Program Overview

University Studies Program

The University Studies (UNIV) program at Cal Poly provides an opportunity for interdisciplinary study, addressing university-wide learning objectives such as diversity and sustainability. UNIV courses are offered across college boundaries, typically carrying General Education (GE) credit. The offerings are subject to available funding.

Course Descriptions

The following courses are part of the University Studies program:

• UNIV 1000 University Studies (1 unit)
  • Term Typically Offered: Fall
  • Credit/No Credit grading only
  • Supports the successful student transition to Cal Poly, establishing links between student needs and campus resources.
• UNIV 1111 First Generation College Students Group Dialogue (1 unit)
  • Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
  • Credit/No Credit grading only
  • Explores issues related to first-generation college students' experiences, encouraging discovery of new strengths and potentials.
• UNIV 3330 Cal Poly Land: Nature, Technology, and Society (3 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Spring
  • Prerequisite: Junior standing; completion of GE Area 1 with grades of C- or better; completion of GE Area 2 with a grade of C- or better; completion of GE Area 5A; and completion of GE Area 5B.
  • Investigates the natural features of the Cal Poly landscape and their transformations by land management technology.
• UNIV 3350 The Global Environment (3 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
  • Sustainability Focused
  • Prerequisite: Junior standing; completion of GE Area 1 with grades of C- or better; completion of GE Area 2 with a grade of C- or better; and completion of GE Area 5.
  • Examines how human activities impact the Earth's environment on a global scale, exploring population, resource use, climate change, and biodiversity.
• UNIV 3391 Engaging in Sustainable Global Development (3 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Fall
  • Sustainability Focused
  • Prerequisite: Completion of GE Area 1 with grades of C- or better; completion of GE Area 2 with a grade of C- or better; and completion of one lower-division course in GE Area 4.
  • Examines perspectives on international development, studying successes and failures, with student teams addressing real-world problems.
• UNIV 3392 Collaboratively Developing Sustainable Technologies Globally (3 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Spring
  • Sustainability Focused
  • Prerequisite: Junior standing; completion of GE Area 1 with grades of C- or better; completion of GE Area 5; and completion of GE Area 2 with a grade of C- or better.
  • Explores mechanical design and international collaboration with underserved communities to solve real-world problems.
• UNIV 4401 Graduation Writing Requirement Portfolio (0 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
  • Credit/No Credit grading only
  • Fulfills the Graduation Writing Requirement through submission and assessment of a writing portfolio.
• UNIV 4421 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (0 units)
  • Term Typically Offered: Summer
  • Credit/No Credit grading only
  • Prerequisite: Consent of instructor
  • Completion of Summer Undergraduate Research Experience, with students participating in a mentored summer undergraduate research experience at Cal Poly.

General Education Areas

UNIV courses fulfill various General Education (GE) areas, including Upper-Division GE Area 2, Upper-Division GE Area 5, and others, depending on the course and the student's catalog year.

Cross-Listed Courses

Some UNIV courses are cross-listed with other departments, such as AG, ISLA, SCM, HNRS, and PSC, allowing for interdisciplinary approaches to learning.

Grading Basis

Courses in the University Studies program may be offered on a Credit/No Credit grading basis only, as indicated in the course description.

Prerequisites and Corequisites

Prerequisites and corequisites for UNIV courses vary and are specified in the course descriptions. Students must meet these requirements before enrolling in the courses.