Frequently Asked Questions
GE Double Counting
Starting with the 2019-20 catalog, when a major or support course has already been approved for GE credit, students will receive both GE and major credit for the course. PLEASE NOTE: This policy does not apply to students on catalogs 2017-19 or prior.
U.S. Cultural Pluralism
USCP is a university requirement, and faculty are encouraged to develop GE courses which also meet the USCP requirements.
GE Gender and Diversity Commitment
Cal Poly seeks to provide its students with an education rich in diverse experiences and perspectives. Such an education is intended to provide students with knowledge and perspectives fostering adaptability and flexibility in a changing world, as well as enhancing students' understanding of, and tolerance for, differences among people. The General Education Program affirms the university's commitment to diversity as a value central to the education of Cal Poly students.
All GE courses are expected to address issues of gender and diversity within the context of the material presented in the course. Effective general education creates an awareness of those figures, male and female, who have made a significant impact on our society or a major contribution to science, mathematics, philosophy, literature, the arts, history, economics, and other areas of human endeavor. Students completing Cal Poly's GE Program should have a clear sense of the intellectual roots creating and contributing to American society and of the ways that various cultures, and both women and men, have contributed to knowledge and civilization and to transforming American society over time.
Service Learning
A service learning component is encouraged in courses where it may be appropriate.
Staffing GE Courses
Faculty teaching General Education courses should meet the following minimum qualifications or their equivalent: An understanding and appreciation of the educational objectives of Cal Poly's GE Program; For teaching lower-division courses, a master's degree in a related field (or, for teaching associates, appropriate training and supervision by an expert in the field); For teaching upper-division courses, a doctorate or an appropriate terminal degree in a related field is not required but is strongly expected; A professional commitment to the subject, as demonstrated by teaching experience, scholarly contributions, or continuing professional education.