Electives, U.S.

Electives are college courses that a student, undergraduate or graduate, takes to fulfill degree requirements. Electives are courses that do not count toward the student’s core course requirements—for example, courses that are stacked for competency in the student’s specific field of interest. Electives typically have multiple purposes or uses. They can be designed to complement a student’s major, and as such, can be taken to meet prerequisites to complete advanced level courses. Electives can also be taken to explore subjects of interest or to identify strengths for students who are undecided about a major and are working to complete elective courses first.

Used to complement core course requirements, electives can also provide a student with an opportunity to explore their interests and strengths. As an example, ...