Foundations of Learning requirement
Foundations of Learning courses ensure you have a solid basis in competencies and skills, setting you up for success in the classroom and beyond. These skills include:
- Communicative fluency
- Ethical reasoning
- Global and cultural responsiveness
- Information literacy
- Problem solving (critical and creative)
- Quantitative literacy
How do I fulfill this requirement?
To fulfill the Foundations of Learning requirement, you'll need to take 12-13 total credit hours, with the following breakdown:
- UNIV 111 - Focused Inquiry I
- UNIV 112 - Focused Inquiry II
- UNIV 200 - Inquiry and the Craft of Argument
And one of the following:
- BUSN 171 - Mathematical Applications for Business
- BUSN 212 - Differential Calculus and Optimization for Business
- MATH 131 - Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics
- MATH 139 - College Algebra with Applications
- MATH 141 - Algebra with Applications
- MATH 151 - Precalculus Mathematics
- MATH 200 - Calculus with Analytic Geometry I
- STAT 208 - Statistical Thinking
- STAT 210 - Basic Practice of Statistics
- STAT 212 - Concepts of Statistics
Additional options for Honors students
- HONR 200 - Rhetoric (can be taken in place of UNIV 200)
- HONR 250 - Expository Writing (can be taken in place of UNIV 111 and UNIV 112)
Upcoming changes to Foundations of Learning and Areas of Inquiry requirements
The racial literacy requirement was approved as an additional Foundations of Learning course in VCU’s general education program. Therefore, when it goes into effect in the 2023-24 academic year, the total number of Foundations of Learning credits that students are required to complete will rise to 15-16 credits (currently 12-13 credits).
At the same time, the introduction of the racial literacy requirement will also see the number of Areas of Inquiry credits that students are required to complete reduced to 14-15 credits (currently 17-18). Therefore, there will be no increase in the total number of credits in the general education requirements.
However, students will now be required to complete courses from at least three of the four Areas of Inquiry, taking at least three credits in each area. (Currently, all four Areas of Inquiry are required.)
For more information, visit the racial literacy information page.
Additional information
For more details about these courses and fulfilling ConnectED's Foundations of Learning requirement, see the VCU Bulletin. And, as always, talk to your advisor!