UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT GENERAL EDUCATION GUIDELINES

As approved by the University Senate on May 12, 2003 – including motions passed by the Senate on 11/10/03, 12/8/03, 4/5/05, 2/13/06,  12/11/06, 12/10/07, 12/8/08,  2/2/09, 12/14/09, 3/1/10, 2/25/13, and 9/17/18.

Goals of General Education:

(Based on the Ad Hoc Committee on General Education of 1985, the Task Force on General Education Report of 2000, and the Senate Curricula and Courses Committee Report of May 2001.)

The purpose of general education  is to ensure that all University of Connecticut undergraduate students become  articulate and acquire intellectual breadth and versatility, critical judgment, moral sensitivity, awareness of their era and society, consciousness of the diversity of human culture and experience, and a working understanding of the processes by which they can continue to acquire and use knowledge. It is vital to the accomplishment of the University’s mission that a balance between professional and general education be established and maintained in which each is complementary to and compatible with the other.

The following four principles should support any effort in general education:

Universality.   All students at the University of Connecticut should have the same University General Education Requirements irrespective of their major, School or College. Schools and Colleges may not restrict the courses that students are allowed to use in fulfilling the University General Education requirements.

Accessibility.  All students at the University of Connecticut should have timely access to General Education courses and support services.

Transferability.  Students must be able to transfer from one School or College to another without having to repeat General Education Requirements. A procedure should be established for the smooth transition of students who transfer into the University from other institutions.

Faculty Participation.  General Education courses should be taught by faculty; resources should be allocated to promote this practice.

Guidelines for General Education are presented in three parts:

A. The General Education Requirements
A.1. Content Areas
A.2. Competencies
A.3. Principles for the General Education Curriculum

B. Oversight & Implementation
B.1. GEOC charge
B.2 Implementation

C. Criteria for Specific Content Areas & Competencies

Group One – Arts & Humanities
Group Two – Social Sciences
Group Three – Science & Technology
Group Four – Diversity & Multiculturalism
Environmental Literacy
Information Literacy Competency
Quantitative (Q) Competency
Second Language Competency
Writing (W) Competency