General Education Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is General Education?
A: The General Education program provides students with invaluable learning experiences across a wide range of academic fields on topics of general interest. While major and minor programs focus on specific disciplines, the Gen Ed program ensures that all students, regardless of major, explore a range of scholarly approaches in a variety of fields. While its scope is broad, Gen Ed prioritizes in-depth, active learning and emphasizes essential skills building for success in college and beyond.

Q: What are the General Education requirements at NJCU? 
A: Information about official undergraduate degree requirements is located on the Undergraduate Degree Requirements page of the online catalog. 

Q: How do I know what courses to take in order to fulfill my General Education and Major requirements?
A: Students can view personalized General Education and Major program requirements and track degree progress by accessing the Degree Audit/Academic Requirements feature of GothicNet. The purpose of the Degree Audit/Academic Requirements feature is to provide information to assist in academic planning and scheduling. Degree Audits are available to currently enrolled undergraduate students. Students who have already declared a major and feel that the audit is not correctly analyzing their program requirements should contact their academic advisor. Students who have not yet declared a major should report to the University Advisement Center.

Q: What if I am still completing the modes of inquiry requirements from the General Education program that existed before fall, 2021?
A: General Education courses fulfill the modes of inquiry requirements. If you started at NJCU between Fall, 2015 and Spring, 2021 you may be completing the older General Education program. The Degree Audit/Academic Requirements feature of GothicNet lists courses that will fulfill your degree requirements. Please also consult with your academic advisor who will be able to help you select appropriate courses.  

Q: What if I am still completing Area A-F requirements from the General Studies program?
A: General Education courses fulfill Area A-F requirements. If you started at NJCU before Fall 2015, you may be completing Academic Planning Sheet 3-GS. The Degree Audit/Academic Requirements feature of GothicNet lists courses that will fulfill your degree requirements. Please also consult with your academic advisor who will be able to help you select appropriate courses.  

Q: What are the University-wide Student Learning Outcomes?
A: In addition to discipline-specific outcomes defined for each Gen Ed course, at least two University-wide Student Learning Outcomes are also covered and assessed. These outcomes are:

• Civic Engagement and Intercultural Knowledge
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Information and Technology Literacy
• Oral Communication
• Quantitative Literacy
• Written Communication

Students strive to achieve the University-wide Student Learning Outcomes throughout the three Tiers of Gen Ed. These skills are assessed on end-of-semester signature assignments in Gen Ed courses. The University-wide Student Learning Outcomes are adapted from the Gen Ed University-wide Learning Goals Rubrics which are used to score end-of-semester signature assignments for program assessment.

Q: What if I have another question?
A: Please contact your academic advisor about any aspect of the General Education Program.