General Education Requirements

Students can use General Education requirements to learn about a population that interests you, explore a familiar topic from a new angle, meet requirements for graduate school entrance, or develop a specific marketable skill. If you have a minor, courses taken in your Gen Eds can double count toward your minor.

Explore your career interests

Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): These courses offer a great opportunity to explore a field that interests you or to look at a topic of interest from another perspective. Students interested in juvenile delinquency may want to take a class in criminology. Students interested in brain development may want to take a psychology course. If you think you want to work in schools, consider a course in educational theory and policy.

Many students use the 3-6-9 option so they can take fewer Humanities or Arts credits and 9 credits of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Talk to your academic advisor about this option.

Natural Science (GN): Students often pursue Natural Science courses to pursue their interests. For example, students interested in occupational therapy, health-related fields, and even a child life specialty can round out their training by selecting GN courses wisely. Check with graduate schools or minors that interest you to see if there are required natural science courses.

You cannot double count a course as a Gen Ed and a supporting course, but you can search the supporting course list to identify courses that are relevant to the major.

Learn essential transferable skills

Employers value key transferable skills in addition to knowledge that comes from degree coursework. These are skills that you need in most jobs, including good communication skills, time management, data management, and teamwork. Use your Gen Eds to build these essential skills.

Quantification (GQ): Numbers and data are an essential part of social services through accountability systems that require data collection and evaluation. Having skills in spreadsheet and database management, information systems, and statistics is particularly helpful. Or use your GQ to gain skills that will help you navigate personal financial decisions, such as Math 34.

English 202: Writing is a critical transferable skill. The more you practice, the better you will get. If you are bored with social science writing, take business writing to diversify your skill set.

CAS 100: Public speaking is another critical component of many careers. HDFS students find themselves teaching classes, running groups, training staff, and organizing volunteers. Take advantage of your Ged Eds to discover your public speaking style is and develop comfort in this area.

Explore general education course options on the University Bulletin.