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

Mar 31, 2025

2024-2025 Academic Catalog

The courses listed below for the General Education requrirments are courses currently offered through South Dakota Mines. 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 offered:

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 STEM Communication for Technical and Public Audiences Credits: (3-0) 3

Goal #2 Oral Communication

Student will communicate effectively and responsibly through listening and speaking.

Credit Hours: 3 hours

Courses offered:

ENGL 279 Communication in the STEM Workplace Credits: (3-0) 3
ENGL 289 STEM Communication for Technical and Public Audiences Credits: (3-0) 3
CMST 101 Foundations of Communication 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 different disciplines (prefixes)

Courses offered:

ANTH 210 Cultural Anthropology Credits: (3-0) 3
GEOG 101 Introduction to Geography Credits: (3-0) 3
GEOG 200 Introduction to Human Geography 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 102 American Political Issues Credits: (3-0) 3
POLS 165 Political Ideologies 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
SOC 285 Society and Technology 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 different disciplines (prefixes) or in a sequence of foreign language courses

Courses offered:

ART 111 Drawing I Credits: (3-0) 3
ART 121 Design I 2D Credits: (3-0) 3
ARTH 100 Art Appreciation 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
SPAN 201 Intermediate Spanish I Credits: (3-0) 3
SPAN 202 Intermediate Spanish II Credits: (3-0) 3
STS 201 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society Credits: (3-0) 3

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 offered:

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

Curriculum Notes

Most majors will require a specifc math general education course to be taken. Please consult your major’s requirements for more details.

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: 6-7 hours*

Courses offered:

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 201/201L Physical Geology/Lab Credits: (3-1) 4
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 207 Fundamentals of Physics I Credits: (3-0) 3
PHYS 207L Fundamentals of Physics I Lab Credits: (0-1) 1
PHYS 209 Fundamentals of Physics II Credits: (3-0) 3
PHYS 209L Fundamentals of Physics II Lab Credits: (0-1) 1
PHYS 211/211L University Physics I/Lab Credits: (4-1) 5
PHYS 213/213L University Physics II/Lab Credits: (4-1) 5

Curriculum Notes

Most majors will require specifc science general education courses to be taken. Please consult your major’s requirements for more details.

*One lab course is required to meet this Goal.