Student Information

• Cultural Competence (CC)

  One course with CC attributes is required

  On previous catalogs, students were required to complete a general education course with DV or EDI attributes. You are now required to complete a general education course with CC attributes. If you are still working on Gen Ed and you already took a course with DV or EDI attributes, your requirement has been met. This should happen automatically in Cattracks; if not, please reach out to your adviser. If you haven't yet taken a CC course, you have even more courses to choose from in both the core and breadth areas to complete this requirement. Please review your Cattracks record and reach out to your academic adviser for help choosing the right CC course for you!

• What is General Education?

  General Education Explained

  Gen Ed is a series of courses designed to provide students with a broad academic perspective and exposure to areas and subjects outside of their chosen discipline. Students can choose from a variety of courses in each of 5 core and 3 breadth areas. Course options are available in specific disciplines or students can choose from a growing list of WSU interdisciplinary courses. Gen Ed credits (~34-41) account for about 2/3 of the Associate's and 1/3 of the Bachelor's degrees. 

  If you intend to transfer prior to completing an Associate's degree, we strongly encourage you to complete the General Education Certificate of Completion. The Certificate is awarded when students complete all core and breadth requirements with a minimum of 2.0 GPA. Once awarded, it will appear on your transcript and is part of your official record. The Certificate allows you to "lock in" your Gen Ed credits and is transferable between institutions in the Utah System of Higher Education. 

  As of January 2024, WSU no longer participates in the Interstate Passport Initiative.

• Why is General Education required?

  Isn't my major enough?

  As important as your major is, it does not provide all the general cognitive skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in life, on the job, and in the major. The skills gained in general education include those that most employers say they want, such as oral communication, writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving.  Beyond that, the knowledge acquired exposes you to the different perspectives from physical and life sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities, which are necessary to become an "educated person." Together, the courses you take to complete the general education program and the courses you take to complete your major program, complement each other and prepare you to be a productive member of a global society.  This is why we say that Gen Ed is "cross-training" for the mind.

• Can General Education help me get a job?

  General Education and your future

  In short, yes. According to Norman R. Augustine, Former Chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin, "Individuals who are creative, innovative, constructive change agents, and who have broad perspectives, are highly valued." These are skills that are incubated throughout a student's General Education program. 

• What is a GELO? Can I eat it? Is it green?

  General Education Learning Outcomes

  No, a GELO is not green and it cannot be eaten. But GELOs can be achieved and that achievement can support you as both a lifelong learner and a productive member of society. There are four GELOs addressed in every Gen Ed course:

  1. Content knowledge - this outcome addresses students' understanding of the worlds in which they live and disciplinary approaches for analyzing those worlds.
      
  2. Intellectual tools - the focus of this outcome is on students' use of and facility with skills necessary to construct knowledge, evaluate claims, solve problems, and communicate effectively.
      
  3. Responsibility to self and others - this outcome highlights students' relationships with, obligations to, and sustainable stewardship of themselves, others, and the world.
      
  4. Connected and applied learning - this outcome emphasizes how students' learning in general education classes can be connected and applied in meaningful ways to new settings and complex problems.
• What is a Signature Assignment and why should I care?

  Signature Assignments and Big Questions

  Every General Education course will require students to complete a signature assignment - or SA - that gives students the opportunity to demonstrate their fluency with the GELOs. SAs will vary in both complexity and format, and are designed by the faculty as a means of evaluating student competency of the GELOs. Over the course of the completed General Education curriculum, repeated exposure to and completion of SAs becomes a high impact educational experience that supports both retention and persistence at the institution.

  Each GE course identifies a big question - or BQ - that becomes a theme for the class. SAs can directly or tangentially reflect the BQ.

• I've heard I can 'double-dip' with some Gen Ed courses - tell me more!

  WSU Courses

  Students can fill two area requirements with one class when they enroll in and complete a WSU course. WSU courses are interdisciplinary, variable credit (from 3 to 5 credits), and team-taught. You get the benefit of the expertise of two WSU faculty members in courses that engage your mind and challenge your thinking.

  See the full list of WSU courses

• I want to appeal/petition a transfer decision for a course that I think has Gen Ed attributes.

  General Education Attribute Transfer Petition Process

  In their articulation of transfer credits from other institutions of higher education, students may have courses that lack an equivalent at Weber State or that transfer as courses without Gen Ed attributes. The transfer course may be articulated as departmental (e.g., MATH 1XXX) or general (e.g., ELEC 1XXX) elective, that may or may not have an associated Gen Ed attribute. Although students may appeal transfer decisions to the department chair/articulator, they also may appeal the Gen Ed attribute decisions to the Director of General Education on the grounds that their transfer course, while articulating as departmental or general elective credit, nonetheless satisfies Gen Ed core and/or breadth attributes (i.e., COMP, AI, QL, IL, DV, SS, HU, CA, PS, LS) at WSU. 

  Select this link to open the transfer attribute petition. Incomplete transfer petitions will not be accepted. The Director of General Education, who may consult with the relevant GE Attribute Articulator, makes a final decision about whether the transfer course satisfies the relevant core/breadth learning outcomes and should thereby satisfy Gen Ed attributes at Weber State.  The Director of General Education makes a Cattracks note on the ruling, and records the necessary exception, in the student’s official academic record.

• I passed a Gen Ed course at another in-state institution, but it’s not counting in my WSU Gen Ed credits.

  General Education Transfer Minimum Grade Petition

  The statewide policy document (R470) governing General Education was revised in December 2023. One change in this revision is that receiving Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) institutions – in this case, Weber State University – have to accept the minimum passing grade of the sending transfer institution – for example, SLCC, USU, or UVU – when it comes to the transfer of Gen Ed courses.

  Weber State students must pass their core Gen Ed courses (i.e., Composition, Quantitative Literacy, American Institutions) with a grade of C or better. The minimum passing grade for these same courses at other USHE institutions may be lower. For example, previously students who transferred MATH 1030 to Weber from SLCC with a grade of C- had to retake the course at Weber and earn a passing grade of C or higher. Under the revised R470 policy, Weber State now must accept the passing grade of the sending USHE institution. Thus, in the example, if a C- was a passing grade at SLCC for MATH 1030, Weber State has to accept the course as completing the gen ed requirement.

  Unfortunately, our software systems cannot automatically process this transfer information and students must seek a Cattracks exception from the Director of General Education to their official academic record. Select this link to open the transfer minimum grade petition. This policy applies ONLY to in-state transfer students with coursework from USHE institutions. Transfer coursework from out-of-state must meet our minimum passing grade requirements.

  Any exception granted means that a general education requirement is complete based on a transfer course with the appropriate minimum grade. The exception does not necessarily mean that you have completed a prerequisite for a course that may be required in your major or minor. Please consult with your adviser to ensure you have met course prerequisites for your program of study.

Important Resources 

• General Education Requirements
  • 2024-2025 PDF version
  • 2023-2024 PDF version
  • 2022-2023 PDF version
  • 2021-2022 PDF version
  • 2020-2021 PDF version
• The first year of college can be overwhelming. Join a First-Year Learning Community to make college easier!
• Resources for General Studies Students - Student Success Center
• Information on Math and English Placement and Prior Learning Assessments
• General Education Contact List
• Find your Advisor