Students
LAS Admission
LAS Student Handbook
- Majors & Minors
- Degree Requirements
- Course Guidelines
- Academic Standing
- Attendance & Withdrawals
- Graduation
- Dates & Deadlines
- Advising & Support
Educational Enrichment
Careers and Extracurricular Development
Student Activities and Forms
LAS General Education CHANGES
What Is Changing? | Why Is This Changing? | How Will the Changes Affect New and Continuing Students? | How Are Students in the Specialized Curricula and Secondary Education Curricula Affected? | Questions?
As of Fall 2011, there have been changes to general education requirements.
What Is Changing?
Beginning in Fall 2011, undergraduate students in LAS will be required to complete courses that meet the following general education requirements: 6 hours each in Humanities and the Arts, Natural Sciences and Technology, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and one course each in Western/Comparative Culture(s) and Non-Western/U.S. Minority Cultures. See http://go.illinois.edu/CourseExplorer_GenEd for a current listing of the general education categories and individual courses that satisfy each requirement on this campus.
In the past, LAS has required students to fulfill their general education requirements by taking a specified number of courses in two broad categories or “columns”: Column I, arts and social sciences, and Column II, sciences and mathematics. Within these categories, students were required to take five distinct courses in Column I and five distinct courses in Column II for a total of 10 distinct courses.
Why Is This Changing?
The move to these new requirements was proposed by a committee of faculty and students and was approved by the LAS faculty in 2010. The goal was to provide students with more flexibility and choice in completing their general education requirements. Students will be able to double-count coursework to fulfill two or more general education categories, and thus may end up with fewer total hours of coursework devoted to general education courses. This will allow students more opportunities to take courses in their major and minor fields, as well as electives.
How Will the Changes Affect New and Continuing Students?
Students who enter the University of Illinois Fall 2011 and after will be subject to the new requirements.
Students who entered the University of Illinois prior to Fall 2011 and who have not completed their general education courses will be moved over to the new requirements automatically.
Students who entered the University of Illinois prior to Fall 2011 and who have already completed their general education requirements will not need to take any action.
How Are Students in the Specialized Curricula and Secondary Education Curricula Affected?
Because general education requirements in these curricula are dictated in part by certification requirements, students may still be required to satisfy certain campus general education requirements by completing particular courses.
Where Do I Go if I Have Questions about This Change?
You can talk with your major advisor, your admissions and records officer, or an LAS dean or advisor.