UMD’s General Education program has 12 distinct categories. Each one has a three-to-four letter code, a formal academic name, and a plain-English purpose that most students never actually read. The result is that juniors sometimes realize mid-semester that they have not started on two or three categories, and suddenly they are registering for courses they do not want because they need the Gen Ed credit. This guide translates every category into plain English, names the courses most commonly used to satisfy each one, and lays out a sequencing strategy for knocking them out without overloading any single semester.
How the 12 categories are organized
UMD’s Gen Ed program sits under the CORE curriculum, which replaced the older distributive studies system. The 12 categories fall into three groups. The Distributive Studies group covers breadth across academic disciplines. The Fundamental Studies group covers foundational skills. The Diversity group covers multicultural and cross-cultural perspectives. Your major may automatically satisfy several categories. CS majors, for example, often enter junior year with FSAR (Mathematical Reasoning) and DSNL (Natural Science with Lab) already complete. Check your specific major’s Gen Ed overlaps in your degree audit before assuming you need to shop for courses in those areas.
FSAW: Academic Writing
This is your writing requirement. Almost every UMD student satisfies it with ENGL 101 (Academic Writing), which is a required first-year course for most majors. If you placed out of ENGL 101 via AP English Language or AP English Literature with a score of 4 or 5, you receive credit for FSAW automatically. Writing-intensive (WI-designated) courses in your major often satisfy additional writing requirements and do not substitute for FSAW unless specifically designated. Take ENGL 101 in your first semester if it is not already waived.
FSAR: Mathematical Reasoning
FSAR requires a course that develops quantitative or mathematical reasoning. MATH 140 (Calculus I), MATH 115 (Pre-Calculus), and STAT 100 (Elementary Statistics) are the most common routes. Any MATH course numbered 100 or above, and many STAT courses, qualify. Engineering, CS, and science majors almost always satisfy FSAR through their required math sequences, often in the first semester. If your major does not require calculus, STAT 100 is the most accessible option and reliably has open sections.
FSMA: Mathematical Reasoning and Scientific Inquiry
Do not confuse FSMA with FSAR. FSMA specifically requires a course that bridges mathematics and scientific thinking: typically a statistics-heavy science course or a lab-focused math course. STAT 400 (Applied Probability and Statistics I) and MATH 401 (Applications of Linear Algebra) satisfy FSMA for many programs. Some programs have FSMA-designated courses built into the major. Check Testudo’s Gen Ed course filter to see which sections carry the FSMA designation in a given semester.
FSOC: Social and Behavioral Sciences
FSOC covers the systematic study of human behavior, societies, and social institutions. PSYC 100 (Introduction to Psychology), SOCY 100 (Introduction to Sociology), ECON 200 (Principles of Micro), and GVPT 170 (American Government) all carry the FSOC designation. This is one of the highest-supply Gen Ed categories on campus, with dozens of qualifying sections per semester. You are unlikely to have trouble finding a seat, so pick a course that genuinely interests you since you will spend a full semester in it.
DSHS: History and Social Science
DSHS requires a course with significant historical content, spanning civilizations, periods, or political systems. HIST 156 (United States History to 1865), HIST 157 (United States History since 1865), GVPT 100 (Introduction to Political Science), and ANTH 250 (Culture and Human Experience) are popular options. Many students take DSHS courses to satisfy both their FSOC requirement and a personal interest in politics or world history. Note that DSHS and FSOC are separate categories: satisfying one does not satisfy the other.
DSHU: Arts and Humanities
DSHU covers creative and critical engagement with literature, art, music, philosophy, and culture. ENGL 245 (Introduction to Fiction), ARTH 200 (Introduction to the History of Art), MUSC 110 (Music Fundamentals), PHIL 100 (Introduction to Philosophy), and THET 110 (Introduction to Theatre) are standard choices. Seat competition in DSHU is moderate; the most popular lecture courses like ARTH 200 fill quickly. Many students use DSHU courses to fulfill both Gen Ed requirements and elective interest without taking an extra credit load.
DSNS: Natural Science without Lab
DSNS covers natural science concepts without a required lab component. ASTR 100 (Introduction to Astronomy), GEOL 100 (Physical Geology), PHSC 101 (Physical Geology and Hydrology), and some sections of BSCI 106 satisfy DSNS. Engineering and science majors often satisfy DSNS through their lecture-only science prerequisites. Non-science majors frequently choose ASTR 100 or GEOL 100 because they are genuinely accessible and reliably interesting.
DSNL: Natural Science with Lab
DSNL adds a required lab component to the natural science requirement. CHEM 135 (Chemistry for Life Sciences I with Lab), BSCI 160 (Major Concepts of Biology with Lab), PHYS 141 (Introductory Physics I with Lab), and GEOL 102 (Earth and Life History with Lab) are common choices. The key thing to watch: the lab and the lecture must be the same course or a co-registered pairing. Registering for CHEM 135 lecture without CHEM 135L does not satisfy DSNL. Always verify your section includes the lab component in Testudo before you register.
DSSP: Scholarship and Practice in Social Context
DSSP requires engagement with the social, political, or ethical dimensions of a field of study. Courses like COMM 107 (Communication, Technology, and Society), PUAF 200 (Policy and the Social Sciences), and certain SOCY and BSOS courses carry this designation. DSSP courses tend to be discussion-heavy and writing-intensive. Many students find them among the most valuable Gen Eds for professional development, especially courses that examine technology, equity, or public institutions.
DVCC: Cultural Competency and Diversity
DVCC is specifically about developing awareness of diverse cultural perspectives within the United States and globally. ANTH 220 (Language, Culture, and Society), WMST 200 (Introduction to Women’s Studies), AASP 100 (Introduction to African American Studies), and KNES 355 (Sport and Social Issues) frequently satisfy DVCC. This requirement often surprises students who thought a history or humanities course would cover it. DVCC has its own designation and is tracked separately from DSHU in your degree audit.
DVUP: Understanding Plural Societies
DVUP focuses on comparative and cross-cultural understanding of diverse societies, often with international or global scope. Courses in LASC (Latin American Studies), JWST (Jewish Studies), RELI 100 (Introduction to Religion), and upper-division area studies courses commonly carry DVUP. Like DVCC, DVUP is its own requirement and does not overlap with DSHU or DSHS. Students who have studied abroad sometimes petition for DVUP credit using their international coursework.
SCIS: Science, Technology, and Society
SCIS courses examine the relationship between scientific and technological development and society. INST 201 (Information Science and Technology), ENST 101 (Introduction to Environmental Science and Technology), and CMSC 289I (Rise of Artificial Intelligence) are SCIS-designated options. CS and engineering students sometimes satisfy SCIS through upper-division courses in their major that carry the designation. Non-technical students often find INST 201 a good entry point because it examines information systems through a social and humanistic lens rather than a programming lens.
Sequencing strategy: spread it out from day one
The most common Gen Ed mistake at UMD is treating all 12 categories as things to handle later. You end up in your junior year with six uncompleted categories, limited options for your senior semesters, and a schedule stuffed with courses you are not interested in. The better approach is to plan two Gen Eds per year, selecting them so they complement rather than compete with your major load.
In Year 1, knock out FSAW (ENGL 101) and DSNL (any intro lab science) alongside your major prerequisites. Both are predictably available and typically required anyway. In Year 2, add FSOC and DSHU: these are high-supply categories with options across many departments. By the middle of Year 2 you should have five categories complete. Year 3 is the time for DVCC, DVUP, or SCIS, which have smaller course pools and specific enrollment windows. Leave Year 4 Gen Eds only as balance courses in lighter semesters, never as last-minute obligations.
The other critical strategy is identifying your major’s built-in overlaps. Most STEM majors satisfy FSAR and DSNL automatically. Many BSOS majors satisfy FSOC automatically. Open Orbit’s degree audit at the start of your first semester and look at which Gen Ed categories your planned major courses will fill before you register for any standalone Gen Ed courses.