General Education Policy

Purpose

To define General Education and to denote General Education distribution requirements for all programs.

Policy

General education is the knowledge, skills, concepts and attitudes that serve as the foundation to success within all programs of study. General education prepares students for living, learning, working and serving throughout life.

General Education courses help students gain competence in the exercise of independent intellectual inquiry and also stimulate their examination and understanding of personal, social and civic values. These courses encompass the humanities, mathematics, natural sciences and social sciences.

General Education includes, but is not limited to, the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC).

Goal Area 1: Written and Oral Communication
Goal Area 2: Critical Thinking
Goal Area 3: Natural Sciences
Goal Area 4: Mathematics and Logical Reasoning
Goal Area 5: History and the Social and Behavioral Sciences
Goal Area 6: The Humanities and Fine Arts
Goal Area 7: Human Diversity
Goal Area 8: Global Perspective
Goal Area 9: Ethical and Civic Responsibility
Goal Area 10: People and the Environment

*Some General Education courses will not meet MnTC curriculum requirements.

M State’s General Education Distribution Requirements*

Degree/Award Level: Associate of Arts Degree (A.A.)

General Education Requirement: A minimum of 40 credits in the MnTC Goal Areas

Degree/Award Level: Associate of Science Degree (A.S.)

General Education Requirement: A minimum of 30 credits from six of the MnTC Goal Areas

Degree/Award Level: Associate of Fine Arts (A.F.A)

General Education Requirement: A minimum of 30 credits from six of the MnTC Goal Areas

Degree/Award Level: Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.)

General Education Requirement: A minimum of 15 credits from three of the MnTC Goal Areas

Degree/Award Level: Diploma 61 credits or more

General Education Requirement: A minimum of 9 General Education credits

Degree/Award Level: Diploma 45-60 credits

General Education Requirement: A minimum of 6 General Education credits

Degree/Award Level: Diploma 31 - 44 credits

General Education Requirement: A minimum of 3 General Education credits

Degree/Award Level: Certificates 30 credits or less

General Education Requirement: General Education credits are not required. A certificate program may require General Education courses per advisory board recommendation.

*Exceptions to this requirement may include program accreditation requirements or board/state regulatory policies or statues. Programs requesting an exception to the general education policy must submit a request, rationale, and supporting documentation to Academic Affairs and Standards Committee for an official decision.