Gen Ed Changes

Have you noticed 4-credit Gen Ed courses (in the Social World categories) cropping up on SPIRE?  

Heard that there are Gen Ed changes afoot?

How will it affect you???

If you're a current student at UMass . . . not much at all.

New Gen Ed requirements will take effect for students who ENTER the University in the Fall of 2010 and beyond.  Click here if you're interested in what the NEW Gen Ed requirements will look like for incoming students.  Remember, though, that students who enrolled PRIOR to Fall 2010 will follow the Gen Ed and graduation requirements that were in effect when they entered (click here to see the requirements for students who entered prior to Fall 2010).

Gen Ed courses that have been converted to 4-credit classes will NOT, in most courses, entail more seat time in class, but may have additional online components, collaborative learning, and/or application to 'Real World" problems or contexts.  More details, of course, will be available from your instructor and in your syllabus.  As a current student at the moment, you can choose either 3- or 4-credit Gen Ed courses to meet your requirements.   

The only other thing for you to know about Gen Ed requirements is that what holds for you may not hold for students who come to UMass this fall and after.  Therefore, when younger students ask for your advice or recommendations, you can talk about your experience, but also ALWAYS refer them to their advisor.