Program: Bachelor of Science General Education Requirements - South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

Apr 11, 2025

2020-2021 SDSM&T Academic Catalog

General education core requirements must be completed within the ninety (90) credits. Requests for exceptions to the timeline of these general education requirements must be approved by the student’s advisor and by the Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost. The required core is listed below as well as the courses currently offered through SD Mines. See BOR policy 2:7 for more information on General Education Requirements. For a complete list of courses that will fullfill the requirements, see the General Education Requirements Checklist .

Goal #1 Written Communication

Goal #1: Students will write effectively and responsibly and understand and interpret the written expression of others.

Credit Hours: 6 hours

Courses:

ENGL 101 Composition I Credits: (3-0) 3
ENGL 201 Composition II Credits: (3-0) 3
ENGL 279 Communication in the STEM Workplace Credits: (3-0) 3
ENGL 289 Explorations in STEM Communications Credits: (3-0) 3

Goal #2 Oral Communication

Student will communicate effectively and responsibly through listening and speaking.

Credit Hours: 3 hours

Courses:

ENGL 279 Communication in the STEM Workplace Credits: (3-0) 3
ENGL 289 Explorations in STEM Communications Credits: (3-0) 3
SPCM 101 Fundamentals of Speech Credits: (3-0) 3

Curriculum Notes

Mines students pursuing a BS degree are recommended to take a sequence of ENGL 101, ENGL 279, and ENGL 289 to complete Goals #1 and #2.

Goal #3 Social Sciences

Students will understand the organization, potential, and diversity of the human community through study of the social sciences.

Credit Hours: 6 hours in two disciplines

Courses:

ANTH 210 Cultural Anthropology Credits: (3-0) 3
GEOG 101 Introduction to Geography Credits: (3-0) 3
GEOG 210 World Regional Geography Credits: (3-0) 3
GEOG 212 Geography of North America Credits: (3-0) 3
HIST 151 United States History I Credits: (3-0) 3
HIST 152 United States History II Credits: (3-0) 3
POLS 100 American Government Credits: (3-0) 3
POLS 250 Introduction to International Relations Credits: (3-0) 3
PSYC 101 General Psychology Credits: (3-0) 3
PSYC 102 Psychology of Personal Growth Credits: (3-0) 3
SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology Credits: (3-0) 3
SOC 150 Social Problems Credits: (3-0) 3
SOC 250 Courtship and Marriage Credits: (3-0) 3

Goal #4 Humanities

Students will understand the diversity and complexity of the human experience through study of the arts and humanities.

Credit Hours: 6 hours in two disciplines or in a sequence of foreign language courses)

Courses:

ART 111/111L Drawing I Credits: (3-0) 3
ART 112/112L Drawing II Credits: (3-0) 3
ART 121 Design I 2D Credits: (3-0) 3
ARTH 211 History of World Art I Credits: (3-0) 3
ENGL 210 Introduction to Literature Credits: (3-0) 3
ENGL 212 World Literature II Credits: (3-0) 3
ENGL 221 British Literature I Credits: (3-0) 3
ENGL 222 British Literature II Credits: (3-0) 3
ENGL 241 American Literature I Credits: (3-0) 3
ENGL 242 American Literature II Credits: (3-0) 3
ENGL 250 Science Fiction Credits: (3-0) 3
GER 101 Introductory German I Credits: (4-0) 4
GER 102 Introductory German II Credits: (4-0) 4
HIST 121 Western Civilization I Credits: (3-0) 3
HIST 122 Western Civilization II Credits: (3-0) 3
HUM 100 Introduction to Humanities Credits: (3-0) 3
HUM 200 Connections: Humanities & Technology Credits: (3-0) 3
HUM 250 Environmental Ethics and STEM Credits: (3-0) 3
MUS 117 Music in Performance I Credits: (1-0) 1 ¹
PHIL 100 Introduction to Philosophy Credits: (3-0) 3
PHIL 200 Introduction to Logic Credits: (3-0) 3
PHIL 220 Introduction to Ethics Credits: (3-0) 3
PHIL 233 Philosophy and Literature Credits: (3-0) 3
SPAN 101 Introductory Spanish I Credits: (4-0) 4
SPAN 102 Introductory Spanish II Credits: (4-0) 4

Curriculum Notes

¹ Repeatable for up to 3 credits towards partial satisfaction of Goal 4 Humanities requirement.

Goal #5 Mathematics

Students will understand and apply fundamental mathematical processes and reasoning.

Credit Hours: 3 hours

Courses:

MATH 114 College Algebra Credits: (3-0) 3
MATH 115 Precalculus Credits: (5-0) 5
MATH 120 Trigonometry Credits: (3-0) 3
MATH 123 Calculus I Credits: (4-0) 4
MATH 125 Calculus II Credits: (4-0) 4
MATH 225 Calculus III Credits: (4-0) 4
MATH 281 Introduction to Statistics Credits: (3-0) 3

Goal #6 Natural Sciences

Students will understand the fundamental principles of the natural sciences and apply scientific methods of inquiry to investigate the natural world.

Credit Hours: 6 hours

Courses:

BIOL 151 General Biology I Credits: (3-0) 3
BIOL 151L General Biology I Lab Credits: (0-1) 1
BIOL 153 General Biology II Credits: (3-0) 3
BIOL 153L General Biology II Lab Credits: (0-1) 1
CHEM 106 Chemistry Survey Credits: (3-0) 3
CHEM 106L Chemistry Survey Lab Credits: (0-1) 1
CHEM 112 General Chemistry I Credits: (3-0) 3
CHEM 112L General Chemistry I Lab Credits: (0-1) 1
CHEM 114 General Chemistry II Credits: (3-0) 3
CHEM 114L General Chemistry II Lab Credits: (0-1) 1
GEOL 201 Physical Geology Credits: (3-0) 3
GEOL 201L Physical Geology Laboratory Credits: (0-1) 1
PHYS 111 Introduction to Physics I Credits: (3-0) 3
PHYS 111L Introduction to Physics I Laboratory Credits: (0-1) 1
PHYS 113 Introduction to Physics II Credits: (3-0) 3
PHYS 113L Introduction to Physics II Laboratory Credits: (0-1) 1
PHYS 211 University Physics I Credits: (3-0) 3
PHYS 213 University Physics II Credits: (3-0) 3
PHYS 213L University Physics II Laboratory Credits: (0-1) 1