General Education Requirements

In keeping with the University's educational mission, all undergraduates are required to complete a program of study that emphasizes the values of a liberal arts education.

This includes the ability to write, speak, and reason, and the ability to frame knowledge through various disciplines and lenses. With these elements, a liberal arts education provides an understanding of human society in all its dimensions and prepares an individual for a process of lifelong learning.

SMU’s general education curriculum—part of the SMU Common Curriculum—allows students to build the foundations of a university education through courses and experiences that will equip students to compete in and adapt to the rapidly changing contemporary world while preparing students for focused study in the major.