Students and faculty participating in online and traditional web-enhanced courses must have access to the following minimum hardware and software:
All requirements shown below may vary depending on your choice of major and which College you will be attending. For more details on minimum requirements, please check the University Policy Handbook (starting at page 203).
Hardware
- Operating System:
- Windows 10, Windows 11
NOTEMicrosoft will no longer support Windows 10 starting October 14 th , 2025. As a result, there will be no further updates to this operating systems and certain features may be disabled. We recommend upgrading to Windows 11 if possible!
- Windows 10, Windows 11
- Processor Speed:
- Intel i5 equivalent or better (minimum requirement)
- CPU Memory:
- 8 GB of RAM or more (minimum requirement)
- Internet Connection:
- Cable Broadband or DSL (minimum requirement)
- Internet Browser:
- Current version of Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge
- A/V:
- Built-in or external Webcam, Speakers, Microphone
- Internet Browser Configuration:
- Pop-Up Blocking disabled
- JavaScript Enabled
- AJAX Enabled
- Java Runtime Environment:
- Version 6 (build 1.6.0) or higher (minimum requirement)
- Hard Disk Space:
- 256 GB Free (minimum requirement)
- Audio Card:
- 24-bit or better (minimum requirement)
Software
- Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) (minimum requirement)
- See Free Microsoft 365 Apps Installation for details about the Microsoft 365 products provided to GCU students
- Please note that Microsoft Works is not a valid alternative
- Adobe Acrobat Reader 11 or newer (minimum requirement)
- An updated anti-virus software
Hardware (minimum requirements)
-
Operating System:
- macOS 13 Ventura or newer
NOTEmacOS version 14.0 or later is required to install Microsoft 365. More information regarding Microsoft 365 Compatibility can be found here . - Processor Speed:
- Intel i5 equivalent or better (minimum requirement)
- CPU Memory:
- 8 GB of RAM or more (minimum requirement)
- Internet Connection:
- Cable Broadband or DSL (minimum requirement)
- Internet Browser:
- Current version of Safari, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome
- Internet Browser Configuration:
- Pop-Up Blocking disabled
- JavaScript Enabled
- AJAX Enabled
- Java Runtime Environment:
- Version 6 (build 1.6.0) or higher (minimum requirement)
- Hard Disk Space:
- 256 GB Free (minimum requirement)
- Audio Card:
- 24-bit or better (minimum requirement)
- A/V:
- Built-in or external Webcam, Speakers, Microphone
Software
- Microsoft Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) (minimum requirement)
- Please see Free Microsoft 365 Apps Installation for details about the Microsoft 365 products provided to GCU students.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader 11 or newer (minimum requirement)
- An updated anti-virus software
Students and faculty participating in the programs below must have access to the minimum computer hardware and software as identified in the University Policy Handbook .
Colangelo College of Business
- Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics
- Bachelor of Science in Applied Business Analytics
- Bachelor of Science in Business Information Systems
- Bachelor of Science in Applied Business Information Systems
- Master of Science in Business Analytics
College of Arts and Media
- Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Public Relations with an Emphasis in Advertising Design
- Bachelor of Arts in Digital Film (Non-Traditional Only)
- Bachelor of Arts in Digital Design
- Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting
- Bachelor of Arts in Digital Design with an Emphasis in Animation
- Bachelor of Arts in Digital Film
- Bachelor of Arts in Game Design
- Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and Drama
- Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and Graphic Design
- Bachelor of Arts in Digital Design with an Emphasis in Web Design
- Bachelor of Arts in Social Media
- Bachelor of Arts in Commercial Music
- Bachelor of Arts in Music
- Bachelor of Arts in Music Education
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing for New Media
- Bachelor of Arts in Communications with an Emphasis in Broadcasting and New Media
College of Nursing and Health Care Professions
All Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Pre-Licensure) and graduate level students enrolled in a ground cohort are required to have a portable device (PC or MAC laptop computer) with internet access that meets the University Technology Requirements. Make sure your device meets the minimum requirements listed on both the University Policy Handbook below, as well as the Shadow Health website .
For more information regarding your specific, programmatic device specifications, reach out to your Student Services Counselor.
College of Engineering and Technology
All programs in the College of Engineering and Technology will have specific requirements for the program. You can review the requirements on page 209 for the engineering programs.
College of Theology
- Bachelor of Arts in Worship Arts with an Emphasis in Digital Media
- Bachelor of Arts in Worship Arts with an Emphasis in Worship Ministry
- Bachelor of Arts in Worship Arts with an Emphasis in Media and Production
- Bachelor of Arts in Worship Arts with an Emphasis in Worship Production
For a comprehensive list of course specific technical requirements, click here to view the University Policy Handbook.
