General Education (GE) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Executive Order (EO) 1100 mandates changes to our GE patterns and unit restrictions starting in Fall 2018. The Executive Order and CSULB’s current GE pattern do not align in many areas. Specifically, there is a need for more lower division category B courses and upper division B, C & D category courses.  The EO 1100 does not include upper division E category or capstone courses.  GEGC is prioritizing high-need proposals seeking B category designation and upper division B, C & D designations.  GEGC has requested a moratorium on GE courses with the exceptions of those high need areas.  These proposals may include courses new to GE or existing courses that are currently upper division E or Capstone courses requesting additional designations.

GEGC does not approve or create GE policy.  Academic Senate will be gathering information about opening the policy soon.  For questions about GE policy, please contact your Academic Senate representative or the Academic Senate Chair.  You can find contacts on the Academic Senate executive committee (PDF) roster.   

The GWAR committee and Academic Senate are currently discussing how to address the GWAR requirements on our campus with the new EO1100 mandates.  This will likely be addressed when Academic Senate opens the GE policy.  For questions about GE policy, please contact your Academic Senate representative or the Academic Senate Chair.  You can find senate contacts on the Academic Senate executive committee roster (PDF). 

Executive Order (EO) 1100 does not include upper division E category and capstone classes.  However, students using the current and past catalogs will still need to enroll in those courses for several more years.  If you would like to continue offering your GE course beyond the current student need, GEGC recommends you consider your course for the upper division B, C, or D category designations (one of the new EO 1100 requirement).  If you determine that there is a good fit for an upper division B, C, or D category, you might consider updating your SCO to include a justification for the additional designation.  Keep in mind that your course justification, student learning outcomes and course content must reflect the additional designation requested.

You will need to ensure the requirements for your current designation are aligned with current requirements as well.  In 2012, the campus approved a new GE policy, which includes new LEAP outcomes. If the course proposal includes continuation of a category, remember to update the SCO to meet the new category and LEAP (Essential Skills) requirements. The category descriptions and essential skills descriptions are available. GEGC uses these descriptions in reviewing and determining proposal approval. 

Your class will not be automatically decertified due to Executive Order (EO) 1100.  In fact, current students using the 2012 catalog will continue to need capstone courses and upper division E courses for several more years.  Until those students leave the university, we will continue to offer those courses.

GEGC suggests you do not remove existing GE category designations.  Current students who are following the 2012 GE policy will need those courses offered for several more years.

Until Academic Senate approves a new GE policy, the currently policy on HD and Global classes is still effective.  GEGC does not approve or create GE policy.  Academic Senate will be gathering information about opening the policy soon.  For questions about GE policy, please contact your Academic Senate representative or the Academic Senate Chair.  You can find contacts on the Academic Senate executive committee roster (PDF). 

Keep in mind, GEGC is currently only accepting proposal for high-need categories.  Those include upper division B, C, & D category and lower division B category classes.

Until there is a new GE policy, the writing requirements for capstone courses are still required.

The 2012 GE policy also states that approved all other capstone courses require a substantial writing components (usually interpreted to mean at least 2,500 words).  Additional writing and other capstone requirements can be found on the GE website.  Please go the following link and click on a capstone category to find the writing requirements:  (Capstone categories link)

Writing Intensive capstone classes require 5,000 words across writing assignments.  These courses should not only incorporate writing throughout the course, but should include the teaching of writing.  Please see the WI policy for specific writing requirements for that GE category.  Click on the following link and scroll to the writing requirements section (Writing Intensive link)

Yes – but GEGC suggests that you include the writing component currently required of capstone courses (2,500 word minimum).   Until Academic Senate approves a new CSULB GE policy, we do not know if a writing component will be requirements for upper division GE courses.   In order to reduce the potential for addition work at a later date, we suggest you include the writing minimum now.

You may request no more than two categories for your GE course.  However, keep in mind that you will need to show justification for each category. Additionally, your student learning outcome need to reflect the AAC&U Essential skills required for each category.  Course content must also reflect the requirements for each and every category designation. Students may only choose one of the categories to count toward their degree completion.  Please keep in mind that your department is required to include assessment for each category and essential skills.  Therefore, you should think about your future department workload when requesting multiple category designations for one course. 

Students who have matriculated before Fall 2018 will continue to use the 2012 GE pattern.

Starting in Fall 2018, all incoming Freshman student must fallow the Executive Order (EO) 1100 GE pattern. Until Academic Senate approves a new CSULB policy, students will need to complete their Writing Intensive classes and HD an Global as executed under the current CSULB GE policy.  Still, the major changes of upper B, C, & D will be followed.  

*Students who have matriculated before Fall 2018 will continue to use the  2012 GE pattern.

In general, GE courses cannot have non-GE prerequisites. Once Academic Senate has approved a new CSULB GE policy, GEGC will continue to allow courses designated as an Integrative Learning Capstone to have major specific pre-requisites.

No, but they can double count a GE requirement and a major requirement. 

For now, upper division courses will be reviewed based on the current requirements for each category (B.1a, B.1b, C.1, C.2, D.1, and D.2). Upper division courses must require the completion of the entire foundation and upper division standing as a prerequisite for the course.

Upper Division B.2 courses must include:  (1) computational or calculation skills, (2) explanation or demonstration of the methodological approach for solving problems, and (3) application of mathematical concepts. 

Most proposals are returned for major revisions or fail to be approved for the following reasons: 

• There is a lack of sufficient (or no) justification for GE category (this is different from the essential skills – which are part of the student learning outcomes). In the justification for course, proposals must include not only the justification for the course in the department, but also a justification for each GE category requested.
• GE description or leap outcome are pasted directly from the GE website descriptions or rubrics.  GEGC would like for you explain how the definitions and criteria described in the policy are implemented in your course.  Pasting the language from the GE policy and LEAP outcomes or rubrics does not tell GEGC about your specific course.
• Leap outcomes are not identified in the student learning outcomes (SLOs).  The LEAP outcomes you identify on our GEAR form (some GE categories require particular LEAP outcomes) must be included in our SLOs.  
• Course content does not reflect category or LEAP requirements.  Each GE category requires particular content to be included in all courses with that particular designation.  The content outline in the SCO must reflect any required content from GE policy and LEAP outcomes.
• Course assessment descriptions in the SCO are too generic.  While GEGC does not expect the SCO to limit faculty, a GE SCO should be specific enough to ensure consistency.  For example, stating that an outcome will be assessed with “an assignment” is too generic.  A better description might be to indicate that an outcome will be assessed with a research or essay assignment.  This give flexibility for faculty and consistency for GE.  This is especially important for Writing Intensive and Capstone classes.  Examples of assignments and information can be included in the description of the class and class content.
• SLOs are not measurable.  Review Bloom’s Taxonomy for words associated with measurable outcome.  SLOs should be measureable.
• Bibliography is incomplete.  Bibliographies should include full reference citations.
• Writing or other specific requirements are not met.  Please see the specific requirement under each GE category to ensure you are meeting the GE policy requirements.  Some categories have very detailed expectations. 

We are able to come to department or college meetings to present information about general education or to answer questions.  If you would like to have a representative to come to your department or college, please contact Mary McPherson.