2020 Fall Term FYS catalog is here!!

First Year Seminar Fall 2020 Topics

Got a Question – start with the Student FAQs

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact the Gen Ed program at gened@wou.edu. 

Build your schedule! 

Need a little help picking some possible Gen Ed courses? Get some ideas at our Featured Courses page!

Foundations for Lifelong Learning 

Whether you are a beginning freshman or a transfer student, whether you have started major coursework or are still exploring your possibilities, the WOU General Education program is designed to support and complement your goals and help you succeed. WOU General Education is built around learning outcomes that foster the knowledge and skills you will need to thrive in college and beyond. 

In the First Year Seminars, you can join a community of learners, connecting with other students and faculty members while practicing the key foundational skills to support the rest of your college career. Foundations courses further help you build skills that are correlated with success to graduation. In Exploring Knowledge courses, you can develop a wide knowledge base, and even begin some of your major coursework! Finally, Integrating Knowledge courses bring together information and skills from other courses to engage in the kinds of high impact practices that build exactly the kind of competency that 21st century employers seek. Want to know more? Check out the General Education requirements and courses!

Empowering Students

WOU’s degree completion model includes your General Education and major coursework, while still leaving some room for electives. Some of the coursework in many majors also meet General Education requirements and you can use those courses in both areas of your degree plan! Not sure about a major yet or thinking about making a change? Your General Education requirements won’t change even if you switch majors. For transfer students, there are lots of ways to bring your transfer coursework into the General Education requirements. Visit the transfer students section of our website, or contact the General Education office for help. Mathematics and Writing requirements can be met through proficiency tests or Advanced Placement (AP) credits and some of our other courses also have AP equivalents. If you’ve taken any Willamette Promise courses, you may also have some General Education requirements already met! 

Download an orientation guide to the 2020-21 General Education Program requirements and available courses

Download a Tracking Sheet to track and strategize your completion of the program requirements 

General Education Petition Process

Do you have a General Education requirement that you think has not been applied or could be waived? Learn more by linking to: General Education Petition Process for Students. If you have questions about the petition process for General Education, or need help understanding a requirement, schedule an appointment with the General Education office through WCS in your portal. Appointments can be held virtually (all appointments will be virtual during Spring term 2020). 

2018-19 Academic Year and earlier

• For 2018-19, the general education portion of the degree requirements Opens in new window will continue to be fulfilled by the Liberal Arts Core Curriculum (LACC) Opens in new window.
• Minors are no longer required for a Bachelors degree.