When you pursue a bachelor’s degree, you declare a major: an area of focus for your degree such as communication, business administration, criminal justice, or psychology. However, before you begin that focused aspect of the program, you must complete a wide-ranging selection of general education courses, no matter which college or university you attend.
Have you ever wondered why this is a requirement? Let’s discuss general education courses and why they’re a critical part of every bachelor’s degree program.
While they sound similar, a general education degree and general education courses refer to two very different things. General education courses are the foundational classes that every student must complete as part of a bachelor’s degree program, regardless of their major. These courses cover a wide range of subjects to help students build critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
On the other hand, a general education degree typically refers to an associate degree or a broad, multidisciplinary bachelor’s program that doesn’t focus on one specialized field. If you’re pursuing a traditional bachelor’s degree, general education courses are just one component of your overall curriculum—not a separate degree in themselves.
What Are General Education Courses?
General education courses span a wide range of academic subjects and are a required part of nearly every bachelor’s degree program. These courses typically include:
This interdisciplinary curriculum helps students build essential skills in communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving—skills that are in high demand across virtually every field. According to the American Association of Colleges and Universities, general education empowers students to approach complex issues from multiple perspectives and participate effectively in a diverse, democratic society.
No matter what career path you follow, general education courses explore the fundamental subject matter that you will need to function and thrive within society. Advanced degrees, such as a master’s degree, require the completion of a bachelor’s degree; hence, they assume students already have this foundation and are ready for fully specialized learning. But bachelor’s degree students need more advanced instruction in these essentials than a high school education can provide.
Not everyone enters college at the bachelor’s level already knowing what they want to do with their life. General education courses introduce students to a broad variety of subjects that can help them determine where their interests and natural talents lie.
While completing a bachelor’s degree program’s general education requirements, students also develop important communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills that will serve them well throughout every aspect of their lives. These so-called “soft” skills are in high demand among employers, according to studies of major employers and the U.S. Department of Labor, and can therefore increase a graduate’s career opportunities.
General education courses are essential to every bachelor’s degree, but many students still have questions about them. Here are some quick answers to the most common ones:
Online undergraduate programs from UT Permian Basin feature a diverse selection of general education courses. Our bachelor’s degree programs generally require at least 42 credits of general education courses before you can move into courses specifically related to your major and applicable electives. However, you may be able to transfer general education credits previously earned from an accredited institution toward your UT Permian Basin undergraduate program. Our expanding selection of online bachelor’s degree programs include:
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS)
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
Bachelor of Science (BS)
Our programs are delivered in an online format that gives you the flexibility to complete coursework at your own pace from anywhere in the world. If professional and personal obligations currently keep you busy, you’ll find this flexibility makes all the difference.
What’s more, all our online programs are based around the same rigorous curriculum taught by the same renowned faculty who teach at our Odessa, Texas campus. Each program offers exceptionally high quality and value, with affordable tuition rates that most accredited universities of our stature can’t match.
Expand your horizons with general education courses as part of an online bachelor’s degree program from UT Permian Basin! Browse your options now.
Sources:
https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/higher-ed-gamma/general-education-curriculum-we-need
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/ethics-everyone/201104/the-value-general-education
http://www.tfhe.net/report/downloads/report/chapter6.pdf
https://www.goacta.org/2019/07/the-role-of-liberal-arts-education-in-a-democracy
https://www.jstor.org/stable/27796755
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