Faculty and administrators in the College of Arts and Sciences have been hard at work for the past year and a half working and planning to replace the core curriculum with the new general education, or 鈥済en ed,鈥� required curriculum. The new curriculum, which will become effective in August, primarily affects students enrolled in Arts and Sciences, but it will also affect students in the Leeds School of Business, the School of Education and some in the College of Music.
James White, interim dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, says that while students who matriculate in or after August 2018 must meet the gen ed requirements, every student currently in the college has a choice to make.
鈥淪tudents who are now enrolled may choose to complete either the new gen ed requirements or remain with the old core curriculum,鈥� White says.
鈥淪tudents should consult their academic advisor to decide which path is right for them and ensure their academic career remains on a smooth trajectory toward graduation,鈥� White says. 鈥淲e foresee current first-year and sophomore students strongly considering a switch to gen ed, whereas many juniors and especially seniors will likely finish the core curriculum.鈥�
Students: Work with your academic advisor
Kathryn Tisdale, director of advising quality in the college鈥檚 Academic Advising Center, says students have a few ways of getting additional information.
鈥淔irst, students can attend one of the general education 鈥楽witch Labs鈥� that Arts and Sciences academic advisors will be hosting from mid-March through May. These sessions are aimed at assisting students in assessing whether gen ed is a better fit than the core curriculum in terms of their graduation goals,鈥� Tisdale said. 鈥淢ore information about the Switch Labs will be coming soon, and students should be on the lookout for an email from their advisors.
鈥淪econd, students can make an appointment to see their academic advisor by logging in to My抖阴旅行射Hub. For instance, students planning to meet with their advisor in March or April to discuss fall registration can also discuss at that meeting whether gen ed is a better fit than Core.鈥�
White notes the new Gen Ed requirements are spelled out in detail on the College of Arts and Sciences website and urges both students and members of the faculty to become familiar with the new requirements.
