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General Education Program

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Advising Tips

Students take 3 types of General Education courses.

Foundation – 9 courses

• Natural Sciences (one Natural Sciences course must include a lab)
  • 1 Physical Science
  • 1 Life Science
• 1 Arts
• 1 Mathematical Sciences (all courses in this category have a MTH 110 prerequisite)
• 1 Philosophy and Literature
• 1 Historical Perspectives
• 2 Social Sciences – they must have two different prefixes
• 1 Writing 

Cultures – 2 courses

• 1 World Perspective
• 1 U.S. Diversity 

Issues and Themes

The following rules apply to Issues and Themes courses:

• You can choose 2 Issues courses, or 1 Issues course and 1 Themes course, or 2 Themes courses.
• You must choose 2 courses from 2 different disciplines. Only 1 course can be taken at the 100 or 200 level.
• If a course is cross listed in two disciplines, your second course must be  taken from a third discipline.
• Issues courses must be taken at GVSU.
• Issues courses have a junior standing prerequisite.

Can a course count in more than one category (double-dip)? 

YES. This is most common with the Cultures category. Many Cultures courses double tip with an Issue, Theme,  or a Foundation course.

Can a course be used to meet a GE requirement as well as a major/minor requirement? 
YES.

Can a student get General Education credit if they study abroad?
YES.  Please see the Padnos International Center Study Abroad website for details.

The student transferred a course in which seems like it might fit in a GE category. What do I do?
Send the student to SASC in 200 Student Services to fill out a Student Concern form.

The student tells me a Special Topics course (380) can get GE credit. How do I know if that’s true?
Go to the GE website and look at the Recent Changes tab: www.gvsu.edu/gened

How do Honors students get General Education credit?
Honors students need to contact the Honors College (181 NMR, 331-3219) to determine how the Honors curriculum fulfills the General Education requirements.

Questions?
Email gened@gvsu.edu

Page last modified April 22, 2013