Nov 03, 2025  
2025-2026 Western Washington University Catalog 
    
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2025-2026 Western Washington University Catalog

General University Requirements

The General University Requirements (GURs) embody Western’s belief that a liberal arts and sciences education enables people to lead fuller and more interesting lives, to perceive and to understand more of the world around and within themselves, and to participate more intelligently and deliberately in shaping that world. This belief reflects a long tradition in American higher education. In this tradition, the bachelor’s degree is comprised of an academic major and a foundational general education. This general education provides opportunities to study across many fields and to acquire the skills, experiences, and knowledge you need to thrive, to succeed in your chosen careers, and to develop a strong sense of personal and social responsibility.

The General University Requirements apply to all students in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the College of Business and Economics, the College of Science and Engineering, the College of Fine and Performing Arts, Woodring College of Education, and the College of the Environment. Students enrolled in Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies  should review that section of the University Catalog for more information about requirements.

Exceptions

  • Students transferring to Western with a Washington community college DTA (Direct Transfer Agreement) Associate Degree
  • Students transferring to Western from another Washington state public baccalaureate institution whose General University Requirements were complete at the sending institution, provided the sending institution so certifies

Grades in GUR courses

Courses which are to apply to General University Requirements must be taken on an A through F grading scale, except for courses designated as S/U grading. They may not be taken with Pass/No Pass grading. Except for ENG 101, which requires a C- or better, the minimum passing grade for GUR courses is D- (Math courses must be passed with a grade of C- or higher if used as a prerequisite to another course).

Attributes

Please note the use of GUR attributes in the online Browse Classes tool. Courses which qualify as General University Requirements are designated by the appropriate attribute (ACOM, BCOM, CCOM, QSR, HUM, SSC, ACGM, BCGM, LSCI, or SCI).

2025-26 GUR categories and courses

Communication (ACOM, BCOM & CCOM)

Communication is the foundation of your academic education and essential for your professional and personal success. These GURs develop your ability to generate, assess, and express ideas accurately, clearly, and creatively in a range of modalities and using a variety of technologies. Through ongoing learning and practice in different contexts, good communicators acquire skilled expertise in designing information effectively in different ways for different audiences. This area includes courses in writing, speaking, and information literacies.

Complete Block A and one course from either Block B or Block C. Block A and Block C are writing courses.

Block A (ACOM)

  •   This course must be completed with a grade of C- or better. Requirement will be waived for students demonstrating high English competency on Advanced Placement (CEEB English score of 4 or 5).

Block B (BCOM)

Block C (CCOM)

Or complete Block A and one of the following sets:

or

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Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning (QSR)

GURs in Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning help you improve your ability to critically evaluate and effectively communicate numerical and symbolic information. You will gain skill in understanding the logic and validity of an argument by analyzing numerical and causal relationships. As an accomplished quantitative and symbolic reasoner, you will develop a sense of the relative size of numbers, be able to read and present graphs and charts, feel confident determining whether a conclusion involving data is sound, and understand how to model situations in order to make decisions and predictions. You should note that symbolic reasoning and numerical “know how” are required skills in a range of academic disciplines, not just math, and critically important in many professions.

Complete one of the following options:

Option 1

Students selecting Option 1 must complete MATH 107 or MATH 108 or MATH 112 and one course from the additional course list.

One course from:

And one additional course from:

Option 2

One transfer course with an MPAR attribute and one course from:

Option 3

One course from:

Option 4

One transfer course with an MSAT attribute.

Option 5

Complete one of the following MATH sequences:

or

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Natural Sciences (LSCI & SCI)

How does the natural world work? Natural Sciences GURs explore the physical and living world around us. These classes focus on scientific investigation of the processes that explain the patterns we observe in systems ranging in scale from a single molecule to the individual organism, from planet earth to our solar system and beyond. This GUR introduces you to the ways in which scientific inquiry is used to describe, explain, and predict natural phenomena. You will gain an understanding of the basic concepts and theories of scientific disciplines, and will practice using scientific principles to critically evaluate conclusions drawn from observations, experimentation, and theoretical models.

Complete 3 courses. At least two of the courses must be from the LSCI list; the third course may be from either the LSCI list or SCI list. Note: Several of the courses in this list have prerequisites.

LSCI (courses with a laboratory component)

SCI (courses without a laboratory component)

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Humanities

Whenever you tell a story, see a film or a work of art, or ponder an ethical question, you are encountering the humanities. The humanities include academic disciplines that use critical, historical, and aesthetic approaches to explore how people experience and document their lives, examine and question the values of their societies, and creatively engage with their world. Currently, our courses in the humanities address the languages, literatures, fine arts, history, philosophies, and religions of Western cultural traditions. (You will find other courses that take a humanistic approach in the ACGM and BCGM GURs).

Complete one of the following options:

Option 1

Complete 3 courses from at least two departments; 12 credits minimum

Option 2

Complete one of the following sets:

or

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Social Sciences (SSC)

Even when we are alone, we cannot escape the influence of others. The social sciences provide knowledge and understanding of human behavior and the ways we live our lives individually and collectively. Together, these disciplines develop and test theories based on empirical observation that help us better understand how we think and act in the world, form and maintain relationships, organize into groups and create institutions to achieve goals and interests, and relate to and interact with the physical environment.

Complete 3 courses from at least two departments; 12 credits minimum

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Comparative, Gender, and Multicultural Studies (ACGM & BCGM)

Understanding different perspectives is crucial as societies and cultures become increasingly diverse and global. ACGM/BCGM courses help you develop this understanding. Comparative courses deal with the history and culture of societies beyond the Western tradition. Courses on gender explore the social construction of gender and its consequences. Multiculturalism courses deal with the experiences and cultural expressions of minority groups. ACGM courses focus on areas outside of Europe and North America. BCGM courses focus on Europe and North America.

Complete 2 courses, one from Block A and one from BlocK B

Block A

Primary emphasis outside North America and/or Europe. Provides an introduction to civilizations of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America 

Block B

Primary emphasis inside North America and/or Europe. Provides an introduction to multicultural experience and to gender studies.

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