1st-Semester Enrollment Worksheet

This worksheet is a planning tool and enrollment guide for use when you enroll for your first semester. Save and/or print this worksheet to use as a guide when you enroll in classes.

Anticipating credit? If you hope to earn test credit through AP, IB, CIE, or transfer credit through Dual Enrollment, wait for your results before enrolling in that class. Review Module 3 in your Canvas class to see how your credit will count towards your degree.

Required Courses for the 1st Semester

1st-Semester Major Requirements:

Enroll in ONE of the following Geology courses and lab:

  • GEOL 110 and GEOL 110L: Physical Geology and Lab (4 credit hours) - Fulfills Major requirement
  • GEOL 115 and GEOL 115L: Earth Systems & Climate Change and Lab (4 credit hours) - Fulfills Major requirement

1st-Semester Math Requirement:

Enroll in ONE of these courses based on your ALEKS math assessment score:

ALEKS Score Course
81 or higher MATH 235: Calculus I - 4 credit hours (Waitlist Available)
66 or higher MATH 231: Calculus with Functions - 3 credit hours (Waitlist Available)
56-65 MATH 231 + MATH 199: Calculus with Functions** - 4 credit hours (Waitlist Available)
Below 56 MATH 155: College Algebra (3 credit hours) (Waitlist Available)

1st-Semester Madison Foundations Requirement:

Critical Thinking OR Human Communications Area Course (3 credit hours)
Select 
ONE course from EITHER the Critical Thinking area OR the Human Communications area for your 1st-semester. You will take a course from the other area in your second semester. The MyMadison system will not allow you to enroll in both a Human Communications and a Critical Thinking course in the 1st-semester. View available courses in the GenEd planner.

Additional Course Recommendations

  1. Enroll in CHEM 131 + 131L if your ALEKS score is 56 or higher. If your score is below 56, you will take chemistry in a future semester.
  2. The BA degree requires a foreign language. All students must take the Foreign Language Placement Exam for your language course placement. If you scored at the 101 level OR have never taken a foreign language course, you must enroll at the 101 level during your first semester to satisfy the Foreign Language requirement for this major in a timely manner. 
  3. If you are interested in a Pre-Professional Health minor(s), refer to the information in Module 4 under Special Student Categories for information on selecting General Education courses.

General Education Courses for This Major

Below are the recommendations for general education courses that align with your major. Use this section to help complete your 14-17 credit hour 1st-semester schedule


Waiting for credit? If you hope to earn test credit through AP, IB, CIE, or transfer credit through Dual Enrollment, wait for your results before enrolling in that requirement area.

About GenEd: There are five areas in the GenEd program. Every student must complete one course satisfying each requirement of each area for a total of 41 credit hours to complete the GenEd program.

Madison Foundations Area

Critical Thinking* (3 credit hours)
View available courses in the GenEd Planner.

Human Communications* (3 credit hours)
View available courses in the GenEd Planner.

Writing (3 credit hours)
This area is fulfilled by WRTC 103.

*Select ONE course from EITHER the Critical Thinking section OR the Human Communications section for your 1st-semester. You will choose a course from the other required area in a future semester. 

Sociocultural & Wellness Area

Wellness Domain (3 credit hours)
View available courses in the GenEd Planner.

Sociocultural Domain (3 credit hours)
View available courses in the GenEd Planner.

Arts & Humanities Area

Human Questions and Contexts (3 credit hours)
View available courses in the GenEd Planner.

Visual and Performing Arts (3 credit hours)
View available courses in the GenEd Planner.

Literature (3 credit hours)
View available courses in the GenEd Planner.

The Natural World Area

Quantitative Reasoning
If a math course is required for your 1st-semester, it will be indicated above in the 1st-semester requirements section. Otherwise, math is not required in the 1st-semester. You will enroll in a math class in a later semester based on your ALEKS score.

Physical Principles (3 credit hours)
This area fulfulled by major requirements (GEOL 110 or GEOL 115).

Natural Systems (3 credit hours, unless indicated)
This area fulfulled by major requirements (CHEM 131).

Lab Experience (1 credit hour, unless indicated)
This area fulfulled by major requirements (CHEM 131L).

American & Global Perspectives Area

The American Experience (4 credit hours)
View available courses in the GenEd Planner.

The Global Experience (3 credit hours)
View available courses in the GenEd Planner.

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