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required course

required course

2 2.0
A course that all students must take to finish a program
  • noun
  • /rɪˈkwaɪərd kɔrs/
translation icon : curso obligatorio
  • Every student must complete a required course in mathematics to graduate.
  • completed the required course
  • five required courses
  • take a required course

Examples

  • The survey was conducted in a required course for undergraduate Physical Education majors: Fundamental, Locomotor, and Manipulative Skills.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Thus, there are required courses in classical content as well as electives.

    Academic text (1997)
  • That was a required course in college.

  • The Families as Faculty home visit was a required course activity.

    Academic text (2012)
  • I was told that everyone must take a required course on the growth of civilization.

    Academic text (1994)
  • I found that economics was a required course at only one college.

    Academic text (2001)
  • So I took all of the required courses in physics, but my department was the philosophy department.

  • History and social sciences are also required courses in both high school and your average American art school.

  • A case can surely be made for a required course in American constitutional history.

    Academic text (1991)
  • RHS offers a required course in global education, titled Comparative World Studies.

    Academic text (2004)

Synonyms

requirement
vsrequired course
687 2.0

Something you need for a particular purpose or situation

is the specific academic necessity limited to a mandatory course in a program
academic requirement
vsrequired course
1 3.4

A course, test, rule you must meet to enter or complete a school program

is a specific mandatory class taken by all students in the program

Antonyms

15 3.9

A course that students choose rather than have to take

A course a student chooses instead of a required class

How Essential

core
468 3.2
required course
2 2.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

required + course

The meaning 'a course that all students must take' is directly and compositionally derived from 'required' (necessary) modifying 'course' (a series of lectures). This is a straightforward adjective + noun construction that follows common cross-linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Required course comes from a simple school image: a class on your study list is marked required, meaning students 'must take' it. That's why required course means 'a course that all students must take'.