CATALOG 1952-1953


 THE LOWER DIVISION

 THE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

 In a reorganization of the University of Florida in 1935, all freshmen and sopho-
mores were placed in one college. The University College administers all the work of
the Lower Division, which includes the preprofessional work for the Upper Division
Schools and Colleges and a core program of basic education for all students. In 1944
the American Council on Education defined this program: "General education refers
to those phases of nonspecialized and nonvocational education that should be the com-
mon denominator, so to speak, of educated persons. . the type of education which
the majority of our people must have if they are to be good citizens, parents, and work-
ers." During his freshman and sophomore years at the University, a student's time is
about evenly divided between these objectives of general education and those of pre-
professional or professional preparation.
 While fully accepting its responsibility toward the professional training of her stu-
dents who remain four years or longer and earn degrees, the University of Florida as a
state institution also accepts its civic responsibility to help those who spend only one or
two years at the University. These students-more than two-thirds of all enrolled-
are not "failures" because they do not continue and earn degrees, and they probably
deserve more from the state university than an odd assortment of only "introductory
courses." Consequently at the University of Florida a group of comprehensive courses
have been worked out to give some unity and meaning to a beginner's program. These
comprehensive courses that make up the core program are:
 1. American Institutions (known hereafter as C-l)
 2. The Physical Sciences (C-2)
 3. Reading, Speaking, and Writing: Freshman English (C-3)
 4. Practical Logic: Straight Thinking (C-41)
 Fundamental Mathematics (C-42)
 5. The Humanities (C-5)
 6. Biological Science (C-6)
 GUIDANCE

 If a freshman is still undecided about his life's work, he, is not urged to guess on
registration day. His program may be made up largely from the comprehensive which
help him direct his thinking toward a desirable objective, together with approved elec-
tives that may further enable him to explore interests and needs. But whether the stu-
dent is decided or undecided about his life's work, these comprehensive courses provide
basic preparation that every educated person should have.
 Thus since the purpose of general education is to replace fragmentation, the pro-
gram absorbs much of the responsibility for guidance. Every subject or course of the
University College program is designed to guide the student. During the time that he
is making tentative steps toward a profession by taking special subjects to test aptitudes,
interests, and ability, he is also studying the several great areas of human understand-
ing and achievement. The work in the University College presents materials which are
directly related to life experiences and which will immediately become a part of the
student's thinking to guide him to making correct next steps. Thus the whole program