Advising and the General Education Program

The General Education program allows students to acquire a set of competencies and a grounding in the arts and sciences, which are of sufficient depth and breadth to guarantee intellectual growth in college and cultural awareness in the future. By taking General Education courses, students become better rounded and more knowledgeable about a variety of topics. In addition, students become more prepared for a rewarding and socially beneficial vocation.

The variety of courses within the General Education program gives students the opportunity to make personal choices and to explore subjects not available within the confines of a prescribed major. It also enables the students to satisfy their curiosity, to explore unfamiliar territory, and to cultivate sensitivity toward their environment and an awareness of their personal strengths and weaknesses.

What do advisors need to know about General Education?

  • 1. Students are required to complete 48 General Education credit hours in order to graduate.
  • 2. The General Education requirements are specific to each major. For example, a biology major will be expected to take different General Education requirements than a sociology major (this will be discussed further).
  • 3. The General Education program consists of several parts:
    • Part I: Required Skills and Competencies (15 credits)
    • Part II: Categories of Knowledge (33 credits)
    • Part III: Library Skills (completed as part of the College Writing class during the first year) A Diversity Requirement
    • A Paired Course Requirement

Specific courses are located in the Catalog and in The Guidebook for Advising Undergraduate Students. The Guidebook contains curriculum guides for every major and includes the General Education courses recommended by every major.

A Closer Look at General Education

Scheduling classes can be confusing and overwhelming for students, especially during the first semester. That is why advisors should pay particular attention to the different needs and goals of each student. Remember that 50% of Shippensburg University's students change their majors at least once before graduation so you will want to verify that your advisee's interests have not changed.

The Advising Guidebook and the College Catalog for the General Education requirements in specific majors are excellent tools. When students are undeclared or have changed their minds about majors, the General Education requirements can get tricky. Take, for example, the student trying to decide between biology and sociology:

  • Biology Sociology
  • Category A: Intro to Stats Category A: Philosophy Elective
  • Category B: SAME Category B: SAME
  • Category C: Category C:
  • Intro. Physics Three Gen Ed sciences
  • Chemical Bonding in different disciplines
  • Principles of Bio I
  • Category D: Category D:
  • Any Gen Ed US Government & Politics(100)
  • Macroeconomics
  • Category E: Category E:
  • Any Gen Ed General Psychology
  • Cultural Anthropology

As you can see, Category B is the only category that requires the same General Education classes. Each of the other categories requires different classes. What is the best thing to do if a student is in this predicament? Fortunately, in this situation, in most of the categories where one major requires certain classes, the other major allows any of the General Education classes listed for that category. When this is the case, it is best to advise the student to take the classes that are required in one major, as they will meet both majors' requirements.

For example: When scheduling for the upcoming semester, you may want to advise the student to take Principles of Bio I (first, because it is required by the Biology Department; second, because it will count towards a General Education requirement for sociology as well). Additionally, it might be good for the student to take American Government: Constitutional and Political Foundations, because it will count towards a Category D requirement for both majors but is required for a sociology major.

Helpful Hints

  • Math classes are generally the most specified. When a student has no idea what major to choose, it may be best to wait to take any math classes. However, if the student is enrolled in a major or has some major in mind, try to help him or her choose the math class that will be the most appropriate.
  • A common mistake advisors and students make is to assume that the first and only math course a student takes satisfies Category A. Students may elect to take a math course under Category A, but they must also remember to satisfy the math competency requirement for graduation listed under the Required Skills and Competency section of the General Education program. One math class cannot doubly count in both parts of the General Education program.
  • Students who tested at the developmental level in reading or who have weak reading skills should not have too many reading-intensive courses in the first semester. For example, a student enrolled in a developmental reading course should not be enrolled in a World History class as well.
  • Foreign languages: Students majoring in B.A. programs need to complete six (6) credits at the intermediate level to satisfy graduation requirements. Students who have completed 4 years of the same language in high school have this requirement. For students needing to complete the language requirement, advise as follows:
    • 1 year of language 101
    • 2 years of language 102
    • 3 years of language 103
    • 3 years of language 200/202 (depending on GPA or dept. placement)
  • Diversity requirement: Students must complete a diversity course as a graduation requirement. Courses that satisfy this requirement are listed in the Catalog.
  • Sciences courses: Students frequently do not understand that they need to take three science courses, all from different science disciplines (biology, physical anthropology, earth science, physics and chemistry). Students often make the mistake of taking Problems of Environment (BIO 145) and another biology course such as Basic Biology (BIO 100). They need to understand that both of these courses are from the same discipline and, therefore, they still need two additional science classes under Category C of the General Education program.
  • General Education Revisions and Paired Courses: For more than three years, faculty members and administrators (and even some students) have been working closely together to fine-tune the delivery of General Education courses to help professors create innovative learning environments that students will find more inspiring and more relevant for their lives after college.

Since Academic Year 2001-2002, all freshmen entering the University have been required to take paired courses in their freshmen year. These pairings link World History I and World History II classes with classes in a wide range of disciplines, including College Writing, Basic Oral Communication, World Geography, World Music, Introduction to Music, and Category B English courses.

There will be no additional General Education revision requirements for AY 2003-2004 freshmen. The General Education Revision Committee is currently developing proposals for the implementation of an integrated cluster requirement, a service requirement, and some type of capstone requirement. Before these proposals are implemented, however, the committee wants additional feedback from the campus community and wants to provide students/advisors with additional guidance about how these new requirements may affect students' scheduling decisions.

The Coordinating Committee views the revised General Education program as a work in progress, aimed at helping (rather than hindering) professors, departments, and students fulfill their long-term goals. We all recognize that students can reach their full potential only if they are culturally literate and able to think critically. We all want to ensure that students are engaged in a meaningful curriculum. With these shared goals in mind, the Coordinating Committee welcomes the input of every member of the university community.

If you have questions or suggestions regarding the revised General Education program, please contact Dr. David Godshalk, Chair of the General Education Coordinating Committee, at #477-1132 or at dfgods@ship.edu.

 
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