Liberal Education Program - Explorations

Explorations courses continue to develop and reinforce the competencies introduced in Foundations. Students must complete courses within the structure outlined and no more than two courses from a single discipline may count toward their Explorations requirement. 

Explorations Competency Requirement
Natural World 7 credits between Natural World I & 2. 
American Experience OR Time & Place One course from either category.
Social Structure, Conflict & Consensus OR Mind & Body One course from either category.
Creative Drive One course.
Cultural Expression OR Global Awareness One course from either category.
Exploration Electives 6 additional credits from any Explorations category.
Total credits: 25

Course Offerings:

To ensure students receive a meaningful education in an ever-changing world, SCSU faculty regularly adapts the course offerings to provide cutting-edge curriculum within each LEP area. Students access the most up-to-date course offerings through one of the many advising resources or by meeting with a professional advisor. Also, prospective students can also receive advice by meeting with a member of our transfer student services team.

To view course descriptions of the courses listed below, please view the Undergraduate Catalog here.
   

Explorations Courses (as of Fall 2023)
Natural World courses use the method of scientific inquiry, study a scientific body of knowledge, and collect and analyze scientific data in a lab or field setting.

AST 100 - 3 Credits - Stars, Planets, and Galaxies

CHE 103 - 4 Credits - Crime Scene Chemistry

CHE 120 - 4 Credits - General Chemistry I

ESC 103 - 3 Credits - General Geology

ESC 105 - 3 Credits - General Meteorology

ESC 106 - 3 Credits - General Oceanography

ESC 107 - 3 Credits - General Astronomy

ESC 200 - 4 Credits - Physical Geology

ESC 205 - 4 Credits - Principles of Meteorology

ESC 220 - 3 Credits - Physical & Chemical Oceanography

GEO 201 - 4 Credits - Physical Geography

PHY 100 - 3 Credits - Physics through Inquiry

PHY 123 - 3 Credits - Critical Thinking and Science

PHY 200 - 4 Credits - General Physics I

PHY 210 - 4 Credits - College Physics

PHY 230 - 4 Credits – Physics for Scientists and Engineers I

T2PR 298 - 3 Credits - Topics in Physical Realm

T2PR 398 - 3 Credits - Topics in Physical Realm

T2PR 498 - 3 Credits - Topics in Physical Realm

Natural World courses use the method of scientific inquiry, study a scientific body of knowledge, and collect and analyze scientific data in a lab or field setting.

ANT 102 - 3 Credits - Biological Anthropology

BIO 100 - 3 Credits - General Zoology

BIO 101 - 3 Credits - General Botany

BIO 103 - 4 Credits - Biology II

BIO 120 - 4 Credits - Microbiology

BIO 200 - 4 Credits - Human Anatomy and Physiology I

BIO 396 - 4 credits - Synthetic Biology: Engineering Life

BIO 450 - 3 credits - Research Methods

CHE 101 - 4 Credits - Introduction to Environmental Chemistry

CHE 121 - 4 Credits - General Chemistry II

CHE 125 - 4 Credits - Principles and Applications of General, Organic, and Biochemistry

ENV 101 - 3 Credits - Global Environmental Issues

ESC 104 - 3 Credits - Geohazards: Impact Environment

ESC 111 - 3 Credits - Life Through Time

ESC 201 - 4 Credits - Historical Geology

MAR 210 - 4 Credits - Coastal Marine Studies

T2LE 298 - 3 Credits - Topics in Life and Environment

T2LE 398 - 3 Credits - Topics in Life and Environment

T2LE 498 - 3 Credits - Topics in Life and Environment

American Experience courses focus on the history, politics, society, or culture of the United States.

ANT 321 - 3 Credits - Contemporary Issues in Indigenous North America

ECO 110 - 3 credits - Social Issues and Economics

ENG 218 - 3 Credits - American Experience and Literature

FIN 250 - 3 Credits - US Financial Industry and Film

GEO 104 - 3 Credits - Sustainability in America

HIS 110 - 3 Credits - United States History I

HIS 111 - 3 Credits - United States History II

HIS 248 - 3 Credits - American Constitution in Historical Perspective

IDS 320 - 3 Credits - Human Flourishing

ITA 250 - 3 Credits - Italians in America

JRN 101 - 3 Credits - The Media: Freedom and Power

JRN 350 - 3 Credits - American Journalism History

JST 210 - 3 Credits - Jewish American Literature

MAT 210 - 3 Credits - Analysis of Election Structures

MKT 100 - 3 Credits - Consumption, Markets, and Culture

PHI 219 - 3 Credits - Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration

PHI 272 - 3 Credits - Ethics of Policing

PHI 323 - 3 Credits - Ethical Individualism

PSC 210 - 3 Credits - American Political Experience

PSC 220 - 3 Credits - Grassroots Democracy: City and States

PSC 260 - 3 Credits - U.S. Government

SPA 210 - 3 Credits - Spanish IV: Latino America

T2AE 298 - 3 Credits - Topics in American Experience

T2AE 398 - 3 Credits - Topics in American Experience

T2AE 498 - 3 Credits - Topics in American Experience

Creative drive courses show evidence of a creation of a project and the display and performance of that project.

ANT 211 - 3 Credits - Art of Ethnographic Writing

ART 113 - 3 Credits - 3-Dimensional Design

ART 150 - 3 Credits - Introductory Drawing I

ART 151 - 3 Credits - Introductory Drawing II

ART 201 - 3 Credits - Visual Art and Studio Experience

ART 220 - 3 Credits - Introductory Painting

ART 225 - 3 Credits - Creative Drawing

ART 233 - 3 Credits - Jewelry/Metals I

ART 236 - 3 Credits - Ceramics I: Hand-Building

ART 240 - 3 Credits – Introduction to Sculpture: Construction and Subtraction

ART 241 - 3 Credits - Sculpture: Modeling & Casting

ART 250 - 3 Credits - Intermediate Drawing

ART 260 - 3 Credits - Etching, Woodcut, and Collograph

ART 261 - 3 Credits - Lithography and Silkscreen

ART 262 - 3 Credits - Photography as a Visual Language

ART 264 - 3 Credits - Intro to Digital Photography

ART 266 - 3 Credits - Conspiracy Theories

COM 228 - 3 Credits - Capturing Family Stories 

DSC 205 - 3 Credits - Data Visualization

ENG 201 - 3 Credits - Intro to Creative Writing

ENG 209 - 3 Credits - Lyrics as Literature

FIN 200 - 3 Credits - Critical Thinking in Finance

GEO 270 - 3 Credits - Designing Maps

HIS 150 - 3 Credits - Critical Thinking Through Historical Biography

HIS 266 - 3 Credits - Conspiracy Theories

HMS 293 - 3 Credits - Movement Foundations

IDS 110 - 3 Credits - Experiencing the Arts

JRN 270 - 3 Credits - Photojournalism and Drones

JRN 306 - 3 Credits - Digital News Design

JST 303 - 3 Credits - The Israeli Short Story

MAT 260 - 3 Credits - Geometry and the Arts

MUS 102 - 1 Credit - University Choir

MUS 104 - 1 Credit - University Band I

MUS 105 - 1 Credit - University Band II

MUS 111 - 3 Credits - Experiencing the Arts

MUS 230 - 3 Credits - Intro to Musical Improvisation

MUS 235 - 3 Credits - Guitar I

MUS 237 - 3 Credits - Fundamentals of Piano I

MUS 250 - 3 Credits - Arts and Ideas: Experiencing

MUS 251 - 3 Credits - Music and Movement

PHI 125 - 3 Credits - Anger, Revenge & Forgiveness

PHI 222 - 3 Credits - The Creative Process

PHI 242 - 3 Credits - Death and the Meaning of Life

REC 220 - 3 Credits - Inclusive Recreation

T2CD 298 - 3 Credits - Topics in Creative Drive

T2CD 398 - 3 Credits - Topics in Creative Drive

T2CD 498 - 3 Credits - Topics in Creative Drive

THR 121 - 3 Credits - Foundations of Acting

THR 131 - 3 Credits - Principles: Theatrical Design

THR 224 - 3 Credits - Beginning Tap and Jazz Dance

THR 228 - 3 Credits - Shakespeare Workshop

Cultural Expression courses focus on student understanding of and appreciation for influential cultural objects and traditions.

ANT 470 - 3 Credits - Ethnographic Fieldwork Methods

ARB 200 - 3 Credits - Arabic III

ART 104 - 3 Credits - History of Western Art I

ART 105 - 3 Credits - History of Western Art II

CHI 120 - 3 Credits - Chinese Songs and Pop Culture

CHI 200 - 3 Credits - Chinese III

CHI 210 - 3 Credits - China: Culture through Food

CMS 250 - 3 Credits - Reading Film-Form,Genre,Culture

ENG 217 - 3 Credits - Introduction to Literature

FRE 200 - 3 Credits - French III

FRE 201 - 3 Credits - French Language, Culture, and Cuisine

FRE 202 - 3 Credits - French for a Global World

GEO 200 - 3 Credits - Human Geography

GER 200 - 3 Credits - German III

GER 201 - 3 Credits - Continuing German

GER 202 - 3 Credits - Exploring a German City

GER 203 - 3 Credits - German- Tales, Stories, and Films

HBR 200 - 3 Credits - Hebrew III

ITA 200 - 3 Credits - Italian III

ITA 202 - 3 Credits - La Dolce Vita: Italian Language and Culture for Pleasure

ITA 204 - 3 Credits - Made in Italy: Italian Language and Culture for a Global Society

ITA 210 - 3 Credits - Language through Culture

JPN 200 - 3 Credits - Japanese III

JPN 210 - 3 Credits - Heart and Soul of Japan

JST 200 - 3 Credits - Jewish Stories

LAT 200 - 3 Credits - Latin III

LIT 308 - 3 Credits - Spanish National Cinema

MDS 224 - 3 Credits – Reading Film: Form, Genre, Culture

MUS 110 - 3 Credits - Music History: Western World

MUS 210 - 3 Credits - Music History I

PHI 270 - 3 Credits - Philosophy of Education

PHI 309 - 3 Credits - Women & Religion: The Old and New Eve

POR 200 - 3 Credits - Portuguese III

PSC 240 - 3 Credits - Introduction to Political Thought

RUS 200 - 3 Credits - Russian III

SED 205 - 3 Credits - American Sign Language III

SPA 200 - 3 Credits - Spanish III

SPA 201 - 3 Credits - Medical Spanish

SPA 410 - 3 Credits - Theory and Practice of Translation

T2CE 298 - 3 Credits - Topics in Cultural Expression

T2CE 398 - 3 Credits - Topics in Cultural Expression

T2CE 498 - 3 Credits - Topics in Cultural Expression

THR 100 - 3 Credits - Understanding Theatre

THR 415 - 3 Credits - The Critical Eye

WGS 309 - 3 Credits - Women & Religion

Global Awareness courses focus on the history, politics, geography, or societal issues in countries outside of the United States.

ANT 201 - 3 Credits - The Global Community

ANT 222 - 3 Credits - Modern Human Variation

ECO 101 - 3 Credits - Principles of Micro-Economics

ENV 220 - 3 Credits - Global Climate Change

FRE 210 - 3 Credits - Continuing French

FRE 410 - 3 Credits - French and Francophone Studies

FRE 415 - 3 Credits - Sexual Citizenship: French Speaking World

HIS 104 - 3 Credits - Islamic Civilization

HIS 105 - 3 Credits - Intro: Southeast Asia to 1500

HIS 106 - 3 Credits - East Asia to 1850

HIS 128 - 3 Credits - Latin America History

ITA 220 - 3 Credits - Food Culture in Italy

ITA 380 - 3 Credits - Contemporary Italian Culture

JST 204 - 3 Credits – Introduction to Holocaust and Genocide Studies 

LAC 128 - 3 Credits - Latin American History

MUS 115 - 3 Credits - Music in World Culture

PCH 353 - 3 Credits - Global Health

PHI 203 - 3 Credits - Ethics of Sustainabilty/Environment

PHI 211 - 3 Credits - Asian Philosophy: India

PHI 212 - 3 Credits - Asian Philosophy: China and Japan

PSC 230 - 3 Credits - War

PSC 270 - 3 Credits - International Relations

T2GA 298 - 3 Credits - Topics in Global Awareness

T2GA 398 - 3 Credits - Topics in Global Awareness

T2GA 498 - 3 Credits - Topics in Global Awareness

WGS 435 - 3 Credits - Women's and Social Movements

WLL 208 - 3 Credits - Chinese Society and Culture

Mind and Body courses study various conceptions of the self and must focus on at least one approach to understand the self (including, but not limited to, physical, psychological, religious, and philosophical).

ANT 224 - 3 Credits - Self, Language, and Society

ANT 382 - 3 Credits - People and Weight

CHE 108 - 3 Credits - Culinary Chemistry

HMS 212 - 3 Credits - Lifetime Physical Activity

HMS 380 - 3 Credits - Sport Psychology

MUT 100 - 3 Credits - Music Therapy

NUR 250 - 3 Credits - Health Care Has a Narrative

PCH 201 - 3 Credits - Wellness

PHI 100 - 3 Credits - Introduction to Philosophy

PHI 207 - 3 Credits – The Religious Dimension of Human Existence

PHI 220 - 3 Credits - Ethics: Know Thyself

PSY 100 - 3 Credits - Introduction to Psychology

REC 120 - 3 Credits - Leadership Development

SHE 203 - 3 Credits - School Health

SOC 265 - 3 Credits - Self and Society

T2MB 298 - 3 Credits - Topics in Mind and Body

T2MB 398 - 3 Credits - Topics in Mind and Body

T2MB 498 - 3 Credits - Topics in Mind and Body

WLL 403 - 3 Credits - Introduction to Second Language Acquisition

Social Structure, Conflict and Consensus courses focus on the structure, function, and history of social institutions and also seek to understand social conflicts, their sources, and means for resolution.

ANT 101 - 3 Credits - Cultural Anthropology

ANT 311 - 3 Credits - Applied Anthropology

ACL 200 - 3 Credits - Civic Leadership in American Society

ART 106 - 3 Credits - Critical Thinking in the Visual Arts

ART 414 - 3 Credits - Socially Engaged Art Education

CMS 330 - 3 Credits - Propaganda in Media

ECO 100 - 3 Credits - Principles of Macro-Economics

EDU 200 - 3 Credits - Teachers, Schools, and Societies

EDU 206 - 3 Credits – Principles of Early Childhood Education

ENG 125 - 3 Credits - Sexism and Homophobia

ENG 318 - 3 Credits - Writing for the Web

GEO 105 - 3 Credits - Food Systems: A Critical Geography

GEO 260 - 3 Credits - Population Geography

GEO 308 - 3 Credits - Social Geographies

GEO 357 - 3 Credits - Coastal and Marine Geography

HIS 227 - 3 Credits - Colonial Latin American History 

HIS 235 - 3 Credits - The Holocaust

HIS 241 - 3 Credits - The Modern Middle East 

HIS 367 - 3 Credits - The 20th-Century World

JST 110 - 3 Credits - Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

JST 125 - 3 Credits - Contemporary Antisemitism and Racism

LAC 227 - 3 Credits - Colonial Latin American History 

MDS 320 - 3 Credits - Propaganda in Media

MUT 350 - 3 Credits - Multiculturalism in Music Therapy

PCH 371 - 3 Credits - Food Systems and Food Justice

PHI 300 - 3 Credits - Human Rights and Human Wrongs

PSC 100 - 3 Credits - Pow & Conflict- Modern Societies

PSC 200 - 3 Credits - Political Change and Conflict

SOC 100 - 3 Credits - Introduction to Sociology

SOC 102 - 3 Credits - Exploring Social Issues

SOC 203 - 3 Credits - Social Organizations

SOC 213 - 3 Credits - Introduction to Racial and Intersectional Justice

SOC 216 - 3 Credits - Men's Studies

SOC 235 - 3 Credits - Environmental Sociology

SOC 251 - 3 Credits - Sociology of Religion

SOC 394 - 3 Credits - Civic Engagement and Service Learning

T2CC 298 - 3 Credits - Topics in Conflict & Consensus

T2CC 398 - 3 Credits - Topics in Conflict & Consensus

T2CC 498 - 3 Credits - Topics in Conflict & Consensus

TSL 321 - 3 Credits - Assessment of English Learners

WGS 200 - 3 Credits - Gender, Sexuality, and Film

Time and Place courses focus on a specific time period and/or geographical place with the intent of fostering an understanding of the human experience and viewpoints associated with that time or place.

ANT 205 - 3 Credits - Archaeology and the Human Past

CMS 130 - 3 Credits - Media and Everyday Life

ENG 219 - 3 Credits - Time and Place in Literature

ENG 220 - 3 Credits - Anglo-Irish Identities in Literature

ESC 115 - 3 Credits - Connecticut Geology

ESC 210 - 4 Credits - Principles of Astronomy

GEO 100 - 3 Credits - People, Places, & Environments

HIS 100 - 3 Credits - Western Civilization I

HIS 101 - 3 Credits - Western Civilization II

ITA 270 - 3 Credits - Italian Cities

JST 304 - 3 Credits - Social History of Jewish People

LAC 100 - 3 Credits - Latin American and Caribbean Studies

MDS 101 - 3 Credits - Media and Everyday Life

PHI 296 - 3 Credits – Ancient Philosophy: Pre-Socrates to Plotinus

PHI 297 - 3 Credits – Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy: Augustine to Machiavelli

REC 241 - 3 Credits - Outdoor Adventure Leadership

REC 381 - 3 Credits - Leisure in Contemporary Society

REC 425 - 3 Credits - Seminar in Leadership

SOC 250 - 3 Credits - Apocalypse Now?

T2TP 298 - 3 Credits - Topics in Time and Place

T2TP 398 - 3 Credits - Topics in Time and Place

T2TP 498 - 3 Credits - Topics in Time and Place

THE 381 - 3 Credits - Leisure in Contemporary Society