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NC State's new General Education Program adds required co-requisites in U.S. diversity and in global knowledge.
By Mick Kulikowski, News Services
A new program that fundamentally changes NC State undergraduate general education requirements aims to make it easier for students to graduate on time, change majors, and complete minors and dual majors.
The new General Education Program (GEP) replaces the current General Education Requirements (GER), which have been in place since 1994. It goes into effect for the second summer session in 2009 and will affect every academic program on campus.
The biggest change reduces the number of required general education credit hours from the current 50-53 hours to 39-40 hours. An NC State task force charged with developing the new program found that the current General Education Requirements had become bloated and too major-specific, making it difficult for students to change majors and still graduate on time.
"The new GEP will be the same for everyone and portable from major to major," says Dr. Larry Nielsen, NC State's provost and executive vice chancellor. "It will also put our general education credit hours more in line with our peer institutions across the country."
The new plan will also provide the opportunity for students to have more flexibility to take free electives or pursue themed tracks of study in areas of interest.
In addition, says Dr. John Ambrose, interim dean for undergraduate academic programs, the new program simplifies advising first-year students, undecided students and students who are thinking about changing majors.
"Selection of courses will be simpler and more transparent than it is under the current GER," he says. "Students will not be confused as to whether a course is needed to satisfy the requirements of the major or of the GEP."
The current GER calls for students to accumulate 21 humanities/social science hours; 20 mathematics/natural science hours; 4 hours in "English 101"; 3 hours in science, technology and society; 3 hours of advanced communication; 2 hours of physical education; and a "non-English culture" class as a co-requisite. Proficiency is also required in a foreign language and in computer literacy.
The new GEP calls for 13 mathematics/natural science hours; 12 humanities/social science hours; 5 to 6 hours in interdisciplinary perspectives; 4 hours for "English 101" and 2 hours in physical education/healthy living. There is also a 3-hour requirement in courses offering "additional breadth," or classes outside of one's chosen major or discipline.
The science, technology and society hours from the current GER were moved into the interdisciplinary perspectives category. Proficiency in foreign language is still required, but the proficiencies in computer literacy - now called technology fluency - and communication in the major are now the responsibility of the colleges.
The new GEP also adds required co-requisites in U.S. diversity and in global knowledge. The university already offers around 150 courses that would fulfill these two requirements, Ambrose says, and more are planned.
Returning students who want to switch to the new GEP will have that opportunity, Ambrose adds, although they will not be required to do so.
