Skip to Main Content
Navigated to 2013 CUNY General Education Program (Pathways): Required Courses.

2013 CUNY General Education Program (Pathways): Required Courses


Lehman College provides undergraduates with not only a major specialization but also training in a range of basic skills and general subjects on beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. In this way, a bachelor's degree represents both training in a special field and the skills and knowledge to meet life's varied challenges responsibly, intelligently, and creatively.

Beginning in fall 2013, CUNY instituted a common General Education structure (called "Pathways") whose purpose is to improve the ability of students to transfer within the university. Lehman's 2013 CUNY General Education Program (Pathways) conforms to the new CUNY structure. The college's General Education categories remain the same, but the individual course requirements in some cases have changed. Lehman's categories represent the following parts of the CUNY Pathways structure:

  • Foundation = CUNY Required Core (plus the College Option in Foreign Language)

  • Distribution = CUNY Flexible Core

  • Integration = CUNY College Option

Lehman's courses in the 2013 CUNY General Education Curriculum include subjects comprising the shared intellectual heritage of our diverse culture. They teach critical thinking and encourage accurate and effective communication. General Education supports the integration, synthesis, and application of knowledge, and includes proficiency in information literacy. Undergraduate education offers not only specialized knowledge and professional skills but also the multiple views and general intellectual abilities developed by the study of liberal arts and sciences that provide a foundation for independent, responsible living.

Students who enter Lehman College in the fall 2013 semester or later must meet the 2013 CUNY General Education Requirements. There are four categories of required courses: Foundation ("Required Core" plus "College Option,") Distribution ("Flexible Core"), Integration ("College Option"), and Writing Intensive. For a list of the 2013 CUNY General Education courses in each category, select the links in the navigation side panel.

(NOTE: The Foreign Language and Integration Requirements are waived for students in the Lehman Scholars Program and the Macaulay Honors College, which have their own requirements in these areas.)

Foundation Courses (6 Courses, 18-21 Credits)

Foundation courses include CUNY's Required Common Core plus Foreign Language in CUNY's College Option.

The Foundation Courses comprise requirements in English Composition (6 credits), Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning (3-4 credits), a Lab Science: Life and Physical Science (3 credits), and Foreign Language (6 credits). Students may substitute STEM variants for the mathematics and science courses.

English Composition Requirement (6 Credits)

All students must successfully complete a six-credit sequence in English composition (course-course). Honors students complete (course-course). Every student should enroll in an English composition course each semester until course is passed. Students who are placed in English as a Second Language courses must complete these courses before taking English Composition. Entering students who have completed equivalent English composition coursework will be placed in the appropriate course by the English Department.

Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning Requirement (3-4 Credits)

All students are required to successfully complete either course: Quantitative Reasoning or course: Foundations of Data Science. Students may substitute one of the mathematics courses in the list of STEM Variants.

Life and Physical Science Requirement (3-5 Credits)

All students are required to successfully complete one course in a laboratory science from the following list of courses.

Credits

course

Human Evolutionary Biology

3

course

Introduction to the Universe

3

course

Concepts of Human Biology

3

course

Elements of Chemistry I

3

course

Conceptual Physics

3

course

Sound, Speech and Music

3

course

Energy and the Environment

3

course: Has a Corequisite in Distribution Courses: Scientific World course.

Students may substitute for any of these courses one of the science courses in the list of STEM Variants (see the left navigation panel access this list).

Foreign Language Requirement (6 Credits)

Students are required to take two foreign language courses in the same language (including American Sign Language). This is part of the CUNY Pathways College Option.

Only students who transfer into Lehman with an associate's degree are exempt from the Foreign Language Requirement.

Students who continue in a foreign language previously studied in high school or college must be placed in the proper sequential course by the Languages and Literatures Department. If a student completes one semester of a foreign language at the intermediate level or above (numbered 201 or higher), one Foreign Language Option course may be substituted for the second required language course with the permission of the Languages and Literatures Department (if a language course is chosen it cannot be the same language as the student’s 200-level course). The following courses comprise the Foreign Language Option:

 

 

Credits

course

Elementary Arabic I

3

course

Elementary Arabic II

3

course

Elementary Chinese I

3

course

Elementary Chinese I I

3

course

English Literature

3

course

Shakespeare Now

3

course

American Literature

3

course

Elementary French I

3

course

Elementary French II

3

course

East Asian Civilization

3

course

Civilizations of the Ancient World

3

course

Islamic Civilization

3

course

Elementary Irish I

3

course

Elementary Irish II

3

course

Elementary Italian I

3

course

Elementary Italian II

3

course

Elementary Japanese I

3

course

Elementary Japanese II

3

course

Critical Reasoning

3

course

Introduction to Logic

3

course

Problems of Philosophy

3

course

Classical Political Economy

3

course

Elementary Spanish I

3

course

Elementary Spanish II

3

course

Introduction to American Sign Language 1

3

course

Introduction to American Sign Language II

3

(These courses cannot also serve to meet Common Core requirements.)

Foreign Language Requirement Prior to Fall 2020

Distribution Courses (6 Courses, 18-20 Credits)

Distribution courses are the Flexible Common Core in CUNY General Education.

Every student must choose and successfully complete one course from these Distribution courses in each of the five areas listed below, and a sixth course from any of the areas. No more than two courses from the same discipline may be used to satisfy the Distribution Requirement.

Area I: World Cultures and Global Issues (3 credits)

Credits

course

Introduction to African and African American Studies

3

course

The Contemporary Urban Community

3

course

African Civilizations

3

course

Caribbean Societies

3

course

Women in African Society

3

course

Women in Latin America

3

course

Selected Studies in Societies and Culture: Latin America

3

course

An Introduction to Geography

3

course

Urban Geography

3

course

History of Puerto Rico

3

course

East Asian Civilization

3

course

Early Modern Europe, 1400-1815

3

course

Contemporary European History

3

course

Civilizations of the Ancient World

3

course

Medieval Civilization

3

course

Islamic Civilization

3

course

Introduction to Latin America and the Caribbean I

3

course

Introduction to Latin America and the Caribbean II

3

course

History of Puerto Rico

3

course

Puerto Rican Culture: Global Identities

3

course

Introduction to Middle Eastern Studies

3

course

Introduction to African Philosophy

3

course

Russia Today

3

course

International Politics

3

course

Globalization

3

course

Politics and Culture

3

course

Comparative Politics

3

course

Social Processes of Global Interdependencies

3

course

Introduction to Women's Studies

3

Area II: U.S. Experience in Its Diversity (3 credits)

Credits

course

African American Families

3

course

Black Women in American Society

3

course

History of African Americans

3

course

American Culture-Value and Traditions

3

course

Introduction to Disability Studies

3

course

Foundations of the United States

3

course

Modern United States History

3

course

The U.S. Health Care Delivery System

3

course

Latinos in the United States

3

course

Family and Gender Relations Among Latinos

3

course

History of U.S. Latinos

3

course

The American Political System

3

course

Public Policy

3

course

Criminal Justice

3

course

Immigration and Citizenship

3

course

Latino Politics

3

course

Urban Sociology

3

Area III: Creative Expression (3 credits)

Credits

course

African American Art

3

course

African American Theatre

3

course

Literature of the English & Francophone Caribbean

3

course

African Literature

3

course

Contemporary Black Music

3

course

African-American Literature

3

course

Introduction to the History of Asian Art-Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu Cultures

3

course

Introduction to the History of the Arts of Africa, the Americas, and the South Pacific

3

course

Introduction to the History of Modern Art of the 19th & 20th Centuries in Europe & the US

3

course

Introduction to the History of Latin American Art

3

course

Tradition and Innovation in the Art of the West

3

course

Observation and the Visual Experience

3

course

Dance Perspectives

3

course

Literary Genres

3

course

English Literature

3

course

Shakespeare Now

3

course

American Literature

3

course

Literature and Medicine

3

course

Contemporary Urban Writers

3

course

Women in Literature

3

course

Writing Essentials

3

course

Introduction to Creative Writing

3

course

Classics of the Western World: Ancient and Medieval

3

course

Classics of the Western World II: Renaissance and Modern

3

course

Literature of the Caribbean and the Caribbean Diaspora

3

course

Latin American Literature in Translation

3

course

Introduction to Music

3

course

World Music

3

course

The American Musical Experience

3

course

African American Theatre

3

course

The Art of the Theatre

3

Area IV: Individual and Society (3 credits)

Credits

course

Anthropological Perspectives on Women and Men

3

course

Cultural Anthropology

3

course

The Body and Society

3

course

Introduction to Macroeconomics

3

course

Introduction to Microeconomics

3

course

Problems of Philosophy

3

course

Contemporary Moral Issues

3

course

Justice and Society

3

course

Theories of Human Nature

3

course

Philosophy of Religion

3

course

Philosophy of Freedom

3

course

Contemporary Political Issues

3

course

Great Political Thinkers

3

course

Classical Political Economy

3

course

General Psychology

3

course

Fundamentals of Sociology

3

course

Sociology of the Family

3

course

Sociological Perspectives on Gender and Society

3

Area IV Individual and Society Prior to Fall 2020

Area V: Scientific World (3 credits)

Credits

course

Ancient Peoples and Cultures

3

course

Introduction to Astronomy

3

course

Elements of Chemistry II

3

course

Introduction to Environmental Science

3

course

Conservation of the Environment

3

course

The Ascent of Man: An Introduction to the History of Science

3

course

Introduction to Linguistics

3

course

Critical Reasoning

3

course

Introduction to Logic

3

course

Critical Thinking in Psychology

3

course

Quantitative Reasoning for Social Scientists

3

*Students may satisfy the Scientific World requirement with a course in science from the STEM Variant Course list, see the navigation panel on the left side.

course: Has a Corequisite in Foundation Courses: Life and Physical Science course.

Integration Courses (2 Courses, 6 Credits)

Integration Courses are part of the College Option in CUNY General Education.

Students must complete TWO “LEH” (“L” “E” “H”) COURSES:

EITHER

course and ONE course chosen from LEH 351, 352, 353, 354 or 355 that is outside of their major (see notes on each course).

OR

TWO different LEH courses chosen from LEH 351, 352, 353, 354 or 355 that are outside of their major (see notes on each course).

LEH courses are variable topics courses, in which each section covers a specific topic. Each semester, a series of topics for these courses will be announced in the Schedule of Classes.


course: First-year Seminar. 3 hours, 3 credits. Selected topics in the social sciences, life and physical sciences, humanities or applied perspectives. Nature and value of the liberal arts and sciences, critical thinking within a disciplinary area, goals and objectives of General Education, technological tools for education, campus services and supports, and links between the disciplinary area and careers. Pre- requisite: Completion of 30 credits or fewer.

LEH 351-355: Students must select upper-division LEH courses (LEH 351, 352, 353, 354 or 355) that are outside of their major (see the notes below). Pre-requisite for all of the upper-division LEH courses: Completion of 45 credits or an Associate’s Degree and an official declaration of major.

course: Studies in Scientific and Applied Perspectives. 3 hours, 3 credits (may be repeated for credit with a different topic). Selected topics in the social sciences, life and physical sciences and applied perspectives. Prerequisites: official selection of a major and either completion of 45 General Education credits or an Associate's Degree.

NOTE 1: In general, students should expect writing assignments and computer –based work along with research involving the library and the Internet.

NOTE 2: This course grants general education credit towards graduation for students in all major concentrations except Accounting, Anthropology, Anthropology, Biology, Biology Teacher Grades 7-12, Biology BS/MS Dual Degree, Chemistry, Biology, Business Administration, Chemistry, Computer Graphics and Imaging, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Dietetics, Foods, and Nutrition, Earth Science, Economics, Economics and Mathematics, Environmental Science, Exercise Science, Geography, Geology, Health Education and Promotion, Health Education N-12, Health Services Administration, Italian American Studies, Linguistics, Mathematics, Nursing, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Recreation Education, Social Work, Sociology, Speech Pathology and Audiology, Therapeutic Recreation.

course: Studies in Literature. 3 hours, 3 credits (may be repeated for credit with a different topic). Selected topics in literature. Prerequisites: official selection of a major and either completion of 45 General Education credits or an Associate's Degree.

NOTE 1: In general, students should expect writing assignments and computer –based work along with research involving the library and the Internet.

NOTE 2: This course grants general education credit towards graduation for students in all major concentrations except Comparative Literature, English, French, French Teacher Education 7-12, Italian, Italian Teacher Education 7-12, Latin, Russian, Spanish and Spanish Teacher Education 7-12. 

course: Studies in the Arts. 3 hours, 3 credits (may be repeated for credit with a different topic). Selected topics in the arts. Prerequisites: official selection of a major and either completion of 45 General Education credits or an Associate's Degree.

NOTE 1: In general, students should expect writing assignments and computer –based work along with research involving the library and the Internet.

NOTE 2: This course grants general education credit towards graduation for students in all major concentrations except Art, Art History, Dance, Dance-Theatre, Film and Television Studies, Journalism, Media Communications Studies, Multimedia Performing Arts, Music, Theatre.

course: Studies in Historical Studies. 3 hours, 3 credits (may be repeated for credit with a different topic). Selected topics in historical studies. Prerequisites: official selection of a major and either completion of 45 General Education credits or an Associate's Degree.

NOTE 1: In general, students should expect writing assignments and computer –based work along with research involving the library and the Internet.

NOTE 2: This course grants general education credit towards graduation for students in all major concentrations except Africana Studies, American Studies, History, History (Teacher Education), Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Latino Studies.

course: Studies in Philosophy, Theory and Abstract Thinking. 3 hours, 3 credits (may be repeated for credit with a different topic). Selected topics in philosophy, theory and abstract thinking. Prerequisites: official selection of a major and either completion of 45 General Education credits or an Associate's Degree.

NOTE 1: In general, students should expect writing assignments and computer –based work along with research involving the library and the Internet.

NOTE 2: This course grants general education credit towards graduation for students in all major concentrations except Philosophy.

College Writing Requirement

Students must complete four courses designated as writing-intensive, three prior to earning the 60th credit and one following. Individual sections of courses will be designated as writing-intensive, and students may take writing-intensive sections of courses in General Education, major, minor, and elective courses.

Transfer students who have completed less than 30 college credits must complete four courses designated as writing-intensive; those who have completed at least 30 but less than 60 college credits must complete three courses designated as writing-intensive; those who have completed 60 or more college credits must complete two courses designated as writing-intensive.

College Writing Requirement Prior to Spring 2020

 

STEM Variant Courses

Students may substitute courses from this list of required courses in mathematics and laboratory science for the required courses in Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning (Foundation), in Life and Physical Sciences (Foundation), or Scientific World (Distribution Courses). These STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) courses will meet the General Education Requirements in the appropriate areas.

For Quantitative and Mathematical Reasoning

Credits

course

Foundations of Data Science

3

course

Introduction to Statistics

4

course

Elements of Precalculus

4

course

Precalculus

4

course

Elements of Calculus

4

course

Calculus I

4

course

Calculus II

4

For Life and Physical Science or Scientific World:

Credits

course

Introduction to Human Evolution

4

course

Introduction to Human Variation

4

course

Astronomy of Stellar Systems

4

course

Principles of Biology: Cells and Genes

4

course

Principles of Biology: Organisms

4

course

Anatomy and Physiology I

4

course

Anatomy and Physiology II

4

course

Human Biology

4

 

course

Essentials of General Chemistry Lecture

3

And

course

Essentials of General Chemistry Laboratory

1.5

 

course

General Chemistry I

4

And

course

General Chemistry Laboratory I

1.5

 

course

General Chemistry II

4

And

course

General Chemistry Laboratory II

1.5

 

course

Dynamic Earth

3

course

Earth Evolution

3

course

Basic Mapping: Applications and Analysis

3

course

Fundamental Concepts and Methods of Physics

4

course

The Physics of Sound

3.5

course

General Physics I

5

course

General Physics II

5

course

Physics I for Scientists and Engineers

5

course

Physics II for Scientists and Engineers

5