Elective Courses 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

What is the University Studies Program?

University Studies is a select group of courses designed to give Murray State students a common learning experience. This program consists of one group of courses which are required and another group of elective courses from which students may choose. All together, University Studies courses comprise about 40 percent of the coursework taken for a Murray State undergraduate degree. Obviously, the faculty and administration think the University Studies Program is extremely important.

Why is University Studies so important?

Forty percent is a large proportion of a degree program, and it is reasonable to ask why students must spend that much time on courses that are not in their majors. The answer has to do with the purposes and goals of a university education. A university graduate should be a person who is broadly educated in important areas of human knowledge and who has acquired the skills to be a responsible citizen and a life-long learner. This knowledge and these skills reach beyond the requirements for a particular job or even profession and mark the essential difference between a university education and vocational or technical training.

These areas of human knowledge are the arts, the humanities, the natural sciences and the social sciences. Each of these areas approaches ways of knowing differently, and each contributes uniquely to an understanding of the world and the development of vital skills. Among these are skills of writing, speaking, reading, critical thinking, and logical argumentation.

Murray State University has identified specific goals for the knowledge and skills our students should acquire in their undergraduate experience. These goals are known as the "Characteristics of the Murray State University Graduate," and they describe the traits and abilities that a Murray State graduate should possess. These "Characteristics," as they are commonly called, guide all our curriculum, program and extracurricular planning. The University Studies Program, in particular, is designed to provide students with a strong foundation upon which to build toward these goals.

What kinds of courses are included in University Studies?

Students are required to take six specific courses that will be common to every MSU student: two courses in English composition (ENG 101 and 102); two courses in world civilizations and cultures (CIV 101 and 102); and one course in humanities (HUM 211). Elective courses must be chosen from each of 6 or 7 categories: Communication and Basic Skills; Humanities and Fine Arts; Science and Mathematics; Social Science; Foreign Languages (for those working toward a Bachelor of Arts degree); University Studies Electives; and Enrichment Electives.

How does the University Studies Program relate to degree programs and career goals?

As a Program, University Studies is designed as a foundation and a bridge to a student's major and minor areas of study and to later career goals.  All courses in both the core and the electives strive to provide comparable skills development while treating widely different areas of knowledge.  Appropriate choices of electives will vary depending upon a student's major or minor and the degree he/she is pursuing.  In order to get the greatest benefit from the USP, all students should work closely with departmental academic advisors to best integrate the objectives of their areas, majors, and minor programs with the goals of the University Studies Program.