What is General Education?
The University of Maryland offers a transformative general education program to help students succeed in their careers and become engaged, global citizens. They will advance their reasoning, problem solving, speaking, and writing skills and begin to use them in all aspects of their life; discover new knowledge…. about the natural world, the past, and human thought and action; which will further their understanding of our universe and empower them to meet its challenges.
How is it similar to other colleges/universities?
Students will study humanities (literature, arts), history and social sciences (history, psychology, sociology, criminal justice) and the natural sciences (physics, biology, chemistry, astronomy). They will also select the courses they wish to take. This allows them to take a course in a subject of interest to them, or they could try something new!
How is it different from other colleges/universities?
I-Series courses
“I-Series” courses are the signature feature of the new General Education program. “I” stands for imagination, innovation, issues, implementation, investigation, inspiration, and intellect. In these you will:
- Tackle big important questions ( the kinds of questions that are complicated… questions without obvious solutions and questions related to contemporary problems)
- Examine the ways in which diverse intellectual traditions and disciplinary protocols address these questions
- Will work on team projects
Scholarship in Practice
In “Scholarship in Practice” courses, you will engage in authentic work of a particular field of study. You will learn and practice skills of critical evaluation and participate in the process of applying knowledge in the pursuit of a tangible goal. In a “Scholarship in Practice” course, you might:
- Draft a business plan
- Compose original poetry
- Develop a curriculum
- Write a grant proposal
- Create a software program
- Produce a documentary
- Design an architectural space
Diversity
In the two required “Diversity” courses, you will explore human, social, and cultural differences. ”Diversity” courses may be designated as “Understanding Plural Societies” or “Cultural Competence” courses.
“Understanding Plural Societies” courses examine how diverse cultural and ethnic groups co-exist.
View current "Understanding Plural Societies" courses
“Cultural Competence” courses help you develop skills to succeed in a diverse world.
Other Changes
- You will no longer be exempted from Math or Academic Writing (ENGL 101) based on SAT scores.
- An A in Academic Writing will no longer provide an exemption from Professional Writing (ENGL 39X).
- You may use AP/IB courses for Fundamental Studies and Distributive Studies, but will only be allowed to apply a maximum of six courses to Distributive Studies. At this point, there are no AP/IB courses that give credit for the “Scholarship and Practice” requirement. You may bring in more than six AP/IB courses, but only six will apply to Distributive Studies.