GEP Foundations of American Democracy
Note: This requirement applies to students matriculating Fall 2025 and later.
Requirement (1 course, 0 additional credit hours)
- Choose one course from the university-approved GEP Foundations of American Democracy course list.
- Courses on additional GEP course lists that satisfy this co-requisite will have an “FAD” co-requisite indicator next to the course.
- Special Note: If a student changes a General Education course except for HES courses from a letter grade to credit-only (S/U), then the course will not satisfy the GEP requirements. Consult your academic advisor if you have questions.
Double-counting
- A course taken to satisfy another GEP category may also be used to satisfy this co-requisite if the course also exists on the university-approved GEP co-requisite course list.
Rationale
Pursuant to UNC System Policy 400.1.5, it is beneficial for NC State Students to form a firm foundation in American Democracy and the documents and philosophies that shaped its history and legacy.
Category Objectives
- Evaluate key concepts, principles, arguments, and contexts in founding documents of the American republic, including the United States Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and a representative selection of the Federalist Papers
- Evaluate key milestones in progress and challenges in the effort to form “a more perfect Union,” including the arguments and contexts surrounding the Gettysburg Address, the Emancipation Proclamation, and the Letter from Birmingham Jail, as well as other texts that reflect the breadth of American experiences.
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENG 265 | American Literature I | 3 | HUM, USD, , I, USD |
| FAD 295 | Foundations of American Democracy Special Topics | 1-3 | |
| HI 253 | Early U.S. History | 3 | HUM, USD, , I, USD |
| HI 254 | Modern U.S. History | 3 | HUM, USD, , I, USD |
| HI 345 | American Popular Culture | 3 | HUM |
| PS 201 | American Politics and Government | 3 | SS |
| PS 208 | Gateway to Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) | 3 | SS, HUM |
| PS 362 | American Political Thought | 3 | HUM |