What Are General Education Courses?
General education courses are required classes taken by students enrolled in traditional four-year degree programs at accredited academic institutions. Learn about the goals of general education courses and subject options offered by most colleges.
Purpose of General Education Courses
General education courses are typically designed to teach diverse skills that every person should master in order to lead a productive life, become a knowledgeable citizen, and communicate ideas as a useful member of society, regardless of her chosen course of study.
Most colleges and universities require every student to take a certain number of classes that satisfy general education requirements. The course topics and number of mandatory credit hours vary between schools, but most general education classes focus on:
Development of critical and analytical thinking skills
Acceptance of cultural diversity in society
Communicating clearly through the formation of logical arguments
Intellectual problem-solving that is effective in a society undergoing constant change
Understanding emerging technologies and how to incorporate traditional information into new ideological perspectives
Appreciation for the arts, humanities, and social sciences
Evaluating biological/physical data, as well as environmental issues, to expand knowledge of the natural sciences
General Education Course Topics
Generally, students must complete a certain number of credit hours in each of these topics to meet general education requirements:
Arts & Humanities
Classes that satisfy an arts and/or humanities requirement could include music, visual arts, theatre, or dance. Study.com offers college-level courses to augment your studying in these subjects:
Intro to Music
Art of the Western World
Introduction to Philosophy
English Language and Literature
The majority of higher education institutions require an English course to ensure that students are receiving an educational foundation that teaches them to write, appreciate world literature, and analyze written words to form educated opinions. Study.com delivers engaging courses covering some of the most common college English topics:
English Literature
College Composition
Analyzing & Interpreting Literature
Foreign Language
Proficiency in a foreign language can help students gain awareness of various global cultures and expand their worldview in addition to learning new linguistic skills. At many colleges, students can choose from a range of languages, such as Spanish, French, German, Portuguese and Japanese. Get a head start on your language training with this online language course from Study.com:
Beginning Spanish
History
History courses provide students with an opportunity to connect cultures from across the globe, and students can find a broad range of history classes that work within the scope of general education requirements. To get an idea of what’s available at the college level, check out one of these online history courses:
Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East through 1648
Western Civilization II: 1648 to Today
United States History
Mathematics and Science
While most colleges and universities offer math and science majors to keep up with the demand for technologically advanced workers to fill positions in the STEM fields – science, technology, engineering, and math – even students pursuing majors outside of STEM fields should possess basic math and science knowledge. Study.com can help students improve their math and science skills with these diverse course offerings:
College Algebra
Principles of Statistics
Business Math
Introduction to Biology
General Chemistry
Earth Science
Social Sciences
The ability to interact with others in society and develop meaningful relationships are two of the main ideas taught in the social sciences field. At Study.com, students can find courses that can enhance their understanding of the social sciences:
Introduction to Sociology
Public Speaking
Introduction to World Religions
Fulfilling General Education Course Requirements
At most universities, general education courses that fall within a student’s major course of study can be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and a student’s major.
However, with the breadth of courses required for general education, it is likely that every student will be taking classes outside of their chosen major or minor. Students should consult with their academic advisor to make sure they are meeting all general education mandates needed to graduate from their academic institution.
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