LSA Degree Requirements
The first thing to keep in mind is that you have four years to complete all of these requirements. So don't worry about fulfilling them all right away. Select courses that will be of interest to you and you will most likely fulfill most of these automatically. LSA offers three degrees, a A.B. (Bachelor of Arts), a B.S. (Bachelor of Science) and B.G.S. (Bachelor in General Studies). All three degrees require 120 total credits. Click here for more information about the different degrees.

First-Year Writing Requirement

The goal of the first-year writing requirement is to get you ready for college writing. It is a good idea to take this course either your first or second semester at Michigan. Common courses that meet the requirement are ENGLISH 124 (literature based), ENGLISH 125 (non-fiction based), and HISTORY 195 (the writing of history). If you didn't do much writing in high school and are afraid you might not be ready for any UM writing class, then you can start with a 2 credit writing practicum course (SWC 100/102) that is credit/no credit. You would then follow this up with a writing requirement course. You must get a C– or above to satisfy this requirement. Click here for the Sweetland Writing Center.

FAQ: first-year writing

Q: Do I have to take a First-Year Writing course if I complete the Writing Practicum?
A: Yes. The Writing Practicum is NOT a substitute for the First-Year Writing Requirement.

Q: Can my AP Composition credits count as a First-Year Writing course?
A: No. AP Composition credits count only as elective credits toward graduation.

Upper Level Writing Requirement (ULWR)

You certainly don't have to worry about this requirement yet. Most students take a course in their concentration that meets ULWR and most do it their junior or senior years. When you get ready to take this class, do a search on the On-Line Course Guide at www.lsa.umich.edu/cg also don't forget to modify your course as ULWR on Wolverine Access when you register or your course won't meet the requirement. Click here for Sweetland Writing Center.

Quantitative Reasoning

The college wants you to understand and be able to manipulate quantitative material. Take one QR/1 course or two QR/2 courses to meet this requirement.

FAQ: quantitative reasoning

Q: Can my AP Calculus or transfer credits be used to meet the QR requirement?
A: No. AP credits cannot be used to meet the QR requirement. Most transfer credits do not automatically meet the QR requirement. For example, even if a math course you took at a community college transfers to UM as MATH 115, it will not meet the QR requirement unless approved by petition to the LSA QR Committee. The only exceptions are transfer credits for PHYSICS 125, 126, 140, 240 or any three- or four-credit Statistics course.

Q: If QR is not just Calculus, which courses meet the requirement?
A: A wide variety of courses meet the QR requirement, including, as QR/1, MATH 115, 116, and 215; STATS 100, 170, and 350; PHYSICS 125; PHYSICS 126; and as QR/2, ECON 101 and 102; CHEM 130; ASTRO 101, 102, 111, and 112; and GEOSCI 222. For a complete list of approved courses for each semester, check the LSA Online Course Guide.

Q: Can a QR course also count toward my concentration or distribution requirements?
A: Yes. A QR course can overlap with anything.

Q: Do I have to take a Math or Statistics course?
A: Only if your department requires Math or Statistics courses for completion of a concentration.

Race & Ethnicity

A Race and Ethnicity course will ask you to consider the role that racism and ethnocentrism have played and continue to play in American society and throughout the world. Take one R&E course.

FAQ: race & ethnicity

Q: Can a transfer course meet the R&E requirement.
A: Generally, no. Transfer courses can meet the R&E requirement only if they meet a strict set of criteria established by the LSA R&E Committee. The reason for this is that two courses with a similar title could have dramatically different course content. For example, even though Anthropology 101 at UM meets the R&E requirement, many Anthropology transfer courses will not because they may not focus on the impact of racial and ethnic intolerance.

Q: Can an R&E course count toward my concentration or distribution requirements?
A: Yes. A R&E course can overlap with anything.

Language Requirement

To receive a BA or BS from LSA you will be required to reach fourth term proficiency in a language. You must receive a C– or better to fulfill the requirement or to move from one course to the next. You might meet the requirement through a placement exam or AP credit, completing a fourth-term course, or taking a course that assumes fourth-term proficiency.

FAQ: language

Q: Can my AP credits be used to meet the Language Requirement?
A: Yes. If you receive AP language credit you may use those credits to meet your LSA Language Requirement.

Q: Do all students need to complete the Language Requirement?
A: You are only exempt from the Language Requirement if you are a BGS students.

Q: May I take any of my language courses Pass/Fail?
A: Yes. Although it is not encouraged, you may take any language course Pass/Fail EXCEPT the fourth semester. The fourth-semester course must be taken for a grade.

Q: Can I earn retroactive credits in a language?
A: Yes. If you have done very well on your language placement exam (in Latin, German, Spanish, French, or Hebrew) you may be eligible to receive retroactive credit. Consult your academic advisor or the LSA Bulletin for details.

Q: Can I be placed in a higher- or lower-level language course than that indicated by my placement score?
A: If the instructor of the course in which you have been placed feels that a change of level is advisable, this can be arranged during the first week or two of classes. You CANNOT take a course lower than that indicated by your placement-test score and still receive credit toward graduation without the written approval of the coordinator of the language course in which you are originally placed. Similarly, if you feel confident that your language preparation warrants taking a higher-level course than your score suggests, talk it over with your academic advisor. If he or she agrees, you may attempt the higher-level course.

Distribution

The distribution requirement will help ensure that you leave UM a well-rounded individual. You will need to complete at least 7 credits of Natural Science, 7 of Humanities and 7 of Social Science. In addition you will complete 3 credits in three of the following five areas: NS, HU, SS, Math and Symbolic Analysis (MSA), or Creative Expression (CE). Or alternatively any of these 9 credits can be substituted with an Interdisciplinary course (ID).

FAQ: distribution

Q: Can courses from my concentration also be used to meet distribution requirements?
A: Courses from your concentration cannot be used for distribution. For example, if you are an English concentrator, no courses from the English department can be used towards distribution. The only exception to this policy is that courses that are prerequisites for a concentration and are from outside that department can be used for distribution. For example, if you are concentrating in Biology, prerequisite courses such as CHEM 130, MATH 115, PHYSICS 125/127, etc., can be used for distribution.

Q: Can my cognates count toward distribution?
A: Even though cognate courses are from outside your concentration department, they still count as part of your concentration and, therefore, cannot be used toward distribution.

Q: If I’m planning on a double concentration, can the courses from my second concentration count toward distribution?
A: Yes. If you complete a double concentration, you can use the courses from one of the concentrations to meet distribution requirements.

Q: Can distribution courses be taken Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit?
A: Yes.

Q: Can distribution courses overlap with the R&E, QR, First-Year Writing, and Upper-Level Writing requirements?
A: Yes.

Q: Can Non-LSA courses be used toward distribution?
A: There are a limited number of Non-LSA courses at UM that have been approved to count as Creative Expression credit for distribution. For a complete list, see the LSA Bulletin or the LSA Online Course Guide.

Q: Can transfer credits count toward distribution?
A: Typically, yes. As long as the courses are not going to count toward your concentration and are LSA courses (see your advisor if you are not sure whether your transfer credits are LSA credits), they can be used towards distribution. Courses that transfer at the 400-level cannot be used for distribution.

Q: Can AP credits count toward distribution?
A: No.