General University Requirements

The requirements listed below outline the kinds of courses you will need to take your first year and beyond in order to complete your degree and graduate from Bucknell. These requirements are different from the required courses you must take to major or minor in a program.

Number of Credits Required to Graduate

  • College of Arts & Sciences: 32
  • College of Engineering: 34
  • Freeman College of Management: 32

University Writing Requirement

Students in all three colleges must successfully complete three writing courses:

  • One W1 course, which must be taken in the first year and before a W2.
  • Two W2 courses.

College of Arts & Sciences College Core Curriculum Requirements

Students have all four years to complete the requirements for the College Core Curriculum, or CCC.

The abbreviations you see below in the list of College Core Curriculum requirements indicate which requirements a course fulfills; these will also appear on the course description pages in myBucknell.

Some courses can fulfill more than one requirement, but it is not always possible to use the same course to fulfill two different requirements. Although you will see below and in course listings online which requirements a particular course fulfills, when you are filling in your online registration form you will only be asked to make course selections based on the disciplinary perspectives (i.e., Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences & Mathematics) and not by other categories.

1. Intellectual Skills

  • Foundation Seminar (FOUN or RESC) — required your first semester; all sections are W1
  • Lab science (LBSC) — one course
  • Foreign language requirement (CCFL) — one course
  • Integrated Perspectives course (CCIP) — taken in the sophomore year

2. Disciplinary Perspectives: Two courses in each division; one must meet divisional learning goals

  • Arts & Humanities (AHLG or ARHC)
  • Social Sciences (SSLG or SLSC)
  • Natural Sciences & Mathematics (NMLG or NSMC) (in addition to lab science)

3. Tools for Critical Engagement

  • Diversity in the U.S. (DUSC) — one course
  • Environmental Connections (EVCN) — one course
  • Global Connections (GBCC) — one course
  • Quantitative Reasoning (CCQR) — one course

4. Culminating Experience

  • One integrative course or equivalent experience in your major(s) in the senior year

College of Engineering Requirements

Students have all four years to complete the five requirements below. Some courses can fulfill more than one requirement, but it is not always possible to use the same course to fulfill two different requirements. Students should develop a plan, in concert with their academic advisers, for which courses will be used to fulfill the General Education requirements, free electives and in-major electives.

1. Engineering 100

2. Four course credits in mathematics

3. Four course credits in science (specified by department)

4. Must complete five courses in social sciences and arts & humanities.

  • One of the five courses must be a social science course and one must be an arts & humanities course.
  • Of these two courses, one may be further specified by the student's degree program.
  • The remaining three courses may be fulfilled by any combination of social science, arts & humanities, University courses, Residential College courses, or Foundation Seminars.
  • 5. A Global Connections or Foreign Language course to complete the college Global Perspectives requirement.

Freeman College of Management General Education Requirements

Students have all four years to complete the Freeman College of Management General Education requirements.

The abbreviations you see below in the list of Freeman General Education requirements indicate which requirements a course fulfills. Some courses can fulfill more than one requirement, but it is not always possible to use the same course to fulfill two different requirements. Students should develop a plan, in concert with their academic adviser, for which courses will be used to fulfill the General Education requirements, free electives and in-major electives.

  1. Intellectual Skills: One course in each
    • Foundation Seminar (FOUN or RESC) –– required your first semester; all sections are W1
    • Foreign Language requirement (CCFL)
  2. Disciplinary Perspectives: Two courses in each division
    • Arts & Humanities (AHLG or ARHC)
    • Social Sciences/ Management (SSLG or SLSC)
    • Natural Sciences & Mathematics (LBSC or NMLG or NSMC) (one of two courses must carry the University LBSC lab science designation)
  3. Tools for Critical Engagement: One course in each (which may be satisfied with management courses)
    • Diversity in the U.S. (DUSC)
    • Environmental Connections (EVCN)
    • Global Connections (GBCC)
  4. Culminating Experience: One course
    • An integrative course or equivalent experience in your major in the senior year