Note: General Education (GE) Pathways take effect beginning fall 2020.
Students may elect to further engage in general education through thematic pathways that provide integrative experiences based on student interest in themes addressing modern societal issues. Each thematic pathway includes suggested GE courses that fulfill GE requirements through coursework designed around inquiry questions. The GE Pathway Program offers not only an integrated learning experience across different fields of study but also the opportunity to earn an interdisciplinary minor (see GE Minors).
List of the 2020-2021 General Education Pathways:
GE Pathway: Big Ideas that Change the World: Exploring Ideas, Innovations, Discoveries
What ideas, innovations, and discoveries change the world? Why is what we believe different from the ideas of others? Are our ideas always better than ideas people had in the past? Are some innovations more important than others? Do all innovations have a positive impact? Why have certain ideas about politics, economics, culture, science, and the natural world pushed aside competing claims?
The world we know today is not the world that peoples knew a hundred (or thousands of) years ago, and it is not the world that will exist a hundred years from now. This pathway will encourage you to think about connections between ideas, innovations, and discoveries from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. In this pathway, we will investigate how and what changes shape the world.
Ideas, innovations, and discoveries shape the world we live in and arise from a variety of contexts. For example, who am I (identity) and what is my role within my community (identity politics), how shall I live (ethics), how will I know if I’m successful (economics, psychology), where am I allowed to live (immigration policies), and how does the physical world work (science). In this pathway, you will explore a variety of ideas, innovations, and discoveries that made an impact on communities around the world.
Students interested in this pathway, have the option of completing a GE minor. See information on GE Minor: Foundations of Change & Discovery.
Course List:
To complete this pathway, students are advised to complete four courses (12 units), of which:
- At least two courses must be upper division courses (3000 or higher) from the Big Ideas course list
- At least one must be a Writing Intensive (WI) course from the Big Ideas course list
You should take care to choose classes from a variety of departments and disciplinary perspectives (colleges) so that you see how Big Ideas are represented throughout the curriculum.
GE Category E -- Foundation Seminar
- ADMN 1001: Leadership for Global Challenges: Exploring the Entrepreneurial Mindset
- CAL 1110: Reacting to the Past: Humanities Perspectives
- NSCI 1110: Reacting to the Past: Natural Sciences Perspectives
- SSCI 1110: Reacting to the Past: Social Sciences Perspectives
GE Category B -- Scientific Inquiry
- GEOL 1020: Plate Tectonics: Key to Understanding Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Tsunami (G)
- CHEM 3000: History of Science and Technology
GE Category C -- Arts & Humanities
- ENG 2180: The Function of Stories
- CAL 3300: Arts and Ideas in A Changing Global World (DI, G)
- ENG 3700: Turning Points in Literary History (WI)
- PHIL 3001: Philosophy in the World (Di, G, WI; Topic: Roots & Results of Democracy)
- WLL 3920: Great Works, Revolutionary Ideas, and Important Discoveries (G, WI)
GE Category D -- Social Sciences
- ANTH 1001: Humans, Apes, and Monkeys: Introduction to Biological Anthropology (DI)
- ANTH 3500: The Race Concept in Biological Anthropology (DI)
- SSCI 3010: Revolutions and Revolutionary Ideas (DI, G)
- SSCI 3011: Revolutions and Revolutionary Ideas (WI)
- SSCI 3320: Understanding Capitalism (G)
GE Pathway: Digital Life
Digital technologies, such as computers, smartphones, social media, and the Internet, play increasingly central roles in 21st-century life. Courses in the Digital Life General Education Pathway (and the associated Digital Literacies General Education Minor) explore our understandings and uses of digital technologies and their impacts in various personal, professional, political, economic, and social-cultural contexts. Students consider the opportunities and challenges these technologies present, and they cultivate crucial digital and information literacies -- understandings, judgments, and practical skills necessary for navigating and thriving in an increasingly complex, interconnected, and mediated world.
Students interested in this pathway, have the option of completing a GE minor. See information on GE Minor: Digital Literacies.
Course List:
Students are advised to complete at least four courses (12 units) from the following list of courses, by choosing one course from four of the following six categories:
GE Category E -- Foundations Seminar
Choose one of the following:
- ADMN 1003: Leadership for Global Challenges: Exploring the Digital Mindset
- CAL 1130: Digital You/U
- CSE 1290: College Learning for Lives and Careers in the Information Age
GE Category A3 -- Critical Thinking
- CSE 1100: Critical Thinking Through Computer Programming
GE Category B5 -- Upper Division Scientific Inquiry
- PHYS 3010: The Science of Digital Sound and Music
GE Category C1 -- Arts
Choose one of the following:
- CAL 1500: Digital Humanities and Arts (DI)
- MUS 2266: Creating digital Media Using Personal Electronic Technology
GE Category C4 -- Upper Division Arts & Humanities
Choose one of the following:
- COMM 3332: Movies in the Digital Age
- PHIL 3001: Philosophy in the World (WI; Topic: Philosophy in the World: Real Ethics for a Virtual World)
GE Category D4 -- Social Science
- COMM 3305: Digital Media and Society
GE Pathway: Diversity and Social Justice
The social justice pathway offers students opportunities to examine issues and theories related to identity, diversity, and equity. Through interdisciplinary coursework and projects, students will deepen their understandings of the disparate ways that people access civil, political, economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights and opportunities and the ways that social structures impact equitable distribution.
Students interested in this pathway, have the option of completing a GE minor. See information on GE Minor: Diversity and Social Justice.
Course List:
To complete this pathway, students are advised to complete four courses (12 units), from the list of choices below:
- At least two courses must be upper division courses (3000 or higher)
- At least one must be a Writing Intensive (WI) course
GE Category A3 -- Critical Thinking
- SOC 1800: Critical Thinking about Social Issues
GE Category B2 -- Life Science
- BIOL 2160: Genetics and Society
- BIOL 2180: Sustainable Agriculture
GE Category B4 -- Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning
- MATH 1101: Mathematics and Society
GE Category B5 -- Upper Division Scientific Inquiry
- BIOL 3010: Human Ecology
- MATH 3140: Introduction to Systems Modeling
GE Category C1 -- Arts
- CAL 1804: Rock and Roll: Justice and Society (DI)
- COMM 1020: Looking at Movies (DI)
- ENG 1210: Diversity Literature and Social Justice (DI, WI)
GE Category C2 -- Humanities
- PHIL 1010: Introduction to Philosophical Problems (G, WI)
GE Category C4 -- Upper Division Arts or Humanities
- ARAB 3900: Female Voices in Arab American Literature (DI, G, WI)
- ART 3000: Art and Activism (DI)
- ART 3210: Visualizing Gender, Performing Identity (DI, G, WI)
- HIST 3890: Images of Africa (DI, G)
- PHIL 3001: Philosophy in the World (DI, G, WI)
GE Category D3 - Social Sciences Perspective
- ECON 2000: The Economy: Problems and Perspectives (G)
- GSS 1000: Introduction to Women's Studies (DI, G)
- GSS 1010: Introduction to Masculinity Studies (DI, G)
- GSS 1030: Introduction to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Studies (DI, G)
GE Category D4 -- Upper Division Social Science
- ANTH 3603: Gendered Worlds: Power, Difference, and & In/equality (DI, G)
- COMM 3305: Digital Media and Society
- GSS 4200: Feminist Theory (DI, G)
- GSS 4500: Queer Theory (DI, G)
- PA 3150: Society, Business, & Global Governance (G)
- SSCI 3010: Revolutions and Revolutionary Ideas (DI, G)
- SSCI 3011: Revolutions and Revolutionary Ideas (DI, G, WI)
- SSCI 3160: Race and Racism (DI, G)
- SSCI 3250: Perspectives on Gender (DI)
GE Pathway: Environmental Sustainability
The Environmental Sustainability GE pathway provides holistic perspectives on environmental issues by exploring relationships between society and nature through interdisciplinary connections of natural science, social science, humanities, and business. Choose courses from this pathway to broaden your awareness of the environment and human interactions with ecosystems, learn different viewpoints about what the concept of "sustainability" means, and meet the challenges of promoting sustainability in the local community and at a global scale.
Students interested in this pathway, have the option of completing a GE minor. See information on GE Minor: Environmental Sustainability.
Course List:
To complete the Environmental Sustainability GE Pathway, students are advised to complete at least four courses (12 units) by choosing one course from four of the following seven categories:
Category E -- Foundation Seminar
- ADMN 1002: Leadership for Global Challenges: Citizenship in a Sustainable World (G)
- NSCI 1200: Scientific Thinking for Community Resilience
GE Category B1 -- Physical Science
- GEOL 1060: Environmental Geology and Geological Hazards (G; recommend GEOL 1060L to fulfill GE B3.)
- GEOL 2040: Water in the West (G; both GEOL 2040 and GEOG 2040)
- or GEOG 2040: Water in the West
GE Category B2 -- Life Science
- BIOL 2180: Sustainable Agriculture
GE Category B5 -- Upper Division Scientific Inquiry
- BIOL 3010: Human Ecology
- CHEM 3100: Chemistry and the Environment
- GEOL 3020: Natural Disasters (G)
- GEOL 3040: Energy and the Environment (G)
- MATH 3140: Introduction to Systems Modeling
GE Category C4 -- Upper Division Arts or Humanities
- ENG 3400: Analysis of Environmental Discourse (G, WI)
- ENG 3410: Environmental Literature (G)
- PHIL 3001: Philosophy in the World (WI; Topic: Environmental Ethics)
Category D3 -- Social Science Discipline Perspectives
- ECON 2000: The Economy: Problems and Perspectives (G)
- GEOG 2000: Environment and Society (G)
GE Category D4 -- Upper Division Social Science
- GEOG 3501: Environmental Sustainability
- SSCI 3390: Climate Change (G)
GE Pathway: Global Connections
The Global Connections GE Pathway seeks to explore the interconnections between people, resources, technologies, and organizations that shape our world. It uncovers the impacts of global issues on our ever-changing world. Additionally, this pathway will enable students to become active and engaged global citizens. Interdisciplinary coursework drawn from a variety of academic disciplines will explore how the global and the local are becoming connected and impacting individuals’ lives and communities every day. This pathway will allow students to explore these connections through a variety of academic lenses, including disciplines from the humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and public administration.
Students interested in this pathway, have the option of completing a GE minor. See information on GE Minor: Global Competency.
Course List:
To complete this pathway, students are advised to complete four courses (12 units), one course from each of the following categories:
At least one course must be a Writing Intensive course (WI)
GE Category E -- Foundation Seminar
- CAL 1120: Global You/U (G)
GE Category C4 -- Upper Division Arts & Humanities
Choose one of the following
- CAL 3300: Arts and Ideas in A Changing Global World (G)
- CAL 3700: African Arts Heritage (DI, G)
- CAL 3750: Exploring the World of Islam through Literature (DI, G)
- CAL 3888: Asian Humanities in a Globalized World (DI, G)
- COMM 3334: Global Cinema (G)
- ENG 3000: Studies in Global Literatures (DI, G)
- FREN 3900: Voices & Visions from the Francophone World (G, WI)
- MUS 3500: Global Music (G)
- PHIL 3001: Philosophy in the World (G, WI)
- SPAN 3900: Voices & Visions from the Hispanic World (G, WI)
- WLL 3940: Mediterranean Languages and Identities (DI, G)
- WLL 3950: Languages & Cultures (DI, G)
GE Category D3 -- Social Science Disciplinary Perspectives
Choose one of the following
- ANTH 1400: World History to c. 1500 (DI, G)
- or HIST 1400: World History to c. 1500
- ECON 2202: Principles of Macroeconomics (G)
- GEOG 1650: World Regions and Peoples (DI, G)
- HIST 1440: World History from c. 1500
GE Category D4 -- Upper Division Social Science
Choose one of the following
- GEOG 5150: Global Governance and the United Nations System (G)
- PA 3150: Society, Business, & Global Governance (DI, G)
- SSCI 3000: Global Issues and Perspectives (DI, G)
- SSCI 3001: Global Issues and Perspectives (DI, G, WI)
GE Pathway: World Cultures and Diversity
This pathway introduces students to the construction of cultural similarities and differences among peoples and diverse identities across the world, including ethnic, sexual, economic, religious, and national identities. It fosters an understanding, appreciation, and respect for cultural differences by examining the production of art, literature, folklore, dance, music, and language, and the development of gender identities, belief systems and worldview, among other expressions, as well as their relationship to broader historical, economic, and political processes. Students will acquire cultural competency, cultivate sensitivity, and ethical responsibility, while also gaining a perspective on themselves and their local community.
Essential Questions include 1. How are cultures and diversity created, maintained, expressed, and changed?; 2. How are diverse identities constructed in relation to historical, political, and economic processes on local and global scales?; 3. What are the causes and consequences of cross-cultural interactions, and how are they interpreted?; 4.How is world diversity manifested through art, literature, folklore, language, religion, worldview, gender identities, as well as material and non-material culture?
Students interested in this pathway, have the option of completing a GE minor. See information on GE Minor: World Cultures and Diversity.
Course List:
To complete this pathway, students are advised to complete five courses (15 units), one course from each of the following categories; Students are advised to take one course from World Languages and Literature and one course from Anthropology.
GE Category C1 -- Arts
- COMM 1020: Looking at Movies (DI)
GE Category C2 -- Humanities
Choose one of the following:
- ARAB 1112: Beginning Arabic 2 (DI, G)
- ARAB 2900: Arabic Literature in Translation (DI, G)
- CHIN 1112: College Chinese II (DI, G)
- CHIN 2900: Chinese Literature in Translation (DI, G)
- ENG 1200: Multi-Ethnic American Literature (DI)
- ENG 1210: Diversity Literature and Social Justice (DI, WI)
- FREN 1112: Beginning French 2 (DI, G)
- FREN 2900: French Literature in English (DI, G)
- JAPN 1112: Beginning Japanese II (DI, G)
- JAPN 2900: Japanese Literature in English (DI, G)
- KOR 1112: Beginning Korean 2 (DI, G)
- KOR 2900: Korean Literature in English (DI, G)
- PHIL 1010: Introduction to Philosophical Problems (G, WI)
- SPAN 1112: College Spanish 2 (DI, G)
- SPAN 2900: Spanish Literature and Film in English (DI, G)
GE Category C4 -- Upper Division Arts & Humanities
Choose one of the following:
- ARAB 3900: Female Voices in Arab American Literature (DI, G, WI)
- CAL 3700: African Arts Heritage (DI, G)
- CAL 3750: Exploring the World of Islam through Literature (DI, G)
- COMM 3334: Global Cinema (DI, G)
- ENG 3000: Studies in Global Literatures (DI, G, WI)
- ENG 3140: Native American and Indigenous Literatures (DI, G)
- FREN 3900: Voices & Visions from the Francophone World (DI, G, WI)
- HIST 3380: Ancient Egyptian Art (DI, G)
- HIST 3890: Images of Africa (DI, G)
- JAPN 3900: Voices & Visions from the World of Japanese Anime and Manga (DI, G, WI)
- MUS 3500: Global Music (G)
- SPAN 3900: Voices & Visions from the Hispanic World (DI, G, WI)
- WLL 3940: Mediterranean Languages and Identities (DI, G)
- WLL 3950: Languages & Cultures (DI, G)
GE Category D3 -- Social Science Disciplinary Perspectives
Choose one of the following:
- ANTH 1002: Understanding Cultural Diversity (DI, G)
- ANTH 1400: World History to c. 1500 (DI, G)
- or HIST 1400: World History to c. 1500
- GEOG 1010: Introduction to Human Geography (G)
- GEOG 1650: World Regions and Peoples (DI, G)
- HIST 1440: World History from c. 1500 (DI, G)
GE Category D4 -- Upper Division Social Science
Choose one of the following:
- ANTH 3603: Gendered Worlds: Power, Difference, and & In/equality (DI, G)
- SSCI 3000: Global Issues and Perspectives (DI, G)
- SSCI 3001: Global Issues and Perspectives (DI, G, WI)
- SSCI 3010: Revolutions and Revolutionary Ideas (DI, G)
- SSCI 3011: Revolutions and Revolutionary Ideas (DI, G, WI)