Questions?

  • General Education
    202-885-3879
    gened@american.edu
    Leonard, Room 101F

    Wyatt, Jamie J
    Assistant Director, General Education

Mailing Address

Guidelines for Completing the General Education Program

General Education courses are grouped into five curricular areas:

Each curricular area offers a choice between two course clusters that include several foundation courses and a larger number of second-level courses. You choose two courses in each curricular area - one foundation course and one second-level course in the same cluster (6 credit hours in area 1, 2, 3, and 4; 7 credit hours in area 5). General Education foundation courses differ from traditional survey courses by integrating perspectives and skills essential to a complete education.

To successfully complete the program, you will need to follow these guidelines:

  • Select two courses from one of the two clusters in a curricular area, a foundation course followed by a more specialized second-level course.
  • Register for your selected courses in sequence, the foundation first followed by the second-level in a subsequent semester.
  • Do not take more than two courses in any one dicipline. A discipline is defined by the subject designator in the course number, such as "HIST" or "ANTH."
  • Do not count courses that fulfill the college writing or university mathematics requirements in the two-course limit for a discipline.
  • If you have placed at or below Finite Mathematics, be sure to satisfy the university mathematics requirement before enrollig in a foundation course in curricular area 5, the Natural Sciences.
  • Pass courses with a grade of D or higher to gain General Education credit, or opt to take the course for a pass/fail grade - but note that courses taken for major or minor credit might require different grade standards.
  • Once registered at American University, take all your General Education courses here. After that point, you may not transfer courses from another institution or substitute any courses outside the program.
Some little-known facts about AU's General Education Program:
The General Education program comprises 150 different courses, allowing students to tailor their experience to their majors, minors and interests

Since its inception in 1989, over 35,000 students have graduated from the program

In addition to the 31 General Education credits, all students must complete the University's College Writing and Mathematics requirements

The General Education Program staff also run two successful programs for first-year students, the University College and the Learning Communities Project

The General Education Program underwent a comprehensive review in 2000, which resulted in greater flexibility in course selection, and the introduction of the "wild card" courses.

The General Education Program is preparing for another comprehensive review expected to get underway in Fall 2009.

No more than 25% of General Education courses can be taught by adjunct faculty.

Many students report that they decided on their major as a result of taking a General Education course.

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