian 1
LINGUISTICS (LING)
1000 Introduction to Linguistics
MATHEMATICS (MATH)
0031 Algebra
0120 Business Calculus (requires Aleks score of 61 or higher or transfer credit for algebra)
0125 Calculus for Business 1 (to be followed up with 0126 in the spring term) [Q]
0200 Prep for Scientific Calculus
0220 Analytical Geometry and Calculus 1 [Q]
MUSIC
0115 The Alexander Technique
0121 Basic Musicianship: Piano [CW]
0211 Introduction to Western Art Music [ARTS]
0660 African Drumming Ensemble (no audition needed)
0661 The Pitt Afropop Ensemble (no audition needed)
0690 University Gamelan (no audition needed)
1326 African-American Music in U.S.
The following 1 credit Music courses require an audition, which are held either right before the term starts or the first week of classes. After audition, admitted students will receive a permission number to register for the course.
0612 Heinz Chapel Choir
0613 University Glee Club
0614 Women’s Chorale
0620 University Orchestra
0630 Marching Band
0640 Jazz Ensemble
NEUROSCIENCE (NROSCI)
0080 Brain and Behavior [NS] Some seats reserved for LC Biology and the Brain
PHYSICS (PHYS)
0081 Space and Time, Light and Matter [NS] (requires algebra exemption or Aleks score of 61 or higher)
0088 The Physics of Energy [NS]
0110 Introduction to Physics 1 [NS]
0174 Basic Physics, Science, & Engineering 1 [NS]
PHILOSOPHY (PHIL)
0010 Concepts of Human Nature [PTE] some seats reserved for the LC Who Are You?
PORTUGUESE (PORT)
0101 Elementary Portuguese 1 (offered in Fall terms only)
PSYCHOLOGY (PSY)
0010 Introduction to Psychology [NS]
RELIGIOUS STUDIES (RELGST)
1120 Origins of Christianity [HSA]
1260 American Jewish Experience
1500 Religion in India [GR]
1558 Buddhism and Psychology [CCA] LC Mind and Meditation
RUSSIAN (RUSS)
0090 Russian Fairy Tales [LIT or GR]
0101 Elementary Russian 1 (offered in fall terms only)
SLAVIC STUDIES (SLAV)
0660 Sci-Fi: East and West [CCA]
0880 Vampire: Blood and Empire [GR]
SLOVAK STUDIES (SLOVAK)
0010 Elementary Slovak 1 (offered in fall terms only)
SOCIOLOGY (SOC)
0352 Social Movements [DIV and SS]
SPANISH (SPAN)
0082 Latin America Today [GR]
0101 Elementary Spanish 1
STATISTICS (STAT)
0800 Statistics in the Modern World [Q]
THEATER ARTS (THEA)
0115 The Alexander Technique
0375 Introduction to Opera [ARTS
0505 Enjoy Performances [ARTS]
0810 Introduction to Dramatic Art [LIT]
0830 Introduction to Performance [CW]
UNIVERSITY HONORS COLLEGE COURSES
*Some courses will require enrollment assistance. Talk with your advisor if you are interested in any of these courses.
BIOSC 0715 UHC Foundations of Biology 1 [NS] (Must have AP BIO test score of 4 or 5 - or - IB score 5 or higher)
CHEM 0710 UHC General Chemistry 1 [NS]
HIST 1048 The Holocaust in Context Note: Should have a 4 or 5 on the AP European History exam or a 5 on the History Europe HL IB exam.
HIST 1632 History of the Civil RIghts Movement Note: Should have a 4 or 5 on the AP US History exam or a 5,6 or 7 on the History Americal HL IB exam.
MATH 0235 Honors 1 Variable Calculus [Q]
NROSCI 0083 UHC Brain and Behavior [NS]
PHYS 0475 Intro to Physics, Science, & Engineering 1 [NS]
SOCWRK 1000 Introduction to Social Work (Non-Arts and Sciences)
COURSES OUTSIDE OF THE DIETRICH SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE (ADMJ)
0100 Society and the Law
1220 Deviance and the Law
1230 White Collar Crime
1238 Cyber Security/Law/Money Launder
1410 Introduction to Criminal Procedure
1425 Principles of Homeland Security
INFORMATION SCIENCE (INFSCI)
0010 Intro to Information, Systems, & Society [Q]
LEGAL STUDIES (LEGLST)
0080 Introduction to Legal Studies
1140 Introduction to Criminal Law
1152 Legal Issues in Public Service
1315 Sex, Law, and Marriage
1327 International Law
PUBLIC SERVICE (PUBSRV)
0020 Introduction to Public Service
0030 Public Policy Process
1425 Principles of Homeland Security
HEALTH AND REHABILITATION SCIENCES (HRS)
HRS 1018 Survey of Health and Rehabilitation Professionals