General Education

General Education (GE) Requirements

General Education Categories -

The Cortland General Education Program fulfills all SUNY General Education requirements and includes additional elements specific to the Cortland degree.

1. Quantitative Skills
2. Natural Sciences (TWO course requirement)
3. Social Sciences
4. United States History and Society
5. Western Civilization
6. Contrasting Cultures
7. Humanities
8. The Arts
9. Foreign Language (refer to degree program)
10. Basic Communication: Academic Writing and Presentation Skills
11. Prejudice and Discrimination
12. Science, Technology, Values and Society
13. Natural Science (second science course)

 

View an explanation of each of these categories (Goals and Learning Outcomes)

View a listing of courses that meet the requirement for each category

Additional Resources

Additional Information on All College Requirements

Foreign Language Placement Flow Chart (PDF)

General Education Waiver Form for Transfer Students (PDF)

Your Major and the General Education Requirements

Depending upon your major, you may have to take particular courses within a general education category. You should be sure to learn about any major-specific general education course work during orientation and in your first semester. You will be able to review these with your fall academic advisor and read about them in the College Catalog you receive in the fall.

How to find out what GE courses are being offered...

The catalog describes these categories in detail and offers suggested course work. The Course Schedule is available online at the Registrars Home Page offering a listing of GE courses being offered for the various semesters. Under "search attributes" click the GE category/attribute that you are looking for information about.

GE Strategies

• Be sure to keep a record of your completed courses and the courses you have yet to finish.
• Develop a plan over several semesters to spread out your GE requirements.
• Work on completing most of your GE course work in the first two years of college. This will give you time to focus on higher level requirements, such as major course work, during your upper division years.
• Discuss the GE requirements with your advisor and ask questions!
• Any GE you take is progress toward your degree. Even if it is not your first choice, you can at least get the requirement completed.
• GE is a great way to explore-keep an open mind to what you will learn!